Also known as, I took the RAV for the alignment and tire rotation/balancing. It was supposed to be an hour-an hour and 15 minutes.
It was an hour and 45 minutes.
I walked to the bank and deposited my paycheck.
I walked to Burger King, used the bathroom and left because I decided not to get something bad to eat.
I walked to TJ Maxx and bought a necklace stand for K- and some stevia for me. (That is an odd place with a weird lot of items.) K- had maxed out the stand she had and needed something a bit more accommodating. A jewelry box wasn't going to get it. She needed a stand and I found a lovely one that will hold a lot more necklaces.
I walked to Giant Eagle and by this time, I was starved. I did drink a can of Sprite this morning, but had nothing to eat. (So much for no soda, but it was no caffeine!) I ended up getting some orzo salad and hoofed it back to NTB to eat it.
After I was finished, I couldn't locate a trash can in the waiting area. I figured the bathroom would have one.
It was the most disgusting bathroom I've ever seen. I mean, I really could have gone, but wouldn't go there. I even texted Hubs about it. It appeared that the toilet wasn't functioning properly. The room itself was filthy and so was the waiting area. The more I sat there, the more grossed out I got. It wasn't even my inner germaphobe. It was just my plain person saying, "Yuck."
The RAV was finished and I made my way to Sam's to buy the gas that they had for the unbelievable steal of $3.99! :insert much sarcasm: Considering that there are a few stations around selling gas for $4.39, I guess Sam's isn't so bad.
I ran into the mall to have my rings checked. I hate the mall. Truly I do. I only go there to get my rings checked because I have to. Thank goodness that the salesman kept trying to have me upgrade the size of my diamond in my engagement ring. "I like my ring." "Well, you can either trade it in for something bigger or get something different!" "Um, no." "Well, we're taking trade on diamonds right now, so you can bring in any diamonds that you don't have. You know, diamonds that you have just lying around and we can trade them in for you."
"Sir, the diamonds that I have are the diamonds that I wear. I don't have any additional."
"Oh."
I mean, I understand that I was dressed in a light fleece, t-shirt and jeans with my hair in a pony tail and two large cold sores decorating the right side of my mouth. Dude probably thought I just fell off the pumpkin truck.
Extra diamonds? I don't think so.
Of course, he went extra, extra slow so as to hope that I would find something that I couldn't live without. He was amazed at the talent I possess to put my earrings in my ears without the use of a mirror. (Apparently, it is a thing that people need often. Do you need to look in a mirror to get your earrings in? Just wondering.)
Pardon me as I go hunting for extra diamonds. Maybe I do have some. No, wait! Those are just glass beads. Drat.
Smiles in my day:
- I walked to school to get K- and didn't have an issue with my hip.
- K- has a secret Mother's Day gift that she made in class. I'm so excited!
- We have a mama Robin sitting in her nest.
- Thank goodness I ran out to cover the garden last night. The sheet was very crispy stiff this morning.
Have a great weekend!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Hip, hip, hooray!
The back pain from yesterday, resulting from hip issues, is much better today. I took it easy, didn't walk K- to school (2 miles round trip) and didn't take the evening walk tonight (Hubs didn't even ask), so that helped. It's not to say that I sat around and did nothing. Mother's Day is Sunday and in the world of retail that means that folks are scrambling to buy things for their mothers, mother-in-laws or mother figures.
The hip still gives some hum, but I wonder how much of what I have going on could be tied into hormonal issues, too. I'm thrilled that relief was relatively quick. Mom, who has had her back fully lock when out on a cleaning job, knows how bad it is to have an uncooperative back. She was happy that it was quickly made functional.
At any rate, I'm up, I'm walking, I'm cruising about. I'll drive to school tomorrow to volunteer, as I have an appointment for tire twirling and alignment later on in the morning. I don't want to run myself close on time and feel that I need to push and haul on a walk that I should take at a more leisurely pace.
If you'll pardon me, I'm hungry and I'm going to drink a big ole glass of water instead. Delicious! :S
Smiles in my day:
- More potatoes are up!
- The rain finally stopped! I'm looking forward to a sunny and warmish day tomorrow. Sadly, tree pollen allergies still prevents me from hanging laundry on the outside line, but soon!
Have a great day!
The hip still gives some hum, but I wonder how much of what I have going on could be tied into hormonal issues, too. I'm thrilled that relief was relatively quick. Mom, who has had her back fully lock when out on a cleaning job, knows how bad it is to have an uncooperative back. She was happy that it was quickly made functional.
At any rate, I'm up, I'm walking, I'm cruising about. I'll drive to school tomorrow to volunteer, as I have an appointment for tire twirling and alignment later on in the morning. I don't want to run myself close on time and feel that I need to push and haul on a walk that I should take at a more leisurely pace.
If you'll pardon me, I'm hungry and I'm going to drink a big ole glass of water instead. Delicious! :S
Smiles in my day:
- More potatoes are up!
- The rain finally stopped! I'm looking forward to a sunny and warmish day tomorrow. Sadly, tree pollen allergies still prevents me from hanging laundry on the outside line, but soon!
Have a great day!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Back attack!
Oh. my. heavens. I got up, started my day, got K- off to school, came home and sat down. Seems simple enough, right? Not until I got up and had horrible pain in my back. Awful. I have a high tolerance to pain, but this was just not a doable thing.
I thought, perhaps I can walk it off. It's a kink.
Um, no.
I could only stand up straight and had no pain if I didn't move at all. Even if I moved slightly to the right or slightly to the left, I had immense pain. I was shuffling down the hall.
I called my sister. She told me a butterfly move to do on the bed.
Flump. I could moan into the phone that I had managed to flop myself onto the bed and that I'd eventually get back to her.
I did the exercises and stretches as instructed. It didn't hurt.
Then I stood up again.
Ouch.
LeAnne phoned and suggested a hot shower. Since I'm a dork and hate my eyelashes to be wet (I know, I know, I need therapy. Add that to the long list), I opted for a scorchingly hot bath.
Thank God it worked.
Staying home was not an option. I had to go to work. I followed up with Tylenol and a stick-on charcoal heat patch. Thankfully, I was able to function today with only a very low amount of pain.
This evening, I've been running up and down the steps, doing laundry, hauling laundry and sitting criss-cross applesauce on my bed folding it.
Yes, I'm feeling it. What is it, by the way? S-, the massage therapist that is one of the inventory control people at work, confirmed that it is continual issues with a hip flexor problem that she suspects I have. I've talked to her about things before and they've always pointed to this. I've always had a lack of flexibility in the hips for as long as I can remember. I've never been able to bend and touch my toes-- ever.
With the pain increasing in my right hip, I can tell you that I'm very comfortable if I stand. I can fall asleep sitting up, so why not while standing? I can be like a horse!
Smiles in my day:
- The ability to make it through the day relatively pain free.
- I got a forgotten stain out of a relatively new pair of leggings that K- has. She fell in the mud while hunting for Easter eggs and I forgot. I hate stains on clothes, so I kind of felt accomplished about it.
- Olivia singing on the Biggest Loser scale tonight made me cry.
Have a great day!
I thought, perhaps I can walk it off. It's a kink.
Um, no.
I could only stand up straight and had no pain if I didn't move at all. Even if I moved slightly to the right or slightly to the left, I had immense pain. I was shuffling down the hall.
I called my sister. She told me a butterfly move to do on the bed.
Flump. I could moan into the phone that I had managed to flop myself onto the bed and that I'd eventually get back to her.
I did the exercises and stretches as instructed. It didn't hurt.
Then I stood up again.
Ouch.
LeAnne phoned and suggested a hot shower. Since I'm a dork and hate my eyelashes to be wet (I know, I know, I need therapy. Add that to the long list), I opted for a scorchingly hot bath.
Thank God it worked.
Staying home was not an option. I had to go to work. I followed up with Tylenol and a stick-on charcoal heat patch. Thankfully, I was able to function today with only a very low amount of pain.
This evening, I've been running up and down the steps, doing laundry, hauling laundry and sitting criss-cross applesauce on my bed folding it.
Yes, I'm feeling it. What is it, by the way? S-, the massage therapist that is one of the inventory control people at work, confirmed that it is continual issues with a hip flexor problem that she suspects I have. I've talked to her about things before and they've always pointed to this. I've always had a lack of flexibility in the hips for as long as I can remember. I've never been able to bend and touch my toes-- ever.
With the pain increasing in my right hip, I can tell you that I'm very comfortable if I stand. I can fall asleep sitting up, so why not while standing? I can be like a horse!
Smiles in my day:
- The ability to make it through the day relatively pain free.
- I got a forgotten stain out of a relatively new pair of leggings that K- has. She fell in the mud while hunting for Easter eggs and I forgot. I hate stains on clothes, so I kind of felt accomplished about it.
- Olivia singing on the Biggest Loser scale tonight made me cry.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tales from the Trenches: A pile of nothingness.
I thought of my Friday newspaper complaint post about the paper this morning when I heard the latest copy hit the back step with a violent f-wap! I don't regret canceling at all. (I suddenly had visions of the father in Better Off Dead and the kid with the card flapping his bike wheel while saying, "I want my two dollars!" To note, I wanted the clip of the dad and all of the broken garage windows, but realized that skipped the "two dollars" thing. Know that the child wasn't hurt in the end.)
My cold sore is resurfacing. I had the start of one last week, but killed it with Tea Tree oil.
I went cold turkey with caffeine today. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I didn't have a headache, though I didn't have the speed I usually do. I think that my coworkers found the non-caffeinated me a bit more pleasant.
On the quest to be a lighter family in general, we went on a walk even though it was raining this evening. We all have rain coats, so we walked. 2 miles. In the rain.
I walked 2 miles this AM in the sprinkles.
It's Ohio. It rains here a lot in the spring.
There's a plant in my garden window covered in a paper sack that says "Don't Peek!" My guess is that Hubs and K- made their Mother's Day trip to the mom and pop garden place that I love. My lemon thyme seems to have gone by way of an awful winter, so I must replace it as well as my other thyme. I have regular thyme starts in the garden window. I also don't believe that my clematis came back from last year, so perhaps I should look for something else vining.
I'm tired. A lack of caffeine and general sunshine can do that to a person.
Smiles in my day:
- Hubs had half of dinner prepared when I got home.
Have a great day!
My cold sore is resurfacing. I had the start of one last week, but killed it with Tea Tree oil.
I went cold turkey with caffeine today. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I didn't have a headache, though I didn't have the speed I usually do. I think that my coworkers found the non-caffeinated me a bit more pleasant.
On the quest to be a lighter family in general, we went on a walk even though it was raining this evening. We all have rain coats, so we walked. 2 miles. In the rain.
I walked 2 miles this AM in the sprinkles.
It's Ohio. It rains here a lot in the spring.
There's a plant in my garden window covered in a paper sack that says "Don't Peek!" My guess is that Hubs and K- made their Mother's Day trip to the mom and pop garden place that I love. My lemon thyme seems to have gone by way of an awful winter, so I must replace it as well as my other thyme. I have regular thyme starts in the garden window. I also don't believe that my clematis came back from last year, so perhaps I should look for something else vining.
I'm tired. A lack of caffeine and general sunshine can do that to a person.
Smiles in my day:
- Hubs had half of dinner prepared when I got home.
Have a great day!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
A listy weekend
1. You don't care to know this, but my face has broken out and it hurts. Too much soda, I think.
2. K- passed her swimming examination, so now she is going to start with the big boys in the lanes next year. She had some difficulty treading, so I was worried that she might be retained in level 2 again. She didn't know what they meant by "tread" and she thought she was supposed to touch the bottom of the pool. The pool where she was at was 4 1/2 feet (she's 4 feet), but then when she went to do it, she was scared. She finally did in the 4 1/2 foot end, then they went to the 14 foot portion to have the kids jump off the diving board, into the arms of a guard, then tread 5 feet to the edge. I don't do deep water. If I can't stand, I'm not happy. I was on the edge of having an anxiety attack just watching, but I was far enough away for K- not to know. Know that she did just fine. 14 feet deep? No problem! Good for her!
3. K- got a perfect attendance award for the third quarter. That will be her only one for this year, but she was pleased just to get one. The principal was telling us that the third quarter is the quarter with the least perfect attendance, so I told her that it was just a little extra special.
4. On Saturday, we were all involved in the first mowing of the year. Hubs mowed, while K- and I cleaned dead grass from bare areas and planted some grass seed. Between the neighbor (who we love to death) and his dog who thinks that she lives and needs to pee at only our house combined with a continual snow cover from November - February, we had dog pee and snow mold grass death to deal with. I was glad that we were able to take care of the lawn yesterday, because as I type, it is raining.
5. The garden is coming along well. I think that once we get into a warm set of days, things will really hum along. Potato sprouts are popping by the day. Greens and onions are happy. I was able to give the garden a good weed fluff. It's hard to believe that by the end of this month, I'll have the seedlings that I've been nursing since the third week of March set into the ground, the butterfly gardens will have some plants moved around and will be accommodating strawberries (thanks to my MIL) and ground cherries (very near the garden), as well as a bumper crop of Holly Hocks and Chinese Lanterns.
6. We had a fellowship lunch after church today. Seeing that I would probably be returning with 3/4 of what I brought, I made a small casserole of apple crisp and brought 3 cans of creamed corn (with a little butter) in the crock pot. We love creamed corn and I figured whatever was left would be transformed into a sweet corn cake for dinner. That's exactly what happened and it was delicious.
7. The rain held off for soccer today. K- was able to play and had a great time. I could tell that she was tired in the end, but she hung in there.
8. We stopped by the vegetable market on the way home and picked up some fresh green beans and potatoes (among other things) to have tonight with dinner. The greatest thing happened. K- ate all of her green beans and announced that whatever I put on top made all the difference. Garlic salt. Who knew? Now the child, who refused green beans from birth (from first foods anyhow) now likes them if they are fresh and with a sprinkle of garlic salt. Works for me.
9. I took the truck for a chassis bath on Saturday. I'm hoping that is the last salt that I have to rinse from it for a while. I wanted to wax it, but the weather was kind of ominous. While K-, E- and some neighborhood boys played ball next door, I swept and wiped down the inside of the truck. I am now not embarrassed to take the truck to:
10. The appointment at NTB for a tire rotation/balance and alignment. When you have an alignment done at NTB, it is guaranteed for 6 months. Given the nasty winter and the size of pot holes we've been dodging around here, the RAV definitely needs a bit of a tweak. If the alignment is off, it doesn't pull-- it eats tires. Since I don't care to purchase a new set of tires, we'll get her tweaked and twirled. Though I couldn't get it in today, I'll be taking it later on this week when there are no appointments (but mine.) I should get out in a jiffy. I also love that they don't need me to have my receipts, because currently, I don't know where they are at. (Probably the fire box.) He told me that as long as I don't forget my phone number between now and my appointment, I'm good. Good for them! Good for me!
11. As of Monday, I'll be going cold turkey on soda. I know, I know. I shouldn't drink it. It is crap and I know it. I think that it is that I like the bubbles. And the flavor. And the caffeine. I'm going to do the green tea thing. I'll do no sugar and that will be an adjustment. Seriously, I can't spend the calories on crap. Even diet is having me consume junk I shouldn't.
12. I really need to put more effort into exercising. I do some, but I need to do more. Frankly, this is nothing new.
13. The caterpillar that we gave my sister's partner for his birthday last week is in a chrysalis and the family is so excited to check on their butterfly-in-making each day.
14. K- and E- painted their nails yesterday "all by themselves." They didn't do a bad job and rest assured, every single color that I took over was used. Whooo-boy! :)
Now that I've given you a big list, I must go tend to the laundry. I'm sorry to say that I can't add:
15. Laundry fairy arrived and I love her.
If she does arrive someday, rest assured that you guys will be one of the first to know.
Have a great day!
2. K- passed her swimming examination, so now she is going to start with the big boys in the lanes next year. She had some difficulty treading, so I was worried that she might be retained in level 2 again. She didn't know what they meant by "tread" and she thought she was supposed to touch the bottom of the pool. The pool where she was at was 4 1/2 feet (she's 4 feet), but then when she went to do it, she was scared. She finally did in the 4 1/2 foot end, then they went to the 14 foot portion to have the kids jump off the diving board, into the arms of a guard, then tread 5 feet to the edge. I don't do deep water. If I can't stand, I'm not happy. I was on the edge of having an anxiety attack just watching, but I was far enough away for K- not to know. Know that she did just fine. 14 feet deep? No problem! Good for her!
3. K- got a perfect attendance award for the third quarter. That will be her only one for this year, but she was pleased just to get one. The principal was telling us that the third quarter is the quarter with the least perfect attendance, so I told her that it was just a little extra special.
4. On Saturday, we were all involved in the first mowing of the year. Hubs mowed, while K- and I cleaned dead grass from bare areas and planted some grass seed. Between the neighbor (who we love to death) and his dog who thinks that she lives and needs to pee at only our house combined with a continual snow cover from November - February, we had dog pee and snow mold grass death to deal with. I was glad that we were able to take care of the lawn yesterday, because as I type, it is raining.
5. The garden is coming along well. I think that once we get into a warm set of days, things will really hum along. Potato sprouts are popping by the day. Greens and onions are happy. I was able to give the garden a good weed fluff. It's hard to believe that by the end of this month, I'll have the seedlings that I've been nursing since the third week of March set into the ground, the butterfly gardens will have some plants moved around and will be accommodating strawberries (thanks to my MIL) and ground cherries (very near the garden), as well as a bumper crop of Holly Hocks and Chinese Lanterns.
6. We had a fellowship lunch after church today. Seeing that I would probably be returning with 3/4 of what I brought, I made a small casserole of apple crisp and brought 3 cans of creamed corn (with a little butter) in the crock pot. We love creamed corn and I figured whatever was left would be transformed into a sweet corn cake for dinner. That's exactly what happened and it was delicious.
7. The rain held off for soccer today. K- was able to play and had a great time. I could tell that she was tired in the end, but she hung in there.
8. We stopped by the vegetable market on the way home and picked up some fresh green beans and potatoes (among other things) to have tonight with dinner. The greatest thing happened. K- ate all of her green beans and announced that whatever I put on top made all the difference. Garlic salt. Who knew? Now the child, who refused green beans from birth (from first foods anyhow) now likes them if they are fresh and with a sprinkle of garlic salt. Works for me.
9. I took the truck for a chassis bath on Saturday. I'm hoping that is the last salt that I have to rinse from it for a while. I wanted to wax it, but the weather was kind of ominous. While K-, E- and some neighborhood boys played ball next door, I swept and wiped down the inside of the truck. I am now not embarrassed to take the truck to:
10. The appointment at NTB for a tire rotation/balance and alignment. When you have an alignment done at NTB, it is guaranteed for 6 months. Given the nasty winter and the size of pot holes we've been dodging around here, the RAV definitely needs a bit of a tweak. If the alignment is off, it doesn't pull-- it eats tires. Since I don't care to purchase a new set of tires, we'll get her tweaked and twirled. Though I couldn't get it in today, I'll be taking it later on this week when there are no appointments (but mine.) I should get out in a jiffy. I also love that they don't need me to have my receipts, because currently, I don't know where they are at. (Probably the fire box.) He told me that as long as I don't forget my phone number between now and my appointment, I'm good. Good for them! Good for me!
11. As of Monday, I'll be going cold turkey on soda. I know, I know. I shouldn't drink it. It is crap and I know it. I think that it is that I like the bubbles. And the flavor. And the caffeine. I'm going to do the green tea thing. I'll do no sugar and that will be an adjustment. Seriously, I can't spend the calories on crap. Even diet is having me consume junk I shouldn't.
12. I really need to put more effort into exercising. I do some, but I need to do more. Frankly, this is nothing new.
13. The caterpillar that we gave my sister's partner for his birthday last week is in a chrysalis and the family is so excited to check on their butterfly-in-making each day.
14. K- and E- painted their nails yesterday "all by themselves." They didn't do a bad job and rest assured, every single color that I took over was used. Whooo-boy! :)
Now that I've given you a big list, I must go tend to the laundry. I'm sorry to say that I can't add:
15. Laundry fairy arrived and I love her.
If she does arrive someday, rest assured that you guys will be one of the first to know.
Have a great day!
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