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Some odds and ends

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 5:16 am

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Should I start with odd or end. Okay, odd! Friday, I have to get up at 6:30 am to go to a Christmas party on my day off. The full time people at the library all work days and the part time people work evenings. They say that so the part time people can go to the Christmas party they have it from 8 am to 10 am the last day all of the full time people work before Christmas. Three full time people work on Saturday and three part time people work on Saturday. So, I have to get up early on my day off and go to a Christmas party. The director makes the main egg and sausage scramble and everyone brings something. I made rosette cookies today. I almost gave up and decided on something else. Half way through the iron got too hot and the rosette stuck to it. I had to scrap it off and wash it and then heat it a little and try again. I know now that when the rosette starts to fall off on it's own while still in the hot oil that I need to take a break and let it cool a bit. The oil is too cool and needs to heat a bit. Anyway, I managed to get enough to take and have them layered in a box.
Maybe there was only one odd.
The end is that Fintin isn't coming at the end of the month. Tom and Kirsten aren't coming either. They started adding up the cost of gas, motels, entry fee for the race, etc and decided they had better stay home. Last year they had friends to share some of the cost. They have an added expense this year too named Fintin. Also, a new house. I'm going to miss seeing Fintin and Erin, but I understand too many extra expenses can ruin a budget quickly.
Brian's niece called. Her baby was born on Dec. 13th at 12:17 am. It was due on Dec. 12th so it wasn't too far off. They named him Aiden Michael. That's pronounced Eden but I'll bet it gets mispronounced and misspelled quite a lot.
She told us that they put grandma on a low calorie diet. She didn't tell us soon enough. We already sent a box of high calorie goodies for Christmas. I guess they will have to ration them. Why put a 92 year old person on a diet just before Christmas? Is it going to make a big difference in their life if they eat a bit of candy or a cookie for Christmas?
So, we bought Fintin a Christmas present on Monday. We stopped at Oshkosh B'Gosh at the Outlet Mall and bought him a red plaid flannel shirt and matching bibbed overalls lined with the same flannel. The overalls are brown instead of blue and has lots of pockets. Now, what does a baby need with lots of pockets? I put them in a large padded envelope and mailed it off today. I sent Erin a gift card to the bookstore. All of my grandchildren love to read. I sent Ben and Jacob bookstore gift cards, too.
We have all of our shopping done but for each other. dr asked me, "What do you want?" I say, "I don't know." I ask him, "What do you want?" He answers, "I don't know." I guess we both want the same thing. I don't know. But, where do you buy it? We won't have any of the boys home this year. Dan is usually here but this year we thought he should be with his "new family." He says Laurel's kids are going to be with their dad and he and Laurel haven't decided what they are going to do. But, it's a good time for some time to themselves. Her mom is going to friends. So, this is the first time in 46 years that we haven't had at least one around for Christmas. We aren't going to be doing much either. Maybe I should put a lot of books, etc. on my list. Except I don't have a list yet. Is it too late to start a list? If I don't get all the cookies made for which I bought supplies to make, can I still make them after Christmas? So many questions, so few answers. I really think it's time I was going to bed.
dooley

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Cookie Day!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 4:13 am

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Today was cookie day! We had a great time. I got up and made breakfast and cleared the table. I started my chicken heating up a little so I could de-bone it and strain the broth for the soup. I made the noodles and ran them through the noodle machine instead of rolling them by hand. I cut them with the machine too. I thought I cut them in short strips but they turned out longer than I thought. It was fun to watch them eat the longer noodles in the soup.
I made sugar cookie dough and gingerbread dough before Dan and family arrived so it could chill. I made some brownies, too but they turned out more cake like. I think I must have added too much flour though I did measure it exact. They were good though. Avery walked through the door and said, "Do we have to wait for the brownies?"
Avery is 17 and Tim is 14. Thanksgiving Avery didn't have much to say but today she was very talkative. Tim immediately went out to play with Chance. Chance loves Tim. When Dan went out to tell Tim it was time to eat he came back shaking his head. He told Laurel,"I knew we should have brought a change of clothes for Tim." The ground hasn't quite dried from all the rain during the past week and Chance and Tim found every bit of mud and puddles they could find I think. I found a pair of sweat pants that would fit him and he wore those the rest of the day.
After lunch, we turned to the cookie making. Avery and Tim rolled the sugar cookie dough and cut out the cookies. I don't know how many they made, but I made a double batch of dough. Laurel was frosting and decorating the cookies. Tim stopped to help her. Avery finished the sugar cookies and quit to help decorate. Marty(Laurel's mom) and I made cream cheese spritz cookies and coconut butter balls. I wanted Dan to make shortbread cookies. He makes them great. But, the oven was in continuous use so he said he would make some tomorrow and bring them to the library on Tuesday. Marty kept the dishes washed up which I blessed her for doing. There was only cookie sheets left to wash.
They was a lot of talk and even more laughter. Marty was listening to the talk around the table. She said there was more laughter in the house since Dan came than there ever was and it was great. You could tell the kids really like Dan.
So, they rolled cookies, cut cookies, baked cookies, decorated cookies and they brought tins to take cookies home. They did leave me plenty of cookies, too. All in all it was a great day. They left about dark and Tim went and told Chance goodbye before he left. Chance is worn out for all the play and running. She had a good time too.
I've missed having the boys to help with cookie making and a lot of family things since the boys left home. I think we are truly blessed to have these honorary grandchildren around to make things fun. We did this instead of inviting them for Christmas because now that he has a family I think they should have a family Christmas in their home.
We had good food, good cheer and a great time making cookies. dooley

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Busy days!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:22 am

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I'm not sure if it is the Christmas Season or if things are just busier lately. I never seem to get done. I went to the doctor on Thursday. What a wasted trip? I had to go on Monday and get blood drawn so they could check the thyroid levels. When I went to the doctor on Thursday she said they were coming down but were still too high. So, I need to come back the first week in February and go to the lab a few days before. Now, don't you think they could have just picked up the phone and told me that the levels were still high and I needed to wait a couple more months before coming in.
Yesterday, dr and I got up early and went to estate sales. We had one that we went to first because the man who runs those sales always has good stuff. It was way up in the mountains, 6,500 ft. elevation. There was snow up there and it was COLD! But there was stuff inside and outside and we bought a lot of stuff. We went early and were going to breakfast before we went to more sales. But, we spent a considerable amount of time at that one so it was late when we left there and we had to backtrack down the mountain. Not too far though. We stopped in Prescott. Now, our truck seems to know we go to sales because on the way to breakfast it spied another sale sign and turned off the main street and we went to it before breakfast. dr bought a lot at this sale, too. Then, we started to breakfast again. But, it was ll:30 so we went to the Thai Restaurant and had their lunch special. Curry. Great stuff! When we left there, we decided we'd better go home because we both had things to do, but, you know we stopped at another sale and bought some more stuff. By now the truck was getting full so we again started for home. I wanted to stop at the grocery store for just a couple of things. Do you know it must be against the law to just buy a couple of things at the grocery store? We finally made it home at 3 pm. It was cold in the house. We have no central heat. We use a wood burning stove. So, while it was heating things up I made some bar cookies. They are easy to stir up and get going. Then, I made a pineapple/pecan coffeecake to take to work today. I put fish in the oven and baked a sweet potato. dr loaded the truck for the flea market. It was cold today but he did fairly well anyway. He had some bad news. A friend that we've known since we moved to Arizona and was another flea marketer died last night. He was diabetic but was doing well and was there yesterday to set up his tables. What a shock!
Now, I have to go see if I can find the dining room table because Dan and family are coming to lunch and to make cookies tomorrow. I'd hate to have them eat standing because I couldn't find the table. I have all the things we need for cookie making and I have chicken cooking for chicken noodle soup. I'll make the noodles in the morning. I want to stir up some sugar cookie and some gingerbread cookie dough so it can chill before they get here. I bought this teddy bear cookie cutter that makes about eight or nine inch tall cookies. I thought it would be fun to make those and decorate them.
It's going to be in the upper 50's tomorrow if the forecasters are right, but then when are they ever right. No rain or snow, I hope. None is in the forecast until Wednesday and Friday. Have a good evening. dooley

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More rain than snow

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:13 am

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Coming home tonight it was raining and the temp said 39 degs. I was glad that it wasn't any colder because maybe it would have be rain mixed with snow and maybe it would have been freezing rain. But, we are home and it can rain away the night. Tomorrow is supposed to be still cooler and snow. It said an inch or two of slushy stuff. Slushy stuff is a bit slippier than I would like so it should be either rain or snow, not both. Don't I like to complain a lot?
We went up early today so I could get blood drawn. The sun was in and out all day so it was drizzling all the way and then it quit. I think there was rain here while we were gone because we came through some large puddles down the street.
This morning when it was sunny I hurried out and put the last bows on the garland on the fence. I thought about a picture but decided to wait because it was trash day and the street was lined with trash cans waiting for pickup. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Not a busy evening at the library. People must have been expecting the snow and stayed home.
I think I will have to make some more cookies tomorrow. Today, I did the big tree. Well, I started the big tree. I still have a lot of decorations. I've had 46 years to collect them and our trees have gotten smaller since there are no kids home.
We had an email from our son in California today. He will be coming the end of the month to run the 24 or 48 hour race in Buckeye, Az. and they will bring Fintin. I went and asked for the day off that I didn't already have off. It's a Saturday so I don't know. But, Gloria said it was okay with her. Anne is off already so it will make it a bit short but maybe someone will be working for her. I will find out tomorrow.

dooley

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Rain and snow

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 11:53 pm

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Last weekend we had a couple of inches of slow rain which soaked into the ground. We hadn't had much rain all year so it was really a welcome rain. It was sunny and warm all week and Friday it started to rain again and now the ground is wet it isn't soaking in so much and it's getting squishy with mud out there. Still, we do need the water and it will soak in eventually. The trees and bushes have tree wells so they are getting a good soak. Hopefully in the spring they will grow and we won't notice that they almost died this year. We have water restrictions through the winter to try to conserve some of this rain. I'm very happy that we did not get the rain that the northwest did. It rained all day Friday and I took the opportunity to heat the house and do some baking. I took some to work and gave some to our neighbor as I am diabetic and it isn't wise to keep too much around here. Cookies are my downfall.
It rained here yesterday, but in Prescott Valley where I work at the library, it was just cloudy, windy and cold. When we got home the rain had mixed with snow which I am definitely not fond of. I shoveled my share of that stuff back in the midwest for a long number of years. But, it turned back to rain and it got cold enough to freeze it so there was ice on things this morning. It melted when it warmed up a bit. Never did warm up too much but it rained for most of the day. I didn't get the bows put on the rest of the garland on the fence. I looked in the exercise room and the geraniums are blooming still. I gave them some water because some of the leaves were getting brown. We never got the plastic back up so it isn't too warm in there.
It is supposed to rain Monday and Tuesday here and maybe an inch or two in Prescott. That means when I go to work tomorrow and Tuesday there might be a little on the ground. I'm hoping not on the streets though. I have to go up to Prescott Valley early tomorrow to have some blood drawn and to the doctor on Thursday. Yuck! The ten day forecast shows it warming up into the 60's the beginning of the next week and that's what I like for winter. None of this snow stuff. dooley

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Another day off!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:21 am

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I had another day off today. It's cloudy, gray and raining. It's rained all day. This must be our winter rain though the weatherman says not to get used to it as we will have a drier than normal winter. Tomorrow is supposed to be partly cloudy and colder. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday is supposed to be rainy.
We went out this morning to go over to Cordes Lakes, about 8 miles. There was a traveling tool sale at the community and the advertising paper said they would have a log splitter. So, we went through the rain, fog and low visibility to buy one. Guess what! Yep! They didn't have any. The man was a smart aleck. He said they hadn't had any of those for two or three days, like we should have come earlier. I have no idea where they were two or three days ago but we were there today when they first opened. dr wasn't a very happy camper.
We stopped at the post office and then came home. I turned on the oven and made dr some soft chocolate chip cookies. I usually make dunkers out of them. He doesn't dunk though so he likes them softer. Then, I mixed up some oatmeal bread. I make it with yeast and some molasses. While it was raising, I made some chocolate tea bread. It made three loaves so there is one for us, one for our neighbor and one for me to take to work tomorrow. While that was baking, I mixed up some stir and drop sugar cookies. You drop the dough on a cookie sheet and then dip the bottom of a glass in colored sugar and smash them a bit. I baked those while I put the bread in pans and set them to raise a second time. I had to cool the oven a bit for the bread but by the time it had risen to it's doubled size the oven was ready. I kept the dishes washed up so all I have to do is the two bread pans.
dr came home and made soup. Vegetable with beef and sausage in it. He says it's almost ready to eat. I guess I could go and put plates and bowls on the table and see if the bread is cool enough to cut without squashing it.
I have my little bear tree up but not the big tree. Maybe that will come on Sunday. dr cleaned off all the wall shelves and we brought out all of the bears for Christmas. I didn't count them but I know there are 112 in the dining room. I'm afraid to start counting the ones here in the living room area.They are everywhere you look and some places where you don't look.
I've invited Dan and Laurel and her kids to come next Sunday and have soup and sandwiches and make Christmas cookies so I made a list of ingredients. Glenda sent me an e-mail with a list of a couple hundred cookie recipes so maybe later I will sort through it and print off a few. I have already printed some from the food network site. Maybe I will try some different cookies this year instead of the same ones that I make every year. Of course, we really don't need cookies but I do give a lot away and take some to work.
I still have cards to finish so I'd better go and get the soup on the table so I can use it later to write. Have a nice evening. dooley

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A day off

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:03 am

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It was cold when we got up this morning. It's been a strange fall to say the least. It was warmer than normal and I can say that we haven't had frost. At least none that I have seen and we haven't had to scrape the truck windows any morning. We hadn't had any rain since August. It was a very dry year here. It started raining here Thursday night and rained until Saturday night. The timing wasn't the greatest because a couple of Christmas parades had to be postponed or canceled. But it was a nice steady rain for the most part and there were no gully washers that ran off into the washes. We must have had a couple of inches going by what I dumped out of containers in the yard. There was a bit of wind up the hill yesterday but it didn't do too much major damage. A few signs or fences down.
But with the wind and rain it felt colder than normal. We just aren't used to it yet. It was 30 degs. That was enough for that extra large mulberry tree in the front yard to start dumping it's leaves. They must be a foot or more deep in places. I'll have to go clean them off of the walkways tomorrow. We had some tea and a bagel while we were deciding what to do with this day off. Friday when I had a day off I didn't feel great so we didn't do anything. It was rainy and dreary that day. Today, the sun was shining and it promised to get warmer. We decided not to wait for it to get warmer here. We got into the truck and headed down the hill to Phoenix to enjoy their warmth. It wasn't going to be hot there but it was going to be warmer than here.
The traffic wasn't bad but I'm not fond of freeway driving so I turned off onto New River Road forgetting the washes that flood during rains. There wasn't much traffic on that road so I worried about it after I saw a sign that said, "road flooded." But, the water had gone down and the road was just wet, not flooded. I made a wrong turn and we ended up back at the freeway, just closer to Phoenix. I'm good at making wrong turns because I made another one off the 101 freeway. But, this one took us just where we wanted to be without all the hassle of trying to make a left turn off of Bell Road. Major streets in Phoenix are usually six lanes wide with turn lanes at stop lights. We stopped at Trader Joe's for a few things. We like to buy their frozen fish and Chance likes their peanut butter biscuits. There was a small discount store next to it so we went and bought a few things there. Since Trader Joes's is on the outer circle of Arrowhead Mall we decided to go there for lunch at the Mile Hi-Deli. That was a very wrong decision. This is one giant mall and there were NO parking spaces. We'd have been better off staying in the parking lot at Trader Joe's and walking the two or three blocks to the stores. We left and went back out onto Bell Road and went a couple of miles east and stopped at a Lonestar Steak House for lunch. It was very good. We haven't been to a steak house in a long time. After we left there we went on across town and stopped at the Sunflower Organic store. I like to shop there and I bought some bulk fructose and some golden raisins and a lot of fresh vegetables. They have really good kale, swiss chard and I bought some more leeks. Maybe I will get my leek and potato pie made. After we left there we ran into some traffic and it was getting on toward evening and we decided to start for home so we could get up the hill before dark. It's about 3,500 ft higher in altitude. I'm not fond of that twisty ride up the hill. But, for once, we came right up. There was very little traffic and we only passed two large trucks and they were in the right lane where they are supposed to drive. At the very top a few cars going very fast pushed past us but for the most part drivers were mostly courteous today. We got home shortly after 5:30. After a cup of tea and a rest I made salmon and rice for supper. Chance enjoyed her share. dr made a fire and warmed the house. He's playing with Chance now or trying to. She is trying to ignore us because we disappeared for the day. She likes us to stay home where she can keep an eye on us.
Our neighbor's put up Christmas lights today so maybe tomorrow I will drag out ours. We really do have to do our today's chores tomorrow. This includes packing up some things and moving bears so we can fit in a little bear tree and our regular size tree. It isn't essential that we have a little bear tree but we've always had one for the last 25 years so it wouldn't feel like Christmas without it. As for Christmas shopping we have several things in mind for Dan and company and the others who live a great distance will get gift cards to the book store. They seem to like them. I ask if they were tired of them and they said, "books are good." Andy said the boys get too many toys anyway. Of course, Fintin isn't old enough for books yet but maybe they could buy them and save them for when he is older.
I had an email from Wannabe. She's thinking of coming out for a couple of months this winter instead of a couple of weeks. I think that would be great. I will save all my leave hours to take some time off then. Tom says he probably won't be able to come over for the 24 hour race this year because they had a lottery to limit the number of runners and his number wasn't drawn. He is on a waiting list but he isn't too hopeful of getting called.
We had a "good" day off and did something we wanted to do instead of something we had to do. Sometimes you have to use your day off for a "day off."

dooley

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More cleaning!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 7:57 pm

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What with this and that happening this year I've fallen behind in so many things. Now, I've started "fall" cleaning and have so many projects started it's hard to know what to do when. This morning I took a look at the dining room. After all, Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and we are having guests. Guests certainly wouldn't fit in that dining room. So, that's where I started today. Last week when we went to a yard sale I spied a box of those containers that you put magazines in for storage. She tossed them in with what we were buying because she wanted rid of them. So, I filled up five of them. Right now, they are under the bears tea table. I think they will be moved because I'm thinking the bear's tea table might be moved before Thanksgiving to make more usable space. I've cleaned out the tea closet. Yep, I have a tea closet. It's just a set of shelves with a curtain on the front. It holds a dozen or more kinds of tea bags and tins of loose tea and maybe a dozen or so teapots. I drink a lot of tea as you might suspect. I start in the morning and finish up after work in the evening. I like strong black tea mostly but in between times a bag in a cup serves it's purpose. Now, that's all sorted out. How did so much other stuff find it's way in there? Someone must be sneaking in while we are not here and filling it up for sure. Couldn't have been me. I've tossed a bag or two of old newspapers and assorted oddments. I believe I can get the vacuum cleaner around the table now. I've been working in there at various times to clean off the wood box. We haven't needed a fire yet this year but you never know. Right now it's about 78 degs. outside and the doors are open. I had to take my sweatshirt off early on today. Now, I'm thinking about lunch/dinner. We usually have a combined meal about two or two-thirty. Stir fry, I think with chicken. I have some leeks that maybe will find their way into it. Ginger for seasoning. Chance will have chicken, too, but not the stir fried kind.
The other girl who works with me has been sick since Friday last week so it's been really hectic there. I went in an hour early yesterday. So far, they haven't called so maybe she will come back today. I hope she doesn't come too early because she thought she had strep and we really don't need that here. Not at this time of year or any time of the year.
So, nine people for Thanksgiving dinner. I think I have room for them now. Have a good day. dooley

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Busy day off!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 3:12 am

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It's been a while since I blogged so I thought since I was sitting I would write a bit here.We've been using my Friday's off lately to do medical stuff. That's doing mostly okay now. I had the radiation treatment and there's nothing to do with it until I have to have a hormone count and doctor visit in December. It goes up and down and some days makes me feel not so good but until it levels out there isn't much to be done about it. Last week I had that MRI on my knee that I hurt last spring. They said at the time I hurt it that I pulled a ligament and it would heal itself. I didn't worry about it because it was getting better though slowly. I can do stairs now if I go slow. I can kneel a bit at a time and walk farther. But, when I went to the doctor in September he thought it should be all healed so he thought I should have the MRI. Well, I had it on Monday. It took 45 minutes. It's cold in the room so they provide this nice fuzzy blanket. I had a nice nap while it was doing it's thing. I went to the doctor on Thursday. He said I didn't pull the ligament, I tore it. I also have two small tears somewhere else in the knee. I can't find where I put the paper and I don't remember the medical terms. I also displaced something but they couldn't tell where it went. The doctor said it wasn't life threating so if I wanted to wait to have it repaired I could or I could not do anything at all. I asked if it would heal itself and he said the tears wouldn't repair themselves but it could be done microsurgery in outpatient. I told him I would wait until spring. No sense in ruining the holidays by being layed up with knee surgery because someone made a mistake and it needed more than they thought. That's what happened the last time I had knee surgery. They said I'd be off a week and It ended up being closer to two months and I did a whole summer reading program on crutches.
Last week, I ask Dan what he thought about me doing a couple children's programs a month at his library. He thought it would be a great thing. So, the Thursday before Thanksgiving we'll have Turkey Day and make a variety of turkeys and have some stories and a finger game. Then, the Thursday after Thanksgiving we'll have Countdown to Christmas and make red and green paper chains so they can take a link off each day until Christmas and we'll make trees or stockings with windows and they can open a window and put a sticker in it until Christmas. Of course there will be Christmas stories to start the season off. In December, we'll do Christmasy things. I miss doing his children's programs since I started working at the Prescott Valley library. I don't work in the children's dept. there.
So, today we decided we would stay home. We went and got the paper and was having breakfast when dr saw that Ace Hardware was having flu shots today and we hadn't had one yet. So, I bet you can guess what we did. We went up and got a flu shot. We stopped and dr bought a stereo that will play cd's and cassettes. Most only play cd's now. He's been buying some cd's lately and the old player didn't sound too great. Now, he's got Johnny Cash playing. Chance likes Johnny Cash. She's laying there listening to it. If she doesn't like what he's playing, she sings along. Sounds terrible! After doing a bit of this and that I decided I'd clean my sewing corner and try to make some space for a few more bears that were displaced by the new stereo. We "borrowed" a set of shelves out of the big shed. They belong to Dan. That will teach him to store things with us. Anyway, I now have a large mess that needs sorted out and either disposed of or a new place found for it. My sewing corner is growing ever smaller. One of these days I will have to sew with my arms held tight against me and no where to put anything. dr said he would have to "find" his room stretcher to make room for anything else in here. I'm not the one that brings all the bears to live here. I did buy a small one on Friday and he bought a small one on Saturday. It's when we buy large ones that problems develop. We found an assortment of small chairs on Friday, too. Now, it's nice for the bears to have their own chairs but it's beginning to look like a classroom in here. I'm trying to write a family history for my youngest sister's boys. She is much younger than the rest of us and missed out on a lot of history. So, she can't tell her boys and our parents died before her boys were old enough to remember them much. In fact, her youngest was born after they died so he doesn't know them at all. I had to stop and check with Wannabe on dates but I'll get back to it. I think this is probably long enough and I'd better finish my tea and see what other mischief I can get into before bedtime. dooley

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Frustrated is spelled dooley!!!

Category: Choices | Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:30 pm

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I'm going to quit going to doctors. All they want to do is send you to another doctor. Yuck!
Way back in February I had an appointment with the family doctor. His office called the week before and I had to come in right away on my day off because he had my lab tests back. It was an emergency. So, (on my day off) I went to the doctor. My thyroid levels were too high and I had no thyroid because I'd had it removed 27 years ago. So, I had to go to an endocrinologist. Time to get an appointment, (remember this was an emergency) two and a half months. She said my thyroid has grown back. Off to the hospital for a radio active (gamma rays) thyroid scan. Endocrinologist calls two weeks later. Scan not sufficient, back to hospital for ultrasound. Endocrinologist calls, must come in right away. Thyroid grown too large, must have either surgery or radio active thyroid treatment. First, must go to surgeon for biopsy. Time to get an appointment, (remember this was an emergency) two and a half months.
Another appointment with the family doctor to check my diabetes. Did he want to talk about diabetes? NO, he wanted to talk about a knee injury from back in March. I need to go to an orthopedic doctor right away. I told him that first, I needed to get through this thyroid thing. One thing at a time. He wasn't happy and when I went to pay, he had scheduled me for another appointment in September. So, I then went to the surgeon for the biopsy and lo and behold he did it the same day. The nurse called at the beginning of the next week and told me it was benign and I could call the endocrinologist and make an appointment for the radiation treatment. But, first I had to go back the next week to see the surgeon. Why? Because federal law says the results have to come from the doctor not the nurse. He tells me the very same thing she did.
I had to call the endocrinologist three weeks in a row before anyone returned my call and then it was to say I needed a lab test for thyroid levels. Meantime, back to the family doctor to have an x-ray of my knee which shows only slight degeneration due to arthritis. I knew that without an x-ray. Now, he says go to the orthopedic doctor. Endocrinologist office calls and says they sent paperwork to hospital and I will receive a call for an appointment. Lady from hospital calls (are you ready for this) two days later. Scheduled appointment for last Friday. Of course, the appointment for the orthopedic doctor was today. Only one month wait for it. Thursday, the endocrinologist office nurse calls and wants to know if I scheduled the appointment for the radiation treatment. I told it was on Friday. Well, I couldn't go for that without coming by the office for instructions. So, on the way to work we stop at office. Instructions are waiting. Preprinted pages stuffed into an enveloped which I had to sign for. Went to Flagstaff on Friday for radiation treatment. Had to see their doctor first which took all of 10 minutes. Swallowed one very large blue capsule (beta rays) and I'm shown the door. Long list of instructions to follow. No work on Saturday. So, today we got up and went to the orthopedic doctor. He wanted copy of x-ray from family doctor. Did anyone tell me? They did, when it was too late to do anything about it. It was on the voice mail when we got home on Friday. No time to stop to get it this morning. I would take at least three days notice. The orthopedic doctor seems a very nice man. He looks at knee, asks a few questions and says you need an MRI. Well, of course, I do. Receptionist calls the radiology clinic and sets it up for this coming Friday. It's an open MRI so it costs a bit more. Then, I'm to go back to the orthopedic doctor on November lst. He suspects a torn mensa(?) I suspect he'll want to repair it. Is there an alternative? Probably not one he will recommend. We shall see. Meanwhile I had to cancel my eye doctor appointment to fit in another (more important, of course) appointment. I have to call the endocrinologist to see about a schedule for lab tests to monitor said thyroid radiation. When do you think she will get to that? It only takes two to three months for it to work. Can you say frustrated? It's spelled, dooley.

Last edited: Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:32 pm

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