Texas Lady

Today I got an email from the sewing store where I buy most of my machines and where I go to most of my classes.  They also have clubs there now, too.  They needed a 3rd person in order to hold a class; otherwise they’d have to cancel the last class this year.  So I signed up for a PED-Next class next month on the 6th and the 13th for 4 hours each day.  It’s software training.  I previously went to the first class a year ago when I was so sick with a major cold/sinus infection.  I barely made it through the first class.  I had a temperature, sneezing, blowing my nose.  My head was so stopped up I couldn’t even think. But I knew I wanted to go back and do it right.  Now I have that chance.  While I’m there I’m going to join some other classes and clubs to keep me busy and learning new things.  I love that!……….Very excited to get back into it.  I also paid off my Coverpro machine today so all my sewing machines and equipment are free and clear.  I’m working toward buying the Brother Quattro II in 2013 so I’ve got a lot to learn to get there.  I’ve been coveting that machine for a couple of years; it’s about time to go for it!  My financial advisor said I would have enough money in 2013 to purchase the $6000 machine.  I can’t wait!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow I go pick up my new retainers then I’m planning on coming home and going into the sewing room.  I need to get the things organized that I want to do first.  I’ll have to move machines around, remember how to rethread the surgers, etc., so I can make a few blankets and get my self back in the groove.  I got a cortisone shot in my shoulder so won’t have to worry about that joint for a few months.  Tomorrow I’ll be free of the orthodontist again for a while, too.

My mother-in-law is still on a ventilator in the ICU at a Houston hospital.  Ronnie is still going up there every day but he is exhausted.  Her heart, now without the external pacemaker, is doing better now that they have amputated her leg but they can’t disconnect the oxygen because she can’t get enough oxygen into her lungs by herself.  And her o2 saturation is falling more every day.  She’s barely getting enough o2 to her brain not to cause brain damage.  Right now it’s just hurry up and wait.  They’re hoping she takes a massive swing to the better side soon and are not planning on changing anything until Monday (it’s Thursday now).  We’re all sending her and her family the best but she may never come out of this coma.

But I had a good day, so that’s an improvement for me.  Today I spent a couple hours at the nail salon for a refill and pedicure (and a glass of red wine).  Then I went to Popeye’s for lunch so I could taste their fried crawfish (yummy!).  Then I came home to watch the election returns until Ronnie got home from the hospital again.  Doesn’t sound like much but I feel 100% better than I have the past few days (even the election results can’t knock the dew off this rose!).

Tomorrow I have a late morning doctor’s visit then I intend to come home and start on sewing some fleece blankets.  I kept telling myself that I needed to work on one of my planned projects in order to get myself started sewing again, but I realized that I just need to do something mindless (since my mind needs to retrack for retirement so it’s not “On” right now) and just “Do It!”.  That way I’ll be sewing before my mind realizes it and all I have to do then is keep going.  Sounds logical to me right now, but what do I know?  I’m intent on getting my sanity back ASAP.  Like Jan told me: keep a structure in your days.  Yes, Ma’am!  I’m working on doing just that.

Another day spent in my nightgown waiting for Ronnie to get home from the hospital.  I napped on the couch, made some business phone calls, watched some recorded TV, finally took a bath, etc.  But, for the most part, I’ve just sat on my butt another day.  I cooked last night so I didn’t cook today.  I realized this afternoon that this is probably a little depression and boredom from the shift from working to retirement.  I can deal with that.  Sometimes just knowing what it’s all about makes all the difference in the world.  This is the top of the list of things that my best friend (who retired before me) wrote out to watch for.  I guess I’ve arrived at retirement at last.  LOL

I have things I want to do (that don’t seem to get started).  Guess that’s where I’ll start, just try to figure out the best way to apply myself to my tasks but not push myself so hard that I stress out about them.  I think one of the things that gets to me is the feeling that I’m waiting for Ronnie to get home.  That never bothered me before so I’ll have to analyze that.  I feel that I can’t get started on anything because as soon as I do Ronnie will get home (and…..what?).  What difference will that make?  What is the change there?

Who looks more relaxed, me or Mimi?  Took this picture with my iPhone the other day.  This is Mimi’s favorite spot when I’m on my computer.  She’s a happy girl and very loving toward us; I just wish she was that way with other people because then we could find her a permanent home.  Ronnie says she’s already found a permanent home—-it’s with us.  LOL  We have had her for almost 2 years so I think Ronnie’s right; she’s not going anywhere.  She gets along good with the other dogs in the pack, except Maximus–and she hates his guts.  She barks, snarls and nips at him and will chase him out of the house through the doggie door.  We have to watch them like a hawk to keep them away from each other.  We’re afraid she’s going to put him in defensive mode and he’s going to attack and hurt her, and we can’t let that happen.  Lately she has taken a new interest in Ronnie and will love on him, sleep close to him and follow him everywhere.  There has definitely been a change in our pack recently; everyone has shifted again, adjusted.  It is probably the addition of Gino because he is still a puppy, is full-grown at 5 pounds, and wants to be held and babied a lot, just like Dusty (who spends most of his life in my lap).  And we also have Jolie now and she takes a lot of attention away from our own dogs, but she needs so much and her owner wasn’t able to deal with her at this point in her life.  So everyone is happy with Jolie here with us, including Jolie.

There will probably be more changes in the pack now that I’m retired and home most of the time.  Maximus is not crated as much and Bandit is crated more (in order to let Max out an equal amount of time).  I also keep Gino and Mimi away from Maximus so his life is more peaceful.  I spend more time holding all of them but mostly the little ones.  Ronnie is afraid I’ll steal Gypsy’s love from him but he doesn’t realize that I’ve always paid attention to Gypsy; he just doesn’t usually see it because I’m usually gone working shiftwork.

It’s been a lazy weekend.  I’ve done more today but not much.  I’ve set meat out for dinner so I’ll be cooking at home.  Will probably make a pitcher of frozen drinks, too.  Ronnie was going to run up to the hospital to visit his mom but he was so exhausted he is napping instead.  Tomorrow activity will increase because I have some business to take care of and I want to get in to the gym or on our treadmill (one or the other).  I don’t think I’m in the right frame of mind to diet yet but I do want to be more active and not sit around like a lump every day.  Maybe this is a part of the adjustment to retirement; I’m trying not to stress over the fact that “I’m not accomplishing anything” because it’s not a race anymore.  I tell myself that if “it” doesn’t get done today there will be tomorrow; I don’t have to go back to work, there is no deadline.  It seems that life is still a learning experience even at 60 years of age.

It’s almost 6 P.M. and I’m still in my nightgown; does that tell you anything?  I was tired when I woke up and it just didn’t get any better.  I took a short nap sitting upright on the loveseat while watching some stuff I had recorded on the DVR.  Ronnie called (from the hospital with his mom) to tell me he’ll be leaving to come home soon.  Since he was gone all day I didn’t have to cook, the house was already clean, I did the laundry yesterday, so what was there to do that was pressing today?  Yeah, that’s what I thought, too, so I’ve been vegging out all day.  I ate some Cheetos and a few pieces of Halloween candy; other than that it’s been Diet Coke all day while I sat under dogs’ butts on the loveseat.  Messed with the computer a bit and took care of the dogs but I’ve accomplished very little all day.  Does it matter?  No, not really….because I’m retired……….LOL

I’m not quite sure what just happened at the podiatrist.  I think he was mad because I got better while not doing what he wanted me to do.  He said it was obvious I was better at it than him so he dismissed me.  What a guy!  So next time my foot hurts I’ll be sure to NOT go back to this office.  First they couldn’t find my file after I’d been to that office 3 times and twice to the old office.  Then he found out I wasn’t using the arch supports he’d prescribed and was using ones I bought at Walgreen’s.  What pissed him off I think was that I am better in spite of him. One minute he was showing me the exercise he wanted me to do, the next he discovered I wasn’t using the arch supports.  After a short discussion he made the remark about it being obvious I was better at it than him and he dismissed me.  So there!

Ronnie’s mom took a turn for the worse today.  I just spoke with him and the family has been notified that she’s not doing well, her heart stopped today and they don’t know if there is permanent damage or if she’ll regain consciousness.  Thankfully she was already at the hospital, but she was having other issues before this, so it doesn’t sound good right now.

I know it’s not a full moon today but it sure feels like it!  My youngest grandson found out today he’ll have to have surgery next week.  What will happen next?

Thankfully it is quiet here at home.  Most of the dogs are asleep right now.  Bandit is keeping vigil at the front window just like he did yesterday afternoon.  Maximus is back in his crate for a nap.  Jolie, Dusty, Gypsy and Gino are here with me, all asleep.  I think Fancy is asleep in the window.  Who does that leave?  Mimi, who is probably asleep on the back of the couch; that’s her “place” this time of the day.  And here I sit updating my iPhone software and downloading my purchases from Itunes.  Not much “accomplished” today but it’s been a good day for me (minus the foot doctor’s crap) and it’s a lovely day outside with beautiful blue skies, white, fluffy clouds and cooler than summer temperatures (which is good for Texas).  I’m beginning to get used to this retirement thing.