Thursday Thursday Chat

    • Gold Top Dog

    Thursday Thursday Chat

    I don't think I have ever started chat before.  WOW

    Heading out this morning to Ann Arbor to take Riley for her quarterly arthritis appointment.  For me, I got to sleep in until 5:15 for her, getting her up in 10 minutes is going to be a chore and she will NOT be happy.  She can fall back to sleep in the car since we have a 60++ minute drive with rush hour.  If you can send some calming vibes to her so that she doesn't fight them too bad, that would be great.  We have been practicing all week (blood pressure, temp, joint exams, shots, etc.) so hopefully she will let them do what they need to do today.  Her knee looks "ok" in the sense that it is still enlarged (bony overgrowth) but I don't feel too much fluid which is a good thing.  I pray they don't find another site - that is always my biggest worry - that and they give her a medication that is a liquid.  We are now at the point where she swallows her pills whole which is a major step for her as most of you know!

    I hadn't gotten her new shoes lifted yet so hopefully they don't give me the evil eye Angry  I just hate to do it and then they tell me she doesn't need it.  Her right leg doesn't seem too much longer, but you never know.  They were on the fence last time and at $25 a pair I would rather not do it if I don't need to.  The girl has more shoes than DH so it adds up fast!

    DH and I are starting a modified South Beach diet on Saturday - I say modified because I can't give up my red wine.  I need to lose about 30 pounds (was only 20 before the holidays Indifferent).  It will be so much easier if he does it with me.  Not because I need the moral support but then I don't have to cook separate dinners for the both of us.  All the eating over the holidays and a shift in my Zumba schedule (I am down to only 1 class a week for the past month) has not been kind to my behind.  LOL

    It was supposed to snow last night, but I just took Charlie for a walk and not a flake.  Trust me, I am not complaining and would be more than happy if I didn't see snow until next Christmas!

    Take care and I will update on her appt. later this am.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Sending lots of calming vibes and good thoughts for Riley's appt. today.

    There's not much going on here. It's chilly with snow on the way. OK...off to the paperwork that's waiting for me.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Lots of calming vibes for Riley!

    Jackson slept in until 5:50am, he actually has me wondering if he's okay. Keeping him up late NEVER results in sleeping in. Isn't it weird the things we worry about?

    Hope everyone else is okay!! 

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    • Gold Top Dog

     Good vibes for Riley's appointment today.

    I hate it when you get dressed, get in the car, drive to work, then get out of the car and realize you're covered in lint and you left your lint brush in your other jacket pocket.  Using scotch tape to de-lint myself.

    Need more coffee...  Coffee

    • Gold Top Dog

    Paige, I learned the hard way to keep an extra lint brush in my desk at work, due to cat hair and lint.

    Hopefully I will have an answer on my washer today that isn't too painful, whether it is repair or replace.

    It is frustrating when co-workers order things on their own after we've told them a million times to ask first and the items are $50 more each than what I could find them for.

    Good thoughts for Riley's appointment.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Today is going to be a multi pot day!  Bitter cold again.  A balmly TWO degrees.  You know what they say about payback and we seem to be getting it in full force.

    Calming vibes for Riley AND Lisa today.

    Have to run DH to work, come back and help DS get a bolt in his truck exhaust, then go out for more wood since he'll be gone until Monday after today, and then go to work myself.  I'll be glad when this week is over and I'm on in the mornings, but, since I made the schedule, mostly to accomodate my coworker, I can't complain....much.

    So......off to the races.  Hope everyone has a great day, and will be watching for a Riley update!

    • Gold Top Dog
    I hope rileys appt goes well and that the roads aren't bad for you. We have heavy very fine snow coming down, the kind that only accumulates into a layer of ice on the road.

    My mom might be coming thru on a dryer for me. I was chatting with her yesterday and mentioned I needed to get my dryer fixed and she said "oh, you can have mine, I didn't sell it with the house and my new house already has one". Jackpot! However, my mom is the queen of saying something like this then going back on it. I have learned the hard way over the years to not get my hopes up. She just did it with an accent chair, offered it to me then when I called again to ask about it, she had given it to a friend to put in their basement. Anyway, if she does come through, that will be awesome. Then I can spend my money on a washer instead. Where are the lottery winnings when you need it?

    So don't want to work today. I have a couple meetings i have to walk to today and brrrrrr!
    • Gold Top Dog

    Mark Wahlberg is the number one a-wad on my list this week.

    That is all.

    Deb W.

    P.S. Good vibes for Riley - hope you have a calm appointment Lisa.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Lisa, I hope Riley's appointment goes well. 

    Good luck on your washer news today, Tina.  Julie, hope your mom comes through with the dryer. 

    Not much going on here today and that's a good thing. :) 

    I can't believe the cowardly actions of the captain on that cruise ship.  He's number one on my list of jackasses.  I hope they throw the book at him. 

    Karen, how is Bugsy this morning?  I gasped when I read about his fall yesterday.  Sending him many good vibes for no afteraffects.

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    • Gold Top Dog

     Aw Lisa my thoughts and prayers for Riley and for you today! 

    Tina I hope it is a cheap repair - Julie I hope your mom doesn't renege

    iluvjamison
    Mark Wahlberg is the number one a-wad on my list this week.

      hmmmm, feeling out of the loop LOL

    Bugsy seems fine from his split yesterday - how he can be fine from that move I don't know but I am hopeful that the post- nummy frozen "cat poop treat" zoomies means he's OK Tongue Tied

    Here's a funny video - I saw it ages ago but someone sent it to me this morning and it made me laugh all over again LINK 

    Hoping Jackie has a much better day today

    eta: Jackie we were typing at the same time - I totally agree re the captain - he now says he fell into the life boat Hmm

    • Gold Top Dog

    JackieG
    I can't believe the cowardly actions of the captain on that cruise ship.  He's number one on my list of jackasses.  I hope they throw the book at him. 

    I have to say I agree.  He fell into a lifeboat?  Really?

    Mark Wahlberg, he gets the "you need to shut your big stupid mouth" award.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Good luck, Riley & Lisa!

    I have a lot to do today... and not a whole lot of motivation. Tomorrow morning I'm dropping Sonja off at daycare then Willa and I are heading to MN to visit my sister and her family. It's soooo much easier traveling with just one kid! Since we're leaving so early I have to get as much packed up and in the car as I can today. 

    Way back when my sister moved from MN to MA, she dropped off a big wooden cabinet thing for me to hold on to for her. They didn't have room in the moving van and she didn't want to give it away or sell it. So it's been sitting in my office for 5 years. The bottom is filled with maternity and baby clothes that she lent me. Now I finally get to bring it back to her! I'm driving DH's Suburban so the gas mileage won't be so great, but I'm glad to have a little more extra space in my office. Yes

    • Gold Top Dog

    I hope Riley's appointment goes well.

    So I was just up in the kitchen, and I noticed, after having walked in and out several times, that the cat must have gotten a mouse overnight. I would remove it, except I can't find the dust pan. I'm not going back in there, since I'm afraid now I'll step on it (it's right by the entry, I suppose she couldn't get it out the gate). I never stepped on it before I knew it was there, but now that I know it's there, I'm sure I'd step on it. Good job to my mom, the biggest my hypocritical person ever, for having the pots and pans she's used all week to cook things nobody has eaten sitting dirty in the sink with food still in them. Not that it's directly why a mouse came in, that would have to do with the build of the house, but if you leave food out, you're certainly not helping the problem. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Well, the washing machine spun as soon as the repair guy set it to the rinse cycle.  I swear I gave it a break and tried it myself a few different times since Sunday to no avail.  The agitator is 2-part, and one part wasn't working, so that's fixed (but that didn't cause the lack of spinning out the water).  Repair was $91 w/ a 15-day warranty in case the thing decides to mess with me later and not spin.

    I felt like a genious, no doubt. Hmm

    • Gold Top Dog

    sharismom
      Repair was $91 w/ a 15-day warranty in case the thing decides to mess with me later and not spin.

    I'm glad it was at least a relatively inexpensive repair but I'd use it a bunch in the next 15 days to see if the problem starts up again.

    Lisa - I'm thinking good vibes for you and Riley today. Also wishing you luck with the diet although from pictures I've seen, you sure don't look like you need to lose 30 lbs.

    Agree with everyone on the ship captain and Mark Wahlberg Super Angry

    Rain is supposed to arrive mid-day and based on the weather folks, it should be a good drenching for the next several days. I hope they're right.

    I think I'm going to take tomorrow off. I have no plans but I just feel like it and need to use some vacation days.

    Saw this latest post from the Susie Johnson and wanted to share it. The BD party she's talking about was for my best friend's granddaughter, Olivia. The dinner at Outback is what really brought tears to my eyes though -

    What an emotional weekend. On Saturday we attended a birthday party for our friends daughter, Olivia. She was turning 6. It was an adorable party at Michaels. The kids painted and decorated tote bags. They had a blast! I noticed that everything was Hello Kitty themed. I looked at the cake and realized it was the same cake Hannah had at her Hello Kitty themed 5th birthday. Hannah loved how pink the cake was. I started to tear up from the memory. My little girl sure did love pink. Watching Olivia blow out the candles was like reliving Hannah's birthday. Olivia even looks a lot like Hannah-tiny and blonde with a sweet smile. They were best friends. My heart was aching for my little girl. After the party we decided to walk to Panera and grab a bite to eat. So many memories there too. Hannah used to take two dance classes on Mondays that were separated by an hour. Sometimes I would wrangle the kids up and rush them to Panera for a quick dinner. Hannah loved the broccoli and cheddar soup. She would dip her bread in it. I have a cute picture of her in her ballet clothes with her hand shoved into her bread and saying in her tiny voice "want a knuckle sandwich?" She always cracked me up. As we left, we stopped to say hello to the managers. While we were in Atlanta, Panera did a fundraiser for our family. It was great to be able to shake their hands and thank them and let them meet Owen and the girls. We were able to use the money towards a new truck to replace our van. Driving is still very nerve wracking (especially now that we have to have oxygen tanks with us) but the truck gives me somewhat of a sense of security. Of course, if I could figure out how to buy a tank, I would. On Sunday, after church, we decided to go to Outback for dinner. We rarely are able to do this especially now since David hasn't worked in over 6 months but someone sent us a gift card so we had been excited to go for a while. Walking up to the hostess stand I was trying to figure out how many seats we needed. I defaulted to 6 then said, no wait, Hannah's not here, so 5, but Renee is here, so 6, but Owen doesn't need a seat and neither does Renee. So I asked for a table for 4 plus a wheelchair and a carrier. That was a hard thing to say. It shows just how different our lives have become in the last 6 months. Anyways, the hostess found us a table in a section that only had one other couple sitting in it. I was worried about bothering them. Meals aren't calm for us. Renee started crying so I had to walk outside, then Owen needed to be cathed, then Renee needed to be changed, then Owen needed to be suctioned. So we were up and down for most of the meal. Then as we were finishing up, two men and a little boy came up to us. They introduced themselves and said they are Christians and wanted to pray for Owen. It caught us off guard but we of course agreed. I never turn down prayers! They started to pray for Owen and 2 woman and a little girl joined them. The little girl even said a sweet prayer for Owen. It was so sweet of them. I never thought people like that existed anymore. It brought tears to my eyes. I glanced at the couple at the next table hoping we didn't bother them too much. They were getting ready to leave. When the bill came, we handed the waitress the gift card and she said that the table next to us had been following our story and had left money to be put towards our bill. We were speechless. Then she said that the manager also knew our story and taken 50% off our bill. We we're so touched. Between the prayers, the generous couple, the management, and the fact that we were using a gift card sent to us by someone we have never met, it was the most amazing dinner we have ever had. I went into that restaurant feeling sad, but left feeling blessed. I know I have said it before but people are good. Our community is amazing. I don't know how we would be staying afloat without the support we have received. We have depended on fundraisers and contributions to help us get through right now. People still drop off dinners most nights of the week, which is such a blessing. We barely have time to sleep much less make a home cooked meal. We still get letters and texts and emails telling us that we are being prayed for. We are so appreciative of all of the support we are given. It is so great to see that out of this tragedy we are able to see, not just some good, but tons of great. "Thank God for what you have. Trust God for what you need."