WOW! (And I Have No Freaking Idea)

So the title totally expresses my feelings right now. 

It's been over a year & I get an inkling to write a blog post.  What do I see when I get here?  Anyone?  Well I'll tell you.  The last post I wrote over a year ago was NOT posted!  It says draft next to it.  Lovely!  So I sent it & decided to really post.  Unless, of course, I forget to publish this one too.  I suppose I'll have to check something more than spelling from now on.

So, on with the post...

Not really too much difference from a year ago.  I had a spinal fusion a year ago in November.  It really didn't help anything but now I have a beautiful scar.  I could get a tramp stamp over it & have a textured tattoo. Sounds awesome,huh?  LOL. I've wanted a dragonfly for a long time & no idea where I wanted it. Could be a plan...  So feel free to let me know what you think.  Feedback is welcomed.  Now I just wonder if I should add a pic of the scar so you have an idea of what the body texture of the dragonfly will look like.  I think that'll be up to you also.  If I get an overwhelming response of "Yes, I love seeing gross things like scars", then a pic shall be posted in the next blog.  (And it won't be a year from now either).  If not, & your response is  "Ew, I think I'm gonna puke!", then I can respect that.  I'll leave it for the medical journals.  

To continue on...my back & leg problems are worse but it's degenerative so I can do specific exercises to keep the motion but it will never be gone.  I am going to start getting injections again in my back to see if I can get a little relief.  I've had it done before but it never helped much, so we will see.  Radiology is supposed  to do the injection this time instead of the pain clinic and the back surgeon seems to think this will make a difference.  O-Kay!  We'll see.

Otherwise, I've been taking my dad to doctor appointments & to do other errands.  I'm trying to get  more reading done, like I used to do & with winter knocking at our door, it looks like I'll be doing that sooner than later.  (sigh)  Spring & Summer were pretty much nonexistent here because of the severity of last winter.  Also, after just having back surgery, walking in snow & on ice was NOT a wise idea.  This year is supposed to be cold but we're not supposed to have the record snowfall of 94 inches but rather the norm of 44 inches.  I can only hope.

Happy Veterans Day to all our Vets out there and...THANK YOU!!!!!
Collette

You've Got to Be Kidding. ..

Moment's Musical Muse:
In the Summertime by
Mungo Jerry

Is it really August already?  Where in the hell does the time go?  Wasn't it just the beginning of summer?  
WHY AM I ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS? ????

WHEW!!!  Sorry about that.   I'm just full of wonder (hmmm)  and awe (Aw, I feel soooo sorry for you. ..NOT). 

So we're starting that again,  are we? (What?)  You know all too well what I'm talking about. (Me?)  Yes,  you.   Now cut it out.   I'm trying to blog here. (Oh,  I thought you were just babbling on to yourself again)  All right.  That is quite enough out of you! (Yeah,  yeah,  yeah)  I-AM-SERIOUS!  (Ok, ok)  Thank you. (Hey,  anytime.  For you,  not a problem.  All you have to do is ask.  You know I would. ..)  STOP!!!! (k)

Ok, looks like the coast is clear.  Let's try this again.

My tomatoes,cucumbers & marigolds

I can't believe that summer is almost over.  School will start soon & I'll be dreading the cold weather once again.  It's not that summer has been that warm to start with.  I think we had one week that was 90 degree temps.   And we've had more than our share of rain.  

My little garden is growing pretty well but I need more heat for my tiny tomatoes & puny pickles to grow.  I want MY summer!!!  My summer is 80-85 degrees for at the very least 3 months.  And night temps no lower than 65 degrees.  This high of 70 & low of 50 can kiss my butt!!! 

What happened to global warming?  Did it take a vacation from Michigan this year?  There I go with the questions again.  I don't care what happened.  Give me back my summer! !!@!!

Covering myself with my babushka,
Collette

Not Looking Ahead

Image by Dalboz17 via Flickr

Not too much going on around here lately. I've just been working, reading a lot, (mostly blogs, of course) & enjoying the few nice days we have had with 60 degree temps, when it's not raining.

Today was gorgeous outside. It was pretty cloudy & gloomy in the morning, but by 3 pm it was mostly sunny & in the low 60's. I really needed that sunshine. I am not looking forward to the dismal gloom of winter.

The leaves are almost completely changed & falling off the trees at a rapid pace. I remember the spring, when the sun was starting to get a touch warmer day by day & the buds were beginning to sprout on the tree limbs. It was a time of promise of new life to come & warmer days to chase away the gnawing cold of winter. (Yes, gnawing-Winter BITES!)

So now with these last teasing days of soothing sunshine, I find myself dreading the long, cold winter. Hanging on to the warming rays that stream through my windows, I close my eyes, taking in the life-giving energy that seems to be for me alone. To remember this, in the depths of the frozen season swiftly on its way, will give me the strength, I hope, to endure another seemingly endless winter season.

With my babushka, as always,

Collette

XOXOX

Psst...Hey, don't forget to scroll all the way to the bottom & check it out! Pretty cool stuff! MUAH!

This Weekend's Adventures

Money does NOT grow on trees!

Happy weekend everyone! Mine started a little early because I didn't have to work today. It was some kind of teacher-in-service thing. Hey, if it gives me a day off, I don't need an explanation.

I'm glad we had the day off. It gives me an extra day to nurse my cold. Actually, it's like a sinus & upper respiratory thing that I usually get a few times during winter. I was lucky enough not to get it this winter so now that the weather is starting to get nicer, I get sick. Sometimes it feels like I have an elephant sitting on my chest.(good thing it's not a pig sitting there, instead. We'd have to make up a whole new virus.) I won't gross you out with the details just suffice to say that I feel like crud!

I do have better, less disgusting things to share. I finally got one thing on my car repaired. I had the trans leak taken care of. Only a gasket & seals, so it was ONLY (like any one of us has money to be throwing around these days!) $250. I'm just glad I didn't need the trans replaced. I paid $2500 for this car a few months ago & will not put more into it than I bought it for. It's a '96 Mercury Grand Marquis we bought from a friend. My babcia says it looks like a gangster car...LOL! It's white with the blue, fake convertible look top. I love the way it rides though. Very smooth. It's a far cry from the car I had before which was a '96 Dodge Neon. I'm finally getting used to driving it as my last car was a little bit smaller. Ok, maybe a few feet bigger! It's got XM radio & we signed on for our own subscription but I a having a hard time with the reception. Everything is so close together here so maybe that is the problem. I'll have to check out the manual when I get a chance. (sigh) Anyway as for the other problem on the car (that we know of), they said the oil pan is rusted through. Doesn't sound that expensive, right? Ah, no! It will cost $500-$600. Well it seems that the oil pan is way down under everything & you have to remove it all to get the the pan to replace it. So, I was thinking, why can't you go from underneath, where it is right there. But, I am not a mechanic & there must be a reason although my hubby has not come up with one yet. The oil leak is not as bad as the trans leak so we may have some time to figure out a way that we won't have to go that route.

Another good thing about this weekend is my Uncle from Minnesota & 2 of my cousins from Massachusetts have come in for the weekend for Mother's day. Their flights were close to each other so they met up at the airport & came down to Babcia's together. This uncle is my Babcia's youngest son & my cousins are 2 of her grandchildren. We hung out a little today but will be at my youngest sis' house tomorrow for her annual Cinco De Mayo party. It's a few days late, but who cares! LOL! Then on Sunday, hubby, daughter & myself will go to church & then have breakfast with his mom. After that, we will head to Babcia's & spend time with her & my uncle & cousins. Of course, we will probably eat there, too. Always have to have food there! Then their flight is later on in the evening so we'll head home when they leave for the airport. We only live a few blocks from Babcia's house, so it takes no time at all to get home.

So, I guess I won't get to rest up as much as I want to this weekend, but spending time with family that we don't see often enough is always a great time with lots of laughs. And they say laughter is the best medicine (unless you have a bad cough & start choking from laughing too hard!!!)

Let me know how your weeknd goes! I hope it's a great one!

Love & Babushkas,

Collette