Away from home

In Columbus at my annual work conference that I am expected to attend. Ugh. It is cold everywhere. Cold at the conference. I have my thermostat in my room turned up to 76º F. It is cold outside and going to get colder. I was hit with a migraine the first day - Tuesday. We left very early in the morning so I had to get up a lot earlier than normal. Did not get much sleep the night before.  Spent the afternoon in bed. Some co-workers went out drinking.  Free - vendor pays. No thanks!  The two guys I came up with went to dinner and back to their room.

The conference is open and huge - so cold!

We return home tomorrow. I took Friday off from work. Who wants to go in on Friday the 13th, anyway? And, we have the 16th off - no make up day, even though the schools have had several snow days.

Warmer weather by Tuesday by any chance?  Yes, then right back down again.

I made it through half of the movie "Gone Girl".  I may try again when I get back home. I got bored with it. Bored.

Maybe I'll just stop movies and stick to the books. I want to read American Sniper, yet. I have SO many books (ebooks, I mean) I plan to read. I read them on the PC, now. I skip the Nook - just too much trouble to keep it charged. I have been through two chargers on it and still it won't keep a charge. Maybe a defect? I dunno.

I have television in my motel room. Does that sound weird? What I mean is - I don't have cable TV at home (I download or stream all my shows) so regular tv - especially commercials are weird to me, now. I think this January makes 3  years without cable TV at home.

And, I sure wish Reese's would quit making chocolate peanut butter eggs, hearts, trees, pumpkins or any other holiday we have cooked up. And that white chocolate....my weakness.

Rainy Days and Mondays

It was not my choice to hold a training session on a Monday morning. I am the kind of person who believes folks should ease into Monday with nothing on their schedule. Keep Mondays open so that we can ease back into the work week. Nothing to jar the system.

Alas, somebody picked Monday morning for the training and I obliged. And it rained. My God - it rained. Driving the interstate was dicey. Although I did not see anybody pulled over, I considered it. Sometimes that is more dangerous than just staying the course. A steady, keep the same speed course.

Then  you have the folks in the left lane who pass you, but they must be nervous because their vehicle is way over the line on YOUR side. Please people!

Anyway, I had my filter training Monday morning. I stopped to get donuts for the crew. 15 of them. You can't really hold an umbrella and three dozen donuts, you know. My beautiful hair-do was ruined. I do have a jacket with a hood, but it also happened to be very muggy and warm. I tried.

At times the folks in the class looked like the picture above. No more Monday morning trainings if I can help it.

Too much water

This is the little neighbor boy playing in some standing water between my house and his. He is three years old and I grabbed this photo opportunity hidden behind my front door. As soon as he sees me he comes over and he is stuck to me like glue. Sigh.

Anyway, their basement wall caved in that night. This side of it. There was a crew that began working on water proofing their basement on Monday. The wall fell in on Wednesday (heavy rains on top of this water already standing and no place to go).  Fortunately, for my neighbor the crew that is water proofing the basement will pay for all damages.

Today there is a huge mountain of dirt that divides our houses. And yellow caution tape. I joked with my neighbor after calling my dogs back away from the cave-in. "Now if a couple of dogs go missing when this mess is finished, I wouldn't mind a bit.  Nor, a couple of cats."

They laughed. I wasn't kidding. Oh come on! Yes, I was. Just kidding. ;)

Bits and Pieces

Just a quick post to jot down what is going on around here, so that when I re-read this post five years from now I will remember.

My sister-in-law is having surgery today. I may post more about that at another time. It is cancer. The photo above was what I sent to her on f@ceb00k.

My neighbor's basement wall collapsed the night before last under all this rain. A crew started water-proofing their basement on Monday. What do you think? Co-incidence or was the crew responsible? Tough situation to be in. I am going to double-check my wall on that side of the house. A few years back I had a company come in and put two big braces on that wall using steel anchors that lead to a brace ten to twenty feet out into the yard underground. Water has pooled in the little ditches between our houses for years.

My daughter's car broke down. Same thing that happened about a year ago. It was a piston then, sounds like a piston, now. She said it is doing the same thing. When I told my appliances (that were breaking down) not to let word slip out to my car in the driveway that I was spending money on them, I guess I forgot to tell them that also includes my daughter's car. Cripes.

I had to go out to a couple of schools yesterday and work with my hands instead of my brain. It was hot and muggy in the wiring closets. The schools are not keeping their equipment cool AT ALL. I was sweating up a storm and guess who forgot to put on deodorant yesterday? Yep, that's right. Not a pleasant morning.

I won (sort of) four tickets to the Pitt$burgh z00. I visit a radio station's web site to read their lost & found (pets) and when they designed a new one, I could not find the l&f. I sent them a message asking where it was. They assured me it was coming and since I commented, they wanted to send me 4 tickets to one of three places. I chose the z00.

My work is switching from 26 pays to 24 this next month. I know it is easier for them to do, but I really looked forward to those two "free" pays every  year. Sigh.

Spring

I could not resist posting another one of this little grand-niece (or great-niece).

By the way - the furnace/Air Conditioner people have NEVER called me with a quote on a new system. It has been mostly cool here in this part of Ohio this May. We have been freezing in the house.

I talked to some folks at work who gave me some other places that they use. I guess it is time to call somebody else. I figure if the one I have been using for several years does not need my business... well then.

Wake me when it's over

Or when it's dinner time. Whichever comes first.  My cat seems to be  hiding from the cold spell. I would too, but duty calls. Yes, a lot of schools closed but most of them in my area released early on Monday, closed Tuesday and are starting late today.

We have a balmy 8º Fahrenheit this morning. That is outside. Hell, I remember when the kitchen in my house was a balmy 8º.  Not a lie. I was using the refrigerator thermometer on the kitchen counter. January 1983, I believe.

I have been reading books I received for Christmas and was shocked to find that I have not read my blog list in days! Yikes. So many are writing such thought-provoking posts, too. I don't have time to go over all of them this morning and I want to research what they are saying and reply but time has run out.

Even though the schools are on a delay this morning, I need to get into the office a.s.a.p. I have  a tech set up to call me at exactly 10 o'clock (our time).

One tech came to work on equipment at 2:30 Monday afternoon and did not leave until 6 p.m. That was the day the temperature dropped all day and it was 13º outside. I wanted to go home and stay there. I don't know what took him so long (he didn't say). Usually they only take an hour to do this job. Ugh!

Passing time

Sitting in my car while waiting for my daughter to get her lunch break at work. The parking lot across the road is Walletmart. My daughter works at the national gaming store. It suits her.

This day was extremely hot.

That is not the case, today. The cold front and rain has moved in. I am so surprised I have no headache or sinus pressure. A lot of folks were complaining yesterday.

It is weird that sometimes I will get it and other times - nope.

I am going with sister 1944 tomorrow to a genealogy picnic. I guess I need to wash my jackets and wear one of them. Brrr.

I get blood drawn today. I drank so much water yesterday I had to get up during the night three times! Drinking lots of water makes it easier for them to draw blood.

Rain Pain

I used to love a good soaking rain. These days it is all about pain. Before the rain began last evening I was almost ready to throw up with the sick headache. It was not bad enough to take a migraine med, but I felt absolutely lousy. I was okay in the house with the A/C.  I needed quite a few things, so I did a "quick" run to the drug store. Heh,  heh. I needed a LOT of things.

I had actually been taking the migraine med about every other day (I know about rebound headaches and am not doubting this may be part of the problem).

I got into the store and I got sick. I made the mistake of picking up my daughter's prescription near the end of my trip and they had to prepare it. "This will take about twenty minutes." UGH!

Why didn't I stop at the pharmacy counter first? WHY?

I had everything in my cart except for the milk, so I sat down and waited. I really started to feel lousy. I could feel the sweat start all over my head. I had to wipe it away several times on my forehead. What is wrong with their A/C?  I can only imagine what the other customers thought. "God, she IS sick. I hope her medicine she is picking up works." 

When I went outside to put my purchases in the car, I realized that the drug store DID have their A/C running. You could have cut the air with a knife. It was so humid and thick. My head pounded.

The A/C in my car gets  a work-out.

I arrived at home and I unloaded the car. I tried to relax.

About an hour later (no medication involved) - poof! It was gone. I was typing away on the computer etc.. Before bed I took the dogs out and it was pouring. I stepped off the porch in an effort to get the timid boxer out and into the rain. He thinks he is a sugar cube. I let the rain just pelt me. I knew I shouldn't get this wet this close to bedtime but I didn't care. He did follow but he didn't dally around. He quickly peed and zoomed back onto the porch.

I just stood in the rain and wondered about headache pain and the weather.

Uprooted

There was a lot of this after the Ef1 tornado a couple of weeks ago. This was in my brother's yard in the small town where the tornado hit. In my town (11 miles away) we had many, many trees like this. Some fell on houses and some on cars.

This pic made me laugh

A few weeks ago I was browsing images in Google and for some reason this picture came up in my search. I have no recollection of what I was searching for at the time. I liked this one and saved it. It makes me chuckle.

Schools are delayed/closed today due to heavy snow. I took the dogs out and it seems okay to travel now,  we received a very wet inch or two and the weather URL does not state that our area is going to get any more. Temps are above freezing so I think we can travel without the worry of ice on the roadways.

Sigh. So it is off to the showers for me.

Rock & Roll

Going here today. Strange that I am not looking forward to it. I have had family and friends go and they say it is (yawn) boring! Ugh. I hope I am pleasantly surprised.

I am also not excited to be travelling today. The weather experts are calling for four to six inches of snow in my area. I am heading north and supposedly no snow that way. It is all me and south of me. My friends live one county north of me. The HofF is a few more counties above them. Right next to the lake. What do you think the wind chill factor is up that way? With the stiff breeze coming off of Lake Erie? Egad!

So, I will conjure up some 45 memories and dig back in the archives. I have no interest in the musicians of the past thirty years. Well, maybe a few but - no thanks. I want 50's 60's and 70's, please.

Survived

Survived another family reunion. This time with extended family members is so special to us, but alas - not everybody feels that way. Our attendance was so low this year we doubt we will have it again next year. Or, we need to change the format to a much less activity-based event.

Our first year we had over 150 attend, this year - maybe 38. It was our fourth one and the heat was so intense I believe some of us suffered a mild heat stroke. So many were dizzy and we just sat around limp. Not to mention the body odor. It was a good idea to choose burgundy color shirts for our matching tee shirts but not healthy. The heat was intense and with a dark, thick tee shirt on - well, you can imagine. Some of my family members refuse to wear them and opt for spaghetti straps and what not for a cooler outcome.

I certainly will have to do something next year. I have expressed my desire for an air conditioned building and having it inside. That seems to be the major reason for absenteeism. The blessed heat.

The party on the patio at the motel was rather tame, also. Just a few who wanted to burn the candle at both ends, and the staff finally moved them into the lobby because of motel visitors complaining. I had gone to bed long ago. I do not party any more. Especially since I am on this medication. I asked to try the bud light lime a rita. It was so delicious and I only drank 6 oz. but it knocked me on my butt. (Medicine intensified, I am sure). I am not one to follow the rules, but when I felt woozy - I stopped cold. I don't push it too much. (Any longer).

We had two siblings that could not make it this year. The first time all 8 of us have not been to the reunion. Well, the first reunion sister 1954 could not make it. Not because she did not want to, though. Most of us find it difficult to understand why they would not want to come to the reunion but you have to let stuff like this go and let people be. Their "excuse" was that they had to work but we all knew about the reunion months in advance. The actual date, anyway. And the ones who could not make it got days off just prior to the reunion and another one - they are going to the ocean in a week or two. So it isn't like they CAN'T get time off. They just decided not to. We held the reunion on a Saturday this year to make it easier for folks who have to travel and get back to work on a Monday. That backfired. All the ones who requested that option, did not show anyway. Claiming they had to work. What is up with that?

Whoops. I am not letting it go, am I?  My daughter showed up and the ones that did show - we had a fantastic time. When the heat was so bad, we got out the water balloons and the mister (sprays water). I find it nice that we have coolers full of water bottles in the same amount as soda. I did not drink one soda, all water. I crave a soda once in a while - but drink water all day.

The food was fantastic - a lot less to choose from - but there is still plenty to go around. Desserts were almost non existent this time. Some cookies, pies and nut bread and that was it. I made calico beans. Once I heard my nephew was bringing a generator (my sister told me he was bringing it for me so that I can have a fan on me) I grabbed the chance to make my beans. The generator would run fans and a crock pot or two on low. I am just grinning to think that he would bring that for me. I love that boy (he will always be my little boy to me) so much! Even though he and his mama are very close and I am so happy they are. For all the hell they have gone through with each other they are so very, very close. It just makes my heart burst.

I find it strange to hear stories about other families that do not step in and take a child if their sibling is having trouble or problems in their life. My sister has been in and out of prison and I had no problem taking her daughter into my home.  Her son was old enough to be on his own. When she moved back home in the early 80's I was working a daylight job. She was tending bar at night. I watched her little boy every night and cared for him. This is family. Her children are my children. That is how I feel. My sisters ALL feel the same way.

Anyway, reunions are a special time for me. I grumble about them. I grumble about the heat. I grumble about the work. I grumble about the money - not so much because to me, complaining about money is vulgar. If you want a wonderful time - sometimes it costs a lot of money. But (to me) you cannot put a price on family and love.

Last, but not least - headache update. Although I did not have a migraine, I had a very bad headache through out the week-end. I attribute that to sleeping (or NOT sleeping) in a motel, the heat and the upset in the schedule. And driving long distance. If I were still on my migraine medication, I certainly would have taken one. Although the pain I felt was not a classic migraine, it was bad enough to warrant a migraine pill. The migraine pill would have knocked it out of the park. Alas, I did not and just kept taking Advil which was not touching it. Many more of my relatives were suffering, too.

This morning. No headache at all. I have taken this Monday off from work (recovery day!) and will releax, wash clothes and enjoy my daughter and her beau's company. The laughter is rocking the Peruby household once again. Quiet time is over. And... the dogs come back today. Ugh!

Celebration

However you celebrate it  (Independence Day) - have a good one.

As for me - quiet today.

A crew is coming in on Saturday (the 7th) to grill. I told them I was not 'doing' the fourth this year. Sigh. They said they will bring everything. Go for it.

I am on some new medication for migraines. And am scheduled for an MRI. I called earlier in the week when I got yet another headache. They are not full blown migraines but my quality of life really sucks. I am trying to find a solution to this "staying home and staying quiet all summer" theme that I have committed myself to. Until I find out what the hell is causing this or what is going on, I am laying low. If it is menopause then I may just have to deal with it until it all passes, but I am not taking it laying down. I will fight but only when I can muster up the energy to do so. I look like shit.

The ones coming in this week-end do not get headaches. I love them and I hope I do not get grouchy. Screw fire works. I hate the noise.

Okay, enough for the negativity. My new med is for seizures but also is believed to help with migraines. Anticonvulsant. Two days in and so far so good. Time will tell. I am certain the MRI will tell nothing, but at least I'll have gotten it out of the way. They seriously asked me if I had any pins or bolts in my head. Really? What am I? Frankenstein? I said the only metal I had were teeth fillings and my mouth is full of that. That is another story. Welfare children do not get to pick much from the dentist arena. Every dentist I have been to since I turned 20 has cursed the dentist that pulled one of my molars at 12 years old.

Okay - back to quiet. Seriously - have a good one. Grill outside if you must but get back into the shade or the Air or a big blue pool. God Bless America. And anything/anybody else who wants to bless us. Every one.

I think I'll go online and try to find an American song by Andy Griffith. I like to hear him sing.

Oh, and wonder of wonders. My computer sputtered on me this morning. I swear! Every fourth of July or close to it (you can go back in my archives and look for yourself) this damn computer crashes. WTF? It is back up and running but it gave me a good scare. I immediately backed up a lot of stuff. I am running out of external hard drive space. Prices are coming down, I think I'll get a 2 TB one.  Newegg has a WD for $129.

There's a reason...

...why I have not been posting. My keyboard melted from this extreme heat. Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Not certain why I am in a slump. Just a dry spell, I guess. I am reading all of your posts, though. Very good stuff and very entertaining.

Stay cool

The dog days of summer have started a bit early 'round here. My grass is burnt yellow-brown and crunches when I walk on it. When I take the dogs out - we head straight for the shaded areas where the grass has managed to remain green.

Sometimes, the dogs get a little too cool in the house, I think. When they go outside they begin to roll in the dry grass to scratch their backs and to soak up some warmth on their belly. All four paws in the air and twist! It looks like a canine Hokey Pokey .(interesting read about this popular dance/song).

Do like the little fella in the photo, find a cool pool and stay in it. Shaded of course. The sun is a killer. I was never a sun bather. Time in the sun produced a 100 % certain headache for me. Indoor A/C, fans, shade and hats are my style.

To get the % (percent sign), hold the alt key down on your keyboard and type in 37 on your numeric keypad. Num Lock must be turned on.

Away we go

We  have an outdoor wedding this week-end. It is a 3-day event. Music, food, beer. Weather has been perfect up until today. Rain. Cooler. Eh. We'll do our best.

What would you think?

 

I met some family for dinner last evening. Back in the early 90's I lived with my brother. He was divorced but he had his two children often. I grew very attached to them. The youngest turned 25 yesterday. His sister - 30 in April. Sigh. I do not get to see them as often as I would like to.

The rain was relentless. I was in a foreign area. It was dark. I could not see anything. There was fog. I got lost. My daughter still has my GPS even though she got her own for Christmas. Grrr! I never use my phone for finding places.

Anyway! I was late. There was a huge accident right before I arrived that blocked my way. I turned left while the policeman was digging in his trunk. He had traffic stopped coming the other way and they did not know where to go - and I was not waiting any longer.  This was a huge intersection and there were about ten firetrucks and emergency vehicles. Chaos. I just wanted the hell out of there. Sheesh! What a mess the night was. 

I arrived at the upscale restaurant. I had been there before in 2006. Someone else drove, and it had been daylight when we arrived.

The above photo was on the menu. It was not me ordering this. The girl was young. From Pakistan. She was a friend of my nephew. She was expecting a grilled cheese sandwich! It was not until I looked at the menu again that I saw "two fabulous soups". LOL!

 

This is what was brought to the table. Oh my gosh, it was funny. She was so confused. She sent it back and ordered something else. She said she cannot stand nacho cheese dip or anything like that.She does like a grilled cheese SANDWICH, though. Can you eat cheese like this? No bread - no crackers - no chips. The waiter said she should have tried it. It was delicious. I don't know.  I told her it looked a little bit like squash soup. I guess it was cheese soup. It looked cool, though - so I snapped a picture.

It was a delightful evening - regardless of the horrible weather.

A little sunshine

Here is a little bit of sunshine to hold you over until I get back into the habit of blogging. This is one of my great/grand nephews.

We did get the snow. Friday night. Big beautiful white fluffy stuff that was quite light to shovel. It was heavy and wet by  yesterday and mostly gone this morning. And here comes the rain.

Sigh, I guess we need it.

I will finally wish for snow. It is SO ugly outside. This photo is from last year. January is plodding along. It has been a wet and messy one. I don't know if I want snow (because of the shoveling), but the dogs do like to run and play in it and that always lifts my spirits. 

I especially like the snows that cancel school. For some reason that makes me feel all warm and cozy inside. To stay home on a "school day". I always feel like cooking a nice thick soup or a big meal and making the house all warm and cozy and smelling good. Sigh. I'm not sure we will use ANY snow days this year. The powers that be will probably go back to "we only need 3 calamity days" again.

The rain yesterday caused a lot of aches in my arms and wrists yesterday. Mostly on the right side. For some reason I did not want to take any Advil (I take so much), so I spent all day rubbing my wrist and upper arm. Then the winds came. I was half afraid to take the smaller dogs outside. They are quite funny, though. Cheech took off after a plastic bag that was blowing down the alley. He must have thought it was some strange and dangerous critter. I laughed and told him to "Get it, Cheech! Get it!" He gets all excited and jumps towards it but is never brave enough to actually go right up to it. The boxer? He's clueless.

I'm still here

Just floating around in a bubble. This looks like I am drunk, but I have not imbibed for some time. And I certainly did not get inebriated when I did.

I guess my only excuse is laziness. I have been busy at work but not so much at home. Sigh. Not certain what I have been doing. Regardless, the time certainly did slip away from me.

Not much to report. No movies. The boxer took a hissy fit for a couple of days and kept running off from me. He must have had a grudge against me about something. We got a bit of snow and the dogs are loving it. I do not care for shoveling the stuff, but I am glad to see a change from the rain.

Since blogger is determined to let me know that "hissy" is not spelled correctly, I had to go and look up the phrase. I read that it may have derived from the word hysterical or it may be that the one having the fit hisses. That made me smile.