Dentist Visit

Dentist appointment tonight.  Ugh.    I really don't like going to the dentist.  But that is because back in the dark ages the dentists were truly horrible.   I had a horrible experience when I was 4 and refused to go after that for almost 5 years.    I clearly remember the dentist yanking me out of the chair by my arm and dragging me out into the waiting area and telling my mom to bring me back when I could behave civilly.   He hurt me, so I wouldn't open my mouth again.   Then he and his assistant started yelling at me.   Like any normal 4 year old, I threw up.   Grape juice.   To this day I've hated grape juice.   Wouldn't even buy it for my children.   Won't eat grape jelly either.    Guess I kept a VIVID picture of that in my head.

My mom finally put her foot down and forced me.   She found someone who specialized in children and especially ascared children.   He actually wasn't so bad, but his assistants sucked.   They were bitter nasty old women.    I cried one time and they looked at each other and said if you can't stand this pain you'll never be able to have a baby . . . like they would know, back then it was knock the mom out when she got to the hopsital and when she woke up she had a baby.   Stupid Old Hags.    I gave birth to three chldren with no medication - there was no way they were sticking me in the back with a needle.  HA  

 So then when I was older I started going to see my parent's dentist.    He was pretty good, would knock me out to do fillings, he had a kind and soft voice and was tolerable.   Until he got old.   I took the kids to him when they needed to go.  I went once every 5 years or so . . . .    then he started missing things on the kids.   I wouldn't have known except DD works for a dentist.   So DS went to her office to have his teeth cleaned.   They were in bad shape.    DD's teeth weren't as bad but her boss said they needed work.    I finally caved and went - but not until I'd broken a tooth and DD found out and made me.    The kicker was my other DS saw the Army Dentist who really complained about his dental care.    Back in the day, military dentists weren't known to be the best either.   Then I got worried about our family dentist.     So now we're all on a regular program, I unfortunately have to go every 4 months, but they baby me, numb me up and I just plug myself into my Ipod.   Anything other than a cleaning is valium time.   And they humor me :)

SO on my way home, I bought pizza and wine and ice cream.    Let the getting the teeth dirty begin!

National Peaches & Cream Day

Love peaches, try not to eat too much cream though I must say that a scone with clotted cream is about the best dessert a girl can have.

In my family we're partial to a peach dumplin dish my grandmother use to make for me.   poach sliced peaches in some sugar water (and the amount of sugar depends on who is making it, hers was S W E E T) for about half an hour.   Then add dumplins made with bisquik, milk and more sugar (these need to be sweet).   Put the lid on and cook for about 20 0 30 minutes, then take the lid off for a few minutes and let some of the liquid cook off.     Y U M M Y

some of us like the entire dish, my DD prefers it with apples, and one DS wants just the dumplins.

Enjoy!

Eyecandy Friday

Random Stuff

Crazy Aunt Purl got me thinking about movies.   Apparently she walked out on Sex in the City 2 after 10 minutes.   Since that's not a movie I would ever go see I can understand that quite well I didn't see the original shows until they made it to non-cable tv.  I thought they were pretty stupid, but then I find most tv shows pretty stupid anymore.   What the heck these directors, producers and advitisers are thinking I'll never know, any why they think most of those shows are appropriate just goes to show why the rest of the world thinks Americans are shelfesh overindulged idiots.  There are only two shows I watch with any regularity . . . the big bang theory and NCIS.   Oh yeah, and when I remember there are some cooking shows and a knitting show on PBS at really odd hours.   The rest of the time?  that's why I have an Ipod (which right now won't communicate with my computer so I'm pretty anoyed with it).   And old movies.   Not last year old, but O L D.   Black and White.   Bogart, Grant, Sinatra kind of old.   They are predictable, sometimes hokey and non assulting of your senses.   To be honest, I like Indiana Jones too.

I finally started a new job last week.   Today was my one week anniversary.   It is going pretty slow, but I have high hopes once I figure everything out.   and then there is the "special" training needed for two computer programs.   "They are going to schedule you for that".   Yeah.  well, it'd better be soon.   But on the other hand, I'm picking up things slowly and retaining theinformation so that's a good thing.   Best thing is it is 3 miles from my home and with traffic like it is here that's a huge bonus.    I even accepted the job without knowing how much I was going to make - that made my husband's head spin.  but I pointed out, it will  be more than I'm making now (didn't work for 8 months) and it's close to home.  I could walk if I wanted to.   And I get benefits and retirement.   Now I just have to stay 15 years.   Maybe 20.  

Yipee

Psycho

Today is the 50th anniversary of the opening of Psycho.  Saw it years ago, but not at the first release unless my mom took me and she's not really the type to go to that kind of movie . . . in fact I don't remember her ever going to a movie.  but she dropped me of many a times so I could watch a movie with friends . . . she was (is) a good mom.

Oh well, happy anniversary to a movie I've got in my collection along with some other Alfred Hitchcock movies.   He made pretty good flicks.

National Lobster Day

Well, don't care for it myself, by go forth and enjoy!   My parents, husband and daughter love it, my boys like me not so much.  

Sunday morning DD and I were taking our walk to the lake 5 miles from front door to lake and back and our time is getting better.    Usually in the woods we see some black birds, geese, and dogs being walked.   Once we saw deer crossing the path aboug 50 yards ahead of us and on rare occasions a turtle.   Oh yeah, once we found a teeny tiny frog in the path, we scooted him over to the side cuz if he hadn't moved we would a squished him without even realizing it.

On the this morning we saw . . .  a deer having breakfast not far off the path, a blue heron just standing on a rock near in the middle of the creek and then on our way home about 30 feet off the path two wood peckers on a fallen log.    I've never been able to get that close and they were amazing.  Of course as soon as I pulled out the camera phone, they took off, guess they're camera shy.  Usually we walk in the evening.   Guess we need to figure out how to walk early in the morning.   

Reflexology

I'm a firm believer that doctors are good for emergency and bad things, but one should try the heal thyself method first.   Eat well, exercise, go back to some of the remedies our granparents used.  I don't run to the doctor everytime I sneeze - didn't take the kids either.   Which drove my husband crazy since his mother raised him to be a hyprochondriac and everytime someone sneezed he wanted to take them to the hospital for a blood test.   I could never figure out what he thought that would accomplish, and I ignored him.   Everyone is fine.  HA!

So anyway,  a few years ago I decided to try reflexology.  I was amazed.   Well the first time, it hurt.  A lot.   But then by the next day I noticed I didn't have my usual sinus headache.   So I looked on a foot chart.  Sure enough, the places that hurt the most were sinus areas.    I was hooked.  I go about once a month, just for 30 minutes and by the time I tip the guy cuz he's good, it costs me less than $40.    Over the years, it has improved my aches and pains, I headaches are almost a thing of the past, I can still tell when the weather is changing, but the pain is way less severe.   Yesterday he found my tennis elbow and worked on that a bit.  Bless him.    And my massage yesterday was awsome, I've been so relaxed and at peace that for the first time in a long time, the entire 30 minutes felt great.   There was just one spot that he worked on, so of course I came home to check it out, becuase I always want to know what he has found that  is out of whack.   Hmmmm thyroid and esphoagus area.    Now I guess I'll have to do some resarch and find out what I'm not eating correctly.

That's my next goal for the summer (since I've finally gone back to work) and that is eating better.  Much better.    I even bought  a juicer.   It is kinda a pain to use though, but that could be because I'm not real familiar with it yet.    In time.   Now off to do some food research!

National German Chocolate Day

Need I say more?

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

Today in honor of National Chocolate Ice Cream Day my mom and I will have ice cream for lunch - while we check out at least two new yarn shops!

Travel

I can say this because I'm going alone . . .

Why is trying to get away for a few days such a pain?   I've reconsidered about 5 times since this morning.   But I really want to go see my mom and since I'm suppose to start a new job in less than a week, I figured I needed to go see her now or it would be the end of the year before I could ask for time off.   It really isn't good form to ask for vacation as soon as you start a job, is it?

I love my mom.  I love visting with her.   Mostly because while she wants me to do things for her it's fun stuff, like cleaning a closed, organizing her jewelry . . . I really don't like this, why don't you take it now?   and NO cooking, cleaning or listening to children/spouse complain about anything.    She lives in a retirement community, meals are provided in in the dining room.   When the menu looks yucky we go out to a restaurant in town.  There are yarn stores galore, the mountains to look at, and quiet.   I'm not old enough to live there yet, but my sister is, and when she was there last month we all thought she'd move in  and never go home  . . . she still has a 16 year old at home . . . 'nuff said.

So I took today with stride, I needed to pack, I needed to run a few errands, go to the library to get a book or two on tape for my drive (8 hours) and hit a few stores to get last minute things for my DS who is leaving Monday to go back to his duty station after enjoying (kinda) 30 days of leave after deployment.    He just needs stuff, like new sheets, cups, the usual.   He's stopping to visit my mom on his way (and yes actually using her apartment as a one night hotel, but that's okay)  His brother is driving with him and the flying home next weekend.   I had a plan, and it was doable.   My DD called and wanted to walk.  sure, I can fit that in, we do 5 miles in just a skoch over an hour, no problem, I just need to run to a few places, buy some new black pants and get my hair cut.   pants and haircut are in the same shopping center.  I can adapt my schedule.  I've become the queen of change/adapting and not getting frazzled.

Then as I was getting ready to leave, I let the cat in.   He seemed to be having a problem walking.   I watched him for about 15 minutes and then decided like with a baby who can't talk to you, maybe I should call the vet now while I know they are open, instead of tomorrow when I'd have to take him to the emergency vet.   I'm not exactly sure where it is and I know it costs A LOT.   So I called the vet, explained the problem, they said bring him in at 11:10,  you may have to wait a few minutes but we'll squeeze him in.  I I have an hour and a half before I need to take him.  Okay, so I ran to the dollar store and the library, two things off my list.  went back home, looked around, reminded myself that it will all get done, put myself in  "flylady mode" and forged forward.   Took him to the vet, and on the way DS called to say, could I get him a trailer today?   The place he called didn't have any.   Oh  by the way, he his brother and dad were off playing for the morning.  

Of course, I got on the 800 number with Uhaul, was on hold forever, talked to a nice girl, listened to my poor cat howl because he doesn't like riding in the car, then while I was almost done with uhaul, I cut the call off.    Have I mentioned how much I REALLY HATE my new cell phone?   but I digress.    I had to call the 800 number back, the girl hadn't saved anything so I had to start all over with someone new.  

But the vet didn't make me wait long,  the next appointment  wasn't there yet, Jack performed as always, growling and hissing at the vet, as she checked him out, took xrays and decided he was probably bruised, but nothing was broken and no apparent internal injuries.    So there was 160 I hadn't planned on spending today.  but on the other hand, as the children have pointed out on numerous occasions, sometimes I take better care of the cat than I ever did them.   But, they could tell me if they fell and broke an arm, tooth, foot, etc.   Jack can only walk funny and growl.  and he curls up in my neck at night to sleep.   WHich is great excpet if he sneezes.   And he's one of those cat's the drools when the purr.   I shower every morning.

So went to get a haircut.  I love my hairdresser, he does a great job 99% of the time, but he overbooks.  You go, you get washed, then you sit sometimes for  A LONG TIME, if they'd said that, I coud have run my mall errands while waiting for him to finish the person before me.  but no.     At the pants store, I took too many items into the dressing room, but the attendant was a little girl, so I just stared her down.   5 different styles of black pants in two different sized because apparently walking 5 miles at least 4 days a week is making me lose weight - yay  me!   But I did buy two pair, on sale for $37.00 not bad.   

Now I should be done, remind me to tell you about the lady in the shoe store.

Happy trails . . . .

Hagar's Blanket

Sgt. Hagar asked me to make her a throw while she was overseas.   Since she was my son's team leader I was more than glad to do it for her.   I also made her some hats this winter.

I had wanted to have it finished for her when they returned, but Ididn't get the request until about 10 weeks before they came back, and between the other knitting requests I was working on and life . . . didn't happen.    She is transferring to Germany in July but will have this in her hot little hands by June 10th.

Hope it's what she wanted . . . the request was a little vague. 

Done with Pattons Encore, 400 yards each of red, black and gold.  moss stitch around the edges for 6 stitches and 200 stitches across end to end.  Size US 9 needles.