Family ties

I don't know how many of you know this....

but I have a younger brother. he's my half brother, but I don't really bother with all that "half" and "step" and crap....he's just my brother.

Well, I haven't seen him since I was in California last , which was....mayyyybe 1974-1975....something like that. Haven't seen him or talked to him, nothing.

But I found his address through the wonderful Internet.

Should I write to him?

What in the world would I say??!

I'm scared....what if he doesn't remember me at all?

I wrote his mom a letter a few years back, but she never responded....so.....will he do the same?

I had a dream about it last night, so it got me wondering....

I'm doing much much better.

But now, 2 of my boys have bumps that are swollen and red. The youngest has a bump on the side of his thigh, which "popped" last night. and it. was. gross. That's all I'll say about that. But he said it feels better today. The oldest has what he thought was a spider bite on his lower leg. It's swollen and red. So, off to the doctor he goes today.

This stuff is invading everything!! I'm constantly taking their temperature....washing the area, telling them to wash their hands....I carry Germ X with me everywhere. UGH.

and then I was eating popcorn Friday night and I cracked my tooth off!!! Sheesh! So now I have to find a dentist, cuz this sucker is sensitive.

And all the Michael Jackson stuff is driving me nuts. Where were all these people when he was going through a child molestation case? he was just a "freak" then and a "pedophile"...no one had anything good to say about him. But now that he's gone, they all think he was a saint and God's Gift to Humanity.

Look, the guy was a PERFORMER...no denying that. he could put on a show like no other...and his songs are still so popular even today...but if you had to grow up like he did, you'd be a freak too. I feel bad for his kids, which turns out, aren't his kids at all. Like we didn't already know that?! Debbie Rowe didn't need to put her 2 cents in on all of this. What a waste of DNA she is. I'm sad that he died the way he did, but.............come on. My life won't cease to go on..... I feel bad for his family. But it seems to me they love the attention. So sad. and his dad is just a trip!

So many people have died lately. Life and death....it just goes on.

What do these two things have in common?

Breakfast...


Lunch...

I'm seeing a theme here....what did I just buy at the grocery store and am eating like crazy?

What would YOU do?

Tell me this;;;

what would you do if:

you're at the laundromat, doing your laundry. The place is empty, so it's just you in there.

In comes a woman with 6 little kids. and they are loud and crying....she starts screaming at them.

then a little while later, two little boys come over by you, to use the restroom, which is to your right. Then here comes this woman...screaming at the top of her lungs.

Now, this woman is about 2 times the size you are, and she has a HUGE black belt in her hands.

So she starts screaming at the older boy, of the two.

"You little mother f$#%^%! Get in there and help my baby use the bathroom!!! You mother f%$#^&* shit face, get your mother f&^%$*# ass in there NOWWWWWW. I will beat your mother f&^%$#^ ass right here, I don't give a mother f&^% where I am!!!" then she starts hitting him in the head and arms with that huge belt. He, of course, starts screaming.

"Stop your mother f^%$#@% screaming or I will beat your f^%&$#% ass!"

What would you do?

Look what I got today!!!!!

a "Get Well Package"!!!!

Thank you SO SO much

Jennie!!!

Now what can I send you in return, hhmmmmmm?

Do I have to call you LT now???? ;)

I'm still alive.

Barely.

this has been really hard on me and my body. I don't mean to dwell on it constantly, but it seems to "infect" every aspect of your life when you have staph.

My flesh is "too fragile" to even think about sex right now...that may not happen for at least 2 more months. that does not make me happy. Then when I do feel that I'm well enough to even attempt sex, I have to wait for 3 more weeks after that...just to be sure.

When I was at the doctor's, of course, I asked about sex. Well, my husband was MORTIFIED! He couldn't believe I'd ask my doctor something like that, while HE was right in the room. I thought he would die from embarrassment! But I had to ask, ya know?

I also have to limit my contact with people....not for their safety, but for mine. My immune system is very compromised right now, and I could catch anything that would blow up into World War 3 in my body.

I also can't eat my beloved fruit salad with my fresh pineapple, since I'm allergic to it. how do you eat fruit salad without the pineapple??!!! I love fresh pineapple, allergy or not.

BUT....

my incision is healing nicely. the redness is fading and it's not hot at all. woohoo!!! BUT, I do have another bump on the opposite side of my groin. I haven't touched it tho!!! I learned my lesson people! And I think maybe since I'm on a really strong antibiotic, it hasn't exploded on me. whew!

So that's me in a nut shell. I'm bored to death and am tired of being tired. No more pain meds since they gave me horrible nightmares and feelings of dread. no way am I getting close to them again.

I guess, thinking about what COULD have happened, I'm doing really well, and have very little to complain about.

AND.....we got some FABULOUS news yesterday. Hubs got promoted again!!!! WOOHOO!!!!! It was about 3 years ago, he got promoted and we had to move...but couldn't, and yada yada yada, they took his promotion away from him. sons of bitches. But yesterday, he got his vindication and will be promoted again, while still staying at the same post. So...I might have to change my feelings about the OSP....but I'll hold out on that to see how they treat him this time.

So CONGRATULATIONS LT!!!!!!! You SO deserve it! Kick some ass! ;)

All is good!

got the packing out (hurt like hell), didn't cuss the doctor out, didn't lose my lunch all over the exam table...and he says he thinks I've turned the corner!

He said I should have been in the hospital, but if things keep going as they are, I'll be fine.

I have to wait and see how it heals now. If there is the slightest bit of swelling or the redness gets any worse, into the hospital for me and surgery.

But I don't think that will happen.

AND I finally get to take a bath tomorrow!!!! that's the best news yet!!!

WOOHOO!!!!

Switched me from vicodon....seems I'm allergic to it, so I'm on something different for pain. and it's working cuz I feel GREAT!!!!

Now if I could just go back and have vacation all over again, but with no staph and no cloudy days!! ;)

thanks ya'll!!

TMI

So I go to the doctor today at 2PM.

Please pray for him me. I'm in a great deal of pain and I will have to cut a bitch if they touch me. Seriously. I told my husband I will apologize before hand to my doctor (cuz I like him) but when he pulls this packing out, he will hear a string of obscenities flowing from my mouth like he aint ever heard in his life. I can "mo fo" with the best of 'em.

And this stuff SMELLS. BADDDDDD. It makes me sick to my stomach really. and speaking of stomachs, mine is all bloated now. I look like I'm 4-5 months pregnant....even more "not skinny" than usual. Not a good thing. But I think it's cuz I'm not really walking around much (too painful), so at 2:30 this morning, I was up, checking myself out i n the mirror, and I swore I was going to :

1. walk upright today, instead of all hunched over.

2. not lay in bed all day.

3. actually try to take a dump. TMI, I know, but my whole body is hurting, and well......it hurts!

4. actually try to sleep on my left side, where the sore is. I did this last night and all kinds of puss came out, so that's a good thing, right? TMI, I know I know.

What is it with me and pain and crap? I think Someone might be trying to tell me something?

Happy Father's Day a day late and a dollar short

I know I'm a day late but...

Happy Father's Day hon!!!

You are a great father, and work so hard for your family. We really appreciate all you do.




It also happens to be our 19th wedding anniversary. WOOHOO!!!




who would have ever thought that a one-night-stand would turn into 23 years together, 19 married???!!! WTH? ;)

Sorry you didn't get any....but there aint NO WAY you are coming anywhere near me right now!!!

Beach 2009

YA.

I'm home.

I had a good time...it was wonderful being with all my kids and their friends. The friend thing worked out really good.....the boys fit right in with our family.

The house kind of sucked tho. it wasn't very well equipped. We had to eat in shifts cuz there weren't enough forks!!! Come on people! For almost $3000, we should all be able to eat together, don't you think?

So we got there on Saturday....Sunday I got a sore throat. then on Monday, I had the whole head cold going on. And a little hair bump in my groin.

Which exploded into a raging staph infection.
Ya. Staph.

It was swollen to about the size of a ping pong ball....HOT and RED and SWOLLEN. And right in the fold of my leg...maybe a little higher.

Now, I don't need people telling me.."Why didn't you go to the doctor when it got swollen?!" I didn't. It got worse and worse...I got the chills.

After my oldest son finally yelled at me long enough to go to the ER, I did. Friday night in the ER.

Temp 102.9, chills...and pain that I have never ever felt before in my life. I thought the uterus BBQ was bad......oh honey, that was NUTHIN!

So the doctor finally comes in the room, looks at it, and says,

"We need to open that up."

OH
MY
GOD.

He took a NEEDLE and stuck it in the center, and moved it around to loosen up the infection. and he shot me full of lidocaine or something.

the he took a SCALPEL and cut down into me about 2 inches, and cut the infection out. then he packed the hole with 2 feet of gauze. TWO FEET OF GAUZE.

So, to make a very long story short...

I'm home and doped up on some vicodon. I find that if I take 2 at a time, it actually takes some of the pain away. I have a huge open wound and I need to go to my doctor to get the packing out.

Pray for me. Well, pray for the doctor, cuz I might have to go off on him!!! ;)

I hope you all stay safe and have a happy week to come....cuz I know I'll be on the beach, soaking up some sun and getting sand stuck in my suit.

See ya'll later!!!

XOXOXOXOX

Peonies and Preacher's Wives

I have ended my streak.

My boys make so much fun of me cuz I pick consistently BAD movies...real stinkers.

Well, lately I've been picking some good ones.

I'm still hung up on the True Blood series...I'm on episode 9.

I rented "Grand Torino" with Clint Eastwood. Now, I'm not usually a big Clint fan, but this was a really good movie. sad. I cried.

"The International" with Clive Owen. Haven't watched it yet.

"Awake" with Jessica Alba. I know! JESSICA ALBA??! But my kid watched this, ( I haven't yet) and he said it was good and it creeped him out big time. It's about this guy who has open heart surgery, but the anesthesia doesn't work...he can still hear and feel everything, but he can't speak...and he hears a plot to kill him. I'll watch this tonight! Although, I do have to admit...that scares the mess outta me. That's THE main reason I didn't have my tubes tied after my last baby...I was scared to death of the anesthesia!!

"Bride Wars" typical

"He's just Not That Into You" very very typical chick flick.

So my video store has this thing called Power play or something like that. you pay $40 a month and you get 3 movies a day...no late fees ever and you can come in every day and get 3 different movies each time or keep the same 3 movies for a whole month. So that's what I've been doing. I'm in there almost every day, getting True Blood! and I didn't know it was a book, so now I have to go find it, so I can read it. You know the books are always better than the movie.

***************************

Well, The Preacher's Wife and her framily have movied to Florida. To say that I miss her.....well...that doesn't even begin to cover it. I love her and her family like they were my own. We really bonded with them, and I miss them all like crazy.





So, here's my question...

Who's your best friend? How did you meet? How long have you been friends?

I have a few...Rae, Bina, Bobbie Jean, Preacher's Wife and Tranny....with Kim and Fancy Nancy included now too.

Wow, that's kind of alot, huh? I'm pretty blessed in the friend department.

Random observations

things going on:

...getting ready for vacation. Why is it...the more you try to be organized...the more hopeless it becomes?

...watching "True Blood". I don't have HBO, and I'm LOVING this show. It's wayyyy raunchy, but I do love me a vampire!

...sewing up a storm. My eyes are crossed by the end of the night, and my table is covered in fabric and thread. The boys are like, "Mom.....get rid of all this "stuff"!!!

...got maps and trip-tiks from AAA. We know where we're going, but I still like to have a map...even if it's just to prove I'm right about directions! ;)

...not a whole lotta cooking going on. Eating avocados like crazy. Son #1 gets sun poisoning all the time, so Dog said to eat avocados. hey, it's a hard job, but someones gotta do it, right?

...stocking up on dog food and dog meds. We have people staying here with the dogs, since the Old Man can't be left alone. That's all I need, for him to have a seizure and croak while I'm gone. I can't even go there.....

...going to Sam's Club and stocking up on cereal and junk like that. Why is cereal so expensive, anyway?

...washing clothes and towels and sheets. We rented a house for the week, but there are no linens included...unless you wanna pay an extra $150. No thank you very much.

...and I'm really sad. My Mama Squirrel hasn't been back. :( I hope she's ok and just moved onto to some other poor soul who has no life and likes to feed the critters in their yard.

...catching up on "The Young and The Restless". Does anyone watch this show? What the heck is up with Adam and Victor and Ashley? Did she have a miscarriage and Adam is trying to convince her otherwise and why? And Nick and Sharon are back together????!!!! NOOOOOOOO! I hate Sharon and want him with Phyllis. They were so good together, and is Nick HOT or what???! I met him at our mall one winter. I have a picture of him and my mom together.

...and speaking of my Mom. I went to Hobby Lobby today for more material (I know!) and I got this overwhelming sadness. My mom and I used to go there together. It was about a year ago that we were there looking for flowers for Rae's wedding....and we had a good time together. I miss her. I can't believe it will be a YEAR in September. How did this happen? sometimes I still wake up and think, "Geez, I gotta call her, I haven't talked to her in forever." I still cry myself to sleep sometimes, like last night. She always stayed with my dogs when we went on vacation, if she didn't go with us, and now this year, I have to find someone else. Doesn't seem right somehow. I still expect my mom to walk through the door some days....ok, I have to quit now.

...and why is it, when you cut a cantaloupe...you can't rid of the smell? I threw the garbage out and it still smells like cantaloupe in here, and it aint a nice smell!

...I think I might want to try Cymbalta. Anyone know anything about it? Mel?

Dresses I've made for Bree...

The Crusties

I'm done with my NYC posts...although I'm sure something will sneak in once in a while.


I have been sewing up a storm lately, well, ever since I got back. Every day, all day, it seems. I really want to get a store together(Thanks Nancy!) and I think I need to have some stuff to put in it, right? so, I've been on a sundress kick, for little girls. I'll post some pictures later. I'm just too lazy right now.

I had to do the shopping today, for the next week. Shopping used to be so much fun for me...it was my 2 hours to get out of the house and get away from the kids, when they were little. Now, it's just a chore I can't stand. But I bought 10 avocados and I'm making guacamole tonight! and that will be the extent of my supper. I'm fine with that...you don't like it, eat elsewhere! ;) Or have a bowl of cereal.

So I know My Gays are all mad at Dog for calling me fat....just ignore him guys. He gets off on conflict....doncha Dog? ;) so don't fall for it....I told ya, you either love Dog or you hate him...there's no middle ground with him! I tell him he's short, he tells me I'm fat...no harm, no foul.

And my ear is leaking. That's the only way I can describe it. My right ear itches constantly....I wake up in the middle of the night and it's wet and itchy, and sometimes bloody....then in the morning, it's all crusty on the inside. and I have a pimple or something in there, cuz it hurts like a big dog. I wonder if I should put some alcohol in there to kinda dry it up....any suggestions? it's probably allergies, right? But it's gross to have a "wet" ear all the time.

Can you believe I just unpacked my suitcase yesterday? ahhhhh, Summer. I just feel like I can take my time and do things when I want to, not when I have to, ya know? And my Mama squirrel hasn't bveen back since I've been back from NYC. She probably left and found someone else to feed her peanuts...biatch. she had it good here!!!!

Next week it's off to The Outer Banks with a van full of kids. Oh Lord, what have I gotten myself into? Am I TOTALLY nuts???? I must have been drinking the kool aid when I told the boys they could each bring a friend. Maybe I can lose a few there.....

I get off the plane in Akron, and what do I do? GO TO ARBY'S!!! But it's the Queen in the background I was really taking a picture of! I can spot a Queen now, honey!!!!

"When you gonna get your wreat?"

3rd Day in NYC.



Woke up late....very very late. And then us girls laid in bed all morning(afternoon). we finally got our dusty dubbs up outta bed and out into the world.

Tranny and Maddie were the only Gays left.....everyone else had left Sunday morning. I was sad. I didn't get to say bye to Boy Toy, Howard, Ginger....MarkDE and Spouse we said goodbye to last night.

So today is Chinatown and Little Italy.

I was really excited to see Little Italy. My grandfather came here from Italy in the late 30's and came through Ellis Island. His name is on the plaque thing at Ellis island. I gotta see that the next time I come to NYC.

So, we're walking to the subway (THE WALKING!) Now, being Miss Fibromyalgia Queen that I am, I was a hurtin puppy by sunday. I had laid in a hot tub yesterday and today....hot water does a body good. But I had forgotten all my meds that I take on a daily basis, so I was hurting big time. But, it's Chinatown and Little Italy!!!!

Got on the subway. I happen to love the subway. I know people are scared of the subway and it's nasty and smelly. Ya, you get a good whiff sometimes, but it was pretty clean. And on Saturday, I saw kids breakdancing, and some people playing music...it's very busy and I liked that.



We get to Chinatown and go directly to Pearl River Mart. Lots of good, cheap stuff, so it was right up my alley!



Chinatown. I did not like Chinatown. It was dirty and the people were SO. OBNOXIOUS. Shoving pieces of paper in your face with pictures of purses on them..."Coach, Coach" ..then they want to take you down some back alley and into the basement of some abanonded building....through the catacombs to some secret spot to sell you a fake Coach. sorry, I don't want a fake Coach THAT bad. If I get a Coach, it will be REAL. And me not being a rude Mew Yorker, I'm like, "No...no thank you...sorry, no thank you...." Everyone else just ignores them and goes on about their way. But as far as rude Mew Yorkers go, I didn't meet a one of them. Everyone I met was nice, with maybe the exception of one. I saw some old man sitting outside a store, on a wooden folding chair, under a sign that siad, "Husband Waiting Area". I wanted to take his picture but he told me no. Like he's some famous person or something...whatever.

So, since I didn't do room servie everyday like Nancy and Kim,---there was NO WAY I was paying $12 for a bagel. ONE bagel. No thank you very much. so, by now it's about 6:30pm, and I haven't eaten yet, and my body was fading fast. Gotta keep the blood sugar up, even tho "I need a diet."

So, of course, we hit some little chinese place. YUM!





Then....LITTLE ITALY!

I loved this place. I thought, "My grandfather might have lived in one of these buildings...he probably walked these very same streets....he shopped in these little stores..."





The architecture and the fire escapes!!! THE FIRE ESCAPES!!! I've got a new obsession.







Man or Woman? I don't really know, but whoever it is, those are some AWESOME shoes!!! How do they walk in those shoes???! They have to be a model, don't you think?


Nancy left us to visit her sister and Kim and I made our way back to the hotel, where I laid in the tub for an hour.

ahhhhhhhhhh...........