September 21, 2025 Sunday

Greetings!

Went to the walk-in clinic on Monday and--yes--have a right fine, full blown sinus infection.  Was put on antibiotics, an OTC allergy medication, and an OTC nasal spray.  Leah had dropped me off on her way to bring Ian to Haley's Hope (dyslexia session--which is helping him be able to read better, BTW).  I was in and out pretty fast so I waited out in the waiting room until Ian was done and they came to pick me up.

Darkish art for a waiting room?

Nice seat to see the front door and her car.

Was very empty for a change.  The doctor was a really nice young lady.  She said it could take 5-7 days for me to feel better...if not--come back.

Back home.  Back in my lounger.  Allie and I are still resting and very slowly I am improving.

Wasn't able to have even one nostril open most of the day until Saturday.  But there have been other small improvements over the weekend.  Able to sleep longer and the pressure headache isn't as terrible as it was--lol!  Just watching to see I don't plateau or backslide because I will go right back to the walk-in clinic.  Not sure five days of antibiotics was long enough, but we'll see.

Meanwhile...they've been over to the apartment several times.  Dagan was out of town for work Monday through Wednesday.  Things have been selling...the huge metal shelves from the garage, my massage table, the bookcases are now all gone, the rug in the Livingroom, my mom's serger sewing machine, all my oil paints...and some other things.  Still some things left to try to sell.  If they are not gone by the time the donation truck comes on Thursday 25th...shall donate what's left.  

Show two boys a wide open space, eh?  LOL!

Apartment just a little emptier currently than these pictures.

Bookcases gone.  Lights around the window taken down.  Gerald came to replace the broken blind in the studio one afternoon...

...and left me a nice note.  

He had called to see if it was okay to come replace the blind.  I told him it was fine for him to come any time to work on anything and I got to thank him a second time for how nice he's been all these years.  Best maintenance man I've ever known.

That pile of big flat stuff still has to come over to the house.

Such energy!

Donations all on the right front there.  Hope we can sell my bike.  Maybe have to take that with us and sell it in the spring.

Won't be long and the keys will be turned in.  Dagan's trying to set up cleaners to come.  Only nine days left!

A project Leah had the boys helping with.  She's done this for years--back when she worked in an office before Ian was born.  She collects the printer rejects, cuts them down, clamps them together, and paints coats of the red rubber cement type stuff on the one end to make scratch pads.  The people can use them at work and she keeps some for at home.  

Quite a stack there!  The boys like to paint on the rubbery liquid.  Takes several coats.  I told you Leah is a born recycler!

Here are the boys playing games on their phones in the waiting room at the chiropractor's for Leah's appointment.

I love that they get along so well that they'd rather cram together in one chair than use another one right next to them!  lol!

Restless geese wandering through the neighborhood--lol!  That time of year--wanting to fatten up before the big trip south.  Probably have to enlarge to see them.

Boys playing Mario Brothers pin ball.  Which reminds me...Liam's cake critter was from Pikachu, I was told.  I am quite out of the loop--lol!

The boys went to two different birthday parties in the last week, too.  Busy times!

So what did I get Liam for his birthday?  Well, it was something Mama suggested that I have never heard of or seen before.  A do-it-yourself Crystal Tree Forest...where you grow your own crystal trees???  Here Liam is working away coloring...

...and somehow this tree was grown in about eight hours!

They are very fragile.  Small bumps and pieces fall off, as you can see.  Gramma is absolutely fascinated.

I was still sick downstairs...but Liam is going to save one for me to make myself so I can watch it grow!  I am excited to see that.  They are quite beautiful really...even if temporary.  I really need to get well!  Sick and tired or being sick and tired--lol!  

Well, this time if I am not better by say Wednesday or Thursday I am heading back into the clinic.  I do have unpacking to do for goodness sake.

Oh!!  Meanwhile--got a call from the OBGYN's nurse...on Thursday, mind you.  (Appt was Friday.)  Told me the doctor didn't have enough information and wanted me to have an ultrasound before she sees me because it will show a lot more.  Duh!  Can you come in this afternoon.  It was 12:30pm.  No.  Arrangements have to be made ahead of time--don't drive, etc.  The nurse sounded like she had never expected I could just come in an hour or so, anyways--and she sounded quite relieved I wasn't mad about rescheduling because I was sick (sounded sick) and had just recently moved--so that was fine with me.

So now I go in Friday, October 17th for an ultrasound and then see her on Tuesday, October 21st.  Another month.  But at the rate I'm going I will need the extra month to feel decent again.  

Plus, was changing addresses and went to change online for SS, etc...and discovered my license expired on my birthday in March!  (Don't know why I had it in my head that it was due in 2026!?!)  Without a state driver's license or ID, the government won't let me change my address...and I have been too sick to go to the DMV.  I did see online I can still renew for up to a year without taking the tests and all that again. Whew!  So that's another thing I need to do.  At least these days you can sign up for an appointment online and not have to wait as long.  Another thing where I need to be well enough to leave the apartment--lol!  (Already have IBS and antibiotics are doing their job on my guts, as usual--but need them to get well...and so it goes--lol!)

Well, at least I have a diagnosis and a plan.  Feel better now this week or go back to the clinic.  Nice and simple. 

Another thing--the office at the senior apartment called me maybe a week or so ago about getting recertified to live there!  How stupid.  I already gave my notice.  They know I am not going to be living there any more.  The girl told me she'd have to check with somebody and call me back.  Never did.

Well, they left a big stack of paper work for me outside my apartment!  Leah brought it to me.  They were supposed to have done this in July when my lease was up...never did.  I assume they are trying to cover their butts or something?  So weird to be filling out all this paperwork TO live there when I already gave notice and am already gone.  But I did it.  And made a note right on the first page stating the fact I had already given my two month notice for the end of September.  The paperwork is dated each time you sign your name on each page.  ???  So glad to be rid of them.  But I don't trust them, either.  I keep wondering if they are going to try to sue me for something or other.  Wait till they find out I got in on a special deal when the first building opened up--only a $99.00 deposit.  That's all they can keep--lol!  Anyways--I really loved my apartment, but not the management after they switched to Goldmark back a few years before the plague hit.  

Funny, but I am not the least bit stressed about getting unpacked and organized...living in boxes and bins again.  Because I am now on the other side.  Moved!!  And it will happen as soon as I am able.  Things will settle down once all my things are sold or donated, the place is cleaned, and the apartment keys are turned in.  It's still hanging over all of us, you know?  Done and dusted!  I am waiting for it to be done and dusted!  I will be feeling more human eventually...with or without another trip to the clinic for antibiotics.  Will know this week on that score.  And everything is just patiently waiting till I can start.  Nothing is going anywhere.  But I am here!  Allie and I are finally here!  And that is a good thing.  Makes me happy.  

My patience has returned.  I'm not exactly surprised I got really sick.  My immune system is pretty shot and the long, long move was more stressful than I even realized.  So not a shock that I collapsed, I guess.  Body just gave out.  What a relief to be finally moved.  I already love it here and it is total chaos and will be for some time--lol!  Will look a whole lot worse before it gets better...but I don't care.  In my mind I can picture it all put together...and one day soon I can start digging into boxes.  It's all uphill from here, right?  Just been slower out of the gate than I ever thought...but that's life.  This too shall pass.

Oh...(sorry I keep thinking of things to tell you--lol!)...the cheaper coffee I had been buying on Amazon the last couple years...almost all of it is out of stock.  Coffee is supposed to be going up here pretty darn soon.  I was expecting it to be more expensive, but I wasn't expecting not to be able to even get any.  AWK!!  So Leah (bless her heart!) got me stocked up from Coscto!!   You know how I like variety.  :) 

Costco must have had more coffee stockpiled than Amazon--which was a surprise.  They were still about the usual price, too!  I had already planned to start switching over to tea in the evening.  See the teas on the shelf above.  (Just stuck all this in the hutch for now--might end up being a good place for them all, though?)  Once I get used to tea every night...then maybe even work my way up to only tea after my one big Yeti tumbler of coffee is gone in the morning...so that all that coffee will last longer.  That's the plan anyways.  So far, I have been having tea about every other evening--lol!  Slow and steady wins the race.  

It's not that I don't like some teas, but I just am not used to drinking them on a regular basis and I have always loved coffee much more--lol!  Hey--I grew up with parents and an aunt and uncle who lived nearby where the last thing they did at night was unplug the coffee pot.  Remember the percolator pots?  But I will work at this becoming a regular tea drinker.  Wish me luck!

Okay done with new things to tell you--lol!

We'll see how this coming week goes.  I am beyond trying to predict--but am thinking positive and am hopeful that I'll feel better.  Regardless, Allie and I are doing fine.  I like being able to see McFamily here and there on a regular basis.  Leah sent me down some cooked hamburger patties and some meatloaf tonight!  I'm running out of the food I had precooked before I moved.  I am always invited to come upstairs to eat with them, but I haven't yet progressed be being dressed or not running to the bathroom unexpectedly--lol!  Not quite human enough yet.  But I will be eventually.  Of course, then I will be doing my own cooking most of the time, anyways.  It is really nice to have somebody cook for you when you're sick, though.  And they don't have to drive over to deliver it to me like they used to have to do.  Leah cooked over at my apartment for me quite often when I was on the Keytruda cancer treatments (she found out I was living on toast and cheese sticks).  This is so nice and so much easier!

So--that's about it from here.  Until next time, my friends...have a really great week!!  :) :)

September 14, 2025 Sunday

Greetings!

My week was about the same.  But then the head plugging got even worse this weekend.  Leah is taking me to the walk-in clinic Monday.  I think it is a sinus infection that I won't get rid of until I get antibiotics.  We'll see what the doctor says, but that is my guess.  So I don't even have one picture I took this week.  I was actually surprised--lol!  Luckily I have the pictures from Leah that didn't get here in time last week. :)

Of the playground they put up for the boys.

Fun things around Liam's birthday.  The Scheel's Ferris wheel.

Birthday dinner.

The first Saturday of the month at Home Depot kids' crafts.

Airplanes this time!

Liam's birthday cake being made...here's the surprise rainbow filling.

And yes--they did save me a slice of cake.  :)

Another critter from another game, I would imagine--lol!

I was downstairs sick, but I could softly hear them singing Happy Birthday.  Those two red-heads are cousins. 

Some not nice weather.

Your guess is as good as mine, but they do go to Meadowlark Elementary.  

Well, that is it from here.  Very short one this week.  I said I'd go in if I got worse.  The last couple days even the strongest allergy/cold medicine I had couldn't open my nose up to breathe.  So, time to head into the clinic.  And then I have the OBGYN on Friday to decern whether I have ovarian cancer or not.  Probably more tests in my future.  Oh! Oh!  And I did get into the lab for that blood test on Thursday finally and got the results back online.  I was in normal range.  But that test isn't that reliable, they said.  So even if you get a normal reading doesn't mean you are home free from cancer.  But I take it as a good sign.

Anyways, I'll see if a doctor can tell me anything positive to do about my sinuses.  I need some good sleep.  Harder to accomplish as a mouth-breather--lol!  Other than that annoying inconvenience that kept me only managing to do the necessities for yet another week...it's been a pretty decent week on the whole.  A quiet week--mostly just me and Allie...with brief deliveries from McFamily of groceries and of mail and/or packages delivered.

Next time I hope I am feeling better, am more alert, and have some good news to report from doctor visits.  Meanwhile...Allie and I are just hanging out, dozing off occasionally (Allie way more than I), and enjoying each other's company--lol!  Have a really good week.  :)

September 7, 2025 Sunday

Greetings!

Well, it's been another week of nose blowing, mouth breathing, sinus headaches, dozing off, and just plain feeling cruddy.  No unpacking to speak of, but it has still been a good week.  Miss Allie has settled in quite well.  The being sick has been a blessing in disguise in that respect.  :) 

You may note the tape on the corners of the kitchen rug.  It wants to curl up at the ends--probably because it was rolled up for so long.  We may have to roll it up in the opposite direction for a while or get some carpet tape.  Had taped it down so the movers wouldn't trip on it...or me--lol!

Anyways, the litterbox hiding bench dilemma...

...has been solved!  And Allie had no trouble switching over to the very private space.  TaDa!

I have been adjusting to having recycling rules for the first time.

Loving the new trash container!  Blue bag is for recycling and white is for regular garbage.

I do not miss my 25 year old trash container at all.

Really no pictures even this week.  So I'll show you a few I took just for myself.  ;)

Remember I told you I have lots of socks?  I do love socks.  Especially colorful socks.

Just a snapshot of Allie being relaxed and sleeping here at the new place despite the kids running across the floor upstairs.  Good shot (by accident) of the eight pen cups I have on that lazy susan, too--lol!  

Believe it or not I do use them all.  These are mostly gel pens, but also highlighters, dot pens, brush pens, felt tipped, and miscellaneous that I use for journaling, to-do lists, and letter writing. 

Speaking of, I finally have been catching up on correspondence.  I've sent seven letters this weekend upstairs to be mailed.  Now how efficiently that will be done...we'll find out--lol!  I have three more set up--two of which are already in progress.  Feels good to at least be catching up with such essentials in my life.  I do love a paper chat!  Hence a good supply of pens, inks, and paper are a must for me.  :)

Just for future reference...for the day my home is in order and I can get back to some art...I took these two pictures off of a YT vlogger I follow as she was showing some flowers from her garden.  

Wouldn't those be fun to attempt to copy...with paint or colored pencils or markers.  Probably watercolors.  Those are my go-to, I guess.

I've been watching The Good Life on Netflix before they remove it later this month (25th?).  One of those shows I planned to watch sometime...and it is leaving so now's the perfect time while I am laid up sick, anyways.  Short half hour episodes, so that's good.  I loved the twist in the first season.  Have any of you seen it?  

I've also been able to eat some tacos Leah made.  Been a long, long time since I had tacos.  And she made some cubed steak in gravy that was delicious.  Man!  Having some different things to eat sent down is fantastic!  One of the boys got sent down to borrow something they knew I had because they just moved all my frig and freezer...shredded cheese and some parmesan.  Dagan came down for eggs, too, one morning.  I had them send me down a sharp knife and glasses (forgotten essentials).  I love it!  Since it is only me down here and I have a big full-sized side-by-side they can send some extra things down here when they go shopping that don't fit in their frig--lol!  Like the extra shredded cheese and eggs.  We had talked about that long ago before I moved.  That's actually why I have a full size frig.  I think it is so cool!  I have a freezer full of hamburger, too.  We locally buy half a cow at a time to save money.  Once they get my little freezer hooked up in the garage the hamburger can go out there again.  It's a food sharing shuffle--lol!  

Today they are having Liam's birthday party upstairs.  Eight years old already!!  Since I'm still sick, I am not attending for the first time yet.  Don't want to give this to anyone else and I just look tired and sound sick, too.  I never went to the actual birthday parties for the boys.  They always came over to get their presents from me at my place on a different day, so it's not anything unusual for Liam that I am not there.  Postponing seeing my ex and his wife for the first time in like 30 years isn't a bad thing, either--LOL!  Another blessing in disguise with being sick so long?  LOL!  There are always silver linings, eh?  

Well, I am tired, haven't been sleeping that well, and feel like a nap...so I'm not going to wait until late tonight to add pictures from Leah.  Next week.  They were installing a swingset (that's been in the garage forever because so much else going on) last weekend and then there's the party today...I'll be sure and post a few pictures next week.  If I am lucky, maybe I'll get a knock on my door and one or both of the boys will bring me down a slice of birthday cake later after everyone has left? 

Well, I really have to make it over to the lab this coming week here.  I have the OBGYN appointment the following week.  Boy!  Am I ever glad I told them I wanted that appointment off into the future...now I am wondering when I am going to get over this crud and will I make it to the lab or the appointment?  Probably...I certainly hope so!  I really can't even think about possibly more cancer.  Have no time for it. 

In the meantime--I may be sick, but things are really nice.  I am soooo happy to be moved!  The space heater is working wonders.  Allie is doing well and is even using the new set up for her bathroom duties.  To her...a home full of boxes and bins is perfectly normal--lol!  She does seem quite at home here.  (Wait till she finds out there's another cat here and a whole house upstairs to investigate...if Blink will let her--lol!)  We're taking it slow.  No choice really.  I'm in no shape to deal with cat fights--lol!  But once I am up to tackling the boxes I plan to just leave the door open one day while I am unpacking and see what happens...let cat nature take its course.  

Hopefully I will be plunging into the unpacking pretty soon here.  Regardless, we are happy and doing okay and keeping busy...sedentary, but busy.  Till next week...  :) :)