Finally

Bob has been in step down ICU since the Saturday before Labor Day. He is finally being moved to a regular floor today which I hope means he will be home in a few days. He had an e coli infection and is retaining fluid. He gained 10lbs in fluid this week, mostly in his legs. They look like tree trunks, but he is feeling much better and up walking around and generally being his usual pain in the ass self :D

I am usually pretty tired when he is in the hospital because I work all day and the spend a few hours at the hospital each night. By the time I get home my head it like cotton. But this week I have been more down than usual and I figured out it was all the 9/11 stuff. I get unbelievably sad and can't watch ANY of the stories on TV with out sobbing. On Friday morning the radio station I listen to had a "remembrance" show and I heard a little before I could change the station. Of course I started crying on my way to work. I spent the whole week with my eyes scrunched closed and my feet planted hard on the ground so the 10th anniversary memories wouldn't knock me on my ass again.

Believe it or not I am finally going to have the garage sale I keep talking about. Fri., Sat., and Sun., Sept. 23-25. REALLY!! I don't care if he is in the hospital or not. That junk has got to go!

The picture above was last summer in Dallas and that is my bestie, Nancy! She is my go-to girl for feel better pick me up talks! Love ya :D

Update on Bob

Well the hubby is in the hospital again.  He has pneumonia, low blood pressure and is retaining to much fluid. He also had an infection in his blood but that seems to be cleared up.   He is step down ICU again because of his blood pressure so they can keep a good eye on him.  He thought he was going to a regular floor today but his blood pressure dropped last night so looks like he gets the 5 star treatment for a few more days.  He is quite the complicated case and has, oh, about 7 doctors!   I told him it's a good week to be in the hospital since he truly hates any kind of weather below 80 :D

My youngest niece, Lola,  starts pre-school today! They all get so big so fast it's hard to keep track.  The little blondie in this picture is my oldest great-niece.  She and her sister sprouted like weeds this summer. I used to know how old they all are but I gave up keeping track.   Uncle Bob loves to spend time with them, especially at the lake.

My mother went to Dallas for 2 weeks to visit my sis and on her way back Saturday had to land in Kansas because the weather was so bad. She missed her connecting flight in Chicago and ended up spending the night there and not getting home until about 2:00 Sunday afternoon!  What is up with this weather? The Arctic cap is melting, the glaciers are melting, the East coast is constantly flooded, Texas is in a historic drought, the hurricanes are coming fast and furious...what did we do to this planet?

I have had a hard time this week with all the 9/11 shows and stories. My heart still breaks when I see any video clips of what happened or read any stories of the people involved.  We should never ever never forget but I can't watch.

And it's only Wednesday....

Gobsmacked!

I love that word! I haven't been gobsmacked this week...I just wanted to use the word. After all the excitement of Bob's last hospital stay, this week has been pretty quiet. No, we didn't get to go on vacation but we are planning for the end of September (fingers crossed XX). No big plans for the Labor Day holiday. We are going to my cousin's for a BBQ on Sunday (hi Jill). It was planned for Monday but there was a scheduling conflict, too many parties!

So the hotdog was my dinner last night. I didn't have anything else. I try to eat "right" and exercise and every once in awhile I have a donut or something like a hot dog but overall I don't eat a lot of junk. So why can't I lose weight? I am 5'7" and weigh around 156. Most of you won't think that is too bad but it is the most I have ever weighed...you got that, right? EVER. I wear a size 12 and that is getting freaking tight. Not being what most people consider fat, I have never been on a diet but I did come to the conclusion that my metabolism died and I have no idea how to jump start it again. My sis-in-law and one of my brother's started running 5ks and 1/2 marathons and lost weight and look fantastic. I am very motivated by their success but I can't run...ha ha..some days I can barely walk. Suggestions?

Sitting around the hospital for a week at time has one benefit, I have been reading like a fiend. The downside to that is I am getting a bit bored. I have a large TBR pile but nothing looks good right now. I think I have book burnout. I guess I need to do something else for awhile but I don't really watch TV and some nights I am too tired to do anything but lay like a lump on the couch. What are you reading? Have you read anything you absolutely LOVE lately?

Have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!

Bob Update

The Bobster is in the hospital again. Sunday at 5:00 am he woke up confused. I had to call an ambulance to get him to the ER, talk about scary! He has an infection that caused his ammonia level to elevate which made him confused. He is much better now but in the course of all the testing they did on him they found a blood clot in his leg....sigh... Of course they can't treat the blood clot as they normally would because of all Bob's other issues so they will be putting in a "filter". This tiny ingenious device will catch and clot before it can get into his lungs and kill him! I just love this kind of news.

We didn't get to go to Dallas yesterday like we planned so I am back to work and mad at the world ;D. We will try to reschedule in the next few weeks which could end up being better timing. Dallas will be out of the 100's and Bob will be feeling better.

Thanks in advance for all of your kind thoughts and prayers. We really appreciate all of you, with a special shout out to Aunt Rosalie who is the best friend Gracie the Wonder Dog could have!

Weekly Wrap Up

My baby sister turns 50 tomorrow! Hard for me to believe even though I am almost 5 years older! We are off to Dallas next week to help her celebrate. I had planned on being lazy around her pool, A LOT, but the weather is predicted to be over 100 every single damn day we are going to be there. The Bobster is dragging me to see the new Cowboy stadium because he wants to see what a billion dollar stadium looks like *rolling eyes here* . I will be seeing my girl Nancy and some friends from Michigan, Raul, Savitha and Candice. Looks like it will be an action packed few days.

My garden is looking straggly. The heat made most of my plants bolt this year my plants are sad looking. I planted 3 kinds of peppers and this is what I got. Last I night I chopped everything up for the freezer. I still have beets I need to pick but with going on vacation I won't have time and I am not sure what to do with the beets. There they sit, calling out to me to save them.

The weekend after Labor Day we will be having the long planned, never executed garage sale. We have too much crap. Isn't it funny how you really really think you need something and then use it once or twice? I mean, I have 2 sets of china in my basement that I always think I need and when it comes down to a party...paper plates all the way. Anyone need china service for 12? I didn't buy either set. The first set was my mother-in-laws and the second is what we call Isabel's china. Isabel was the sister of my aunt's second husband. When she died my aunt received a bunch of her stuff..including Isabel's china. My aunt gave it to me years ago and there it sits.

Have a safe and fun weekend. See you all in a few weeks.

Up North and weekly up date..

I love going Up North to our niece's family cottage. It's about a 3 1/2 hour drive to Lewiston. Their cottage is in the woods a few hundred feet from a lake. Like most kids the girls love to play in the water and collect shells and rocks. My niece and I like to sit and watch them while sipping our favorite adult beverages! Gary and Krista have a pontoon boat, four-wheelers, jet-ski's, a golf cart ...all the toys so we are never bored. Then there is the BOAT. Bob's hydro-plane. The guys put that thing in the lake and every single time it breaks! High powered toys are just too finicky. I can't begin to understand why they think it's fun.

So...Bob... sigh.. he has been having some shortness of breath. He went to 3 of his many many doctors this week and ended up in the hospital yesterday for tests...yep, yesterday, our 27th anniversary! He may come out tomorrow, it all depends on the what the test results are. So far they haven't found much and he feels ok.

My sis in law has lost 17 lbs and is training for a 1/2 marathon! She has totally inspired me to get going. WAY TO GO STEFANIE!!!

We leave for Dallas a week from Tuesday for my little sis's 50 birthday!!!! We don't have a lot of plans but it will be great to get away and spend some time with my sister. Mom is going with us so if anyone would like to house sit just let me know. Not sure what I am going to do with Gracie The Wonder Dog while we are gone.

Have a wonderful weekend. Get out there and enjoy Michigan while you can :D

Of Bro's and Beans

I could actually have gone with all the funny brothers and beans stories but no, I will spare you...These are 2 of my 3 handsome brothers. My youngest bro was here for a short visit last week. It was so great to see him since he is living in Seattle now and of course we didn't get to spend enough time. Looks like I am going to have to fit a trip to the Emerald City into my busy travel agenda.

I just realized I didn't post last week. I am not that busy so I guess I didn't have anything to say. I think the heat is getting to my brain. I don't have much energy for the "moist corner of hell" that is Michigan right now. I stole that description from someone else because it soooo very true. I promised myself I would not bitch about the summer and to keep my promise I keep thinking... Jan. 7, Dec. 21, Feb 16... all those cold, ugly, gloomy days remind me to enjoy the heat, but DANG, it is a bit thick out.

This weather does seem to be great for green beans! I have 2, 4ft long rows and I suddenly feel like the Jolly Green Giant! It's a jungle of beans in my garden! My beets are almost ready, we picked 2 tomatoes and some peppers. I am waiting for it to cool a bit and then planting a few rows of lettuce.

I started Zumba. Don't get excited. I might not continue. My trainer is getting married in Sept. and needed Thursday's off so we decided I would go for cardio until after the wedding. I started with Zumba Gold or as I call it, Zumba OLD. This is the sloooow version of Zumba and still can't do it!!! I just don't have any coordination and my feet don't freaking MOVE. I will try it again this week and if it's still a no go...well there must be something else I can do on Thursdays. I must do something.. did you see the poochy tummy in the above picture?

Have a great weekend and stay cool. My word for the day is HYDRATE :D