Recap of the Last Week of August

Anna's surgery was Monday. She was scared, at least up until they told her they didn't have to put the IV in until she was asleep. Then she was happy. : ) She had to drink a foul-tasting medicine, and threw up the first time she took it, but the next time she kept it down. They had told us it would be about two hours to do the preliminary stuff, and it was, two hours on the dot when they took her back to the operating room. BUT, they had told us it would be just about 45 minutes for the surgery, and it was more like an hour(and of course each minute seemed like another hour to nervous parents. lol) when they finally came out and told us we could go to the consultation room. the doctor came in and talked to us a little, then we went to the room they were bringing her to...and waited and waited...about another hour. We were *very* pesky, asking every few minutes if everything was all right and when would she be out. lol I'm sure we were much more trouble than she was. lol FINALLY she came out to the room...and promptly got sick again. The anesthesia wearing off, I guess. She wanted to stay for a bit...resting and watching cartoons...so we sat for another hour or so, getting the last forms signed and the instructions for care and a prescription and a follow-up appointment and all those sorts of things. She watched an episode of Tom and Jerry and an episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog. then she felt well enough to leave.

She got sick again on the way home, but slept most of the way. When we got home we fixed her up on the couch.

Monday evening, though, my nephew had a birthday party, so we went up to mom's. Anna couldn't go out and play, and she didn't feel very well, so she didn't have the best time ever. When we got home she went back to her couch and refused to move all day Tuesday...well, except for that one time she got up and played computer games for a bit. lol

Tuesday we spent all day catering to her...mostly changing the DVD that was playing, or giving her medication. She watched the clock all day, keeping up with when she should take her meds.

Wednesday, she said it didn't hurt, hardly, and she didn't ask for her medicine at all. So, I trusted she knew what she needed, and didn't try to make her take any. (I had thought of giving her some at night to help her sleep, but then I thought it was silly for me to think I might know better than her what her body needed.)

Last night she started playing with Oscar, rolling around the floor and running and jumping, so I'm assuming she's feeling fine.

Right now she's chasing him with a fly swatter. lol

She's feeling fine. : )

Oh, NO!!!

Anna's Orlando CRRAZY!!

She's printing pictures off the computer, and says she's going to sleep with them under her pillow. lol

Recap of the Rest of the Week

From Tuesday on...

Tuesday, Daddy *didn't* eat the old steaks, but was still sick all day, so we didn't go anywhere. The girls and I did rum up to visit my mom for a bit later that afternoon.

Wednesday, he was feeling better, so we went out, to the libraries, and to an art show. It was really cool, monotype paintings ...what it is...

http://www.squidoo.com/editionH

and how to do it...

http://painting.about.com/od/fineartprintmaking/ig/Monotype-Print/Monotype-Print-Step-1.htm

I was completely wore out when we got home, and went straight to bed...at about 2:30. I didn't sleep the whole time, I was reading, trying to finish a book, but I didn't get up until about 7. I forgot breakfast, so I had gone about 24 hours without eating. I didn't want to grab something, because Emma and Daddy were cooking a nice supper, so I was just waiting on it, I went out to get some tomatoes and I was washing them and cutting them up for the dehydrator, and started feeling like I was going to pass out. I had to leave the tomatoes (Emma, wonderful child that she is, finished them for me.) and go lay down. I drank a root beer with crushed ice, and felt better after that, so it was either dehydration or my sugar dropping. I'll have to remember to make sure I eat and drink enough. Don't want to feel like that again!

Thursday evening we went up to Mom's, my sister was there with her kids, and after they left I helped Mom clean her bedroom. She's such a packrat! We got rid of another 7 or so bags of stuff! And didn't even get *to* her clothes. lol

Yesterday we took the clothes and things to the thrift store and dropped them off...and bought a couple things. Anna found me Big Bird's nest! ...The story... When Daddy and I went to drop off things once before, I found a *lot* of the pieces for the Little People Sesame Street set http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Fisher-Price_Little_People , and the girls have been having a BLAST playing with it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Fisher-Price-Sesame-Street-Little-People-RARE_W0QQitemZ200232631482QQihZ010QQcategoryZ2527QQcmdZViewItem

There's a picture (scroll down a little) with Big Bird in his nest. I LOVE it!!

I have several other little people things in my storage building...and if I ever get off the computer and go clean it out, I'll be able to bring them in for the girls. lol

But first, a couple pictures...

Emma with her favourite one...

And Anna with one that had "A"'s. I wouldn't mind something like that for her room. Maybe with a white frame.

This Week so Far...

I think up the most inane titles for blog posts, don't I? Something in me just doesn't want to think when I'm writing titles. lol

We've just been at home most of the weekend.

Saturday was my cousin's wedding...we went to that, then the reception, then helped clean up some after the reception.

Sunday we just stayed home and rested...Mom and one of Daddy's friends dropped by and talked for a while.

Yesterday (Monday) The girls watched Hairspray most of the morning, then Emma went to visit Daddy's mother, and Anna went with us to get water. While they were filling the water jugs I went up the hill a ways to pick apples...then I heard them calling for Oscar, who I'd left with them. He had chewed his leash in two, and snuck off quietly. They were yelling and yelling, and Anna was crying, so I went out to the top of the hill and called *once* and he came running back. *He loves me!* lol Actually, he was probably looking for me anyway.

Emma helped her grandmother clean, and came back with lots and lots of "gifts". Daddy said it looked like his mom had unloaded a bunch of junk on Emma. lol Emma loved it, though, and it wasn't *all* junk...there was a ring ("real gold and jewels!") and a pretty watch and bracelet set.

This morning when I got up, I went outside to check one of the freezers to see if there were any pizzas in it...Anna wanted pizza last night, and there wasn't any in the house...anyway, I went to check, and the freezer was unplugged! There was still a bit of ice, so I salvaged what I thought was edible, but I had to throw out about 6 hamburger patties, and some chicken tenders. (Thankfully, there wasn't a lot of meat in there.) Mostly what had been in there was the jam and berries I've been putting up all summer. GAH!! lol I went ahead and put them in the house freezer...I hope I don't end up killing someone. Daddy's trying to eat some steaks that were thawed in there...they don't exactly smell right, but hopefully he won't die from them. ; )

Medieval Princess

Anna came to me this morning and asked if I'd put her hair up for her.

I asked if she wanted it in a clip or with pins.

She said, "We're medieval princesses today, what would they have used?"

(Updated...Emma said, "Come, Princess, we'll have breakfast." Anna replied,"No thank you, I'm fasting." lol Where'd *that* come from?)

New Blog...

I made two, actually.

One is for the 100 Species Challenge
( http://weblog.xanga.com/scsours/664162392/the-100-species-challenge.html? )
(my Blog http://hundredspeciesasquicklyaspossible.blogspot.com/ ).

And the other is http://360blogmoved.blogspot.com/ , I'm moving my old blog posts from 360 for fear they will disappear there.

Yesterday we hiked up the mountain so I could finish my plant list. (You wouldn't believe how blank I get when *trying* to think of something. I know lots more plants than I could think of while we were out taking the pics...I just went blank.) I was hoping for some ginseng, but we didn't find any. We had a good time, though...and saw so many box turtles it was amazing! All heading North. We wondered why, but didn't ask. lol We also happened to find stinging nettle...the girls got all in it, and it was awful, but by the time we got home they were okay. (Yet another plant I couldn't think of it's name...Daddy had to supply it for us. )

I have my 100 species, though, and I'm going to try to get them posted today. My pictures suck, though, and my camera doesn't want to cooperate about taking better ones. I may try to get better ones for the really close to the house ones...I'm not hiking back up the mountain, though. lol

Little Miss Grits

Poor little Miss Grits died this morning. I don't usually cry over ~anything~, but I cried this morning. She was the sweetest rabbit we had...so picky, would only eat a certain kind of food(which required a drive of about 40 miles to get it), liked to eat apples and was grumpy when I forgot to bring her one, *really* enjoyed hay and clover....but was so sweet and loving while doing it I didn't mind a bit.

The rabbits were originally bought for food. Daddy said "We'll breed them, and won't have to buy meat from the store." Yeah, right. That lasted all of two litters, then we just kept the rest, babies and adults. Miss Grits was the best of them all. A rabbit with personality.

About the name. Some of our rabbits are named after foods, because they were intended for food. Grits came with Jowls (the Clampets on the Beverly Hillbillies eat grits and jowls, just in case you don't know where that came from. lol), we also have Brussel Sprout, Raisin (he's Brussel Sprout's last offspring, the only one she had, and he was all black and wrinkley, like a raisin.), Salt (she's an original one, bought to reproduce, but never did...she came with Pepper, who died ages ago)...Mainly we named the original ones intended for food after foods, we have two younger ones Little Grey and My Little Precious Bunny (so named by Anna) who aren't named for foods. Little Grey was Grit's last baby.

Anyway, when I went out this morning to feed them, she was laid out in her cage barely breathing. She lifted her head and looked at me when I came over, and I picked her up and held her until she died. Poor little thing. She hasn't been doing well for about a week now, not eating much at all, and not keeping clean like they usually do, so I knew it wouldn't be long, but still I was sad when it happened.

She was a good rabbit. Rest in Peace, little Grits.

Bike Wreck...no Riding for a While...

Last night we went out for our bike ride, and Anna kept getting closer and closer to me, just as I said "Don't get so close we'll wreck" our front tires met and while she didn't wreck (only got scraped by my pedal a little on her knee) I went right over the handlebars.

The only thought I had was to protect my head, so both arms went out...and I landed square on my right elbow. It's not as bad as I had thought at first, because it's not broken...so very easily could have been broken...only scraped, so I am pretty blessed. It's sore this morning, and my back is letting me know it doesn't appreciate being tossed around like that.

HOWEVER, we just went over to the *far* library to pick up a book I'd ordered, so I have a good book I can sit and read to the girls while I'm recuperating.

(Which brings me to another thought...yesterday Daddy had a doctor appointment, and the girls and I waited in the car for him. We were all reading...we had just picked up the new book, and I bought several library discards while I was there, plus the girls had brought book with them, too, from home...so we were all reading, and I was reading out loud, and a woman came up, stuck her head in the car (door was open) and said, "I just LOVE to see kids reading! I'm a teacher, so I just LOVE to see kids reading!" Daddy said I should have said, "We homeschool." lol I just smiled, though...

What did I Last Post?

I'd have to go back and check where I left off at. I'll guess.

We did something Saturday...went to the Farmer's Market and *far* library, I believe. And I bought books. It's all coming back to me now. ; )

Sunday Emma went to Sunday School with Mom, and the rest of us played computer games and watched tv and I did laundry. Lots of laundry.

Today I did laundry again...and Emma went shopping with her other grandmother, and daddy cut trees down in the back yard to make room (he says) to move the rabbits, and Anna and I went to Mom's and ate supper...except that I don't think she ate...and my sister was there with her kids, and Anna and the little girls (and Nicholas) made a carnival and invited us all, and I wish I'd taken pictures, but I forgot I had the camera with us. Then the girls walked down to see Bri with Mom, and found that Bri has a new neighbour, and he's 13 and going into 9th grade, and he's CUTE!!!! (so say they)

I've been trying to stay off the computer more, and move more. I've been keeping up with riding about 2 miles a day on my bike, and doing my back-strengthening exercises every morning. My back feels SO much better than it did last time I hurt it and just laid around! Only thing is...my hip joints don't appreciate it. I had to skimp on my back-strengthening exercises yesterday, because it hurt so bad. Today wasn't too bad, though, so maybe I'm past the worst of it.

My House...

I followed a link from Schuyler's blog ( http://www.waynforth.blogspot.com/ ) and drew a house....

and they said this about me...

"Based on your drawing and the 10 answers you gave this is a summary of your personality:Your house tells the world that you ought to be a leader. You are a freedom lover and a strong person. You are shy and reserved. If you've drawn a cross on each of windows, you always want to live alone. You are very tidy person. There's nothing wrong with that because you're pretty popular among friends. Your life is always full of changes. You will avoid being alone and seek the company of others whenever possible. You love excitement and create it wherever you go. You see the world as it is, not as you believe it should be. You added a flower into your drawing. The flower signifies that you long for love. It also safe to say that others don't see you as a flirt. You don't think much about yourself."

"You don't think much about yourself" ? The last question asks if you've drawn yourself (they tell you to) smaller or bigger than the house. I'd like to know how many people, when asked to draw a picture of themselves next to the house...which is the focus of the whole thing...would make themselves bigger than the house. I don't believe anyone would.

And then..."You are shy and reserved. If you've drawn a cross on each of windows, you always want to live alone. "..."You will avoid being alone and seek the company of others whenever possible." That just makes no sense.

I didn't like it, and I don't recommend it.

Thumbs down. Two, since that's what I've got handy.

I'm Feeling SO MUCH Better!!

I've done the back-strengthening exercises for three days, and I feel So much better today!!!

I went out and bought a new bicycle seat...a nice wide soft cushy one today, too, so that will (no doubt) help my backside when I ride the bike. Now that I have it, Daddy is wanting to go on longer rides. Something about riding two miles makes him feel like he's ready for 20, I guess. lol

He's gone to get tires on his car right now...we've been running around today getting tags and insurance and everything for it, so he can drive it, because it should be cheaper on gas. I've told him, we could buy quite a bit of gas with the $$ he's spending on it. ; )

We scored BIG at the flea market this morning...a man had bought a bunch of stuff at an office supply store auction, and we got 4 boxes of art erasers, 12 boxes of pencils, and a huge box of computer paper! Daddy is going to cut some of the paper in half (it's the really big wide stuff) for the girls to draw small things on, and he'll leave some big for bigger pictures.