Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Better Homes & Gardens

Finally .. a good photo of my kitchen. 

The deer were back yesterday, and brought all their relatives who were in town visiting for Thanksgiving.  I was taking Boudreaux out and a whole passel of them ran away into the woods.

On the health front, my back is much better, if only the cold would take a hike, everything would be peachy.  David has been a prince and a half taking care of me the last few days; he's a keeper.  (And they said it wouldn't last!)

 

 

Friday, November 25, 2005

Don't Cry for Me, Argentina!

Okay, here's the story:  David's dad (Granddaddy) had an episode with his heart last week.  They did a heart cath. on Monday and found significant blockage where they put in a stent about 7 years ago, when he had a major MI.  They went in on Wednesday with another cath to see if they could clear the blockage that way, but they could not.  Surgery is not an option ... he's too frail.  Now they have him on medication to see if they can get the heart to compensate for the blockage by "growing" extra vessels around the blockage.  They have been trying to get him out of the Cardiac Unit, but when they pulled his IV's out, he started having pain again.  Right now things are up in the air ... other than plans to use some kind of therapy where the blood is forced up into his heart to see if that will spur the heart into growing the new vessels, along with the medication.

David left with Colin (who has a special bond with Granddaddy) on Tuesday, driving to Jackson.  On Wednesday, all but a plague of locusts hit my house.  Somehow, while taking the trash bag out of the can, I felt something go "Splersh" in my back.  Not a pop, but an ooze of pain that started in my back and radiated out on both sides.  At the same time I felt a cold coming on, with sore throat and other accompaniments thereto.  The pain in my back got worse as the night wore on, and woke me up every time I rolled over.  By the time I woke up Thursday morning I was in agony and barely able to walk.  This is where the new hardwood floors came in handy ... I could sit and push/slide myself around on the floor! 

Now, I am NOT one to rush to the ER every time I feel a twinge, but pain that is so bad that I am in tears, crying out, and scaring the poop out of my kids, makes me go to the ER.  I managed to drive myself there, (it's just around the  block) and hobble into the lobby.  I said, "Is this the right place to be if I'm in PAIN?" and proceeded to blubber like a little baby.  Apparently a stupid little move that ordinarily would go unnoticed can often cause ligaments to be pulled along the spine.  See if I ever empty the trash again! 

Armed with Valium and Hydrocodone, I headed home and to bed with an ice bag.  I lay on my bed of pain (in the back and in the head) thinking about ordering pizza for Thanksgiving dinner ... but I couldn't stand the thought of my kids having no Thanksgiving.  Quentin helped me put the turkey (already prepared the night before) into the oven, and leaning against a stool I was able to make all the fixin's ... smashed 'taters, sweet 'taters, cornbread dressin', green beans, and rolls.  Oh and cranberry sauce out of the can .. gotta love it.  We all looked so pitiful sitting around the table ... our small little group. 

I wasn't feeling too sorry for myself ... okay, I'm lying; yes I was, I was miserable.  Sometimes Life really sucks.  My mom tells the story of the Christmas when my dad was in a hospital in Dallas, recovering from surgery, and she was home alone (in Louisiana) with three little kids.  Someone called her from Dad's hospital room and a bunch of his co-workers were having a big old party up there, whooping & hollering.  She said she had never felt so low in her life ... so lots of sympathy from there! 

I know that there are so many people out there who have it so much worse than I.  I have so much to be thankful for ... honest.  But I guess I wouldn't be human if I didn't have just a little pity party!!   Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Voles or Moles and Pottery Barn

I'm watching David and the irrigation man out the front window as I type.  Our yard has been feeling really spongy, and we thought perhaps we had a leak in the in-ground irrigation system.  Well, we DO have a leak, which would explain the small swampy, muddy pond-like area in the yard where the shut-off valve is, but the rest of the yard is invaded by some kind of critters which are eating grubs from the yard.  Grubs which, if not eaten, will eventually be Japanese beetles.  Hm .. learn something new every day!  Not to worry, though, apparently if we treat for grubs in the spring, we eliminate the critters' food supply, and off they go to a different buffet.

We ordered a beautiful couch from Pottery Barn about a month ago, a sectional which is to die for ... you just sink into it.  I was so excited about it, and they finally called to say it would be delivered on Tuesday.  I was just thrilled, since our living room has been pretty bare since we moved in.  The men unloaded it from the truck, brought it in the house .. and it's the WRONG CONFIGURATION.  With our living room, the "L" has to co from right to left, and they sent a left to right.  This after I made the saleslady check and double check that she was ordering the right configuration.  I was beyond bummed.  I called customer service, and the poor girl who took my call got an earful.  Since the couches are made-to-order, it will be another FIVE WEEKS before I get the new one.  UGHGHGHGH!!!!! 

I have rarely been driven to write letters to Presidents of companies, but I sat right down and banged one out to the President of Pottery Barn Brands (isn't the internet a great thing??  Search for the annual report, and voila!  The name and address of Madame President.  I marched right down to Mail Boxes, Etc. and sent it certified mail!!!  Stay tuned ... I wonder if anything will happen.

I almost did write a letter to the President of Northworst ... er ... Northwest Airlines when I got thrown off a plane in Detroit (en route from Minneapolis to Charlotte) and had to sleep -- literally --on the floor of the airport.  I was there for 12 hours with no blanket or food vouchers.  They offered me a hotel room in the seediest, grungiest hotel I have ever seen in west podunk Detroit, but they couldn't get me back to the airport in time for my flight.  Gee, that's good old American efficiency for ya!!  But I was so glad to get home, I never followed up.  <sigh>  Think it would have been spitting into the wind anyway.

The floral wallpaper in the kitchen is gone, gone, gone!  Hallelujah.  A local couple that we know, who also adopted through World Partners Adoption, have a painting business here.  Their master painter, Henry, did a fantastic job and I'm sooo pleased.  It's a very pale yellow, which I think complements the cobalt blue & white backsplash.  I have been on a "blue & white" search and found some really pretty accent pieces.  My mom accuses me of being stuck on blue ... whenever I shop and pick out something blue, she'll fuss at me ... I guess I am a creature of habit.  

I've been cooking for a friend who is recovering from surgery, and the kitchen is a disaster area, but I'll try and shoot a pic soon.

Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Friday, November 4, 2005

Nothing Wise about Wisdom Teeth

Colin had a miserable day yesterday.  Towards later in the afternoon he had an "exorcist moment" (his words) which I will not describe in detail.  Suffice it to say it was pretty traumatic for everyone involved.  At the time that it happened, I had put my iron skillet on the stove to dry after washing.  I was urgently summoned downstairs, forgetting about the skillet.  After spending a lot of time in the basement with my mop and Lysol, I started to smell something "not right".  You guessed, it ... the skillet!  It was glowing red and smoking quite a bit.  Yikes!   I thought some ice would cool it down pretty quickly, but I ended up with a sputtering mess.

At 7:30 Quentin announces that he needs a book by Ray Bradbury for school tomorrow.  Now I have quite a collection of books ... (imagine the fun we had moving all of them!) and have just about every author imaginable ... except Ray Bradbury.  I have a vague memory of taking a Science Fiction class in high school and of reading Fahrenheit 451, but of course don't have a copy.  So off we went for an emergency Barnes & Noble run.

Needless to say I was running ragged last night and simply could not wait to lay my head on my pillow.  I set up the baby monitor in Colin's room in case he needed me in the night, but he slept straight through.  However, Christian was somewhat upset by Colin's, er, illness, that he was crying and ended up sleeping wtih me.  I woke up several times with a head on my ribs.  This morning Colin is downstairs playing on the computer, so I think he's definitely on the mend.  I'd say he's had a pretty easy time of it.  He has some swelling on the side with the ankylosed tooth, but is overall doing okay.

Dad home tonight ...

Thursday, November 3, 2005

Florence Nightingale, I am NOT

Colin had four wisdom teeth and an ankylosed molar extracted this morning.  It was so hard to see my tall, almost-grown son staggering around in his loopy stage after the anesthesia.  When we got home I had to halfway carry him up the stairs.  I went to get his pain meds (percoset!) and when I got home he was just in agony.  He was crying, I was crying.  I called the office and cried some more.  Gave him a pill, but it took a full 30 -45 minutes to kick in.  He finally slept, and I dozed on the couch beside his bed.  Melanie went to school after his procedure, and I just picked her up.  She fell asleep in the car on the way home, so she's out for a while.  The house is quiet ...

After a 4 hour nap, Colin woke up and had a Wendy's Frosty, and seems more "together".  I gave him another percoset, and wrapped his face up in a towel filled with frozen peas, and he's off in dreamland again.

Last night the funniest thing happened.  You'll probably think I'm obsessed with deer, but this one was totally not my doing.  We were on the way to Blockbuster to pick up some movies (David is in Maine).  I jokingly suggested that we rent "The Sound of Music" but Quentin explained that the puppet scene freaks him out with all the googly-eyed marionettes, etc.  At that very moment, a DEER jumped out of the trees and in front of my car.  I had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting him, and the kids all screamed.  I think I said a bad word.  Anyway ... he ran around in a circle for a minute, then off into the woods across the street.  Quentin laughed and said, "DOH!" like Homer Simpson, and I said, "A DEER!" and he said, "A FEMALE DEER!"  It was just so ironic that I had just been talking about The Sound of Music.  Weird.  I feel like I'm living in a deer time warp or something ...

 

Tuesday, November 1, 2005

Yes and Frankly My

The deer were back yesterday morning.  Well, two of them anyway.  I've decided they are a nuclear family of mom and two kids.  Mom apparently was sleeping in ... you see, these things happen in nature as well!  I've named the two babies "Yes" and "Frankly My" ... think about it!

Last night, of course was Halloween.  We went to our old neighborhood to trick-or-treat.  Our neighbors over there were so much fun.  Too bad we couldn't just pick this house up and plop it on our old street.  There were scads and scads of people, so it was like a big block party.  It was very strange to knock on the door of our old house and see some new furniture in it!  I'm sure once we get settled we'll start meeting the new neighbors and fitting right in.

Hard to believe that it was exactly one year ago that we flew home with Miss Melanie.  She has come so far ... now has long hair, no more Baby House Chop haircut.  She was right in the thick of things, running from house to house.  She got one piece of candy and wanted to sit down right there and eat it.  Lisa & Christian were LSU cheerleader and football player. 

Quentin dressed up as Monty Python's "Mr Gumby" -- perfect typecasting!  Ha ha.  He ended up with a bunch of girls from school ... he has a way with the ladies!