Happy Memorial Weekend....

FINALLY, Memorial weekend is upon us. I am so excited cause it means the beginning of summer. And I love summer....love,love,love it!! and it's really HERE!!!

I am leaving tomorrow (Friday) for Caseville. I really need to get up there and get my grass cut. It's been a week and a half now since I last cut it. And I'm hoping that my neighbors will be up for the weekend and he and his friends can help me get this bird bath/fountain out of my jeep. Oh Lord please have someone be there to get this OUT!

I asked hubby if he wanted to go. I told him we could drive back on Monday cause he has a doctor appointment on Tuesday. Nope...doesn't want to go. I know his shoulder is really bothering him and he just wants to stay home alone. So I will take TWO of the dogs and leave Pepper home with him. I don't have room in the car for her what with the bird bath/fountain taking up all the frickin room.

Wow...one thing I am learning about larger female dogs.....they can burn the shit out of your lawn! I have all these brown spots around my patio. I've been watering the area down to dilute it and wash some of the pee away, and someone gave me something to put in her water to help neutrilize her urine. I hope it works. I don't want my grass in Caseville to get ruined either.

Last night I watched the finale of American Idol and was pleased that Jordin won.....it was between her and beatboxer Blake, so guess she was better. Personally, I wasn't too thrilled about any of the contestants this year, except Melinda. She was the only one with any real talent, but she got the boot anyway.

And I was switching back and forth between Idol and LOST, and caught the last part of LOST after Idol was over. Why oh why do they do that!?? Anyway, LOST ended with a real cliff hanger, scratching your head, WTF kind of ending that will make ya tune in next season for sure. I was on the website today reading all the theories people have about the show....I have my own theories, so we'll see. I guess the show will run and end in 2010, so that means only 3 seasons left to figure everything out. I admit that this show has me completely lost (haha) and I can't figure out what the hell is going on for the most part. Can't wait til next season...!

Recuperation begins....

The surgery is over and now the recuperation begins. After they got my husband all prepped before surgery they let me go sit with him for awhile. They had numbed his left arm and they must have given him something to relax him. Cause he was telling me that Bob Dylan was there across the hall and he started singing some song....I guess it was a Dylan song...something about "if you were me and I was you, etc etc"....it was funny. Then he kept asking me if his arm was still there cause he couldn't feel anything. I kept telling him that it was. So I lifted up his hand to show him and he let out a "yipe". It was so funny I couldn't stop laughing. He said it looked like I just lifted up a dead hand or something. I guess with it being numb, it was detached from his body in his mind. I don't know....maybe it was the drugs...haha

The one problem they had was trying to get his wedding ring off his finger. We had already tried everything in the book and gave up. I told them that they were going to have to cut it off. The nurse tried in vain to get it off, but eventually they had to use something to cut it off. It took quite awhile before she was able to get the ring off. I'm hoping that the jeweler can fix it.

They were able to do the surgery the easier way....scoping it, they called it...instead of cutting, so I'm hoping that the recuperation will be faster, and less therapy....hope, hope, hope!!!!

Surgery Day....

Today my husband is having his shoulder surgery. We have to be at the hospital by 1:00. I am really hoping that they can do the surgery the easy way that will result in less recuperation time; but they won't know for sure until they get in there.

The problem he is having now is his arthritis in his knee. He hasn't been able to take any of his meds for the past 10 days, including Motrin....so now his knee is all swelled up and very painful. He can hardly walk. Well, after this surgery he will be on all kinds of pain meds I hope and he'll feel better for awhile.

So what else is new.....my army son called yesterday. Sundays are laid-back days. They promoted him to staff sargeant and he is in charge of about 250 men. He will be graduating from his AIT the end of the month, and then he will be going to Georgia for his Airborne training. My daughter-in-law is planning on taking the kids for his graduation.

Will let ya know how the surgery goes....

Elvis is ALIVE!!

SATURDAY.....the bad and the good....

Saturday started off shitty and then ended GREAT. So ya just never know....

At some point during the night, Lucky came upstairs and was coughing and coughing like he had whooping cough or something. He finally settled down and slept, then when he got up later he started with this awful hacking again....it was terrible...he couldn't stop coughing. So since I am so paranoid and freaky about my dogs, I called the vet the minute I got up....10 a.m. They are only open til noon on Saturdays, so I had no time to waste....husband having surgery on Monday...I could NOT wait until Tuesday, so I called. They told me they were booked but I can bring him in but it might be a wait. I got dressed, threw some makeup (can't forgot the makeup) on and got him there in 40 mins. He's hacking and coughing in the waiting room with other dogs. The nurse came out and told me to bring him into this back room cause of his hacking and they didn't want to infect the other dogs til they figure out what the hell is wrong with him. Okay, she didn't exactly say that, but that's what she meant.

I took him into the room and got immediate service. It was obvious something was wrong. He's shaking and I'm hysterical. They gave him a shot to calm him down and get the coughing to stop. They listened to his lungs and they sound fine. They X-rayed him and said his lungs and heart look fine....nothing obstructing his windpipe. They basically have no clue what is wrong, but the shot worked and he's not coughing anymore. So they gave him an antibiotic in case it might be something that an antibiotic could fix...mmmmmmmmmm......and gave me some antibiotic pills and a prescription for a cough suppressant. $300 FUCKING DOLLARS!!! I should have been a vet....

Anyway, he's not coughing now, and I haven't shown my husband the bill....
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I was trying to get ahold of my girlfriend so we could get together tonight, but she never called me back. It was just as well, cause a high school friend from California is in town this weekend and called me. Haven't seen him since our last class reunion. He has business here once in awhile and sometimes calls and we get together. So we met and had drinks and talked and laughed and talked about how things would be different if we had our lives to do over again.

Anyway, he has an interesting life. Remember the Brodericks? They did a movie about them. Betty Broderick killed her husband. Anyway, he was a photographer back then and had actually taken a picture of him with his girlfriend and they actually used the picture as evidence during the trial.

So tonight he's telling me about this watercolor painting he has of John F. Kennedy. Remember the little girl that was kidnapped by this guy...he broke into her bedroom window and abducted her. They eventually found him and she was reunited with her family. Can't remember the names. It was in the papers big time. Anyway, he had some dealings with the guy's mother (before the kidnapping). And this kidnapper guy was a painter and had made this watercolor of JFK, and she gave it to my friend. So we're wondering tonight how much it would be worth on Ebay....haha

Anyway, had a good time....it's nice to sit back and laugh with someone who is not in pain....LOL....damn, I know I'm sounding so mean....but it's still nice....

Ciao.....

BARGAINS, BARGAINS EVERYWHERE....

I LOVE GARAGE SALES! Garage sales are like spring flowers....they are blooming everywhere. At this one sale, the lady had this itty bitty little girl Chihuahua, only 8 mos old and 3 pounds big....she was just the sweetest thing.

I bought some clothes which I haven't tried on yet so I'm hopin'....and I bought a 3 Stooges poster cause my hubby just luvs em and when I get my computer room done with all my TV/Movie/Music memorabilla on the walls, I'll hang it up. He did get the room painted for me while I was in Caseville.

I bought a parrot beanie baby.....a batman pez.....a Star Trek DVD audio book.....flannel sheets.....shower curtain.....a couple crystal Xmas ornaments....

and I bought one of those baby carriers that you strap to yourself to carry an infant around....but instead I thought I would put my little chihuahua in it and take her places with me...haha....but I can't figure out how to wear it without it slipping off my shoulders and having her hit the ground. I did put her in it, but I don't think she is too keen about it, though.

Oh, and I also had to go to my car insurance place and fix yet another freakin mistake!! I went there a month ago and had them redo some things to get our rates down on our three cars. I noticed a mistake on the quote on my husband's car, so I called immediately and got it straightened out over the phone....OR SO I THOUGHT....so I get the bill and it was only for 2 cars. My husband's car wasn't even on it. F*** the phone call this time....I got in my car, drove there, and talked personally to someone. She checked and no ins on his car, so she fixed it....OR SO I HOPE....We'll see...

Alas.....To err is human....

Today I spent almost all of my time (and gas) trying to straighten out other people's mistakes. And I'm gettin real tired of it. Aren't there any competent people working out there anymore?

First we get a bill from the lab that ran some of the tests my husband had to have. We have had this same problem before with myself. With me, they were billing our old insurance company which was changed probably 3 frickin years ago, and when they didn't get paid we got the bill. So I had to call them and tell them what our current insurance company was....the following year, same thing....I called again. I think they finally got it right with me anyway by now. So now they have it messed up with my husband's. I just don't understand why when we go to the doctor and they ask us for our insurance cards and we have tests done, the damn lab isn't told or given the correct information by the staff....the tests are done right there in the office, mainly blood work. So today I decided to skip the phone call and just drive there myself personally and make sure they get it right.

Then, we get a letter from the State of Michigan. Apparently when we bought this new cottage in Caseville, they have it listed as our primary residence. Our home here is our primary residence and since ya can't have two, then they are questioning it. Everything was messed up at some point when we bought this place. First off, they have the address wrong!...the address that is listed on our tax bills is actually a vacant lot across the street. And now the State thinks we live on this vacant lot as our primary residence....too funny! I have already went to the city hall in Caseville and complained about the wrong address, but according to their records it's right...the mixup is in Bad Axe.....so FIX IT!! Plus, they have my middle initial wrong which is on the deed. Anyway, I drove all the way to Brighton to clear up the primary residence matter anyway. Even the woman couldn't believe how messed up the whole transaction is. She told me I need to get the deed redone with my correct middle initial....and certainly get the address corrected. So guess I have more "other people's mistakes" to take care of next time I'm in Caseville. I just don't understand those idiots in Bad Axe that send my tax bills to my address here and yet still have this Caseville address as my primary residence.....small towns with uneducated people...it's a wonder they can tie their own shoes...
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I was asked this question and have been asked this question by a lot of people, friends, neighbors, etc....."now that my husband is retired, will we be moving to Caseville?" At this point, I can say NO, and here's why....

1. We've lived in our home now for 30 years and it would be very hard to sell it....especially for my husband who can't even part with his old underwear...

2. We have too much crap to even think about moving.

3. We're too old to deal with it.

4. The new cottage we bought is just that....a cottage....larger than the condo by far, but certainly not large enough to actually live year-round in. We have already furnished it, so there is no room for my things here to go there. The bedrooms are small and my bedroom sets would never fit anyway.

5. If we moved to Caseville, we would definitely have to sell the cottage and buy a larger regular house.

6. MOST IMPORTANT REASON OF ALL: Caseville is a vacation place. If we moved there, then it wouldn't be a vacation place. Caseville is my getaway. If we moved there, then where would I go to get away?

Basically, my husband and I have owned a place in Caseville for 20 years now, and I am use to going there to get away and my husband is use to me going there which gives him a break and now he can go there to get away and give me a break. It's what has made the marriage work so well. If we sold our house and moved to Caseville, there isn't a house big enough for us to live 24/7 365 days a year together. Trust me, one of us would die.....
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Hubby Shoulder Update: He got no sleep last night cause of the pain. So I gave him a bottle of gin and told him to drink it. I think he's sleeping now...I hope.

I've been away.....but I'm back

Okay....I know it's been awhile since I posted. So I guess I better get caught up here. Actually I just spent two whole weeks in Caseville at my cottage and just got back home Tuesday. I left the two girls at home...meaning my two female dogs...and I decided to just take Lucky with me and he was lovin' it....just him and his mom and no two bitches gettin all the attention. My husband first told me to just leave all the dogs home with him, but Lucky is the one who wakes everyone up in the middle of the night to go prowling around outside and I decided that my husband needed to get some sleep, so I figured he could go with me. My poor husband is having so much pain in his shoulder and it's hard enough for him to get any sleep. I'll get to that later....his shoulder, I mean.

So I've been in Caseville getting all my yard work done and cleaning and getting everything nice for the summer. Damn, there is so much to do that I don't feel like I'm on vacation much. I had to weed the gardens....both flower and vegetable. I should post a pic of my flower garden from last year....so beeeuuuteeefullll!! Then I put in plenty of Preen to help keep the weeds out. I mean, I don't want to drive back up in a couple weeks and start all over like I did last year. I got smarter...haha The grass was so long that it took a couple cuts to get it down and then I was cutting it like 2 or 3 times a week....I gave up on the dandelions. Let them grow...they'll die and go away EVENTUALLY. I put "weed and feed" on the front yard and planted some grass seed in this bare spot...and by the time I was leaving I actually had little baby grasses growing....yahooooo! I washed all the windows inside and out, even the garage windows. I edged and weedwacked. I got out my deck chairs and all my little garden ornamental sh*t, like my ducks and gnomes and birds and whatnots. I redid this one part in my backyard that I couldn't get even a weed to grow....I laid down mulch and put different types of stepping stones and put little woodsy forest animals and gnomes there and artificial plants in the planter...it looks really cool.

Then I drove to the condo and cleaned there and put in my screens. Mainly I had this room divider shelf thingy that I had taken out of the living room and it was sitting in the bedroom and I had to get it the hell out of there. So the only way I could was to take it completely apart...marked all the pieces so I put it back together right....and put it all in my car and took it to the cottage and put it up in the attic for now. I fixed a few things that needed fixing and cleaned, cleaned, cleaned.

Before I went my husband and I went to this estate sale and bought what we thought was just a really cool birdbath for only $35. It was so damn heavy that we had to have a couple guys there put it in my jeep. When they went to pick it up that's when we discovered that it is a FOUNTAIN!...it has the motor and plug. So my intention was to have my girlfriend help me get it out of my jeep and put it on my deck where it will look so awesomely cool and refreshing and sound so soothing with the waterfall and all. It has a tree trunk-like base...and the bowl with another small bowl that the water runs down with little birds. But it is all one piece and it is terrificly heavy. So my girlfriend says that it is too heavy for even her to help lift....bummer!...She said that it is made of a heavier cement than usual...like what they make roads out of. She also said that this fountain is a $400 fountain if not more. I went to the garden shop and they have these fountains there that are not anything like mine and easy to lift and they were $200-$250. My girlfriend couldn't believe I only paid $35 for it. Course, it ain't gonna do me much good sitting in my jeep. So needless to say, it is still there. I'm hoping to find a couple strong MEN to help me get it out next time I go.
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Sooooooooo anyways, about my poor painful hubby. He went to the doctor and they took X-rays and gave him pain meds. Then he went back to the doctor and they did an MRI and the doctor sent him immediately to an orthopedic surgeon. Apparently, something about the bones rubbing and tearing the tendon....something about a rotator cuff....something about a major tear and multiple tendinitis....or something. Anyway, he is scheduled to have surgery May 21. He is really in pain now cause apparently he can't take any pain meds, not even an aspirin, for 10 days before surgery.....how lame!...so he's hurtin now.

Now I know he needs the surgery....but I talked to this woman in Caseville who had shoulder surgery 5 weeks ago and her arm is still in a sling and she has to go to therapy 3 times a week. So what the hell will that mean for the summer? Will he be able to drive to therapy? Will he be able to drive at all?? If I have to drive him then how the hell will I be able to go to Caseville??? I have grass to cut there. And what about the grass here....he just bought a riding lawn mower....will he be able to ride it and cut the grass? and if not, who will cut it....ME??? I don't know how to drive one of those things and we have too much grass here. Will he even be able to go to Caseville if he has to go to therapy here? What the hell will this mean for our summer???? So I'm like asking him if he could stand the pain, which isn't too bad when he takes the meds, and postpone the surgery til September...after Labor Day. Considering that he is off the meds and the pain is really bad now, I guess he thinks I'm being selfish....WHATEVER!!!

I guess it depends on what the Doc has to do once he gets in there that will determine the length of recovery and therapy....so I'm keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that he has a really fast, quick, easy recovery. Otherwise, he'll be spending his summer alone...hiring someone to cut the grass....and using a shuttle bus to get to his therapy. Cause I'm gonna be partying in CASEVILLE!!!!!!

Okay, I know this was long....at least it seems like I've been typing forever....Ciao...