Family
Monday, August 23, 2010
A Little Wish for a Happy Birthday!
Today is my kid brother David’s birthday.
This picture was taken in Spring 2005, when he was 30 years old. I could barely accept then that he was turnin’ 30, yet today is years beyond that wonderful afternoon.
We were sitting on the deck at our sister Denise’s house. He was so relaxed—I think that was the time he made the trip from Virginia to Ohio without his young sons.
He was born the first week I was in nursing school. I had to take a phone call at the pay phone at the end of the hall in the dorm. After Dad gave me the news, I yelled out “I got a brother!” to which a gal in the closest room stuck her head out the door and said “I’ve got 2, no big deal”
Well, it was for me. There are 3 sisters between his age and mine.
I got to hold him in the back seat of the station wagon on the way home from the hospital. Mom was still sore from delivery. Those days, car seats not required.
My wedding was when he was in First Grade. He grew up while I was living in another state, raising my own family.
Last week, I sent a card, which he received, then called me on his lunch break to tell me Thank You for the card. Those Free Cell Phone minutes are good for something 
Not sure why I am writing about this here. He doesn’t own a computer, never gets online. Not even sure if he does Texting on his cell phone.
Still, I’m glad he is part of the clan.
Happy Birthday, Caboose Kid!
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
My kittycats went to the Doctor
The cats are having a birthday this month, so they got to go to the veterinarian to have their annual physical and update shots.
Mahalia has her diabetes in check, and there is no longer a need for insulin shots. I have only a teensie amount in the bottle, so I keep an eye on her to see if she needs a minimum dose. She still takes a half tablet of thyroid medicine every morning, but her weight is back to normal.
Oscar seems to have a bladder infection. He was given a big dose of antibiotic alongside the vaccinations. I’m supposed to push fluids, especially in the heat of summer. He goes back in a couple weeks for check-up.
Their appts with handsome doctors has been the main undertaking of my week.
Otherwise, I work with yarn while watching videos or JEOPARDY!
It’s been a fine and quiet summer, but it’s about half over already.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
My ‘Learning Curve’ is Immense
in May, I drove to the Ohio River Valley for my nephew’s wedding. Actually, today is their ONE month anniversary already and Allison is finally back at her job after getting sick in Mexico on the honeymoon. I told her the old folks call it Montezuma’s Revenge, named after the chief of the conquered natives.
I’ve been dinking around with memory card pictures, and computer drives whose titles use letters of the alphabet, and web albums in a program called PICASA, and a very irritated In-House Tech who explains 6 things before he actually gets to the task I am trying to do, but says I don’t need to use a piece of paper for notes because everything I would need is somewhere on the screen.
pretty much since I returned from the 10 hour drive across the mid-West
taking time out to crochet and do the ironing
both being things I can hold in my hands and have a something DONE when I set it down and walk away
I learned how to put pictures on the blog several years ago. Apparently the way I “know” is very old-fashioned, not as secure if this exact computer crashes, plus a number of other troubles I don’t really care about until they happen.
I just want to be able to put pictures where I tell ‘em to be.
Plus, I have a whole box of print-outs from Walgreen’s, which is the way my aunts will get some, since they have no idea about the wonders of computers.
So anyway, as I was driving across the flatlands, some of the folks I met at the wedding reception were already sending requests to Friend me on Facebook. I picked up a few just as Summer vacation was beginning, so Facebook is quite abuzz with little tidbits of fun.
A couple of my blog readers are also over there, so they don’t miss anything.
However, according to the date, I have not been writing as MrsDOF often enough.
Ah well, I’m here now, for jistaminitt.
and I’ll show you my favorite picture from the time in my hometown
More My ‘Learning Curve’ is Immense... below the fold
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Girl Cat doing just fine
I’m talking ‘bout my girl cat Mahalia
who had a check-up this morning for doing blood levels lab work
it seems her diabetes has slacked off. I did not even give insulin this morning, as per instructions
yet the level is at the Low End of Normal
we are going to try to keep her stable with diet, as in several snacks of wet food a day
the doc prefers Rx cans, but she won’t touch it, so I bought her favorite flavors from the store
plus a “New Healthy” type from the same manufacturer with its factory in the USA
We go back in a month for routine care.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
ps I’m making Puppy Chow again… this time for a family home for the summer and the mom says they are starting to get a bit bored already. Showing up with goodies otta cheer ‘em up
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Not exactly what you want to read
No Wedding Trip Report written yet.
Been very busy with Mahalia the diabetic cat. She had a bit of an episode of confusion on Saturday with Geo, then I got her to a regular appt check-up on Tuesday, and the doctor changed a few things
Wednesday morning, she collapsed in the kitchen, so I wrapped her in a towel, dropped her on the passenger seat of the car, rushed into the animal clinic in tears
They kept her for a couple hours, getting her sugar and insulin levels to balance in her blood
had to take her back this morning to make sure she is still neutral (she’s doing okay)
and brought home 6 cans of special, expensive cat food, meanwhile cutting back on the insulin
the paper pictures were picked up from Walgreen’s where they remain in the box, not sorted, and my camera card has not been anywhere near the reader for me to put photos onto this computer.
When I got this new box a few months ago, my In-house Tech says I should be doing Picasa albums, and changed the drive for where my stuff goes, and I am not so good at figuring out this “newer, easier” different way to do this.
He says to get up-to-date, yet forgets that my kitchen has the same wallpaper from when we moved in lo, those many years ago. I don’t like change, especially when it is only to please other people, who apparently are anxiously awaiting the pictures from my camera card.
In between times, I had promised my mom that I would buy her a sheet of Bill Mauldin postage stamps, and our local building is Sold-Out, telling me to order online. Been trying to do that every so often for 30 hours, but my credit card is rejected. Their Techno Support says my computer is in a loop, so I should clear the history and cache, and do a completely new log-in for the USPS site. “Nothing wrong at their end” I was told. So much for online delivery.
Mahalia is all tuckered out from yet another stab in her leg early this morning, and is sleeping nicely on her comfy chair. Actually behaves better than she did before I left town. She should, my latest paycheck went into her care rather than new shoes for me.
Today is Thursday, which means my Needlework Group meets. Having missed the last 2 weeks, I definitely want to be there this afternoon. Have to work on some bookmarks. My mom put in a request for crocheted bookmarks for 8 graduates, then there are also 5 from my church that I wanna gift. Thursday evening is a meeting at church.
Not sure when the pictures and tales of travel will happen.
~~Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Road Trip for a wedding
Time slips by, and I forget to write about happenings.
I’m going on a Road Trip for my nephew’s wedding.
There will be No Comics or Facebook or silly little messages until after I return to this box, since I do not own a mobile gadget.
You All just keep on living yer own way while I’m gone.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Friday, May 14, 2010
Natural Balance on the front walk
With sad news today, I must report the demise of a bird with yellow and brown feathers. It was found by me on the front walk at 7:05 this morning, with a broken neck and its abdomen torn open.
In what seems to be a freak turn of events, it looked as if the bird was hit in the head by the newspaper tossed from a car stopped at the end of the walk. The corner of the folded paper had a bit of a dent in it, and there was an exact straight mark on the side of the bird’s head.
This apparently stunned the little bird so much that it remained still enough so that Oscar the cat could pounce.
There were no signs of defense put up by the bird.
I took the plastic wrapper off the newspaper, then used it along with a napkin from my pocket, to pick up, bag, and dispose of the feathered corpse. There were no other witnesses.
Oscar was allowed indoors, looking quite pleased with himself, where he sat on the rug in front of the sink to do his morning grooming.
When I got home from work this afternoon, Oscar wanted to be let out the front door. He went straight to the scene of the disturbance, where just a couple small feathers remain caught in the grass.
We must pray that the bird was not a parent trying to support several babies in the nest in the maple tree.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Saturday, April 03, 2010
He writes more often than I do
Husband has been writing at Decrepit Old Fool
and also
Friend, Patches
I’m busy crocheting a bookmark to tuck into a card…
this is what weekends are for
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Happy Birthday, Youngest Son
Today is our youngest son’s birthday.
Christopher is a quarter century old.
He was born on Palm Sunday. This year, his day is in the middle of Holy Week.
I had pictures all found and sorted to be putting on my blog, then the kid comes by and makes a request to not be showing pictures of him when he was so young.
He went through the little pile and said the one with him and his cake with only 5 candles was kinda cute. Alas, it is not the one I have already in a folder on the computer, and I’m not gonna mess with the scanner right now.
This one, he’s almost 21, smiling cuz he’s with his dad.
they are humoring the missus with camera in her hands
Our family was complete when he came along.
Three sons. Oldest. Middle. Youngest.
each with personality and willpower all his own
Happy Birthday, Bear Cub
~~love and Huggs, MOM
Monday, March 15, 2010
Noises are Familiar
the other night as we were getting ready for bed, I let out a little yelp as I took off my shirt.
Without turning around, Husband said “You forgot to take out your earrings first”
So I asked how did he know that?
and he said “that’s the sound you make when you don’t take out your earrings so your shirt pulls on ‘em”
This evening, I was at the computer and let out a little sigh.
Without turning around, Husband said “there must be a baby picture”
So I asked how did he know that?
and he said “that’s the sound you make when you are looking at a baby”
Shonuff, there was my friend Beth’s baby girlie Gwen, and a dog for added goodness.
my man and I have lived together for a very long time
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
An At Home Day with Girl Kitty
There’s nothing on tv this evening, at least what I might want to watch. And I already used up a few hours beside a sunny window with a crochet hook in my hand. I might pick up Yarn and tool again in a little while.
Mahalia girl kittycat is doing better. After breakfast and her shot of insulin, she played with her glove in the living room, then had a nice morning nap. After her Noon meal, she wanted to go out the front door. I watched from the window. She sat on the top step and surveyed the area. After a few minutes, I opened the door and asked if she wanted to come back in.
She looked over her shoulder, then back out across the yard, gave a little murmur of NO, then hopped over into the grass.
I watched through 2 different windows as she paced off a 3 corner territory, stopping to sniff at a bush where a stray yellow cat likes to sit to watch us. The temp got up to over 40o and the sunshine brings a hint of Spring.
A few minutes later, her paw was on the screen of the front window, so I answered the door to let her back in. She went straight to her water dish, had a nice long drink, sat on the rug doing a little grooming, then settled in her chair for her afternoon nap.
I’m not sure I want to leave her alone to go to a Sub job!
I like knowing that she’s eating, and enjoying the yard during the day. And Spring Break is weeks off yet!
When I checked SubFinder this morning, there were a few jobs, all at the high school, and all names I don’t know. Because I’m not familiar, I was not in the mood for an adventure. Last time I tried that, I had to change diapers on a kid big enough to be playing football if he did not have problems. And only one other aide was willing to help with lifting, which is not teamwork.
The last school board meeting notes say that most Assistant jobs will be eliminated next year. Fewer regular positions mean fewer Sub opportunities. Next question is “what will happen to all the students with disabilities?”
And what other job might give me the freedom to take time off to nurse my girl kittycat?
Now I’m getting myself into a darker mindset, so I should stop typing now.
I’ll go work on the peg loom with green and blue ombre yarn to make a baby hat.
Husband is on the treadmill. He’s so faithful.
I haven’t been on it for 4 days. Crochet is not nearly enough exercise, and my backside knows it.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, March 01, 2010
Getting the cat into Routine
On Sunday evening, we made a trip to WallyWorld to fetch um, matzos. Husband likes those crackers with hazelnut spread on ‘em, and that store has the least price on the brand he wants.
So while we’re in the middle of all this merchandise, I suggest we might get something for Monday’s supper. I took the day off to be able to carry Mahalia kittycat to the doctor (she’s doing fine, I’m a good nurse, we don’t go back until the end of May) so I knew I would have time to cook something.
Before I was even done with the sentence, my spouse looked all hopeful and softly said “Chicken Noodle?” as I knew he would.
I haven’t made it for 3 weeks, he must be having withdrawal symptoms by now.
So we went over to the poultry fridge and I found the Whole Chicken Cut-up package and put it into the cart. He looks at the price and says a deli chicken already cooked would be less expensive, so I trot over to the end where I can see the little cart has its heat lamp burning. However, there are no whole chickens on a busy Sunday evening, only crispy fried parts, which do not make good casserole innards.
Back to the fridge and put the Whole Chicken Cut-up package into the cart again.
This morning, I stripped the bed because I took the day off to be able to carry Mahalia kittycat to the doctor, and I knew I would have time to do the laundry.
When I went to the basement to sort and load, I found youngest son’s laundry hamper waiting. He must have brought it by yesterday afternoon while I was at the Baby Adoption Party.
So I end up with 6 XL loads to put through the machines. The dryer just buzzed for #4, but it’s only 2:30 in the afternoon, plenty of time to get the rest done.
The chicken got baked, picked off the bones, and chopped ready for the casserole. It waits under wrap in the fridge. Noodles, can of cream o chicken soup, and bread crumbs waiting on the counter beside the ceramic dish. Pan full of water waiting on the stove, ready to be heated to boil the noodles.
All this because I actually asked the mister what he might want for supper on Monday.
Next laundry load just went into the dryer, last load altogether went into the washer. No way could I have done 6 loads of laundry in one day if I had worked TA Sub hours, but I took the day off to be able to carry Mahalia kittycat to the doctor.
Putting the cat into the carrier, driving to the animal hospital, waiting room, check-up, discussion for treatment, paying bill, home again, was a total of 43 minutes time.
All the other chores got done because I took the day off to be able to carry Mahalia kittycat to the doctor.
And what a nice day it has been
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, February 22, 2010
We’re Still Making Adjustments
Since I had not eaten a thing since ramen noodles last evening, I really had a hankering for a McDs Sausage and Egg Biscuit.
I got up when Mahalia decided it was time for me to get up, even tho her appt. is not until 1pm.
We got through the morning routine of my medicine, and her medicines, fill the critter bowls, then I gave Husband a smooch to send him on his way on his bicycle to his job.
I went out and cleared my car of the freezing rain that was covering it, then drove past the ISU dorms and crowds of students making their way to classes.
At McDs, the drive-thru lane had a long line of cars, so I decided to go inside and have my breakfast.
Not being with Husband, I felt off-kilter. I ordered my usual meal, but forgot a newspaper. McDs has the local paper for a quarter on the same bill. I sat in a different seat than he and I do together, again because being there alone is unusual. There was a paper left on the next table, so I claimed it to at least read the front page.
Then I realized I had forgotten the cholula sauce. A McDs sausage and egg biscuit is not quite ready until the hot sauce soaks in to join the grease on the bready part.
So I finished the hash browns, re-wrapped the sandwich, made sure the lid tight on my coffee, and came back home.
I found Mahalia in an odd position almost unconscious on the rug between the kitchen and living room. I had to rub a bit of corn syrup on her tongue, lift her and rock her and keep talking to her until she rallied enough to eat a couple more spoonfuls of wet cat food. I made her walk around a little to get her system to send insulin to all parts of her little body.
Good thing she goes in for a re-check in a little while. I’m going to ask again about how much food at a time, how often to keep her levels in balance, and how much Total food she should have in a day.
And I will write down the answers because my hearing does not always connect correctly inside my brain. Written notes can be referred to as often as I need to.
I had to re-heat my sausage and egg in the microwave, put it onto a cold biscuit, and drink lukewarm coffee.
Mahalia sat on a magazine about 10” from my plate until I gave in and let her nibble a marble size bit of egg.
So much for having a solitary and anticipated meal.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Each Day as it comes Along
Yesterday’s news brought on a whole new mindset for me.
I have to re-organize a cupboard shelf in the kitchen to accommodate girl cat’s medical supplies, syringes, thyroid pill bottle; insulin in the fridge.
I’m supposed to take my own thyroid pill on an empty stomach, then wait 30 minutes to eat breakfast.
Husband asked me to stay home this first day, to keep an eye on our sick kitty. I’m quite willing to do this, since it gives me more opportunity to work on crafts for the Relief Sale.
I have to figure out a different routine to get everything done in the morning,
yet still be able to make it out the door to be at the high school by 7am on the days when I do agree to work at the high school.
For Today, I told SubFinder to Do Not Disturb. It helped that the computer schedule read No Jobs Available. Maybe the credit bills from Christmas are coming due? so folks are working hard.
But I do have a pre-arranged TA Sub job for Friday.
We’ll see if an old broad can get it together
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Our Girl Kitty is Sick
My head is processing the news that our girl kitty, Mahalia, has diabetes. She’s been taking thyroid medicine for a few months, but still getting more frail and losing weight, so I asked for an appointment today.
The Vet doctor seems optimistic that she can live a fine life with our help. He showed me how to give insulin shots, and how much food for each serving.
We go back next week to see if she is improving.
She is almost 15 years old, with a birthday in the summer.
Her brother is doing fine, actually is a bully to her too much.
We love our girl, and plan to take care of her as best we can.
~~love and Huggs, Diane