Seems early this year!  Doesn't it?

I have to work tomorrow.  Was hoping to play in my craft room this weekend...but I got asked out on a DATE by my HUSBAND!  Whooo! 

Usually, it's me that says, "Let's go do something."  This time, he came up with the whole agenda.  I'm so excited.  Nothing fancy, but we'll have fun I'm sure! 

So...that takes Saturday out of the mix.  Sunday is church, and dinner at my dad's house.  Monday will be clean house & get ready to go back to work on Tuesday-day.  So...there's my weekend.

How about you?  Any great plans?

Went to visit my daughter this weekend and to meet my new grand-dog. He's a cutie-patootie. High maintenance! Lots of energy. The shelter said he was 1+ years old. NOT. That dog is maybe 8 or 9 months old. He's still a puppy!

But me...being the crafty scrapbooker that I am...go down there specifically to see this new love in my daughter's life...and guess what I did. Or didn't do. I didn't take a single picture. Not one. I left my camera card in my stinkin' computer! 

I'm a bad scrapbooker...dog-grandma! But to make up for it...I bought the pup lots of new toys and puppy treats. Sugar him up and then leave him for the kid. Oh yeah. That's what grandparents do! heehee

This is the first Mother's Day I've had without my kids being home.  Last year would've been the first, but my daughter surprised me and came home!  I'm feeling a little blue...

:(

Come back!

I forgot that was today!  So all my scrappy friends that are here and only lurk....come in and say hello!

Today is a glorious day here on the Oregon coast.  I got to sleep in until 9:30, and it was only my bladder that finally made me get out of bed (I know...TMI).  *lol*  And now...after I finish my morning check-in....I'm gonna go play in my craft room.  I might only be cleaning - but it's been months since I've been in there!  It's time! :)

...but I'm already dreaming of the weekend.  This will be the first weekend since I got back from Phoenix that I will be home!  I've been running around like a crazy woman every weekend until now.  I plan on cleaning my craft room.  I don't know how it got so messy while I was away.  And then...if I still have the energy....I might make some cards or do a page or 3 in my Project Life album.

What about you?  What are your plans for the weekend?

Just helped my daughter move into a new apartment.  She was sharing a 3 bedroom apartment with 3 other girls (sharing a room with one of them) and she really wanted to get out.  Too much college drama in a small space for her.  So she found a small little 2 bedroom apartment that she's going to share with another friend, who won't be moving in until December.  We told her that we'd help pay the rent until the roommate moved in. 

Got her all settled in...had to buy a bunch of stuff for her though...like a comfy chair to sit in, some kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff, etc.  Think I spent about $300 this weekend.  ugh. 

I am so tired!  I know...that seems to be a common thread with me...but seriously...I'm just exhausted.

Between piles & piles of work to do...and everything is a priority.... to taking care of my dad...there is just very little time for anything else.

This weekend I was hoping to get back into my craft room...but no...now I have to help my daughter move into a new apartment.  I'm bringing down her full-size bed & frame, along with some other stuff & junk.  Hopefully she'll have a few friends to help her unload everything because I will not be able to help her carry that mattress up a flight of stairs. 

Hope everyone else is fine!!  Post a note & let us know you're out there somewhere!

My dad gets to come home from the nursing home on TUESDAY!!!

I can't stop smiling!

Ugh.  Life is just kicking my butt these days.  I have so much to do at work, at home...and everything with my dad.

He's doing much better and we're trying to get him home.  But there are so many steps to getting him out of the nursing home!  The biggest hurdle right now is the bedsore he has on his butt.  It's a BIG hole.  Yesterday we had the wound care nurse at the hospital look at it and prescribe further treatment.  Today a surgeon evaluated it to see if he needed surgery.  He doesn't.  Which is good news, but we still don't have a definite answer as to when he'll be able to come home.  His wound will need daily cleaning/care.  I'm a little squeemish about those sorts of things...and home health care doesn't come out every day...only a couple times/week.  So we've got to figure all that out.  I'm just worn out thinking about it.

I have no creativity in me right now.  There just is no time to do anything! :(

I hate it with a passion.

'nuff said!

Well.  I thought maybe I was old enough to start thinking about retirement.  But according to our retirement planner...I'm not.  Damn.

Bernie just turned 55 and we were thinking he could retire about 58, and that I'd retire when he retired. Nope.  That's not gonna happen.

Because I worked part time for several years (so I could be home with the kids when they were home), that really set us back financially.  It was a great move at the time - one I don't regret...but now we're going to have to make up for that time.

So, it looks like I'll be working until I'm 62 (10 more years) and Bernie will retire when I retire.  bleh.

I found these great cookies at Safeway.  They're Red Velvet with white chocolate chips.  YUMMY!  And all I want to do is EAT them all. 

So...in other news today....we have a choice to make.  Spend $350 to fix our 10 year old dishwasher.  Or go and buy a new one.  Just what we need.  Ugh.

Think I'll go have another cookie!

Well...I'm home from Arizona - and was welcomed back to Oregon by rain, rain, rain! *lol*  It's nice to be home, but I miss the beautiful sunshine & warm weather.  I really do believe that I may have to move there someday - with or without the hubby! *lol*

In other good news...my dad is improving by leaps & bounds.  It really is nothing short of a miracle.  It was so great to see him yesterday when I got back into town.  In just 2 short weeks, he's gone from barely being able to talk or move to almost normal.  He's still very weak and his physical therapy wears him out.  But he is walking (with the aid of a walker), can talk up a blue streak, and can eat regular food.  His short term memory is a little faulty - but if that's the worst of his troubles, then it's all good.  He does have a wound (bed sore) on his backside that isn't healing very quickly.  Its pretty miserable for him.  And the Dr wants him to stay at the care center for another 2 weeks because of it.  Daddy was very disappointed with that news - but understands the reason.  We're in the process of moving his house around so his bedroom will be downstairs instead of upstairs.  And hopefully in 2 weeks - he'll get to go home...and live on his own.  Big happy dance!

In the meantime - I'm on vacation this week - and I'm going to be spending a lot of time cleaning his house, getting it ready for him to move back, and driving into town to visit him.  Taking care of a sick dad is lots of work.  We're wondering how we're going to be able to work and take care of his needs when he gets home.  He has decided that its time to give up driving....so we'll be his shuttle service.  Life changes, doesn't it?

Anyway...sorry for the loooong update.  Just wanted to say HEY and let everyone know how things are going!

Maya Road is having their spring warehouse sale starting now (until April 24th or until stuff runs out).  I ordered one box from them at their last warehouse sale and was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that was in the box.  Here's the link.  Go check it out.  I think I'll buy another box!

http://www.mayaroad.net/index.php?main_page=storefront

I'm so angry right now I could spit bullets!

So...before I go off and rant...let me tell you the good news.  My dad STOOD UP today!  He needed help to stand, but once he was up, he stood on his own.  He even took a couple of shuffling steps!  Yesterday, he actually held a cup with both hands and brought it to his mouth to drink out of the straw.  That is SUCH good news!  Today he was moved to a care center where he can really begin working on his therapy.  Progress!  It makes me smile big happy smiles!

Now...the vent.  The damn vultures.  They're circling.  First - my niece sends me a FB message and says she & her husband are in a really bad place financially, and if my dad (her G'pa) needs a caregiver, they would love to come up here and live with him to do that.  My dad has already told me (before his stroke) that he did not want them living with him.  So here she is...trying to sneak in through the back door.  Grrr...

Then...my uncle...who has not been up to visit my dad since my dad moved to town...calls to "remind me" that my dad wants him to have his gun collection.  I know that.  It's in his will.  But my dad is not dead.  So nobody gets them - they still belong to my dad.  So...uncle drives up to visit my dad.  Brings his truck.  Reminds me again about the guns.  I tell him it's not the right time to think about those things.  THEN...today, he calls me and says that he's heading home tomorrow and it would make sense for him to take the guns with him now because that way he wouldn't have to come back at a later time (at great expense to him) to get them.  I called & left a message that very clearly stated that I knew my dad wanted him to have the guns, but that until my dad was gone, the guns would remain in my dad's possession.  I did not want my dad coming home to finding his possessions gone. 

I was SO mad.  Isn't that rude of him to ask?  I'm still ready to spit bullets!

Last Monday seems like ages ago.  When I think about my dad lying in his chair...waiting for my husband to find him...that was only last Monday.  It sucks.  I'm not in a happy place right now.  Sorry.

I'm back in Phoenix.  Going to try to finish my last 2 weeks of class.  Daddy is still in the hospital, but hopefully will be able to go into a care facility soon.  He's not able to do anything on his own yet.  But I know he's "in there"....we can see it when he mutters a few words or when he puts a smirk on his face.  Ugh.  I had hoped and I know he had hoped he would never be in a place like this.  Please, if you would, say  a prayer for his recovery?  Thanks! 

I've only been home since Weds, but the days all seem to run together.  I'm emotionally exhausted.  Tomorrow I'm supposed to go back to Phoenix to finish the last 2 weeks of class.  It will be difficult to do that.

Daddy is still in the hospital. He has good days (if you can call them that) and bad days.  Yesterday was a bad day.  He wouldn't repond to much, and seemed zoned out most of the time.  Today he would look at you, but not really acknowlege that you were there.  I think he's given up - mentally.  :( 

He'll be in the hospital for a few more days and then into a rehab center.  Honestly - I don't know how much he'll improve.  I'm hoping & praying for the best, but unless he wants to work at it, he won't improve.  I don't see that desire in him.  When I talk about going home, he rolls his eyes at me and turns his head.  It's like he's just given up.

I'm going through so many emotions right now.  Sadness because things will never be the same.  Hopefulness because I want him to get better.  Anger because I'm mad at him for not taking care of himself.  Even though  you can't predict strokes - we can tell he was having issues that may have lead to him having the stroke.  And he didn't call anyone.  It's just all so draining.

Thanks for your thoughts & prayers.  If you can say another one, it would be much appreciated. 

We think my dad had a stroke this morning. Or maybe Sunday, sometime. 

My hubby couldn't get ahold of him yesterday (the day he usually comes over for dinner), so this morning he goes to check on him and finds him on the couch.  Coherent, but barely.  Called the ambulance and got him to the hospital.

He's severely dehydrated and his kidneys have shut down.  Very low blood pressure and very rapid heart rate.  They're rehydrating him and hoping his kidneys will kick back in gear.  He can move when asked to, and seems to be able to hear/understand when people are talkign to him, but has limited speech right now.

And it sucks even worse because I'm here in ARIZONA and he's at home in OREGON!  I have 3 more weeks of class.  If I leave now, I have to repeat the WHOLE 9 WEEKS!  I'm still waiting to hear results of tests that were taken this morning.  I may be flying out tomorrow to get home.  I drove down here (2.5 day drive), so will have to leave my truck somewhere so I can fly home.  Crap crap crap. CRAP. *sob*

I spent a better part of my weekend working on a writing project for my class.  Got it turned in Sunday morning.  Yay!  Thought I'd reward myself with a trip to Hobby Lobby (because we don't have those in Oregon), when I found out they were closed on Sundays.  Boo!  Sat by the pool, reading a book for 3 hours instead.  I think I'll be the only tan person in our office when I get back next month! *lol*

Did you all remember to SPRING forward this weekend?  They don't do the timechange in Arizona.  I kinda like that.  One more reason to move here (I hate the time change!).

What's everyone up to this week?  We're on the downhill slide of our class.  This is Week 7 of a 9 week class. WHOO!

I'm posting this everywhere I can think of just to get the word out. 

One of our retired teachers (a favorite in our community) is in Mexico on vacation. She just posted on FB that one of her family members (that is traveling with her) has gone missing. She didn't say who it was. I only know that this family member has been missing since 11am yesterday (2/26). They've contacted local authorities, the Red Cross, hospitals and have an appointment with the American Embassy this afternoon. She's scared and they have no idea what's happened. Please pray for her peace of mind and that her family member is found soon. Apparently he left the hotel to do a bit of shopping for souveniers and never returned.

I had to work all weekend on a paper for class.  Got it done Saturday night and just lazed around on Sunday doing nothing.  We didn't have to be in class until 11am this morning (usually its 8am) and then we only had class for an hour and got to leave!  WOW.  Wasn't expecting that.  Got back to my hotel room at noon and just spent the last 3 hours out by the pool in the beautiful sunshine!

Love short days!  I'm sure we'll have to make up for this time somewhere, but for today - I'm enjoying it! :)

Phoenix is weird in the springtime.  On Weds there was snow here in the valley.  Freaked people out.  They're so used to nearly year round sunshine that they don't know how to drive when it rains or snows and traffic comes to a near standstill.  I'd hate to see these people driving in Oregon! *lol*

Today is beautiful & sunny.  No one would ever know that it snowed earlier this week.  Its supposed to get into the low 70's today. 

Anyone doing anything fun this weekend?  I have homework (a paper) that is due on Monday morning, so I won't be doing anything else until I get done with that.  I started it last night and am about 1/3 done.  If I finish it today - I'll get to play tomorrow.

I have been working on my PL album.  This method is rather freeing!  I don't have to think about layout.  I just used a couple of pre-matched pieces of color from the "core kit", slip my pictures into the pockets, add a bit of journaling, and I'm done.  I could make it fancier, I suppose - but that takes work.  So I'm finding this very easy to do.  The most difficult part is trying to figure out how to print the pictures small enough to fit into the small pockets.  I'm still struggling with that.

Anyway - happy Saturday.  Hope you're doing something fun!

I'm 4 weeks into this class and totally brain dead.  I can't even think of anything to say in this message except to say HI! 

hi.

Only 5 more weeks to go and then I get to go home!  Whooo!

I'm here alone again. 

Today's a holiday - heck I can't even remember what holiday it is.  Martin Luther King?  No that's January.  February.  Hmm...President's Day?  I've lost track of time during this class.

So...let's see...what's on the agenda today?  I have to find someone that can drive me to the dealership to pick up my truck after I left it there on Saturday for repairs.   I plan to work on my PL album.  Yeah...said that yesterday, but hopefully will get to it today.

What's everyone else doing?  I see that people are reading posts.  So post something! :)

Ok...I know SOME of you are scrapping.  Put something in the gallery so I can give some points away.

Or post here & say hello!  I miss you!