GOING SLOW

I am still not feeling to good. I am planning on calling the doc tomorrow. I keep getting queasy.  I just feel out of it.

Until tomorrow...

DOGS DOING THE BED DANCE

Every night I watch my dog Happi, climb in her bed and do the same dance. She goes around in circles, then she digs, then around in circles again. Then she uses her nose (she has three legs) to push the pillow out of her bed. For some bizarre reason she hates the lovely, soft, comfortable pillow that is in her bed. Then she starts the whole dance all over again. Round and round, dig, dig. Then finally she plops down. Three-legged dogs are not graceful when they lay down.  Some nights this ritual goes on and on and I finally have to tell her to knock it off.  Other nights both dogs will start doing it at the same time. Dig, dig, dig in stereo.

Because Happi has three legs (one front leg and two back legs) it takes a tremendous amount of balance to dig in her bed. I am always impressed when I watch her do it. Four-legged dogs use both front legs to dig but not at the same time. Three-legged dogs have to balance on their hind legs so they can use their front leg to dig. It takes a lot of strength.

Well, Happi has finally settled down for the night and I guess it is time for me to go to sleep.

Until tomorrow...

FINALLY HAD THANKSGIVING DINNER

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day and I was not feeling all that well after my bike incident. I think my mild concussion was more concussion than mild. I had a horrible headache and any time I stood up or tried to concentrate on anything (like reading a recipe) I got nauseous and had to sit down. At first I thought it was caused by the pain in my shoulder every time I chopped or cut something but pretty soon I realized it probably wasn't that. I was feeling my best sitting or lying down. Needless to say, Thanksgiving dinner didn't get cooked. 

Today I felt somewhat better and I made a few things. I made mushrooms that I grilled, homemade cranberry sauce and stuffed acorn squash.  These went along with the stuffing and cauliflower I made yesterday. The only thing missing is the mashed potatoes but I could only do so much. We may do that tomorrow. Kinda like a progressive Thanksgiving dinner over three days.

Homemade cranberry sauce(not yet cooled)

Grilled mushrooms

My plate withAcorn Squash, Stuffing, Cauliflower, Grilled Mushrooms and Cranberries. Yum!

Until tomorrow...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Most Thanksgivings I don't have something to be so thankful for. Yesterday I had an accident on my bike. I was extremely lucky there were no cars driving behind me when I fell in the road. I am okay and will hopefully be back on my bike in a few weeks.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and good health.

Until tomorrow...

BIKE ACCIDENT

Okay, it was bound to happen. I had an accident on my bike. Don't panic. Nothing hit me. It was self inflicted. I was riding with a friend when I braked too hard, mostly with the left brake, and I went flying. I landed partly along the water bottle holder with my left thigh and partly on my helmet on the asphalt. As I flipped I saw a pedestrians face. It was a look of shock and awe.  I was lucky there was no one right behind me. A truck was a ways behind me and he saw it happen and moved into the other lane.

I sat there dazed for a moment. Then my friend helped me up. I felt shocked but okay. A man passing by gave me a band-aid for a cut on my finger. I walked to a bench and sat for about 20 minutes. Then I rode home.

I took a bath. Ate. Watched TV. Started to cook dinner when I began to feel bad. I got nauseous, headache. I decided I should go to the ER where I am now.

Two hour 45 minutes in the waiting room. I just had x-rays on my shoulder, knee and a cat scan on my neck and head. I have thus stupid collar on that is so uncomfortable. The nurse chastised me for waiting so long to come in.

The verdict has come in. Mild concussion. Chipped the bone at the top of the ligament in my right knee. Cracked rib. Lots of bruises. Back on crutches. No collar!

It is 1:30am of Thanksgiving Day and I want to go home. I am just happy it wasn't worse. Happy Thanksgiving!

Until tomorrow...

PROBLEMS WITH LUCKY

Over the past two months Lucky has become quite aggressive. Not to me but toward Brenda, my partner, and to our other dog Happi.  At first I thought she was protecting me.

Now after speaking to a professional, it has become clear that Happi is under stress. She is fighting for survival. She is resource guarding. That is when a pet thinks something is valuable and thinks something is going to take it away. In this case Lucky is resource guarding me. She thinks I am valuable and considers anything that comes between she and I to be a threat. Brenda is a threat. Happi is a threat.  She growls and has started to attack Brenda when I am at home. She occasionally thinks Happi is a threat if a show Happi attention and not her.

Lucky also resource guards space. Beds, pillows, couches, chairs, my lap. If she is laying somewhere she will not move if she doesn't want to. She will growl and snarl at anyone who goes near her. If you persist she will attack.  She also has gotten into it with Happi when they fought over space on a bed.

I have to work with her to fix this issue. We overcame her resource guarding with food. I feel we can do this.

Until tomorrow...

PEACE, FERGUSON

Just sitting here watching the destruction in Ferguson. Fires, looting.  I get peaceful marching. I get sit-ins. I get locking down to something. I get hanging banners.  I don't get setting fire to someone's Llittle Cesar's.  I don't get breaking the windows on a store and stealing TVs.

Peace, Ferguson.

Until tomorrow...

PUTTING MY BIKE IN MY CAR

Today I wanted to go for a bike ride in another part of town. I decided I would put my bike in my little car. I have researched and because I have a convertible there are no bike racks that fit my car. I could get a hitch and rack for the hitch but that seems like a lot of work.

I got my car out of the garage. Put my tarp on the leather seats. Took the roof down. Got my bike down off the rack. Picked up the bike and put it in the back seat and...it got stuck. It didn't fit and I couldn't get it out. I had to get Brenda to help me.  It is official: I can not use my car to drive my bike anywhere. This sucks! 

When I buy a new car I will need to think this through. I want to drive my bike to locations to ride and not have to rely on other people.

Until tomorrow...

GRATITUDE BLOG FOR DECEMBER

I decided to make up my own blog challenge for December. I am going to do gratitude blog postings. I know some might think this sounds hokey but I think December is a good month to remember the thinks we are grateful for. People get all caught up in buying presents and rushing all around to parties and events.

I think being restful for a steaming hot cup of tea is important. Stay tuned.

Until tomorrow...

RAIN, GLORIOUS RAIN

As of this evening we got .75 inches of rain. That is more rain than we have gotten in a year!  Our pond is almost full. Another inch and we will have to start pumping the water out.

The dogs are funny. They keep sniffing the air. They are not interested in going outside in the rain. 

I want to park my car outside and soap it up.  Then let the rain rinse it off. It hasn't been washed in 9 months. 

I guess now I will have to get the crack in my windshield fixed. It wasn't a problem when we had a drought. The crack doesn't go through the glass so no water gets through. But now it is raining I am not sure I want to keep playing Russian roulette. Eventually the water will leak through. 

Rain rain don't go away, please come back another day!

Until tomorrow...

RENEWED MY INSURANCE PLAN

Today I renewed my insurance.  Since I get a subsidy I had to go through this whole rigamarole to sign up.  I found out my subsidy increased but my cost also increased.  I stuck with the same plan.  Especially now that I know I will be having surgery, I will probably hit that $4,000 copay faster next year.

I like my plan but I liked it better when it had a  deductible not a copay.  I can hit a deductible pretty fast.  Especially with Enbrel.  Two to three prescriptions of Enbrel and I would hit that $4,000 deductible.  Then the rest of everything was free.

Until tomorrow...

WON THE AUCTION

On Sunday I went to a party and bid on an auction item.  The item was two 24-hour bicycle rentals at a cut rate.  I noticed that no one was bidding on it and it was about half way through the party.  I thought what the heck.  I will bid on it.  I really thought someone else would bid on it by the end of the night. 

Today I found out I won the item.  I have one year to use two 24-hour bike rentals.  Yay!  It goes to a good cause.

Until tomorrow...

NEW DOCTOR MEANS NEW AUTHORIZATION

I just spoke to the pharmacy about Enbrel.  Since my doctor is retiring I wanted to know if this would mess up my Enbrel delivery.  Those of you who don't take Enbrel or any injectable medication, you don't understand how the slightest thing can mess up the delivery of your medication.

Luckily I asked.  Turns out that I will have to be re-authorized for Enbrel with the new doctor and that can take weeks.  Meanwhile the new doctor will not be able to re-fill the old prescription.  So I will have to time this very carefully.  I need to make sure my current doctor fills a prescription then my new doctor sends over the new authorization so that my new prescription is ready a month later.  Hopefully it all gets timed out perfectly. 

The hardest thing is to have the prescription authorization screwed up.  If you don't have enough medication, it can set you back.  Once I had to miss 3 doses because my authorization got messed up when I changed insurance plans.

This time I plan to have it go smoothly so I don't have to miss any doses.

Until tomorrow...

SORE HIPS AND LEGS

I think I over did the party.  There were few places to sit at the party and I had to stand for 1.5 hours.  This morning my hips and legs were killing me.  I had a hard time getting out of bed and walking to the shower.  I had that old lady walk.  All day my hips were killing me, even when I sat down.

Tomorrow I hope my hips will be loosened up.

Until tomorrow...

BIKE GATHERING

Tonight I went to a bike gathering.  It was a party of biking people.  There was bike art.  Bike stuff auctioned off.  Music, food and drink.  It was fun.  It was a bit like a high school reunion at a high school I didn't go to.  I knew two people there and felt like I was hanging on to them.  I only stayed about 1.5 hours.  I put in a bid for one auction item but don't think I won since I have not heard from them.

It was good to get out and do something out of my comfort zone.  I was not really up to going but rallied and went anyway.

Until tomorrow...

CRITTER IN THE BACKYARD

No, not that kind of critter.  It was either a cat, raccoon or skunk.  I let the dogs out in the backyard and they went crazy.  They were running around and barking.  Then I heard it.  A hiss.   A weird cackling type of growly sound.  It was eerie.  I don't know what kind of animal it was but I wanted the dogs out of there.  I had visions of a raccoon swooping down on the little dog. 

Happy came in pretty quickly with not too much trouble.  Lucky on the other hand, was a pain.  I had to yell and scream.  Beg and plead.  She was just running around and barking.  I finally corralled her up the stairs and in the door.  Then she was running around in the house because she needed to pee.  I had to take her out front on a leash.  By mid-night whatever it was was gone.

Until tomorrow...

THE TREE IS CUT DOWN

I am so happy. The part of the tree from our neighbors yard is finally cut down. It was hanging way over into our yard blocking our view. Today the tree guy came and climbed up in it and chopped it down.

Then he went in our tree and shaped it and thinned it. It looks great.

We have a view again!  The backyard is sunny without the trees blocking the sun.

Until tomorrow...

I HAVE AN ULCER

I saw my gut doc today. She pressed on my stomach and I practically dove off the table. She didn't even press that hard. Turns out I probably have an ulcer. There's another thing to check off my bucket list!

I have to take a medicine for two weeks and see if I feel better. No biggie.  I didn't even know I had it.

Until tomorrow...

MY FAVORITE APP HAS GONE BUST

I am almost ready to cry. My favorite app is closing its doors on December 10th.  I have to export my data to another app (that I have to pay for) by 12/10.  The app I have to use has horrible reviews. I am so bummed.

It us a recipe and shopping list app. I spent hours putting my recipes in the app. Now I have to put my recipes in a inferior app.  I am still looking for other options.

Until tomorrow...

RE-TORE THE LIGAMENT IN MY ANKLE

My ankle has been bothering me. It is starting to feel like it is slipping again.  It is a weird feeling like your foot is not connected to your leg.

The doc said it seemed like I loosened the clip holding my ligament together or I tore the ligament again.  I will need an MRI and surgery. Then 6-8 weeks in a cast and PT again.

I have decided to put it off a bit.  It isn't dire so I can wait.

Until tomorrow...

RESPONSE TO PROPOSAL

I finished the proposal and sent it in.

The next day I got an email response that was short and clipped. Is that the right word? It was so not pleasant that my head snapped back a bit. It wasn't mean. The words were just short.  It didn't leave me with a good feeling.

I have a tendency to take these things personally at first. My feelings get hurt.  Then I think about it for awhile and I realize the person is probably having a bad day or they are tired.  Then I let it go.  But sometimes it is hard.

Until tomorrow...

PROPOSAL

This weekend I had to do a proposal. Normally I am not a fan of doing proposals but this time I was really not happy doing it.  I didn't know what the client wanted and I didn't know how they wanted it.  This makes it hard to do a proposal.

I thought about it for days.  Trying to formulate it in my head.  I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it.  I dreamed about it.  Finally this afternoon I wrote it.  I am still not sure if it will "cut mustard" as they say but I finished it and sent it.

Oh, I have another blocked oil gland in my eye.  Ugh!  If it didn't look so ugly.  I am putting the hot compresses on it. 

Until tomorrow...

BARBECUE

Today I took Brenda out for her belated birthday meal.  I was sick on her birthday so we had to skip it.  No present, no going out to dinner, no cupcake.

I surprised her with barbecue.  Usually it is hard to go to a barbecue place because there is nothing for me to eat except sides.  I can have corn on the cob, baked potato, corn bread.  Not very nutritious and not the kind of food I am eating these days.  The place we went had ribs, barbecue chicken, pulled pork AND crusted tofu!  I got the tofu with the habenaro slaw.  Unfortunately the slaw was SO spicy it burnt my mouth.  I had to scrape it off.  They gave me a portion of the regular slaw and that was better.

Brenda got the combo plate.  Chicken, ribs, collard greens, biscuit, potato salad. Yum!

Until tomorrow...

BRENDA'S BELATED BIRTHDAY PRESENT

Brenda's belated birthday present finally arrived.  I was sick on her birthday so we had to postpone her celebration.  I ordered her some Converse high top (Chuck Taylor) sneakers.  They have a pattern on them of San Francisco row houses and on the tongue it says San Francisco.  She can sport her favorite team now! 

She loves them and sported them right away.  Tomorrow will contain another surprise.

Until tomorrow...

SOCIAL EXPERIMENT

Weeks ago my hair was its natural auburn with a streak of gray (think Bonnie Raitt with dark hair) in the front.  When I rode public transportation I was noticing that folks were getting up and giving me their seats. I am not nearly old enough to be given a seat in the disabled/elderly seating area.  Time and time again people were getting up. Not just young people either. Folks who were older than me!

A week ago I died my hair. My streak is now a vibrant reddish.  Today I took public transit.  I took two trains and a bus. Not one person offered me a seat. In fact no one gave me a second look. To be scientific, I will have to ride a few more buses and trains together a real sample. 

It feels good to be young again.

Until tomorrow...

CUT DOWN THE IVY

Today the landscaper came and took the layers of dead and live ivy off our back wall. I am so happy.  There was about 3' of dead ivy underneath the live ivy . The gardener had to use a chainsaw to get rid of it.

Before photo:

Now you can see the back wall. We have so much more real estate.

We are so happy. They also planted so plants were we had some other plants taken out a few months ago.

Until tomorrow...

DID YOU VOTE?

Did your state have a proposition for tax on soda or legalizing marijuana or something else? There seems to be propositions each Election Day that divide the state, county or city.

Sometimes there are candidates who are running for one reason. He does like the public transportation, she wants to save a park but neither has a full platform other than their pet issue.  I rarely see them win.

No matter how you fell about the issues, don't forget to exercise your rights and get out and vote.

Until tomorrow...

CELLPHONE DISASTER

Over the past month my cellphone has been getting hotter and hotter.  The battery has been draining faster and faster.  It got really bad on Halloween when my cellphone died by 7:30pm and I had barely done anything on it all day.

I finally got fed up and called my carrier to find out what to do.  They seemed concerned about the heating up issue but not so concerned that they didn't send me back into the cue instead of transferring me to tech support.  Finally I go to someone who could assist me.  She explained my options.

1. I could put the phone in safe mode and see if that made it better.  If it did, then I would have to do a factory reset and then reset everything all over again.  Not the best option. 

2. I could  put the phone in safe mode and if it drains and gets hot, I would have to buy a new phone at full price.  My plan was up this coming March so I was not available for a discounted phone.

3. If my phone needed replacement, I had insurance.  I could (oops!) run over it with the car or drop it from the balcony.  Then I could get a new phone.

It looks like it just needed to have a factory reset.  It seems to be working better and has not heated up.  Fingers crossed..

Until tomorrow...

SKINNY JEANS

Yesterday we went to a Halloween party.  I dressed as a fork in the road.  I was dressed in all black.  I wore a pair of skinny jeans (okay, stretch skinny jeans) that I bought at least 1.5 years ago.  I bought them to wear with a pair of boots I own.  I bought these boots because they fit over my calves.  No boots fit over my calves!  Anyway, I got the skinny jeans to wear with the boots but my calves with the jeans didn't fit in the boots.  Plus I was too self conscience wearing the jeans.  They were so tight.

Last night I needed to wear black jeans and I thought what the hey.  I tried them on and they fit.  I was pleasantly shocked. I thought I looked good.

Until tomorrow...