Whew, I am tired now!

Yesterday and today were "Birthday Shopping Days" with grandchildren numbers 2 and 3.  Monkey Boy had his birthday way back on July 6.  There was much going on then, and I kept having to postpone his shopping trip.  The Diva (her new nick name - she is the last of Daughter's kiddos) had her birthday on July 20.  I wasn't going to take her before I took her brother!  That wouldn't be right.

Ever since the kids have gotten old enough, I take them for a day.  We shop for their presents and then have lunch.  What happens after that is their choice.  They can either come here to hang out for a while, or go home.

Monkey Boy isn't the easiest to shop for.  He had two days however.  Monday, he and "Pa" went to see a movie - the one with the guy with knives for fingers I think.  Then yesterday was our day.  He said he wanted to go to T*rget, so we went.  Before that I took him to H*lf Pr*ced B**ks though because I promised this before school was out.

He chose a book on World War II.  Kind of amazed me - he just turned 9.  Then we were off.  He headed to the L*ggos.  They had a set displayed (under glass - and now I know why) that he was drawn to over and over because it looked like an alligator whose mouth opened.  FINALLY is chose a set, and I told him to choose another smaller set since we had not reached my projected budget.

When I asked him where he wanted to eat, I expected Ste*k and Sh*ke.  Nope.  He wanted Ta*o C*bana. That's where we went.  Afterwards, he wanted to come to my house.  He was content to stay.  I told him he had baseball practice, and he groaned.  His dad finally came to pick him up.

Today was The Diva's turn.  It was the same store with S&S for lunch.  We walked into the store - straight to the mechanical doggie.  I thought its pricing was my budget, so after being assured that was exactly what she wanted, I told her that was all.  Well - I discovered later it was a close-out and was $10 less.  Oh well.

Then it was on to S&S where she ate a full kids meal (something that doesn't happen - ever) AND a shake.  And we got to visit with Mom (Daughter).  Fun time.  She then was ready to go home, and in reality I am kind of glad.  I need to clean the bedroom.

AND I am tired.

In other breaking news, the biopsies came back OK, but I have to see him in a year - and probably get to do this all over again.  I am sure it was because of the NINE of those little things.  Oh well.

Confession

This morning, I did something I have never done before - at least on purpose.  I skilled my doctor's appointment.  After not being able to get my blood work done, I decided this appointment would be a complete waste.  But it was Sunday evening when I decided that.

This practice as a 24-hour phone number, but I really didn't believe that I could go through the answering service to change the appointment.  So I skipped out on it.

I called just a bit ago and feigned illness this morning.  I did reschedule for next Monday, and supposedly the orders have been sent to the lab company for blood testing.  But the difference this time is that I will take the phone number for the practice!

I also finally made an appointment with an Ear, nose, throat.  I have had an ear infection for a couple of weeks and other problems for a while.  So hopefully my ears get better soon.

Discussions

Just addressing some comments that I haven't addressed before.  Nothing big.

Juju  what did I want to eat first after my colonoscupy?  At that point - even a little loopy from the anesthesia, I was ready to eat anything.  I was lucky though.  We went to La Madeline's.  They have a new French country breakfast - with poached eggs.  That was perfect.  Yum.

Now talking about statins.  I have been off the statin (Lipitor) quite a while now.  It seems like about a year.  I couldn't tolerate the muscle cramps and all any longer.  I have been put on a drug that you mix with juice or something in the mornings that becomes a suspension.  It is working well with the cholesterol.  And it does help with carbs as well.  So it is really a good answer.  Now if it hastens Alzheimer's,  I may never know the difference.  After four surgeries, several colonoscopies and chemo that are all brain cell killers.  My memory used to be sharp, but now not so much.

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Today the family (minus son's family) visited back at our "old" church.  Our present church has nothing for kids - no Vacation Church School, no confirmation camp, no real confirmation at all.  The old one has a rich program for all ages of kiddos, and my grandchildren spent the last three weeks there at a program they run. They love it.  AND they have become friends with the kids there.

Our current church is fast headed down the toilet.  Monies are flying out of the bank.  We are almost broke.  There is an investigation beginning.  Pastor made the mistake of making Daughter treasurer.  She squeezes a penny until it screams.  She is wondering why bills aren't being paid, thus incurring penalties, where the  money is really going and so on.

Looks like her family will probably return to the old church.  I am so torn.  I am so angry about the waste of the money and the fact that we simply cannot go on this way.  I am angry that the Pastor has some voodoo method of governing the church that no ELCA (Lutheran) church that I have been associated with ever has used.  It is all smoke and mirrors because he is so OCD.  I love my fellow congregants.  I have more friends at the new church than were left at the old one.  When the old  one moved out of "mission status" the mood of the church changed.  I missed that feeling.  The new one is just out of "mission status" and there is still a pretty good sense of closeness.  A few of the new people have "big church" feelings - in other words - someone else will do all the work while we sit on our butts, but that isn't many.

I am also really (well let's use the word that best fits) pissed that the junior high kids in confirmation aren't going on a retreat as us normal this year.  The reason?  The new lazy member of whom I spoke took their daughter to the camp themselves, so none of the kids get to go.

Also - when one of my best friend's ( who is on Pastors s*it list)mother died - he never called her.  When SIL's father passed  - no call.

Our families leaving is going to be probably the financial blow that ends the church.  Information that I shouldn't know, but do is that Daughter is #3 in giving, and we are #7.  Many there give $0.00.

I didn't mean to unload, but that's what this forum is for.  My blog is secret with the exception of you fine folks.  At least it isn't advertised widely to friends and family.  So this won't get out.

I will be better next time - I promise.

If I knew I would live this long ...

And while waiting the results from the nine polyps, who knows.  Having danced this dance once, I don't want to do it again.  Anyway, to go on.

I always try to be low-key about my birthday.  Having a birthday in the middle of summer usually meant no birthday parties.  Especially when I went to elementary school some 15 miles from home.  My mother's boss was the brother to the principal of the elementary school across the street from where she worked.  So that explains that.  I just don't make a big deal of it.

I purposely don't have it posted on Facebook.  I am really a very private person, and I want as little known out there as is possible.  But what happens - G posted birthday greetings.  So one of my best friends saw his posting, and was really upset she didn't know.

I am now 68 years old.  To some, I am a mere kid.  To me - OMG!  How did this many years rack up.  I know my body feels them all, and I deserve that.  I didn't do my old joints many favors.  When we remodeled and added two bedrooms and a bath upstairs, who was the one who hauled all the furnishings up those stairs - alone.  Why me of course.  AND my house is covered in antiques, so you can imagine the weight involved there.  But I was always doing things like that.  I have put these joints through some really heavy work.

Until the breast cancer, I really had basically been healthy.  Yes - overweight.  Wish not- probably lost and gained 10 people in my life.  My blood pressure began to go up.  Teaching will do that to you.  When Texas began its changes in how and what we teach, the administrators became real asses.  So rowdy kids who know nothings will happen to them with the exception of in-school suspension (a holiday from classes), parents who feel and express that their kids do no wrong (yes one of my friends was told "you didn't see what you thought you saw - I talked to my son and he doesn't lie"), and administrators who are asses (found myself working for elementary principals too long - there is a basic difference in philosophy between elementary and secondary people), plus TEACHING THE TEST.  We began coupling student achievement to a standardized test, and if the kids didn't do well, the bitching trickled down from administrators to the teacher.  Guess who was at fault for poor achievement of the kiddos??  Not the administrators.  So we began classes to teach the test.

Anyway, all in all, I think I am still (oh please let those polyps be OK) in pretty good shape.  Cholesterol is down, but taking the Lipator may have caused my blood sugar to spike.  Probably will find later that it damages the pancreas - hence more and more pancreatic cancers.  But I look at an old friend whom we have recently reconnected with - I am in great health, and he is a year younger than I.

So I have made it 68 years on this earth.  Wonder how much longer!

Still here

Came through, as expected, the colonoscopy with no problems.  Well - one.  I had nine polyps.  The good doc said he doesn't see a problem, but they are gone to be looked at.

The prep he prescribed is horrible!!  The after taste is sweet, sweet, sweet grape like.  The initial taste is a strange salty.  This consists of an 8 oz bottle of the stuff, mixed with 8oz water.  I wondered why he also gave me phenegran should I become nauseous.  I certainly found out!  I was supposed to drink 32 oz (!!!!) water within the hour following the mixture.  I couldn't.  I did get it down, but it was more like almost two hours.  That was beginning at 6.  Then at 10:30 I was to do the whole thing again.  I took the nausea pill.  Then I couldn't go to bed before midnight - having to rise at 6.
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But I hope it is behind me for at least a year.  With all those polyps I don't know.

Of course, since I was put on this "wonderful" Medicare Advantage plan, so the hospital wasn't a preferred provider.  This wonderful new plan is costing me so much more than the other teacher retirement plan that was secondary to Medicare.  Humph.  AND the customer service is terrible.

That's all for today.  I have complained enough.

I am such a wuss

And a hungry one at that!  Perhaps that's why I just can't lose weight.  Go figure.

As I said before, the procedure is nothing.  Nothing!!!  This prep, and the worst is yet to come, is the pits.  It would seem to me that breakfast wouldn't hurt anything.  After hitting the colon with "colon-blow" I would think there wouldn't be anything there.

Dinner time will be excruciating for me.  Lunch wasn't a problem.  I was having my teeth scraped.  G graciously ate while I was gone.  Dinner will be something else.  I think I will barricade myself in the bedroom - or perhaps upstairs since my machine is back (finally).  I hope he eats something that doesn't produce wonderful aromas.

I forgot to make my jello(s) last night, so I am doing that right now.  So I had an orange Popsicle for breakfast.  Then I set out to the lab to have my blood drawn for my Monday appointment.  I told the nurse yesterday that I wasn't trusting of just showing up at the lab with no orders in hand, and we got a good laugh.  Well - guess what.  Yep - there were no orders there.  The tech was great.  He said I could call the office and get them to send them.  That would have been great - except for one little thing.  I didn't have my day-runner with all the numbers in it.  Then he said if I could get them to call after I got back home, come back and he would work me in.  Yeah - not happening.  I had another Popsicle waiting for me - along with the antibiotic that will cause so much indigestion!!

So - still no blood work.  I only took half of the antibiotics, so no pain.  Just made the jello.  Looking at those bowls, I can guess that both will be consumed for dinner!!!

FUN, FUN, FUN - not

I finally made my appointment with a new Gastrointerologist.   My last colonoscopy was the July before the cancer diagnosis, so it has been 8 years.  I wasn't really worried because I figured that any cancer that was going to stand up to the chemo was going to be something that would kill me anyway!

I have been meaning to go to the doctor for two years.  I really like my old one, and he is old.  We are contemporaries.  I think he is going to be retiring soon, plus he is just too far away.  So when the podiatrist suggested this doctor to G, I thought that would be great.  So he made his appointment last year, got his colonoscopy last year, and even though he had to see the doctor, he gets to wait a year before ...

I don't mind the procedure.  I could do it everyday and not be upset.  I HATE the prep.  I hate eating what I can eat.  Of course, I like red drinks, red jello, red Popsicles.     I HATE broth.  I HATE boullion.  Nasty.  I especially hate the "going" after the harsh meds.

But, I am doing it.

And that isn't all I am doing tomorrow.  I have to have blood taken for my appointment next week with the cardio doc.  This GI office was really upset when I mentioned my cardio doc.  No, I don't have heart trouble.  I had a high stress job (teaching) that drove my blood pressure through the roof.  I carry too much weight, and I don't exercise enough.  So - cardio doc.  But he will want the complete metabolic panel when I see him, so I will have that done tomorrow.

THEN - I get to go to have my teeth cleaned.  I have to take an antibiotic before I do this since I have a breast implant and two fake knees.  The antibiotic makes me have such terrible heartburn that I want to cry.  So I asked if there were something else I could take.  Yes, there is.  It is a penicillin derivative,  so unless I enjoy my throat closing off and suffocating, that's out.  Penicillin allergy.

The dentist suggested I eat something before taking the antibiotic.  Yeah, right.  Not tomorrow.  So I will be that bright fire you see burning down here in the south.  I should light up the sky more brightly than the sun.

All in all, tomorrow should be such a great day.  I just can hardly wait.

Summing up last week

As a friend asked me today when I called about something else - the body count at the SSB.  This isn't an easy one.  There was one known hog killed or should I say one hog known killed.  There were about four others that were hit.  Normally I would be having a fit about wounded animals running about the place.  Even though I wish these hogs were off the face of the earth, I really care about animals in pain.  That's the main reason I don't hunt.  I am so afraid I will only wound.

The thing that makes me feel a bit better about the wounded hogs is that G didn't have to pull them off.  You see - for some reason he doesn't take them far.  That means we are dive bombed by vultures.  I really get tired of seeing those vultures circling the house.

This past week we were inundated by a new pest.  The scorpions are out - in force.  We killed 4-5 of them with the majority being outside the house.  That is good.  Don't like them in the house, but I know there was one who met his demise in the kitchen.

Everyone is complaining about how bad they are this year.  So off we went to buy special scorpion killer.  When we left, G sprayed under the kitchen cabinets.  I suggested we wait until we were leaving so that if they were driven out of hiding ...

Did find a dead mouse.  Haven't had one of those in a while.  G hasn't been putting bait under the house recently either.  He needs to get to that!  But it was a dead mouse.

So the body count is something like 5 scorpions (and counting), one mouse, probably 5 hogs.

I keep hoping those hogs will find a new passage way from the creek to wherever they are going.

We went to the last of the Crazy German Family Reunions.  It was hot and miserable, but we did have fun.  As I have said, I know why these are held in June/July, but geesh!!   HOT.

Layla was going to come back to us today.  But she went on another "visit" and was adopted.  It is what I was hoping for.  A young family with a 6 year old girl.  There are two Golden Retrievers next door to play with.   A dream situation I really hope.

Meantime, we are awaiting another foster.  We asked about one mix - Boxer/mastiff.  But he wants to be the only pet, and they are worried about Shadow.  Poor baby has been in the kennel for 10 months.  I would have really liked to have gotten him out, but...  Who knows what else is out there for us.  There are new dogs taken in everyday.

A few notes

To be very crass - my internet here sucks. For some reason, I am getting pop-ups like crazy.  They are supposed to be blocked, but I can't do anything without a pop-up happening with any change.  Irritating!  Plus it is so slow in the afternoon, Farmville 2 will not load.  Bummer.

Layla's meeting didn't go well.  The mother to the couple who were looking at dogs wanted a dog.  She has a small, fluffy little thing.  Layla didn't like that dog.  So needless to say, Mom didn't want Layla.  She is with the woman running that rescue right now.  She is being re-introduced to dogs again.  We'll see.  And we will pick her up aga in on the 19th when we get back.

She is a doll, but there is another Boxer available who doesn't mind cats.  If he is still around in October, I want to consider him carefully.  Number one - not a mix, number two - likes/doesn't mind cats.  Win/win.

We are both rather sick.  This cold mess is still with us.  We are both coughing a lot.  I am so ready to get over this.

Saturday was the little "party" this community has.  It is called "Roundup."  I really like to go, and I wanted to this year because I was going to take pictures of the "arts and crafts" people who are selling "bought junk."  I have given up trying to fight them.  They can sell for pennies compared to crafted things.

We had yet another family reunion on Sunday.  It was fun - even if we both were a little miserable. Three down - one to go.

IT IS RAINING!!!  WHAT JOY!.  Of course, with our dirt/rock roads it gets a little iffy traveling.  Met a neighbor/cousin on the road when we were coming back from town after having the farm truck inspected.  He said it had rained again and said "hope you have 4 wheel drive."  Yes, and it was a good thing.  Usually there is no one on the road - today we met a group of 4 vehicles and then one of 2.


ALMOST FORGOT THE BODY COUNT!  Hogs -1, scorpions - 3.  And now we have about 9 vultures who include dive bombing the house while trying to devour said slain hog who was not pulled far enough our in the pasture by "someone" just because it was raining then.  Hmmmmm.


So.   Going home in two days.  Tomorrow is laundry and cleaning day.  Yuck!

Layla's gone

She is set to meet her possible new parents tonight!!  They sound like great dog people and they are anxious to meet her.  The possible best news - she possibly won't have to go back to the kennel!!  I am keeping my fingers crossed.

As of last night, G was ready to have her come to be ours after we go to the SSB tomorrow.  I think I am really happy this seems to be going this way.

Shadow now has the doors open upstairs.  When I went to get his food bowls down, he rubbed and carried on, but he still hasn't come down yet.  Perhaps tonight??  At least he may be found more easily when it's time to put him in his crate tomorrow.

I just can't get over how exciting my life is!!!

So let's re-think this

Yesterday I really thought I was emerging from the throes of death.  Well - that's the way it feels!  I HATE colds or allergies or whatever that gives me a cough.  I really believe I have a very sensitive throat, and when there is any accumulation of mucus, I cough.  Now - that was enough information there.  You really don't need to know all the gory details.  I just skimmed the cause and effect.

My reasoning for not attending my son's church was that no person in their right mind would want to sit around me, remember?  Well - today I had a follow up with the new orthopedist.  Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you about that one.  Yeah - I finally went for the check up and to see if I had broken my knee caps when I fell.  No, they are fine, but I did have tendinitis in BOTH knees.  No wonder they hurt.  So I was put on anti-inflammatory drugs.

So today was my follow up.  AND guess what - I had a coughing spasm right there in the middle of the waiting room.   AND I didn't have any water - at all.  AND I just knew if I got up to go out to the hall to get some water, my name would have been called (I can dream can't I?).

So - what did I do for the hour  I sat there, I ate Hall's drops like my life depended on it.  And ---- people actually moved away.  I was sooooooooo embarrassed!   But then what are you going to do?  All this for something I could have called in.  I am fine - come back in a couple of years unless I need something before.

So I guess I should have gone to church - or cancelled this appointment.  One was definitely the wrong decision.

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Now - Layla.  G has become so smitten with her.  He is talking about adopting.  I would like to wait for a full Boxer.  They have one who has been tested with cats, not that Shadow will allow him to get anywhere near, but at least the dog won't kill Shadow.

We take her back to the kennel tomorrow, and I really hate it.  She is such a people dog.  I would have loved to see her go to another foster home.  What I really wanted for her is to go from me to a real home with a young family who can run and play with her.
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We had a case here in the metro area that bothers me a lot.  Many of our subdivisions, since we are usually a swamp land - have a "green belt and/or "lake" (retention pond) beyond their back fences.  There is usually a walkway there also.  Some boys were playing in their back yard when their ball went over the fence.  They went to get the ball, and their four year old male Boxer got out.  There was an off duty cop walking his little dog accompanied by his wife.  His statement is the Boxer attacked him, his wife, and his dog.  The kids say that the Boxer went up to sniff the dog.  That is so typical of a Boxer.  Generally there isn't a mean bone in their bodies (other than squirrels and cats), and they want to play with another dog.

The cop SHOT the dog in the neck.  Just BLAM.  The boys right there, unable to get to the dog.  They didn't have a chance to do anything.  The cop just shot.  No word of warning - nothing.  He claims they all were injured.  The poor Boxer died on the way to the emergency clinic.  The family really has no recourse.  Their loved pet is dead.  What an unfortunate situation.

Still among the living

I work diligently to not get sick.  I stay away from those who are sniffling and snorting. This is a hold-over from the chemo days when I had no immunity to anything.

Well, apparently, someone got through my barriers.  From Tuesday on I have had a stuffy nose with post nasal drip and a COUGH.  Yes, the cough deserves all caps!!!

This is miserable!  We didn't even to Son's church yesterday.   And I don't have a Primary Care Physician.  Oh, my.  Plus, it seems this connection at least  has a bug as well.  So - catch ya' later.

We are too old!

On day three, this is a fact of which we are now sure.  This dog needs a child - or seven!  She has far too much energy for us.  We are used to Simone.  Even when she was young, she was old.  She was content to sleep on her bed, going for an occasional stroll about the back yard.

This one - she wants to stay outside. She wants to chase every squirrel in town.  Her energy could bring millions if we could just bottle and sell it.

Yes, our routine is definitely changed,  and here we are left without grandchildren to run off this dog's energy.

She's not happy.  Right now, her leash is wrapped around my left wrist to keep her from tearing down my new front blinds because of the squirrels in the yard across the street and one over.  She is whining.  It breaks my heart, but...

I can't just shove her into the backyard.  In my mighty wisdom when we replaced the wooden deck, I said "lets add a level up - right by the fence for some visual interest."  Right.  Makes it about a 5 foot fence.  Clearly low enough for any motivated dog to jump.  She doesn't seem to have inherited the Boxer "springs for feet" in her jumble of genes.  In fact, the only Boxer I see is the right side of her face.

But the days are moving on.  And if push comes to shove, there is always her crate.  I hate to do that, but if needed it is there.

This summer cold (or whatever I have) is kicking my butt.  I coughed all night last night.  I am beat today.  Perhaps that isn't helping my energy level at all.

Day 2 (it only feels like 14!)

Seriously, Layla is a great dog.  She is going to make someone a terrific pet.  She deserves young people however.  She deserves the little 8 year old boy who had her before.  She is just a bundle of energy, but all wrapped up in absolute sweetness.

This morning she got to chase a squirrel.  If she could have climbed the pecan tree, she would have had it too.  She is a great squirrel hunting dog.  If my daughter didn't have two Boxers (yes, thanks to me) she would take Layla in a heart beat.  Her newest and youngest and Layla would be fast friends.  That would be Angelica - the one who chased Shadow across the front of my house several times.  But Princess is a crotchety old female.  We didn't think she was that old - until she got the old lady's disease (incontinence) like Simone.  She doesn't like other dogs around.  She tolerates Angelica - most of the time.

I did find Shadow.  He is upstairs in the craft room(s).  He didn't come down at all last night, so I don't know where I will find a little "surprise" that belongs in a litter box.  He was really glad to see a food bowl however!!

Since I downloaded some pictures yesterday, I will show you some others,

 This is the infamous back deck - where we found the coachwhip and under which the rattlesnake wanted to run after being shot.  In the distance you can barely see the feeder because it is so camoed.  I didn't think it blended in so well.  Anyway, that is the area the hogs are coming to now.  Sooooo thankful for the hog fence you see there.  It isn't more than 50 feet out there.

 This was the super moon.  I couldn't believe I didn't need a flash to make it this bright!

 One of the many creepy crawly visitors we can expect on the deck.  This is the first and only tarantula we have SEEN.  But still...

This is a better view of our house feeder.  This is an off limits feeder.  It is only to watch the deer come.  But it seems to be attracting a lot of hogs now.  Since last October, we have killed 14, and I don't think that number is the end.

Day 1

Today is the first full day of being a holiday foster.  Yayla is really a good girl, our cat it just a nitwit, but honestly I think Layla would probably try to kill him anyway.

He ended up on the china cabinet again last night.  I plucked him down to put him in the utility room.  I had his food, water and a little bed in there along with the litter.  This morning he had eaten the wet food - only.  He was hunkered down beside the water heater.  It is a tight little space where I know he feels safe, but if the water heater would come on, that may be a different story!

I got him out, and he is lurking somewhere.  Last I saw him he was on the out side of the baby gate that is blocking the stairs.  Layla seems to know she isn't allowed in that hallway without someone with her.

This is Layla.  That is a little spot above her right eye that is enlongated to look like an eyebrow.   I think it gives her quite a look.  And those aren't her teeth, they are just white spots on her lip.  She is really a sweetheart.  She knows "House" which means to get into her crate.  That's where she slept all night with no problems at all.          

I wish I had slept as well.  I think I must have gotten a cold from someone, but I don't know who.  That bothered me all night, and I was either too hot or too cold.

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This is the rattlesnake we "harvested" from the SSB.  It was while taking THIS picture I realized that snake was not dead.  The head is lifting from the ground.  After a bit, it turned 90 degrees to where I was standing. Needless to say, I was no longer standing there.  I had retreated to the house to tell G that his snake wasn't dead.  This is several hours after it was "killed" and G had used a pair of gloves to pull it out from the deck.   Gotta watch those snakes.  Their nerves take a long time to die!

OK then - it will be a long week.

We went to pick up the dog we are going to holiday foster.  She is a really cute little Boxer mix.  I really am  not sure where they get the Boxer.  She looks more Dalmation to me, but then...

She was a perfect little lady bringing her home.  She sat in the back seat just like a little lady.  I found a collar that fit her so I could get the harness off.  I  let her nose around the breakfast room on her own a little - but still on the leash.  THEN - I took her outside.

I let her go with the leash attached (thank God).  I forgot the neighborhood black cat was lazing under the diving board.  Well - he wasn't lazing long.  Then he went under the deck - and Layla tried to follow.  I worry about that side of the yard anyway because the way the deck is raised, the fence is only about 4 or 5 feet.  I could just see the cat jumping over the fence and Layla going right after him.

Fortunately I was able to grab the leash and get her away.  We came in the house, and she is in the crate right now.  She is completely overwhelmed to begin with.  She  needs to just be in a quiet place for a while to begin some acclimatization.  Yes??

Well - it will be an interesting week - to say the least.

Humph

Well, the three pizzas "seemed" to be enough.  But I know I only had one slice.  I really wasn't feeling all that well.  I'll get to that reason in a bit.  There really wasn't enough of the kid's pizza though.  He had gotten one pepperoni and two supreme.  Five of the kids would rather die than eat the supreme pizza.  Too much stuff.  But anyway - it went OK I guess.

Now - why didn't I feel well?  Saturday I dropped an old tape holder on my right foot.  It hurt, but I didn't give it a lot of thought except that I needed to get rid of it!  (Who still has cassettes beside us??)  Sunday morning at almost three I woke with such a pain in my foot that I couldn't go back to sleep.  Finally, I went to my stash of hydrocodone that is left from pain clinic days.

I must have lost my tolerance for it.  I used to take it all day long with no problems, but I remember 37 years ago when I got some after giving birth to son, it made me sick!  Taking it at 3:30 meant that I didn't have time to sleep it off.  We had church.

When I woke, I was ok - for a while.  Then I got my hydrocodone sicky feeling.  I really thought church was a no go.  I was too nauseous to finish breakfast.  So I went to my vast pharmacy to look for one of the anti-nausea pills (left from chemo).  I took it and laid on the bed in front of the fan.  I began to feel better.  Church was on.

I got better and better - we even (foolishly) lunched at the local Mexican restaurant.  But as the evening wore on, I was getting bad again.  By the time we were to eat, I wasn't interested.  My foot through all this was killing me, but I dared not take another pain pill.  I had to get through the family being here.

I took all the pain pills at bed time, and I was able to sleep.  So I still don't know if I just have soft tissue damage or perhaps broke a bone in the top of my foot.  I am leaning toward the soft tissue damage.  I have kept a heat wrap for backs on my foot this morning.  It was feeling better, but ...

In other news,  we are going to be fostering Layla.  She is a small, white Boxer mix - a young dog.  We signed on for just the holiday, but I am afraid that this may be a real foster.  Well, we'll see.  I am anxious for another dog for a while.  I really want to adopt a Boxer, but I will keep this little girl for a while.  I am nervous about the cat issue.  We will just have to see.

So after the eyeball puncture appointment first thing in the morning, it will be meeting our new foster.  Exciting day.