Vacation Plans

Well, I think Emily and I have just about everything planned out for our vacation. We go to Vegas on 8/3. That evening we see Viva Elvis, a cirque production, and we have front row seats! Then to bed cause we take a Pink Jeep tour to the Zion National Park on wednesday. I took a pj tour in 2002 to red rock canyon and it was the coolest thing. It was just my friend and me along with the guide. We went off road and many times the word road was too generous! It was so different and beautiful. Anyway, Em and I will have our Nikon's ready and it should be a really fun day. Thursday we go to the Hoover dam and grand canyon. It ended up we are not going to take the raft on the river cause the path down calls for some rugged steps. I was afraid my knee may not do good. The woman I talked to on the phone didn't recommend it. :( Anyway, we have Friday free and depending on what happens there, we may still try a helicopter ride or a raft trip. Or maybe a day in the hotel pool and spa! Saturday we have to come back to reality. I am so thankful I have a wonderful granddaughter who is willing to travel with me. I will get one of the docs I know to inject my knee so I can walk and try not to slow Em down too much. Of course, we have to pull a few handles on the slots but we are not going for gambling. I can do that in Mississippi. The other time I went to vegas, I only spent $100 gambling, that was really good for me! I do like to gamble. Thank goodness there isn't a casino close by.

Well, it's hump day and so far works been good. I've still got a NP student, and yesterday I had a young man who has applied for medical school and then last night I high school girl who wants to be "a nurse like me". She has been a volunteer in our clinic for over a year, and I was told yesterday that because she has watched me for the past year, she has decided she wants to be a nurse practitioner just like me. I had no idea about this until my director told me yesterday. It's good to know that I have been a positive influence for this young woman. I really do like my work, it certainly has it's moments.

Hope all are well.

Nothing's ever easy!

Well, I was in town today and finally decided it was time to get a router and get my wireless back up and running. Went to Staples and no one was interested in that store, so we left and went to Best Buy. The clerks were not much better but I finally corralled one to ask him about a router. So, 1-2-3 it is easy! Wrong!!! It took me about an hour of failed attempts before I finally called AT&T (not my favorite people in the world). One hour and 129$ later, Eureka! I have wireless service once again. For $114 and $15 a month I could get anytime service. The $129 was for a one hour one time session. I know what Carl would say, After several expletives, "What a racket".

He's gone to Nashville for races. It's trying to storm here, Buddy is having a anxiety attack and I'm exhausted.

I did manage to get each my granddaughters a surprise today. Already told Ashley what hers is. A light meter for her camera. Em's is something she can use on our trip.

Keith and I had lunch at Mellow Mushroom in Huntsville, I guess that was the highlight for today. I think I'll have a drink and relax!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend, they ain't long enough.

Happy Father's Day!

We went over to Lois & Carrell's y'day for a short get together for Dad's day. Lois and I went together and got Carl & Carrell a "Nascar Experience". It will be 9/11/10 at Talladega. They will be going for a 3 lap ride along. The first words out of Carl's mouth were "I can't do that". I told him I refund it if they don't want to do it but Carrell says "yea, we're going to do it". I told Carl if he's worried about his hip and back pain I dose him up with some steroids before he goes. I think he can manage it, may not be the easiest thing to do but I'm sure they would really enjoy it!

So Emily and I finished our photog classes. Also, we're going on a vacation together again the first week in August. Vegas baby! Grand canyon and some of the other canyons within a days drive too. Also front row seats to see cirque, "Viva Elvis". I wanted really bad to see cirque "Love" which is the Beatles, but unfortunately, that show is dark that week.

So. I've cooked up several things for Carl to eat on this week, made Keith a big batch of chicken alfredo, I've been to Publix, and now I'm going to my best friends house, Becky, for a Dad's day meal with her family. Carl will be watching a race....every Sunday.

Well, hope everyone has a good week!

I'm so thankful for my family! My boys, my wonderful grandaughters, and all my friends. :)

I'm glad this work week is over! Yesterday was trying at best! Keith and I went out to eat with my best friends Rebecca and Wendell. We went to Rosie's cantina in Huntsville and it was good as usual. I was so ready for a margarita... I would have had another but I was driving.

Last night was kind of interesting. I started to bed about 9pm, like I said, I was pooped. Rusty (Carl's dog....the crazy poorly trained dachshund) was at the end of the hall acting like he wanted in the bedroom. I thought he was just wanting to go to bed. Anyway, there is a bookcase at the end of the hall and I just happened to see a little something move in the corner. It turned out to be a poor misguided mouse. Now mind you, we have 2 cats in the house and it turns out the dog is the one to sniff out the mouse. Maybe since my kitties are senior citizens (15 years old) they may have a little dementia and forgot they are suppose to be mousers by instinct. Or else all the soft living of 15 years as my pampered kitties has made them soft. Anyway, I yelled at Carl "there's a mouse!" It started to come out towards me and of course I jumped 2 feet in the air. I got up on my bed and decided my feet would not hit the floor till he was captured. So, Carl and Rusty pursued... Carl had a fly swat and ran him out but he went under the bedroom door and escaped into Carl's room. It took about 10 minutes but they finally chased him back to the hall. Lucky big daddy thought about blocking his escape route with a rug, so when he came out again and headed for the door, he hit a rug... Rusty lunged and that was it for the poor little mouse! I love all kinds of animals, I even feel sorry for snakes, but I don't tolerate a mouse in the house. Anyway, I told Rusty this morning that I guess I could quit threatening him. I'm always telling him I'm going to take him to the pound! Of course, Carl would never allow that.

Emily and I had our 2nd photo class last Thursday night. I did learn a couple of new things which was good.

I'm going to try to plan us a vacation, thinking about Vegas and grand canyon. Would like to go to Bryce Canyon natl park but I'm not sure how far it is from vegas. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.

Well, I've got to get busy. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Birthday to Keith Jackson, best wishes fro many, many more!

Just catchin' up

Wow! It's been almost a month since my last blog. I haven't had much to say. Actually, I would love to share some work stories but that is not possible because of confidentiality. I can say that it is pretty much the same problems. I would be willing to bet that several of my patients have appeared on Jerry Springer. The term "dysfunctional family" is so cliche' but it does not come even close to describing some of the situational dramas I hear about every day. And if anybody believes that diabetes is not rampant in Alabama, they haven't been to our clinic. I could go on for a long time about the health and psycho-social problems that plague the poor but I'll stop now.

Thank you state of Alabama! I finally got my state refund yesterday. It's always nice to log on to my bank and find more $$$ than I expected! Yee Haw!

Not much new with us. Carl has been busy doing some long over due chores around the house. He brought in some top soil but still hasn't put down any grass seed. I guess he's waiting till it's in the 90's all the time? He gave me some money on saturday before Mother's day and then announced "here's some money and I want you to go with me to the place (garden shop) where I bought my pepper plants and pick you out a flower". My question was, why hand me the $$ then say it was to buy flowers. He could have just said "pick out a flower and I'll buy it for you". Oh well, we went and I picked out a pot of Gerber daisies and a hanging geranium. Then proceeded to hand him back his money and told him to pay for them. I just thought it was kind of a hoot. I quit a long time ago trying to figure out how things work in Carl's world (mind). I often think we are the classic example of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.

Working 4 days a week again has put me behind on a lot of things I wanted to get done. With my arthritic knee, I just am too slow! I really miss my 3 day weekends!

Emily and I have been talking about trying to go on a vacation. I hope she can swing some time off work to go. I've decided we should go out west. Vegas and grand canyon. We will just have to wait and see.

Well, I really got to get busy. I'll try to blog in more often.

The not so extreme makeover...

Day 2 1/2 of my home makeover. Of course, the floor guys didn't get the job done yesterday. They didn't plan on putting capping down but when they pulled up the carpet they realized they needed to cap it first. Of course, I thought (assumed) they automatically did that on old vinyl floors before putting down new. So, I still have the old carpet in the hall and wood cap down in the den. They won't be back till Monday. What the heck is wrong with saturday? Seems to me if they were suppose to finish in one day then they should be back here this a.m and finish! Oh well, that is the impatient me, I try to just take a deep breath.... At least the bedroom is done. Everything so far has been a much bigger hassle than I was hoping for. Ain't that the way it goes! The girls got the first coats of paint on the walls. I think it is gonna look so good! Keith & Lori came over last night and Keith put up the ceiling fan. I bought the Hunter "5 minute fan". Needless to say, 5 people. three advanced degrees and 2 HOURS later, Eureka! That room finally has a nice ceiling fan. I really appreciate all their help. Will post some pics of the makeover when we finally get it back together. The problem with new paint on the walls makes me realize the other rooms need new paint too! Next project will be the spare bedroom. New carpet and I'd like to repaint in there too. Gonna be a little while though. Gonna need time to recuperate my muscles from all this! I hope Carl didn't get drowned in Talladega y'day. They are in a mobile home so should be dry. It would be nice to see the sun come back out tomorrow!

Much ado about nothing...

I have not had any inspiration lately. There is not much new going on. Go to work, come home, go to work. Repeat. I feel like anything I have to blog about would be "much ado about nothing". I am looking forward to getting a mini make-over for the house. We're getting new wood look vinyl floor for the den and hall. Carl's little darling Rusty has ruined the hall way carpet. Life with a dachshund is challenging to say the least. We are also giving Carl a surprise room makeover. Bama theme! I'm excited. I just hope he doesn't catch on till it's all finished. Oh yea, did I forget to say it is suppose to be a surprise? Will have to keep my fingers crossed if I can pull off the surprise.