It's Sunday, but it ain't gonna be lazy....

I got a kick out of this painting in a New Orleans restaurant..

**Yesterday I went with my husband to get a screen door for the door that takes us into the backyard. There hasn't been a screen door on it for several years...because dear ol' hubby one day got a bug in   his ear and decided to take it off and throw it away.  Why?  Who knows.  He is quircky that way.  So, on a nice day, I can open windows & such, but I can't open the back door to enjoy the breeze (which nearly always blows from south to north in spring & summer).  Have you priced screen doors lately? Wow.  We purchased an inexpensive one for $94, partly because we have no idea if our son's big dog will destroy it (as she has nearly everything in the backyard, ha ha), and partly because I didn't want to spend $264 for the next price point up.  Besides, no one really notices screen doors.....unless you don't have one.  

**While at the store, I began to feel sick.  Long story short, I ended up with a migrane and spent the rest of the day sleeping (after the requisite barfing, of course).  So, we missed our grocery shopping trip, and the restaurant reservations I made last weekend for Mother's Day (not liking very crowded spaces, I figured it would be better to go the following weekend).  Pooh.  This is the second one I've had in a month, and here I was getting used to the 3 to 4 a year I've been getting.  I hope this isn't some sort of trend.  In which case I'll see the Dr (maybe) and see what to do.  I just hate taking pills.  I've never had any luck with any migrane med's, mostly because I don't get a lot of the signs of impending doom.  Ah, well....

**Of course, here's the requisite bitching about my cast - *&#>?(&^< %$%$ #&(().  There, now don't I feel better?  You betcha.

As I've been typing I've been watching and listening to the installation of the screen door.  It must be going well...no door slamming, no cussing, no muttering to oneself of the difficulties.  Of course, I'm inside and they (husband and son) are outside, but I see this as a good sign.  Sometimes these projects produce a lot of irritation and aggravation, but it would seem that this one is going fairly smoothly.  Maybe it's because I'm not helping......hmmmm, food for thought.

Love, 365

A little later.....never mind about the installation going smoothly.....it appears I am out of the loop (thankfully), and apparently there are NO INSTRUCTIONS so it's not going as well as I imagined.  I know it wasn't made in China, because there is an American flag on the side with "proudly made in the USA".  So, there you go.......

18 more days, but who's counting?

Chaco Canyon ~ Keyhole door

**If you are ever in New Mexico, make Chaco a destination stop.  Yes, the road sucks.  Yes, it's out in the middle of nowhere.  Still, it will amaze you.  It is a very special place!

~~~~~~I have had this cast on for 18 days, and have 18 more to go before they remove it and x-ray my wrist to check for healing.  This damn thing had better heal up, because I don't think I can take much more of it.  It has forced me to "educate" my left hand, but it's no fun at all.

~eating....just you try to eat with your non-dominant hand.  My husband and son watched me with fascination the first few times, and commented "You eat like a 3 year old!! ha ha"  

~opening doors....I forget and am rewarded with pain when opening doors with my right.  I suppose it doesn't like the twisting motion.  I thought there wouldn't be any pain after I got the cast.  Now why would I think that?  Perhaps wishful thinking....

~washing dishes....I did finally try putting on the rubber gloves and washed dishes last night to give my husband a break from it.  It worked out alright as long as the items weren't heavy.

~I simply cannot make the bed.  What a pain in the ......

~people who ask me "What Happened To You??" 20+ times a day gets old.  However, I know they are just curious and trying to be kind.  My co-workers are probably as ready for for it as I am.  

~I know it's disgusting to think about, but using the toilet is difficult too.  I'll let you use your imagination.

~sleeping....if it weren't for the benadryl I've been taking, I probably wouldn't be sleeping much.

I have also been thinking about people who have lost limbs or are otherwise permanently lost the use of a limb.....I am humbled that they get through and do so well without it.  I realize my "disability" is only temporary, and in no time at all I will be able to resume all my normal activities.  I am not a patient person...I anticipate arriving early to the orthopaedist office and hopping from one foot to another.....

On the plus side, the semester is over.  Ended with a B in Statistics, and an A in Forensic Anthropology.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do in the fall.  I have an appointment with the adviser on Monday.  The problem is that there are very few classes available to me as a "non-traditional" student ~ in other words, most classes are 10:30-11:45 Mon, Wed, Fri.  I simply can't take that class.  I may have to switch to OSU, which offers an anthropology class online.  The downside is that I won't be able to attend a real graduation ceremony, which is not really the point of education, but I sure was looking forward to one.  I guess I'll find out on Monday where I should go from here.  

Maybe I'll become an activist for non-traditional students in Albuquerque with UNM.  Community colleges are very accomodating to us, but not the university.  

Love, 365 

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Your guidance and love

have brought me 

to where I am today...

As a child I felt ~

Cherished

Unique

Loved

My Mom did that for me.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Love, 365

Orange is the new black......

My very first cast.....& hopefully the last.

This week has been particularly challenging....

~I broke my radius, very close to the carpals.  Gotta wear this until at least June 3rd.

~My sister sent me a text message while I was at work telling me my Mom was going into the hospital (turns out she didn't, but I didn't find that out until that evening).

~I had to reschedule my final exam in Statistics, because I was unable to write until I got the cast you see here.

Sunday I figured I should probably have my wrist looked at - by a professional, ha - so, I called my primary care Dr's office at 7:30am on Monday, only to be told that they didn't have any open appts.  (Really?  I was kind of surprised that I told them that I may have broken my wrist, and they don't have any time for me?)  So, I went to MD Urgent care.  They were nice enough, but urgent care facilities (at least this one) can't put on casts.  So they fixed me up with an awful temporary thing that wrapped around my elbow which was in turn wrapped in about 4 rolls of elastic wrap bandages.  It was the most uncomfortable thing I've ever had.  I couldn't write, so I e-mailed my Stats professor to let him know.  He offered to let me take the test on Thursday evening and said if I couldn't write by then he would give me a multiple choice test if I still couldn't write.  After I got home from urgent care I called the Orthopaedics and they put the cast on Wed. morning.  I took my final on Thursday, and I received my results yesterday.

I made a B!!  I was so happy, because that was one bitch of a class.

Turns out my Mom was needing some tests that she was considering checking in to the hospital for, but then changed her mind and went for the out-patient tests instead.  Until I found this out, I was kind of freaked.  In her defense, my Sis was only trying to keep me informed.  She is feeling better, but still has more tests to take.  It seems like lately Mom is feeling awful more often than feeling good, which sends up tons of red flags, in my opinion.  I wish she would be more pro-active in her own health, but she just won't.  So, I continue to call several times a week to keep tabs, and chat.  One surprising thing was that I sent her a text (from work) and she actually saw it!  She will be dragged kicking and screaming into our new phase of communication, lol.

Well, that's all for now.  My arm is tired from all this typing!

Love, 365

*&%#@% ouch!

Yesterday I was playing racquetball, & was moving backward to get to the ball & fell......and I naturally put my hand (right one) out to stop the fall.  Now, I can barely move my hand, & have my stats final tomorrow.  Bad timing.  Can barely type.  So, I probably won't be writing for a week or so.

**I do ask for your best wishes on the exam, though!

Love, 365

Finals are coming up!

Hey, they are smiling because they know their pic is being taken, or maybe it was a great joke.....(bing images)

This is more like it......

Or maybe this, lol....

I am not worried about my forensic anthropology exam.  I'll read over my notes, review the photos that are included in our weekly powerpoint lectures, and look over our quizzes.  No biggie (but not taken lightly, I assure you).  However, statistics is different.  I'll spend hours studying....hours at the tutoring lab......it's torture.  Because, basically I feel like a monkey learning sign language.  I'll (hopefully) learn enough to do well on the exam, and then forget it all a week or so later.  In fact, when I reviewed our last exam, I was shocked to realize I probably couldn't do as well on that same test right now....how did I ever pull it off?  Well, hopefully I will be able to do the same in a little over a week.  

Last week I spent some time shopping.....and crying.  I was trying to find some new clothes for work, and crying because everything is so expensive.  Over 70$ for a pair of slacks?  Never.  I just can't do it.  I am going to try Kohl's again.  I usually don't shop for clothes there because I can never find anything that fits me well ~ although I admit I'm extremely picky.  I don't have the body shape of a 16 year old, which seems to be the model manufacturors use.  Aren't they paying attention?  I don't get why so much of the clothing in retail stores is geared toward teens.  They don't have any $$, and although I realize their parents do, I would never have asked my mother for an outfit that cost over $100, but I suppose that today's teens do.  

Ok, off to study!  Enjoy your weekend, and Happy Easter!

(bing images)

Love, 365

Just screwin' around

Sandpipers in New Orleans

This morning I decided to catch up on reading new postings from my favorite blogs, and I thought, I haven't "skimmed" for new blogs that I might find of interest in awhile.  You know, when you view your own or someone else's there's a little link at the top that says "next blog".  When I first started blogging, I would hit that little link and read until I was bored, got an idea for my own blog, or hit a road block (usually a blog where something is for sale).  So, I starting skimming.  Sadly, I ran across a lot of blogs that were old.....no blog posts for years.  I get it though.  Something happens in your life, and suddenly blogging is the last thing on your mind.  I suppose there are as many reasons for abandoning a blog as there are for starting one.  And although I realize that one day I might abandon my own, I would put more importance in making sure that my family deletes my Facebook page than worry about this silly thing......

Friday my youngest son turned 31.  We aren't big "birthday" people ~ you won't find us inviting loads of friends (family all live elsewhere, 100's of miles away) for a party.  We do the "what would you like for dinner, pie or cake" kind of thing along with a gift or two.  And my son says the words I had been dreading ~ "Pan dulce".  Pan dulce (which simply means sweet bread), is time consuming.  I first made it about 15 years ago when I was exploring bread recipes.  Well, my son absolutely LOVES the stuff.  So, yesterday I made pan dulce.  It takes a long time, because the dough takes forever to rise on that first go round.  The recipe says 1 1/2 hours, but its more like 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  At some point you have to make egg streusel, which goes inside (or outside if you want, but I don't like it that way).  Which is basically flour, sugar, salt and egg yolks - you make plain and chocolate.   Well, it had been a year since I had made it, and I was trying to read it without my glasses, and I made a boo-boo, and had to fix that, and in the meantime the dough was ready ~ well, to make a long story short, I was muttering "why couldn't he have just asked for pie", my better half asked if he could help, and FINALLY finished.  My son eagerly grabbed the first batch out of the oven, my husband told him they were pretty hot, and he said "I'll take my chances!"   It was worth it.  :-)

Love, 365

And now I will rant.....

Hi!

Before I get started, I wanted to let any of you that read my blog (yeah, all 2 of you, lol) that there is a lady who needs help.  Although my battle with breast cancer is at a stand-off (my own Murphy's Law response, lest it return), there is a lady that is right in the middle of her battle and is having some financial difficulties, and is asking for help - even though it is always so very hard to ask.  Please go here to read her story, and if you have a few extra $$, please donate.  Thank you.

Facebook.  I was so excited at the idea of it, I joined a few years ago.  I don't post every day (or even every week) but I have lots of "friends" who do.  Most are posting family photos, or letting us know about a trip they took, a great restaurant they ate at, silly antics of our pets, etc.  But some people insist on attempting to solve the great issues of the day, or going off about an injustice they perceive.  Here in Albuquerque we recently had a police shooting of a homeless man who was camping/living in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains.  Someone called the police, because he was doing so illegally.  This man has had previous issues with police (burglary I think, maybe more), and was mentally unstable.  Notice the word "was".  He was shot and killed during the confrontation with police.  One of my Facebook friends posted a pro-police remark, and I responded that I certainly appreciate our police force keeping us safe, etc, so on - but that I thought that they didn't need to use lethal force on a man who had a knife.  I was villified by some of her "friends".  Apparently we are to support the Albuquerque Police Department, regardless.  No.  I still believe that the situation could have been handled differently.  He couldn't be tazed because of all the clothing he had on.  But still.  In my opinion, they put him down like a rabid dog.  He was a human being.  In the meantime, the DOJ came out with a report of the APD that is less than exemplary, stating that they used lethal force in more than a few instances that was not considered justified.  

***I hoped that Facebook would be a fun way to keep in touch.  I suppose it's human nature to take something that could be fun and uplifting, and turn it so it gives people a way to be rude and disrespectful to others that they wouldn't dream of doing to your face.  I recently posted this:  

Just for the record, I appreciate all that our police force does to keep us safe.  But to give a blanket "OK" to everything they do is to deny that as humans we all make mistakes ~ but to make a mistake with a gun is an awful lot of responsibility that some on the force are unable to handle.

Love, 365

Just your regular weekend......

Oh, yeah!  The wisteria is blooming!

I have been wracking my brain for ideas for this week's post.  But, I didn't really decide on anything.  It turned out to be the same ol' this week at work and at home (well, with the exception of getting a good grade on my stats test, ha ha.....that was pretty awsome for me).  The semester is beginning to wind down, and if I remember correctly, I'll be done by the first week in May, so about 3 weeks to go!    I have decided to take the summer off ~ #1, I need a break  #2, UNM charges more for summer classes & it's already too expensive, #3, I need some time with the family, catch up on home improvement projects, and a few months with no homework or exams.  

This morning on Sunday Morning reported on a story about whether or not professional atheletes are "born" that way.  They began with a story about a guy who quit his job, and is planning to be the next top PGA player.  His goal?  To give 10,000 hours of practice to the sport.  The question ~ if you practice the sport you're interested in for the above mentioned time, will you be good enough to put you in the top tier of the sport?  Is it in your genes?  Your opportunities (parental involvement, encouragement)?  Or did you just love it enough to put in the effort to excel?  I found this story interesting, because I played in a racquetball tournament last weekend...lost the 3 games I played, although I came very close to winning in 2 of the matches.  So, this summer, I will be signing up for some lessons, and practicing a lot more!  

Parting shot....This guy actually survived having a chain saw embedded in his neck.  I posted this on our discussion page in my Forensic Anthropology class, since we are studying trauma this week.

Love, 365

Dear Ami.......

Happiness....(Bing images)

***Oh, I wanted to write a little poem, but I kinda suck at poetry.....no, I really, really suck at poetry!  

Last week I took our second exam in statistics.  I studied, was tutored, I fretted and worried.  Today we received our results.....a 91!  I was so surprised, I raised my fists into the air and said "yes!"  So, at least I won't have to drop the class.  I can soldier on and put this last (I hope) math class behind me.

Ami ~ I might go look for that elusive purse this weekend.  :-)

Love, 365

New Orleans

Spring break, here only a week ago, is now a foggy memory.  I have 2 tests this week, one already done..and another to do.  I'm not so worried about the one I still have pending, it should be.....well, easy isn't the word, but slightly challenging, I guess.  The statistics class still gives me freaking nightmares.  I believe I passed, but really have no idea until I get it back, which I hope will be Tuesday.  I told my husband that if I don't do well, I will drop and take the class again later.  I hate to waste the money.  So I hope I did OK.

On a personal note, I seem to be having issues with how to deal with difficult people.  There is one difficult person in particular that I have to deal with 4 days out of 7.  I really can't avoid her.  

I consider the problem mine to deal with.  I can't really ignore her, but I can't give you any details.  I just wish I knew how to deal with this (occassionally unbearable) situation.  I've tried being cordial, asking about her weekend, her pets, etc.  She will answer, but tersely.  If I walk into a room, she will walk out if she is able.  She acts as though I have some incurable disease.  Quite frankly, it makes me "mad", and I don't mean angry, I mean crazy!   Ignoring her doesn't work.  Being nice to her doesn't work.  If anyone out there has any ideas, please don't hold back.  I could use some advice!

Well, I have a busy weekend ahead of me!  Enjoying catching up on past episodes of Game of Thrones before the 4th season starts!

Love, 365