Feels Like Summer & Is anybody there?

Last night I made one of the best gravy's I have ever made! I'm serious! It was so good I wanted to sit and eat with a spoon!


I had purchased some Johnsonville Brats and put them in a frying pan with about 2 cups of water...I put the heat on of about 5 (electric stove) I let them cook til almost all the water was gone, then added another 2 cups of water, slowly and carefully so the water and grease from the sausages didn't splatter up on me. I cooked sweet peas with honey, and 3 flavored noodles with homemade chicken sauce and some seasonings. I then took 2 table spoons of butter and melted them in the microwave, and then added 2 tablespoons of flour to the butter and then added that to the rue in the frying pan with all the bits and pieces from the cooked sausage that stuck to the pan. Added about 4 to 5 shakes of salt to it and tasted it...oh my! wow! That's good! Dinner was wonderful!


I took the left over gravy and added it to brown rice tonight and boiled some left over chicken pieces in chicken stock. Cut the chicken into small bite size pieces, made a chicken gravy with the now very hot chicken stock. Dinner was good.


After dinner we decided to watch a movie instead of having a game night. We watched Jacob The Liar with Robin Williams. A good movie. It's sad and sometimes a little funny, and always heartbreaking. I always cry at the end of it.


I took that cute little juicer of mine today and cut up 6 lemons and juiced them with it. It kept popping the circuit breaker for the kitchen. I have those outlets with the little button that you can just push to reset it. I had to do that 4 times. I think it was because i had the coffee pot on at the same time. The lemons plus water, plus sugar made a gallon of lemonade! Yummy! It went perfect with the very unseasonably warm weather we had today. It felt like summer. It was 80 outside at the tail end of February. Not complaining, I enjoyed the nice day.


Ray came home early from work, he wanted to go ride his bike. I loved being able to do that with him. My back doesn't let me anymore. I never understood the attraction of it before until I got to ride with him. He drove carefully but freely. It was exhilarating, electrical and slightly sexual.


Still cannot get my Photoshop to open in Linux, it's one of those times I truly miss using a Windows machine. So what does Ray do, he has put this really shitty old version from 1995 on here. God how I hate being patronized! He hates Windows so I have to suffer for it, because I ended up getting viruses on my computer, so now he has this "I know more am better than you attitude" I love him dearly but hate that about him.


I asked the question on Facebook..."I guess people now a days would rather read a few words on a cute or outrageous picture posted on Facebook then read a blog...am I wasting my time writing my daily blog and posting the link here? I only have 9 followers and no one ever leaves a comment...I must really suck at it!"
Half the people responded said they didn't know I had a blog, even though I post the link nightly...that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Most people would rather read a picture with 3 or 4 words on it then read a blog, news article or God forbid a real book! Sad state of affairs. Makes you wonder about the state of books and their future in our Facebook and Twitter society where games and pictures rule. 


To me a comment here is a statement saying..."hey I know how you feel, or wow I had that happen to me to, here's how I solved that problem, or wow that sounds like fun think i'll try it, or that recipe sounds delicious" 
Just a line ot two to say hey we're here!
it's a matter of feeling that I matter to someone and that I am not all alone out here in the universe just talking to myself. 


So now I have to ask the question...


Is anybody listening?


See you next time for more coffee & conversation.

Family Emergencies

There is nothing in the world like that gut wrenching feeling you get when the phone rings or you get a text message whether by phone or on a social network or an email saying call me something terrible has happened.

Your heart races, you feel like your lungs have shrunk to the size of marbles, and you can't seem to make your hands work to dial the phone.

As you wait for the answer on the other end you mind conjures up all kinds of terrible and vile scenarios. Car accidents, drunken bar fight, airplane crash, boat sunk, drowning, vicious dog bites, motorcycle accident, heart attack, seizure, stroke, it's always something horrific that makes you want to faint and throw up at the same time.

This time it was coronary heart failure, mixed with diabetic shock. My second oldest sister P.J. She had already had two heart surgeries in the past. Her life style is hectic to say the least and always dramatic and traumatic. 

Since we were kids she was always the life of the party, charged full steam ahead in everything that she did, never one to back down in a fight. She should have been a boy. She has a wicked funny sense of humor and I miss her dearly on days when my pain gets the best of me.

So now you know why there was no blog yesterday. I was miserable! I woke up in so much pain, felt like I had been utilizing a rowing machine in my sleep! Every muscle hurt and my rods and screws were screaming bloody murder at me. I got up, got slowly dressed and wondered into the kitchen to the lovely aroma of coffee. My husband had already had coffee made so I grabbed a cup and my pain pills, sat at my laptop and jumped on facebook.

There it was...in my messages and on my facebook wall. My niece sent me a message saying she was taking her mom to the hospital. No hospital name, no hospital number...just my niece's cell phone number. I desperately looked around for my cell phone. Where did I leave it now! I got up and slowly, God so slowly...made my way into our bedroom to see it across the room on the charger. It looked a mile away! Always does when your in pain doesn't it.

I brought it into the living room only to realize it wasn't charged! I didn't plug it in all the way! I started to cry. I quickly plugged it in and started sending messages on facebook. Where was she, how was she, what did the docs say, and so on. My husband God bless him!, brought my phone to me, plugged it in, next to the table where I sat. He had me move over a seat closer to where it was plugged in, said "see it's still charging you can still talk while it's charging babe". My calm in the storm. Why didn't I think of that? I knew that fact. I have done it before.

I called my older sister and one of my other aunts while chatting with another niece online. I called my dad, left a message on his phone. Back and forth it all went for almost 3 hours before everyone in the family had been reached. It's amazing how wonderful my family can be in a time of crisis. No matter what has happened in the past it all goes away and we all pull together.

I was a wreck. I was still in serious pain. I wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep. After sending messages back and forth for almost another two hours on facebook. I finally decided I needed to just rest. Which I did. I distracted myself with stupid things so I wouldn't have to think much. It didn't help.

By 5 PM I was pretty much exhausted. Ray took us out to Joe's Pizza, Pasta, and Subs. I ate most of a salad and was ready to go home and sleep.

Nope that didn't happen! We needed to make a grocery run. Our son needed school lunch supplies. Thankfully it was in the same strip mall. I walked to clear my head. Bad day to walk. The wind was gusting at almost 20 miles per hour, and it brought dirt and dust with it from west Texas. The sun had set and it was dark out and temps had dropped along with the sun. By the time I got most of the way around the square to the grocery store, Ray had parked the truck and was walking towards me. We got inside and did our shopping. We ended up spending more than we expected. Got everything our son needed and more. lol. I was done for the day. My legs were now screaming at me. Nerve pain is an awful thing to experience!

We headed home. By the time we got home. I could barely move from the pain. My husband put me in an arm chair and told me "don't move from that spot!". he and my son put away the groceries. My son brought me a cup of "mud" over cooked coffee. I took half a vicadon. Within 20 minutes. I was ready to fall asleep sitting there. I went to the couch and curled up and napped for almost an hour before finally going to bed for the night.

I was finally able to reach P.J. at the hospital this afternoon. First thing I said to her when she answered was "See this is what happens when you don't call your little sister more often, your heart breaks!" She laughed, A huge amount of relief filled me. I knew she was going to be okay. She told me everything the docs said and did. She was signing the paperwork to be released already. She was going to go home and get some rest.

I am grateful to the docs and nurses that took care of her and I'm glad she is okay. If you have a loved one who has been or is being taken care of by doctors and nurses, please let them know that you are grateful too. Tell them thank you, send them a letter or a card to place at the nurses station. They deserve it.

Now I can get back to healing me, and get my butt in gear and work some more on my book.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to me rant and rave again.

See you next time for more coffee and conversation!

Hair Today, Gone Tonight!

Spent most of the day doing nothing. I was too tired and too sore to do much of anything.

Took a very long hot shower to try and help with the back pain. It worked for a short while.

Turned out to be a very warm day outside today. Thankfully. My son decided it was a great day to be outside and playing. Usually he wants to stay indoors playing video games. I told him and his friend "not today". They both gave me that  "awe mom" look. They both groaned and went outside. Boys will be boys.

When he came back in it was fairly close to supper time. You ever had one of those nights where you just didn't feel like cooking? We decided to have a "breakfast" for dinner night. It was fun and we got to have a special mom and son night together.

Ray came home and went straight into the bathroom, after grabbing a can of WD-40. I didn't quite know what he was up to. After ten minutes or so he came out and kissed me. He shaved off his beard. He wears one every winter. It's still winter and he shaved it off. I teased him and said "okay what made you shave it off...what's her name" I hate the beard. I cannot stand them. he knows this. I tolerate it every year. He hates daily shaving. So needless to say I was weirded out that he shaved it off all of the sudden. Hair today, gone tonight!

Sitting here watching reruns of "Friends". The episode where Monica and Chandler are making wedding plans. She buys a dress, and has to return it because of another woman who wants it but she wants the same band they both want. Ah just get the DVD's and watch and laugh your butt off.

Okay I'm done NOT making sense. >.< Just one of those days I guess. I have been in a good mood most of the day.

Wondered on to Facebook several times today, just the usually game postings, rants, presidential slams, politic statements, jokes, interesting reads, and jokes. Nothing new there. I have been spending less and less time on Facebook. I am continue on with this blog and writing a book. NO it's not about my blog. It's about...well once it's finished I'll let you read it and you can see for yourselves.

I finally found the name of the crutch Ray ordered for me. It's called a Smart Crutch. It has a built in shock absorber. Will post links tomorrow!

For now it's late and I need to go spend time with Ray.

Thanks for listening to my boring day!

See you next time for more coffee and conversation.

SOPA and Sensorship

Woke up in tremendous pain this morning. Wish I could go back to bed. I stayed up to late last night...sometimes I get into doing something and time just seems to slip away.

All the web is abuzz with SOPA. It's a law congress wants to pass about censorship. They want to make our lives like the movie 1984. It's sad really. They have no clue about how it will effect them as well and they seem not to care either.

This is what I posted on Facebook this morning about it...



"ARE YOU GUYS SO STUCK ON PLAYING YOUR GAMES? DO YOU PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD ANYMORE. DO YOU REALIZE IF THEY PASS THE SOPA BILL WE WILL LOSE MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE INTERNET. THEY WANT TO SENSOR EVERYTHING. NO MORE FACEBOOK FUN PHOTOS SNAGGED OFF THE WEB, NO MORE POSTING MUSIC VIDEOS WE LIKE TO HEAR AND MUCH MUCH MORE. CONGRESS WANTs TO PASS THE SOPA BILL AND MAKE OUR LIVES JUST LIKE THE MOVIE 1984, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YOU SHOULD! WAKE UP AMERICA, STOP PLAYING GAMES FOR ONE DAMNED DAY AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON THE WORLD!"




I am not sure how many people will actually pay attention to that message. At this point I think some people just don't care. I'm not sure half the people on Facebook even know what SOPA is or what it is all about! I guess you can say I feel pretty strongly about this issue.


Anyway...I am hoping to get more laundry done today....see if I can get Linux and Microsoft 7 to talk to each other, and get the dishes in the dishwasher put away.

Reminder! Pick up prescriptions today! lol. yeah I know , weird posting a reminder on a blog to pick up my meds...why not just leave a note on my cell to have the alarm go off...because by the time I find where I left my phone I will forget why i was looking for it! lol.


Just saw my son off to school, damn it's cold outside!  24 degress! Brrrrrr...I need to go make a cup of coffee and get this day started.


See you later for more coffee and conversation!

Lunch and Recreation.

So...now that I have played around with the settings in this thing I think I'm all set now. Created my own background and page logo. Tell me what you think of them. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Played around with the font settings and gadgets for the blog.

Hubby got to come home early today, brought me lunch from a place called Simply Burgers. Here's their Facebook page...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/simply-burgers-texas/126668814035673?sk=wall

The mushroom burger was good, thick patty, sourdough hamburger buns. The french fries were another story! Seriously wonderful french fries. So much for dieting huh. No seriously I am NOT on any diet.I do need to lose about 20 lbs though, gained them in the last two years and they won't go away!

He came home early to do some work at home. Stuff that he cannot do at the office. Which is fine with me, I love spending more time with him. You'd never think to look at us that we have been together for 11 years. We had someone tell us last week we act like an old married couple. I cracked up laughing.

He is so very supportive of me and helps me get around the house and even bought me this cute little step stool for getting in and out of the vehicles.

Anyway....if you live in the DFW area. You got try Simply Burgers.

We'll have new neighbors soon. There was a family looking at the house next door tonight. My son swears it's another family that already lives a couple of streets over.

After taking my pain meds this afternoon, I took a short half hour nap. Woke up just in time for my son to come home from school.

Was going to make oven baked pork chops tonight, but opted for a simple spaghetti instead. Was quick and easy. Didn't have to stand for too long at the stove, my son helped me make the sauce. He's getting to like cooking. We have a small kitchen and I end up having him leave so i don't bump into him and hurt myself or fall down. Bad enough trying to cook while using a cane.

Spent most of the morning until hubby came home researching how to get windows and Linux to duel boot on one machine, or to get windows 7 to boot inside of Linux, which from what I understand can't be done...not yet anyway. My brain was pretty much fried when he got here with lunch.

After lunch i worked on this blogs logo and main background. The cooked the spaghetti for dinner. I still have to do the dishes.

I also created this goofy pic my husband and I thought would be funny.

:)

He got mad at me ruining hard drive after hard drive while using Windows and finally said enough is enough, you are switching to a Linux based operating system. So I did. Very reluctantly! It's okay and has some very neat features, but I can't seem to use photoshop in it and that upsets me to no end!


Went and found Adam Sandler fan page on facebook. Funny stuff there. Watched him in Bedtime Stories the other night. Very cute movie.

I guess I'm pretty much done for the night. Going to head over to facebook and check in there  with my friends.

Until next time..see you for more coffee and conversation.

Anyone listening?

My husband figured this would be a good outlet for me. I'm kind of housebound at the moment. I get distracted easily and can't seem to stay focused on the task at hand, so he thought this might help me get a little bit more organized.

Lets see...where to begin...

I'm 44..I am married...you knew that already...I have 1 child...a very smart (and smart aleck) son and my best buddy Oscar the "deagle". He's a mixed breed of half Daschund and half short legged Beagle.

I have my coffee (with cream and sugar of course), now for some conversation...it's a fairly warm day out for the middle of winter, I have chores to do but wanted to get this started first before I begin them. I don't want to do them for two reasons...I hate folding clothes (who doesn't!) and I'm still in a lot of pain from yesterday.

I had a monsterous doctors appointment I almost didn't get to do. I had to do an IVP Exam. It's like an X-Ray but with a dye injected into you. It's to check your kidney's for kidney stones. Not very fun! Before you have to do the IVP you have to do what the docs lovenly call a "cleanout". I didn't find anything lovely about it all! So I spent all day Sunday drinking nothing but liquids and eating Lime Jello (never want to see another bowl of that ever again!)Then had to drink magnesium citrate solution...needless to say 5 and 1/2 hours later I was spending more time in the bathroom then with my husband in the living room.

Anyway...got the exam done the next day...but nor before almost not getting to do it. After spending much time in the bathroom the night before and the morning of the exam they hand me this little plastic cup with a lid and say we need you to prove your not pregnant. What? Seriously? I just spent all night and half the morning in the bathroom! I have nothing left! They said they just need a tiny amount just three drops. I didn't want to have to redo the prep for this test ever again...back to the bathroom I go...I sat there praying to God to help me pee! He came through for me...three drops was needed I gave them 6!

They escorted me into the x-ray room...it's always freezing in there. I had to lay on this stainless steel table with nothing but a sheet over me. (yes I had on medical scrubs top and bottoms...get your mind out of the gutter) After laying perfectly still with a wedge under my knees for the first three sets of x-rays, they put in an IV and brought over this syringe that looked like an over grown turkey baster! This thing was at least an inch round and 4 inches long!

She tells me..."now you're going to get very warm either in your groin or your chest, it's perfectly normal". She said warm, not hot! Holy cow! It took less than 5 seconds to start feeling the effects of it. Took 3 more normal sets with me laying flat on my back, they took away the knee wedge. They bring in a triangle shaped blue covered piece of foam. Okay I think they are going to put that under my knees. Nope! The roll me on my side and put it under my right side then roll me back onto it and my back. I tell them this hurts because of the rods and screws in my spine. (I'll explain those later) They say just hang on we're almost done. After 2 pictures that way, they removed the wedge. I breathed a sigh of relief. Not for long though, they then rolled me again, this time onto my other side, "here we go again" I thought. More pain for almost 3 minutes. By the time they were done I was in tears. I just wanted to get up and go home and lay on my hot pad. I was cold and in a good amount of pain. They had to redo one of the x-rays. I started to quietly cry again.

After the exam I requested a copy of the images for my own records (always a good idea!) I was then told I could go get dressed and return to the lobby. It took me damn near 15 minutes just to put on a pair of sweat pants, bra, t-shirt, sweater and shoes. I crabbed my cane. NOT my regular forearm crutch...that got lost (by accident) but a regular cane, which I hate. They are not very stable.

Waited for about another ten minutes, when the nurse came back out and handed me the disc of my copies of the pics. We left and headed straight to The Original Pancake House for breakfast. Expensive but worth it! I was finally able to take a pain pill! I hadn't been able to for over 24 hours! I ordered coffee (their coffee if very bitter) orange juice (fresh squeezed) and Eggs Benedict. My fav way to eat eggs. I love Holendaise sauce!

After breakfast we headed to my husbands work place so he could pick something up. I didn't make it that far. I feel asleep in the truck, even though the roads were we live are horrible. The last two days had caught up with me. After finally getting home. I crashed for another two hours.

Today i am going to take it fairly easy and let my body get the rest it needs. I do need to go fold those clothes in the dryer though. NOT an easy task for me. Over the last two years I have had to relearn how to do almost everything in a new way so I don't hurt myself. (I'll explain all about that later). For now I'm going to go get another cup of coffee and start that laundry. Maybe stop over in Facebook for a bit, then figure out how to put Linux and Windows on one laptop! Ugh! Not looking forward to that!

See you later on with more coffee and conversation!