Friday, October 21st, 2022
Friday Five
TGIF! I am sooo glad it’s Friday. So lets dive right into our five. I’ll start 
- Our couches came a day late due to a snafu, but they waived the “set up” fee which is nice of them so we’re happy. They are big and dark but we really like them so far.
- We also got the blinds which is a relief. We are happy with all but one, which has an issue that hadn’t occurred to us. We agreed to two blinds on one rail since the window is so big. What we didn’t think about was that there’d be cords in the center where the blinds meet. We are probably just going to live with it. Especially since we can leave a space between the couch and window wall to access the cord easily. But we wish that the issue had been pointed out to us. It’s a small thing, I know. Otherwise we are loving having window coverings!
- I went to the dentist Wednesday and it was a newish dentist there. I’m on the fence about this one and it’s hard when you really like every other person there. I’m thinking we’ll wait and see.
- I got the two scopes done Thursdays. The prep was brutal, but I thought I was okay when we left the house to go to the surgery center. I made it there, got in the back to be prepped for the procedures when nausea hit. It was not fun for anyone, but the team of people there were utterly amazing and helped me so much. For as miserable as I was, they made it as easy as possible from start to finish. And the good news is that I think we got some really good information, with more information coming. One issue is a couple small ulcers on my stomach, but they are “surface” so not deep and I’m sure we can manage those. The other one is something I was born with and might be TMI for some people, LOL. Given the way I’ve been feeling for a while now, I see all this as helpful news. I don’t expect instant solutions, just a path to managing it.
- We are having more freeway shut downs for repairs and improvements in our area so we’ll be staying close to home again. We have plenty to do so that’s fine. And since I can’t see Turbo (my grandson), I am hoping to drop by Youngest’s if they are around and play with Phoebe (one of my granddog).
So that’s my rather quick five, now I’d love to hear yours! I feel better as I’m writing this Thursday night, but I’m a bit sore (fully expected) and ready to sit on the new couch and do nothing but pet Maggie for an hour. I hope all of you have a fun and safe weekend!
October 21st, 2022 at 8:53 am · Link
Yay for couches and nice people who admit SNAFUs and fix with good customer service. Blinds can be tricky. We went with vertical “patio door” blinds in one room due to big window. We just cut them off at the correct length. Hopefully, you’ll get one of the dentists you like next time. Ugh on the procedures but yay for making diagnostic progress. Sorry about the ulcers–meds and diet can go a long way and they can actually heal. 🤞🏼 crossed. Ugh on road work but yay for Youngest and Phoebe time, boo on no Turbo time. Okay, my five:
1. Mother Nature is being schizo again. She can’t decide if it’s fall-going-on-winter or summer. In the past week, we’ve bounced from almost 90/70 to 60/28 and we’re back up to almost 90 today and the weekend. That freeze should have been a frost but there was not enough moisture in the air. I’m ready for La Nina to take a hike!
2. I got a new pillow. The cover on one that got replaced had been “crisped” in the dryer somehow–like when you put a hot iron up against polyester. I plan on making a winter cat house for the porch cats using “insulation” that comes in some meds that LG gets in the mail by gluing it to a sturdy box and covering it in plastic. The pillow stuffing would make fluffy bedded they could burrow into. Welpers, I made the mistake of placing it on the bottom rack of the “hang-up trolley” next to the dryer. Pete has appropriated the pillow and a chenille throw as his own.
3. Speaking of cats, Loki pulled a Schroedinger’s. He literally disappeared for 24 hours. We couldn’t find him anywhere. Normally, he’ll eventually appear when I call him. Nope. He wasn’t in any of his normal hiding places. We checked the garage. We checked outside. He didn’t eat and didn’t use the litter box in that period. (This was Tuesday night/Wednesday).
4. (con’t.) I buggered my shoulder again and it was BAD this time. I couldn’t lift it at all. Normally, I can in order to do some stretches and reaches to help loosen it up and relieve the pain. Nothing worked, and Loki was still missing. I gave up Wednesday afternoon, took some heavy-duty meds and went to bed with the heating pad and the NLCS game on. When I woke up over 4 hours later, LG was feeding the dogs and Loki had mysteriously reappeared. And yes, the shoulder is better though I’m only doing very limited computer work, which sucks because I haven’t finished pre-pub on UTAM.
5. I’d planned on making French onion soup and beef au jus sandwiches for dinner Wednesday night because it was still chilly. Waking up at 8:30 negated that (along with shoulder) and now it’s too hot.
Luckily, supposed to be a cold and rainy front coming early next week so I’ll fix it then. And yeah, that’s a lame way to end but it’s all I’ve got. Boring life, people. Boring life! 
Have a great weekend, everyone. We have soccer and then more MBL playoffs, plus college football. Hopefully, my Cowboys will do better against the Longhorns. 🤞🏼
October 21st, 2022 at 2:43 pm · Link
1. Sorry that the couches arrived late but it’s good that they set them up for you.
2. Oh no on the blinds. I learned that lesson when we first moved to this house. It was with middle son’s bedroom so he didn’t really care, he was 8 😊. I’m glad you are going to be able to work around it and still be happy 😊.
3. It may take a visit or two to warm up to the new dentist. If you don’t, can’t you request the dentist with whom you have a good rapport? That’s what hubs and I do.
4. It must be a relief having the scopes done. Knowing that the ulcers are surface is good. The issue you were born with, is it any cause to your discomfort? I hope not. I hope you weren’t uncomfortable for too long and that Maggie was there to give you lovin’s.
5. It’s good to stay home now and then and since you have a new house to play with I’m sure your time will be filled. Though, I do hope you get to go play with Phoebe and see BLB. What are you baking for him?
1a. Seems like Silver and I are having similar weather issues. Mine isn’t quiet as drastic – less hot. Still stinks. I wish it would make up it’s mind.
2a. Hubs has decided he is old and I have to turn up the heat (I hate it). We got the gas bill yesterday and he called me over having a fit. Trying to explain that’s what happens when you turn up the thermostat was difficult.
3a. Youngest is really a great guy. He did come over Wednesday after work. First he went home for the chainsaw. He cleaned the tree up nicely even though it was dark. Me getting it all off the drive helped, or so he says.
4a. We’re going out for dinner Saturday and taking Youngest and his girlfriend with us. I’m looking forward to not cooking and having a nice meal.
5a. I saw a recipe on Pintrest for Pecan pie bars. I may make them Sunday but only if I can get eggs. The last two times I was at the stores (Wally and local) – no eggs.
I hope you have a great weekend!
October 21st, 2022 at 3:55 pm · Link
Silver, my level of relief at knowing what is wrong is huge. It’s been like fighting a ghost that’s sucking health and energy from you but you don’t know how or why. It’ll be much easier to manage (or heal!) knowing this much and once we have the biopsy results.
1) I’m with you on La Nina!! But wow you really are getting some big weather swigs! Too bad we can’t prescribe Xanax for Mother Nature.
2) Pete is a smart kitty! It’s his now! Hope you find a good replacement for the winter cat house.
3) Okay that is really weird! Where could Loki have been?
4) Yay for Loki reappearing but it’s still seriously freaky. But dang, your poor shoulder! Do you know what’s wrong with it? Do you think maybe it’s time to see a doctor? Sometimes a steroid injection and some PT can really help. Or maybe you know what it is, an dhow to treat it (rest and heat/ice are always good and won’t hurt it more).
5) You don’t have a boring life, I mean you have a disappearing and reappearing cat! That’s pretty exciting. And you’re dealing with a painful shoulder so more rest and less excitement is a good thing right now.
Enjoy your weekend!
October 21st, 2022 at 4:06 pm · Link
Viki, I hope we can on the dentist. But I think the dentist we liked is working less in this office. We’ll get it sorted out. On my issue I was born with, it can cause serious problems, but that’s not real common and I know what to watch for. Otherwise, I’ll find out more soon, but I think it’s causing or contributing to some of my symptoms. I’ll find out a lot more at the followup. Right now, I’m just doing what he advised.
1) I hope you can get some nice fall weather you enjoy for a while!
2) LOL on hubs. Wizard would like the heat higher than me too, so I get it. But Wizard also knows it costs so I can use that argument when I want it lower. I hope hubs gets it!
3) Youngest is a great guy! It’s so nice to be able to call on them for help. I’m sure you helped a lot, and I’m still impressed you were able to get that off the driveway!
4) I hope you and youngest and girlfriend have great food and a lovely time!
5) I bet the bars are good, and I’m sorry you can’t find eggs. I’ve had no trouble, but they’ve shot up in price.
Hope you have a great weekend!
October 21st, 2022 at 6:55 pm · Link
I’ve had a torn rotator cuff in that shoulder for years. If I was still being all athletic, I’d considering getting surgery but a lot of it is just the way I sit at the computer and move it. I try to be cognizant and do my streteches and exercises but I get distracted (ie. caught up in and focused) and I forget. When that happens a couple of days in a row, it tries to freeze on me. Usually, acetomenaphin and the heating pad and no use for a day works. And normally, I can raise it and do the stuff I need to do to get it “unstuck” but there are times when it just hurts too much so I sit it out.
And yeah, knowing what’s wrong and knowing that there’s things that can be done is a huge relief! Oddly enough, that’ll take some of the stress off and will help those dang ulcers clear up some. Funny how that works sometimes. Hang in there. These are just the first steps but you’re headed in the right direction!
October 22nd, 2022 at 5:11 am · Link
Yay for new couches and for new blinds. Bummer about the one blind, though. And bummer about the not-great dentist. Ack about the procedure, but if it helps in the long run, yay. Sorry you can’t have Turbo Time this weekend. Have fun with Phoebe!
1) Yesterday was my 4 month anniversary of working and they finally got around to getting me the perks I was supposed to have gotten at 90 days. Yay.
2) Last Saturday I found a new-to-me thrift store. I picked up a bunch of old books. Double yay.
3) The young gal at work got engaged. She’s so cute. She doesn’t use his name anymore. He’s only ‘my fiance’ now. They’re getting married in December and she’s planning a Christmas themed wedding.
4) Man, I am boring. I’ve been sitting here trying to put together 5 things and all I can think about is work, which I’m not really supposed to talk about online.
5) I finished an Agatha Christie last night – Elephants Can Remember. It’s a good one. I’ve read it before but I couldn’t remember the details, so it was worth a re-read. Now I’m on a cozy mystery with a central knitting club theme. So far, so good.
October 23rd, 2022 at 5:02 pm · Link
Silver, bummer on the torn rotator cuff, but I do understand why you’re not anxious to leap into surgery. I also know exactly how stretching can slip off the list of things to do for a day or two. As long as you have a way of managing it, then that’s — well not good — but just how it is sometimes. I’m sorry you have to be in pain at all.
I’m guessing the ulcers are from my meds. I’ve stopped the one that’s the most likely culprit as it’s an NSAID until I go back to the docs for the followup. Or it could be a bacterial thing, we’ll see. Stress could certainly be an aggravating factor too.
October 23rd, 2022 at 5:10 pm · Link
B.E., thanks on all!
1) Hope the late perks are everything you wanted!
2) It’s so cool to scare great books!
3) Aw, that’s so sweet and takes me WAY back to the olden days. I wish you a joyous future!
4) You’re very general when you talk about work online, so I think you’re all right. But I totally get it. I have things I’d love to share, but I don’t because other people don’t want their lives discussed online. So I make very general comments like “we have a sick family member” or something along those lines. I think you’re doing the same.
5) Yay for finding cozy mysteries you enjoy! I’ve done the same thing where I reread and old book and don’t recall the details or resolution.
Hope you’re enjoying what’s left of the weekend!