By A Nose!

When you wake up today, I will be in the Operating Room getting my new nose! I decided not to bring my laptop with me to the hospital, so I am actually pre-posting this.

clown nose!

I’ll be coming back home later today and I will eventually unveil my new nose. I am hopeful that the cancer will be removed and the nose fixed without complications. However, they tell me that it will be a while before the swelling goes down.

I’ll have my Kindle with me and I will be checking Facebook and my email.

After Day One

It took four operations to do it, but now I am cancer free! Tomorrow is the plastic surgery!!!

The Weekend

My Yahoo Email account was hacked. For anyone who got an email that had a subject line of “Hot News” that was it and I am very sorry. I hardly use that address, so I have gone in and deleted all my contacts. It seems Yahoo has more hackings than other email account. Please forgive me, if you got one of those emails.

Our house sitter stopped by today and everything is set for that. The dogs were so excited to see him, and everything will be fine.

Hubby was joking today that all he hopes is that my nose doesn’t come out looking like “Voldemort’s”! Ha-Ha. Very funny. Not! But he seemed to think so.

I’ve cooked my corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots. A true St. Patrick’s Day celebration!

We’re all packed and ready to roll in the morning! I had the suitcase on our bed, and Arnie climbed inside! Lol. Think we should bring him?

Spring Cleaning…

First, I want all spammers to go away! I’ve been inundated with spam and it’s driving me crazy. I like a nice neat inbox and Blog page!

Saturday was what I’d like to call a whirl-wind cleaning day. I’d decided to make up a list of all I needed to do, and then try to get as much done as I could.

So I started at 8:30 AM and did everything from vacuuming my entire house, dusting, washing three bathrooms, and scrubbing all the floors in the house that are not carpeted! I also made three meals, did 5 loads of laundry, and folded it and put it all away!

My recliner is covered and I will get the pillow and sheets prepared for when I come home, but I won’t put those on until I’m actually here and can keep the dogs away.

Sunday is packing day and organizing our bags. Hubby wants to bring his laptop, and since he is coming along, I will bring my laptop as well.

Yes, a whirl-wind! But it’s looking and smelling great in this house!

Surgury

I got my surgical dates today. They’re getting me right in on March 18th for the Mohs Surgery and the next day I will have the reconstructive surgery. It’s good to get it over with, but then I found out that no one can go with me.

Hubby will drive me over in the morning on Monday and drop me off for the first part of the surgeries. He’ll drive back to spend the day and night with the dogs, and then on Tuesday he will pick me up after the plastic surgery.

The good thing is that on Monday I intend to enjoy a nice Mexican meal at one of our favorite places! (Or maybe order take-out!)

Anyway, now I go into planning mode. I need to pack, (lightly) write two blog posts, as I am not bringing my laptop, (just my Kindle) and make sure Hubby has foods in the house that he can cook for himself and for me.

Strangely, I am actually caught up on laundry, and will only need to dust and vacuum this weekend.

I do need to get out a sheet set up for my chair, as when I get home I will need to be sitting up to sleep for a week or so. This means that Hubby gets the dackels all to himself in bed! lol!

The dackels all go to the Vets on Thursday for their annual check-ups, so unfortunately I will probably miss my visit with Savannah on Friday, as I will need to grocery shop then.

Too busy, I think! Oh well, after the surgery things will quiet down for a little while.

What I Did This Past Weekend

Miss Marple 2

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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It was a busy weekend! Crazy busy! Loaded with work, cooking, laundry and planning. Oh yes, and then there was the phone.

We’re one of the few, who has kept their land-line. The last few days I’ve noticed a hum on the line, and this morning it just was terrible and I could hardly hear the person calling. So Hubby and I spent about 2 hours troubleshooting the problem, and it came back to the fact that it was the phone companies problem, not ours!

So, Hubby called them and they will be here by six o’clock tonight. I hope this will fix the problem once and for all!

Friday the Plastic Surgeons office called and switched my appointment to Monday at 8 AM! This means I must get up at 5:45 to get to the other side of the state for the appointment. Ah well, at least I get in there faster. The appointment they canceled was for this coming Wednesday.

It is bright sunshine and 44 degrees here this Sunday afternoon! Just beautiful! I could say goodbye to Winter and just go right into spring.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. My real life friends came through with another question this week so thank you real life friends. When you’ve eaten in a restaurant do you complete their comment card? Do you take online surveys highlighted at the bottom of store receipts?

I do. I was even offered free juice, or coffee, or a free appetizer, when I answer restaurant comment cards. These people really want to keep you coming back, as times are tough and many people are not going out to eat right now, or if they do it is to a fast food place.

2. The (US) ban on women in combat was lifted at the end of January. It will probably be next year before specifics are worked out, but its been reported over 200,000 front line positions will eventually open up to women. Your thoughts?

This is a very tough question. I hope the women will be well vetted before they are allowed in the field. I would worry about their overall strength. Also I freely admit, I am such a girly girl, I would be in a corner crying and afraid in the combat battlefield.

3. In looking back at all the blog posts you’ve written, what’s your favorite post title?

Welcome Sweet Savannah Rose!
June 02 12 009

4. What’s worse-overly permissive parents or overly protective parents? Did your own parents lean more to the permissive or the protective category? If you’re a parent where do you fall?

I think overly permissive parents are worse. Their kids never learn limits. I was pretty strict with my girls. I guess I had expectations that they behave in public places, and treat other people with respect. I also do not think I was over protective. The girls did so many things and I tried not to be a nervous nelly!

5. Candlelight-moonlight-firelight-bright lights in the big city…which one’s your favorite?

Firelight. I’ve been lucky that since Hubby and I have been married we have had a fireplace in our homes. I hope it will always be this way.

6. Dr. Seuss’s birthday was celebrated on Saturday. What’s a favorite book you remember (Seuss or otherwise) from your own childhood?

Make way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey was my favorite book. My grandparents lived in Boston and I often walked down at Boston Public Gardens.

Did books play an important role in your growing up years? Explain.

Yes. I’ve always loved to read! I also loved to make up little storybooks. When my cousin had a little girl, I made up coloring books with little stories in them.

7. To quote Dr. Seuss…

“From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.”
from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Share something funny you’ve recently read, seen or heard.

That question is a bit hard. It has been a rough few days.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Wednesday I am off to meet my Dermatologist Cancer Surgeon. He will explain what I will need done and tell me if he thinks I will need reconstructive surgery. Hopefully, I won’t. More than anything, I just want the surgery over with so I can get on with my life.

My Monday

Good Tuesday to you all.

I spent the greater part of Monday working on paper work. Yes, paper work! Can you believe it? In this day and age, when everything is done on the computer, I actually had to sit down and fill out paper work in long hand!

Oh, my aching fingers!

However I finished it quickly, and then began my attempts to FAX the paper work. Well, that was an exercise in frustration! It took me 4 times before I finally got through!

After that I worked at making lunch, going to get the mail, picking up some groceries, and now making dinner. All in all, sort of an ordinary day!

But it wasn’t. I was thinking about my friend Margarita and how I simply cannot believe that she is gone. How I will miss her and how no one else will ever fill her place in my heart.

I know she knew of my love for her. After she was diagnosed I spent one afternoon with her before she left for Florida (and her family) with her. I held her and told her how much I loved her.

Isn’t it funny how sometimes people will pass and you feel sad, but it is not life changing. Then someone will pass who is like family, and you somehow know that life will never be the same.

I’m so lucky to have a group of women in my life that I love and who love me like this. It reminds me of what is really important in life.

Hubby has been wonderful. He has been so supportive of me during this time. I am blessed with him too.

Sun Burns

Saturday began with light snow. So much for the weather forecasters being right around here! As the morning wore on the snow stopped, so I grabbed my purse and out the door I went to get our mail. I called my mom and talked with her while I drove over and back.

My oldest girlfriend called and she needed my shoulder. We talked for over and hour and I hope I helped her just a little.

While we talked I was looking through old pictures taken long ago, when I got that really terrible sunburn. I’m pretty much convinced that burn is what has caused my current Squamous Cell skin cancer.

I was 13, and did not understand what the sun could do to skin. Looking back I can remember the pain I felt from that burn.

This is me with my brother in-law, Ron. He had a nice normal tan, while I was definitely overcooked!

burn 2

Here I am with the little boy I babysat for. You can see the blisters on my face. Raymond had nice normal skin.

burn 1

I had blisters all over my face. They eventually broke and my face was a mess for a while.

The point of this story is: Don’t lie out or do anything in the sun without a good hat and lots of sunscreen!

In fact I plan to buy stock in a couple of sunscreen companies! Talking to people I realized how common sun induced skin cancers are!

Scary!

Now the search is on for a good sun hat for this summer. I’d also love to buy one of those swim tops that has a built in sun shield.

Silver Linings Playbook

Hubby and I decided to go and see “Silver Linings Playbook” today. We knew the theme of the movie, and wanted to go and see if the movie lived up to the praise.

We were both blown away. You see the movie portrays Bipolar Illness as close as one can. The characters played by Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, were so true to life. Their madness and struggles tugged at the heart, and we were struggling, pulling for them, to find their way in this crazy world.

Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver played Cooper’s parents and their love and concern and craziness was heart wrenching.

Casting was great, as was the writing. I also liked the directing of the movie. It held you from the first frame of the movie, until the very last.

Hubby left, feeling a bit drained. It brought back many memories to him of years gone by.

For me, I could laugh, and shake my head yes, and understand the hurt and pain. You see, I have Bipolar Illness. I suffered for many years until a doctor found the correct medications for me.

It is something I have not spoken or written about until now. Those days, so long ago, were so painful. I am happy to have good medications, and a husband who has stood by me through it all.

I am blessed!

What I Did This Past Weekend

Miss Marple 2

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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As wonderful as my Saturday was, I found my Sunday has been a little more unsettled and, well crazy.

It started early on with the roaring wind and bitter temperatures. We live at the south end of a lake and the wind just rolls out of the north and roars against our house. At one point on Sunday afternoon, the wind speed hit 51 MPH! It held for a moment before settling back into the 30 mph range.

My laptop mouse died. A few months ago, Hubby’s mouse died, so I gave him mine and ordered a new one. When it came we switched and today the old one died.

At first I just reordered that one again, but then I decided to get a cordless one too. Since they were very cheap, and had no shipping charge, I ordered both. At the rate we go through them an extra mouse is always welcome in this house!

Saturday night I cooked a lovely meal of scallops and asparagus! It was so good. Now how could I make a meal on Sunday to top that? I’m planning a nice steak and brussel sprouts.

Now back to the hectic part of the weekend. The dogs have all been so good lately, that I really should have suspected that they were planning something.

Today Greta took off and found some uncooked rotten lamb chops, and came in with it. I’m telling you it just plain stunk! I mean, really. Just think how horrible rotten meat smells! I have bathed her once, but I am afraid she may need more washing as I can still smell her! Ugh!

My weekend ended with a nice fire in the hearth and plans to watch some TV tonight. All in all, a good weekend, just a tad hectic!