a clean apartment is a wonderful thing

Well, Dave and I broke down (in light of the horrible asthma attacks this fall and last fall) and hired Dave's previous housecleaning service. They came today (two of them for the first time) and cleaned the whole apartment, top to bottom. Wow, it feels so good. They will be coming every other week, and I have to believe that my asthma will be getting better real fast. I already am feeling a little better. I know it is a little more expensive to have someone else clean my apartment, but it is better than me spending money going to the doctor.

Little Sister/Big Sister

Being a big sister can be a big responsibility. But I don't remember ever really having to do much as a big sister. My sister and brother were fairly self-sufficient, and didn't need me to help them. Plus, I have a terrible memory. I do remember when I was six and my sister was five that I had to walk home from school with her. As we grew up, Cindi and I were either pals or enemies. As we got older, we developed different interests and went off in different directions. I know I was fairly insecure for much of my life and felt that my little sister was more domineering and self-assured. I was even a little jealous of her. For many years now, I have not felt that sisterly relationship that I am sure we had at one time. Distance and busy lives make it easy to not even think about it. But 47 years later, I had the chance to be the big sister again. And it felt good. My sister was sleighted by someone and it hurt her feelings. I had the chance to say something to the other person in defense of my sister. What surprised me was how this affected me and my sister. Cindi called to thank me for sticking up for her and being her big sister. I was very touched by her words. It felt very good to be the big sister again.

I don't tell my brother or sister enough that I love them, but I do. So I hope they are reading this.

Email the service men/women overseas

I just sent an email to all the service men in the Army. I went to http://operationdearabby.net and there you can send a email for free to any service branch. I think this is very cool. I plan to send emails throughout the year. I feel very strongly that whether the war is right or wrong, it is important to the morale of the troops that they do not feel like they are alone over there.

Sparky, the lovebird

Our child, Sparky, is sick. He has a bladder infection. He is to get two drops of antiobiotics twice a day for 10 days. Luckily, the vet said that otherwise, he seemed to be pretty healthy. I had noticed that it looked like Sparky had blood in his urine and he was acting a little different, wanting to be in his cage even when we were watching TV. Just seemed a little lethargic. So I am glad I took him to the vet today......don't want the bladder infection to turn into kidney failure or anything like that.

The vet also said that there is a thing called allergy relief for birds that should help with my asthma. You wipe the bird down with it.

I cleaned the apartment pretty good and plan on not having Sparky out of his cage most of the day (instead of him sitting on my shoulder while I work). I have asked Dave to keep Sparky out of the bedroom if at all possible. I still have to find a cleaning lady to come to clean twice a month and possibly buy a humdifier for the bedroom.

Water, and other little things

Kari, I am drinking more water and hardly any soda. You will be proud of me. I have to counter act the prednisone that I am taking by trying to really lose some weight. The prednisone is going to give me a puffy face and make me look like I have gained, but I hope to not gain, and even lose a little.

Thank you Mindy

Mindy, thanks to your EasyGiftExchange idea I am all done with Xmas shopping and can relax. It feels so good.

Dave has taken care of New Years Eve......we are giving ourselves a gift of a romantic night at the Sheraton, champagne, evening snack, breakfast in bed, free movie. Just my kind of party.

Okay, okay, I give up, I have asthma

Yep, asthma supposedly is what is causing my "illness". Crud. I am fighting the fact that I have asthma. I have to start making major changes in my living area to prevent me from not being able to control the asthma.

Here is the list:

• Get rid of the lovebird (not going to happen)
• Okay, then decrease amount of time spent with lovebird.
• Clean apartment so that it is very clean (yeah, right) -
• Someone other than me has to vacuum weekly (I have purchased face masks to wear so that I can vacuum and will look into hiring a cleaning lady)
• No curtains (nope, don't have any)
• No carpets (cannot remove carpets in apartment - have to move)
• No feather pillows (we have two; mine has a plastic cover and a cotton zippered cover and Dave's has two cotton covers.)
• Change sheets weekly (well, I will certainly try)
• Take all medications - advair, singular, claritin, flonase, astelin, prednisone (for 10 days), sudafed

I am going to clean the bedroom today (real good and use my face mask). As Joanie, Kari and Mindy know, this will involve probably rearranging the bedroom, and as Joanie knows, that will "bother" Dave. But I know that the bedroom is very dusty and the only way to decrease that is to move furniture, therefore, I might as well rearrange. I will let you know how I do.

_______________________________

Well, the bedroom is clean and I didn't rearrange anything. It is so small that there isn't any real good way to position things.

Tommorrow I will try to tackle the office. I will see if I can get Dave to vacuum the front room and hallway.

I am learning the art of pacing myself.

Dave and I are going to pick a 3.95 movie to watch on cable. Cheaper than going out or renting one.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

free time

It looks like this weekend we do not have anything scheduled. Oh my....what will I do. Nevermind, don't answer that. I know what we will do.....NOTHING.

I thought of something the other day......I tend to live in the moment a lot of the time. If the doctor asks me how I feel. I tell him how I am feeling at that moment. The problem with that is that I probably was feeling rotten for days before that. I find that I rally and feel better when I am out and about and around people. I think it is a survival mechanism inherent to all animals and humans. You don't want to be perceived as weak or ill. I can usually make myself "feel" a little better for short periods of time. But even more than that, if anyone asks me how I am doing, the answer is always how I am doing at that very moment. I could be having a horrible day, but then one good thing happens to me and then someone asks me how I am doing, it will be, Great!

Weird.

Cathy Bates

Do I look like Cathy Bates? Someone told me that I did. But I want to know which movie?

Shopping

We had a great time shopping with Mom Joanie last Sunday.

Dad in WWII

I am having a fun time. My dad has a computer. He is slowly learning how to use it. He can receive email and send emails (doesn't know how to reply yet). I am sending him links to look at on the internet of his wartime experiences. He was in the 503rd infantry when they landed on Corregidor. He was a parachuter. Here is a picture that I believe is him. He is the eighth one from the left on the 1st row.

The weekend so far

I took my daughter's advice and "puttered" yesterday. I thought I wouldn't be able to because Dave was home and he usually has something planned for us. He wanted to write a couple of articles for the website. I was able to take my time and vacuum and dust and reorganize a little bit the living and dining rooms. I still have more to do, but feel better that I accomplished that much. I was even able to watch two Lifetime movies. Something that is unheard of when Dave is home. He is better at realizing that I need to watch my programs sometimes.

We then went out to eat and did some shopping for Xmas gifts. I am way ahead of schedule on buying gifts for Xmas. This is because of my daughter's wonderful idea to use EasyGiftExchange. I used to have such a problem trying to find something to buy for my sons-in-law and my children, not knowing what they have already and what they want.

I am an idiot

Just thought I would confirm what everyone suspected. Yes, I am a dumb blonde.

Proof: I took more than 100 pictures at the MAC Championship game. (Did anyone watch? Did you see me on the sidelines?) I thought I uploaded all the files to my computer and then deleted the files off the digital camera. Well, I lost all of the files. :(

busy week

We are having a busy week. I quit my part-time evening job so that I could get more rest. But the week has been full. Besides working my daytime job.....

Monday, I went to Smokehouse Blues with Dave for the EMU Coaches show on WAAM. One of the announcers was not feeling so well, so they asked Dave to stay for the last hour of the show to be the second announcer. Dave is getting some good experience.

Tuesday, we went to the EMU basketball game.

Wednesday was the MRO radio program and then I called my dad to see if I could help him with his computer. That is another story.

Tonight, we go to Ford Field for the MAC Championship game.

Friday, looks like we do not have anything to do.