TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I woke up about 6:45am mainly because I had to make that toddle to the bathroom.  I do that and decide I can stay up now to wait for Tara's phone call.  Turns out that Tara never set a definite time to bring me in.  She verified that there were several openings all day long so she figured she would have time.  Well, she didn't.  HOWEVER.....not to worry.  She got through the switchboard early (7:30am), set a definite time for me (1pm) then calls me back.  The Beast, who had been sound asleep, managed to get up and here into my room before I barely said good morning to Tara.  Yeah, like he really gave a chit!  Of course, who knows?  Maybe he has plans for administering the poison at a particular time.  Who knows?

So, if you are here to find out what happened today, you are too early.  Come back around 6pm Central (or so).  One way or another, I will either be out of pain (due to new pain meds) or out of pain (due to Beast's poison).  If the second is true, Bratfink will let you know. 

Love you.  Be good. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

The Beast got a bit of a shock on Saturday.  He received an invitation to his 50th Graduation Reunion.  However, get this.  His actual last year of high school, he attended a school in Florida (and, yes, he graduated).  But every single invitation he has received his whole adult life has come from the high school he attended for every year EXCEPT his graduation year.  Go figure.  But, the truly strange part is this.....when they would have started doing their research and updating, we would have already left our home in Florida (last known address) to move here.  We were well past the forwarding time period for the post office.  We did NOT have a land line or directory assistance address.  Our cell phones were on the *do not call* list.  He does not keep in touch with anyone he went to high school with so where in the hell did they get our current address from?  Hmm?  Hmm?

The Beast made some really great bean soup the other day.  In fact, it was good enough that even Chewlee ate some of it.  He also made a pot roast with.....ta da!  carrots from our garden.  I kid you not.  He had left them in because they were kind of late developing.  The weather was mild so what could it hurt?  The carrots were beautiful and just perfect.  But there is something about our putting carrots from our garden in with the pot roast that turned off Chewlee.  She normally will eat the carrots (not the meat) but she wanted no part of these.  She had seen them when the Beast brought them in.  She might actually have seen him pick them out of the garden.  But they were NOT the carrots SHE wanted to eat.  Nope...not a single bite passed through those little lips of hers.   

I know it's not the fact that Baron poops on the ground because our garden was done up in raised boxes.  The dog does NOT jump up onto them to *do his business*.  In fact, when the Beast goes around the yard with the shovel to collect and relocate THAT, Chewlee will NOT go near the area he puts it all.  Chewlee and the Beast both have an aversion to adding any of it to the compost but that doesn't bother me at all.  It's a choice, is all.

The Beast picked me up some of the KFC hot wings on his way home after the meeting on Sunday.  I was so tickled.  Even Chewlee eats those and she ate a couple of them.  I managed to save a couple more and that will more than likely be my dinner tomorrow (today) since I doubt I will want much more after coming home from the wound center.  He even got me a whole jalapeno pepper and I saved that.  A glass of milk, the pepper and my remaining five or six wings will do me just nicely.  If I want more, I'll just add come cottage cheese.

The goofy Princess calls me from her work around 7pm tonight (Sunday night) and you won't guess what the first words out of her mouth were?  *Grandma, could you watch Chewlee for me tomorrow from about 10 until 4 or 4:40pm?  My boss asked me if I could work.....*  I interrupted her and said, *No, I can't actually, dear.  Have you forgotten?* at the same time that she stopped herself and said, *OH!  I forgot about the doctor's appointment at the Wound Center....*.  We both laughed and I heard her telling her boss what was up as she disconnected.  At least this is a time when she can KEEP her day off for a change.  Her boss thinks nothing of having her come in to work on days she really needs to be able to get her washing done or her grocery shopping.  I mean, *C'mon woman!  This gal is working over 40 hours a week.  She is going full-time to college and at a more distant campus so more time lost in travel.  She also has to do all the other things mothers do....clean, cook, wash, shop....I know she has more energy than I do but who doesn't?    There ARE limits!

Oh well, I went to bed early tonight because I really was tired.  I think I might have surprised the Beast even.  The dog woke me up once because he was snoring so loud so I pushed my foot out from under the blanket and used it to shake and wake him.  A couple hours later, I woke up, got up and cleaned my boo-boo's up and decided to do this before I head back to catch a little more sleep. 

Love you all.  It's going to be almost 60 here today (and higher tomorrow) plus sunny so it will be a nice day all round.  Be good.  Be careful.  Smile a lot. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I've been out of pain pill for several weeks now and have become more dependent on aspirin for pain relief, mostly at bedtime.  During the day, I can pretty much grit my teeth and endure but, at night, it requires more than that.  I do, however, have to start taking it about four hours before bedtime and then, hopefully, it will prevent the pain relief from fading before the new dose kicks in.

The bad thing is that it's been waking me up so I need to take a third dose in order to get a halfway decent nights sleep.  That leads me to becoming *aspirin deaf*.  It's been years since I suffered from that and it goes back all the way to when I was a kid (yeah, in the days of Fred Flintstone....hahaha!).  Back then, penicillin was the miracle drug and there really was no such thing as a *pain pill* of the types we have today.  Aspirin was pretty much the pain reliever of...well, THE pain reliever unless you were in a hospital getting an IV drip of morphine or something similar.

Back then, there were also fewer restrictions on just how many aspirin you could take in a day's time (24 hours).  It took a LOT of aspirin to have a pain relief affect on me so I actually had a prescription when I got older (for 1000 mg per tablet) and I got to take 2 of those instead of 500 mg ones (now they are all 325mg or those 82 mg ones for heart maintenance).  I think some of the newer restrictions came from the side affects like I am experiencing right now.....aspirin deafness.  And, get this!  I no longer take 2000 mg of aspirin for pain relief.  I'm only taking 3 tablets at a time, 4 hours apart.  But, after 4-5 days, the cumulative affects leave me with diminished hearing.  I have a hard time even hearing MYSELF talk.  Add to that the fact that my sinuses are clogged almost constantly due to my allergies and it's very frustrating.

I told the Beast today to be sure to speak up to me because I really couldn't HEAR a damn thing.  Chewlee complained that the TV was loud but I told her to sit in my recliner and it wouldn't be so bad.  I guess she agrees.  She knows I can't hear the TV unless it's turned up where it's at but I actually can hear kind of regular if it's on the phone.  How weird is that??

Only a single shift today for the Princess (and me).  Poor Chewlee is really in for it.  Of course, I think this is her mother's fault!  The Princess bought some face painting supplies back during Halloween.  I finally made her take them to HER house and I said, *Put them up in the closet or throw them out*.  I don't know WHERE she put them but it was obvious that it wasn't UP or OUT.  Chewlee got a hold of it all and painted EVERYWHERE (she says...the Princess, I mean).  So, tomorrow, the Princess is putting ALL of Chewlee's toys up and she has to earn them back.  I'm not against that kind of thing but I do think it shouldn't apply in this instance.  It's the Princess's fault that Chewlee could get at the paints (fully washable, BTW but a PITA nonetheless...LOL).  I think she should split the difference and just cut down on the amount of toys Chewlee can play with.  She could probably put 3/4 of them up and never miss most of them.    Not that she's spoiled, mind you.  No, no, no....never. 

Okay...love you all.  Big day tomorrow.  I'll let you know what happens....I hope.  Pray for me that I can suffer through the pain, whatever that might be.

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

As cold as it was this morning (24 degrees F.), the house only felt a teensy bit chilly.  Once the Beast got up, he turned on the baseboard heaters for a bit and the house soon warmed up nicely.  I had my door shut into my computer room and my little ceramic heater on so *I* was warm.  Only my darn fingers on my left hand took longer to warm up.  I really hate arthritis.  Miserable stuff.  Once I woke up, I took some aspirin for both my feet and my fingers and they were soon much more comfortable.  I won't say they were pain-free (that aint gonna happen) but they were manageable.

Today the Beast and I decided to tackle the linen closet together.  There was stuff in there that needed to be thrown out, a shitload of towels that we needed to decide on which to keep and which to give away.  What is so weird is that I have thinned those numbers down twice already.  I gave a bunch to the Princess long ago (most of which she still has) and I even gave some to Tara a couple years ago.  Now we are going to give a few more to Tara since she is the one with the most kids (and lord, I know how kids do NOT believe you can use a towel more than once!).

So, we went through the stuff and the Beast decides they really all need washing first since they really DO smell like old cigarette smoke.  That's even with the fact that the door into it is closed 99.95% of the time.  Smoke is like that.  Then the Beast cleans the inside and outside of the door, the vent grate and has decided he is going to paint inside there now.  Not that it doesn't need it.  It's still got that crappy construction paint on it from when it was built.  If he wants to do it, more power to him plus it keeps him out of my room.  He's eyeing it and I can tell I will have to really have a fight over that with him.  I already told him he is NOT to touch this room.  *I* will do that once I feel better and can walk and stand for more than 30 seconds at a time.  He wants to do what HE wants to do and what I want (or even need) means nothing.  But then, you all know that already.  All I want to do is slow him down a bit because I CAN stick up for myself or others when I need to.  He just beats me down sometimes and I get tired of everything being a constant fight.

So, then he makes pancakes for dinner and Chewlee becomes the waitress.  She was so cute with her, *Grandmaaaaaaaa!  It's dinner time!  Here you are.  Is there anything else you need?*  Had a grin on my face just from the sweet lilt in her voice.  Kids!  Gotta love 'em!

It's up to 54 degrees here now and the worst of our cold weather is over too.....for now.  It WILL go down into the upper 30's tonight but then it's on a warming trend (and even some rain next week Tuesday or Wednesday).  I'm sure it won't last long but I'll enjoy it while I can.

Chewlee isn't happy that she can't go ice skating yet but I told her it will happen.  If they stop showing Olivia on NickJr. doing it, she would probably not even care.

Love you all.  Gotta go stop the Beast from clearing out MY side of the Master closet.  Yeah, even that isn't sacred.  Be good.  Stay warm.  Drive safe. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

My niece, Tara, started a big to-do over the wounds on my poor feet today.  She emailed damn near everyone in the family (well, the females anyway) and totally exaggerated what she THINKS she saw.  I wish she had seen them originally because then she would know they are not as bad as she thinks.  However, if I had known we actually had a Wound Center here locally, I would have been there in a heartbeat a long time ago.  Just to be on the safe side and because I cannot debrid some of the dead skin that can cause infection in this one area.  I get it eventually but I am not really a contortionist and it's painful in more ways than one.

The other thing that bothered me was my sisters being so insistent that I was lying to them about seeing a doctor.  Not so.  What I have been contending with, however, is a doctor that really isn't competent to take care of older people.  He's in his mid-30's and I don't think he had all that much experience with private patients.  I know he showed a huge reluctance to even touch me....and we are talking my FEET here, nothing more intimate.  It's also why, when the Beast didn't really want to drive me, I would just call and change my appointment to another day.  Hell, I could probably have emailed him a picture and he would have been happier with that.  Besides, the Beast gets all embarrassed over the way I have to walk (and the fact that I can't walk far without having to stop).  Yeah, like he's not old himself.  I sure didn't treat him badly when he was confined to a wheelchair and I had to keep an eye on his hand that kept dropping down and could get tangled up in the wheelchair's wheel.  It was just a fact of life.  I did what I had to do while he was recovering.  I was never embarrassed by the fact either.  There's nothing worse than being with someone that doesn't really want to be with you.

ANYWAY, my niece, Tara, is taking me to the Wound Center on Monday morning at 8am.  If they keep me for any length of time, I know she has to work and I will just make the Beast come and get me after they are done with me so she won't have to miss any work.  At least she got the appointment for me and is taking me there so the Beast doesn't have to pull his sorry ass out of bed for something so unimportant to him as MY doctor's appointment.  I don't think he cares if I walk right again except for the fact that it will save him from having to do some of the things he's been doing these past few months.  Things he hates, like mopping floors.  Weeding the garden.  Making dinner most of the time.  Shopping.  Especially shopping.  He REALLY hates that.  He's been doing it with my lists (and some of his own, of course) but how he hates shopping of any kind unless it's something for HIM.

I soaked in the tub today until my poor heel started throbbing just from the soap in the water.  It's bad enough I scrub it but it wants OUT after that.  I should have hung it over the side and just let it air dry.    But I smelled really good when I got out.  Even the dog came over to sniff me.  I used some neat soap that Sheepie picked up when she was here.  I forget the aroma and don't want to walk over to see what it is right now (forgive me) but it's both floral and fruity....maybe roses and strawberries.  It's just smells yummy.

Well, time to get this posted.  We may be getting more snow tonight and I know my internet has come and gone all day long.  It's up right now so I will say.....love you all.  Have a great day.  Stay safe and warm.  Please be careful driving if you must.  Watch out for the other guy. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

As usual, when Chewlee breezes in the door you never can be sure what child she will be.  The good one.  The funny one.  The sneaky one.  Or the opinionated one.  Today she was a mix of opinionated and funny.

I cut the Beast's hair today and Chewlee was full of questions.  First she wanted to know WHY I was cutting it.  I told her that Grandpa wanted to be beautiful and she thought that was funny.  She said, *Boys aren't beautiful!*  When I asked her what they were, she said, *Boys are HANDSOME!*  The Beast and I both laughed and I said, *Then I guess Grandpa wants to be handsome, doesn't he?*  She was then fascinated with the hair I was trimming off around his neckline and yelling at me for *making a big mess*.  Grandpa told her not to worry, he would clean it all up.  She picked up the cushion from the chair and kind of waved it at him and said, *And don't forget to put this back on it, too!*  She can be bossy sometimes.

She was hungrier than most days because she actually ate some of the Beast's bean soup with ham tonight.  It turned out great although it had kind of a sad beginning...a bit too greasy.  For some reason the Beast thinks greasy = tasty.  He's learning.  He skimmed off a lot of the grease from the ham and it was much tastier.  It even had a bit of *zing* to it but I think it was just from the pepper.  Anyway, she had to come and tell me she had eaten all her bean soup (and the Beast told me she really had).  Later on, after Tara dropped by, she also had a slice of the coconut creme pie (which she pronounced her second favorite after strawberry pie) with some chocolate milk.  About a half hour later, she begged for a pickle so she ate a half.  Love those Claussen's!  After that (yes, she ate more), she had a hot dog and another glass of milk.  I had to make sure she was done drinking anything by 8pm because her mother said she had wet the bed the night before.

When I questioned Chewlee about wetting the bed (I told her only babies did that, not big girls her age) she told me that she wanted to get up but her eyes wouldn't work for her.  They kept shutting on her so that she went back to sleep.  She told me she really, really tried but her eyes wouldn't work right.  So I told her that, until she got her eyes to *work right* for her, it meant no more having anything to drink after 8pm.  So she asked me if I would be sure to tell her when it was getting close to 8pm in case her mouth was thirsty.  I told her I would.

When Tara was here, at one point Chewlee was sitting in her lap and she bumped her boob.  She turned to say she was sorry but then added, *Wow!  You have really big boobs, Auntie Tara.*  Tara laughed and said, *Why thank you for noticing, sweetheart.* and we all laughed.

Later, while watching cartoons, every once in a while she would let out a scream.  I asked her not to do that and she told me, *I can't help it, Grandma.  My throat just does that and I can't stop it.*  However, she finally did once I told her if she did it again, she would have to go to bed and stay there until her mother came for her.  At that, she started to cry.  I told her I only said if she did it again and she, sobbing softly, said, *I know but what if my throat doesn't listen?*  I told her to tell her throat what would happen and that it better be good.  She stopped crying (and the yelling stopped, too).

She got so excited when she found out it was snowing outside.  However, she's excited because she wants to go ice skating and she knows she can't if it's not really cold outside.  She got all worried because she couldn't find one of her gloves that's for *making snowballs* because it's made of plastic or some such material so your hands don't get soaked.  I told her not to worry because her mommy would be sure to get her some if/when they go.  She asked me if she could borrow MY hat (it's really cute, warm and furry looking) and I told her she could if she wanted.  It's knit and does fit on her although you can tell its for an adult.  However, I know her mother will have her in a hoodie over her clothes and under her hooded jacket.  She even has snow pants for her.  I doubt the kid will be able to move, let alone skate. 

Well, it's awfully cold outside and still snowing.  The Princess said the roads are icy so she is definitely driving like an old lady.  I know she is terrified of an accident like she had last winter.  Now there is no extra vehicle and she would be screwed six ways to Sunday between work and school.  Pray for her.  She needs it.

Love you all.  Stay warm and safe.  Be good. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Chewlee has become very stealthy lately.  She crept into my room with this cute princess mask and suddenly showed up at my side and made me jump.  She had quietly opened my door and tip-toed over to me like a burglar in training.    She claimed her baloney from the Princess before she had to leave for work (from our fridge, of course).  Later she asked me for more baloney and some chocolate milk.  She was watching her programs on the big TV in the living room so I could watch my NCIS marathon.

Suddenly, there she was again.  Only this time she told me she wanted to change her name.  She kept begging me to let her change her name but, when asked, she really didn't say why she wanted to do that.  I think it might have been an episode of Ruby that put the idea in her mind.  I told her I thought Chewlee was a wonderful name but she said she was tired of it.  When I asked her what name she liked, she shrugged and said, *What do YOU think?*  I again told her Chewlee was a good name but she said no.  I told Bratfink about the search for a new name and she was throwing out suggestions.  First they were boys names, which Chewlee immediately rejected.  Heck, she thought Jacquelyn was a boy's name.    She did like Wendy for a minute or two until I told her there was a hamburger named for Wendy.  I think she made the connection in her mind because she said she didn't have red hair so Wendy was out.

I finally told her to go sit down quietly and think about names she liked.....and no made up ones because she likes to do that.  Sometimes it sounds like she speaks a foreign language.    So she left after yelling at me to turn down MY TV because she thought it was too loud.  She had a point because I had not changed the volume but it was higher on this one particular episode.  They do that sometimes.

There are days she seems like such a little girl and other days when she seems so much older than she is.  When I went to get more coffee, she was laying on the floor, her blankey under her head, watching one of her programs on NickJr.  I truly love that station.  No commercials although they have started saying who is sponsoring a segment but they just announce who the sponsor is.  No commercials are involved.  I know most parents get tired of hearing...*I want THAT!*  I sure did.  Which is why we don't watch Sponge Bob lately.  He's on Nick (but not NickJr) and it's full of commercials.  I've learned to say, *We'll see....* and she accepts that.

Ahhh, she has decided that she will think about a new name on another day.  Right now she says she is too busy.  She's *dancing* with the Fresh Beat Band.  She looks adorable trying out some of the dance steps.  She can shake that booty, too. 

I woke up this morning to a horrible storm.  Lots of rain, wind and lightning.  I turned on our news channel and discovered they actually track how many lightning strikes are taking place.  There was one stretch where there were 123 strikes in less than 5 minutes.  Busy storm.  Thankfully, it passed us heading north and moved into North Carolina little-by-little.  But it's been storming a bit here and there all day.  Enough so that Baron has become very wary when he wants out.  He checks to make sure it's not raining.  He's such a wuss.

Okay...time to get this posted.  I have to do it while I have a connection and the storms make that chancey.  Love you all and I hope you are safe, secure and warm. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Our family pretty much believes in the power of sleep to help heal our bodies.  We've expounded on the idea a time or two.  I have ALWAYS, from when I was a kid, felt that it was true.  There was much in my life to make a believer of me.  One good example comes to mind.  I was in the fourth grade and feeling AWFUL at school.  All I wanted was to get home and lay down for a while before dinner.  It was a Wednesday.  I came home and went right into my bedroom, crawled under the covers and must have fallen asleep as my head hit the pillow.  The next thing I remembered was being woken up by the sound of people laughing in the kitchen area and crawling out of bed, very hungry.

I was surprised to find an aunt and uncle in the kitchen with my mom and dad and everyone saying things like, *Well, there she is...the sleepyhead!* or *It's about time you woke up!*.  I remember feeling kind of weak and saying something about being really hungry and that brought on some laughter.  Imagine my shock to find out it was SATURDAY!    I really had been sick after all.  My parents had been so worried when they had been unable to wake me that they called our family doctor (they made housecalls way back in the olden days).  He came by, checked me out, told my folks to keep water by the bedside and just let me sleep.  It was tough but they did it and I woke up when my body was ready.

That was probably the most profound sleep I recall since others were interspersed with bouts of extreme thirst (then back to bed) or the need for the bathroom (then back to bed).  And I had memories of being almost awake during those events.  I have had many times when I heeded my body's need for healing sleep and not been sorry for it.

The past week has been on the strange side, however.  It's been back and forth more than I am used to.  That is partly because of the heel of my left foot being so black and blue and extremely sensitive.  It's either been that it won't let me sleep, it's felt incredibly cold and I couldn't get it to warm up or else it finally did both and I was out like a light until it started to hurt again.  Sometimes even getting up to go to the bathroom was more awake than I wanted to be for fear of waking up and being in pain again.

Today was a sleeping day.  That is AFTER I got the foot both comfortable and warm.  Then I went out like a light and slept for hours.  Thirst drove me awake at one point.  Then the bathroom....twice.  When I got hungry, I woke up again.  The Beast had gone to Arby's (he loves those damn Arby sandwiches...the regular ones) so there was one for me and a milk shake.   I got up and Bratfink was online so we chatted a bit.  I'm going to be heading back to sleep soon before the foot starts hurting again.  I just got it warm....again. 

Okay, time to get down and rest some more.  If I don't, I start to gag and cough so I will say Goodnight and talk to you again tomorrow.  Love you all.  Storms are coming for us and some high winds.  Wanted to get this done and posted before that hits.  Be good.  Stay safe.  Stay warm and dry. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

It sounds absurd but I swear that Bratfink and I are passing *something* back and forth.  We are something like 700 miles apart (or less, I forget and it really doesn't matter).  The important part of this is that the only contact we have is through the internet.  Has *Reach out and touch someone* taken on a whole new meaning?  First I am barfing for no apparent reason.  Then, two days later, it's Bratfink.  It's like we keep passing *something* back and forth.  Weird, huh?  Then, I find out that others I know from the Internet (who do not get out of the house much at all for different reasons, mostly medical ones....bad hip, recovering from broken ankle and one is recovering from major surgery two months ago) are now having some of these same symptoms.  It's a new kind of Internet virus, I'm telling you!  RUN!!!  RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!! 

Today my left foot is punishing me for it not being healed yet.  It really should be but I kept hitting it (my heel, I mean) to the point that it is very black and blue.  The open wound is pretty much sealed up and headed towards back to normal but....OMFG!  The black and blue area is just KILLING me.  I can't get it comfortable without almost totally swathing it in the softest of the soft things I can find.  Right now, that's the new robe that the Princess got for me for Christmas.  I have to loosely wrap it around the area and then gently place it in a position that allows only the least painful areas of the heel to feel any pressure at all.  It's all well and fine if I don't fall asleep and then accidentally move it.  Talk about a painful awakening! 

I get this feeling that my feet are actually on the verge of healing.  That would be wonderful if true but I think they are trying to fool me.  I can't be sure but I will know soon.  I'll let YOU know when *I* do.

I was watching an old *Crossing Jordan* show the other day and realized there was actually a young actor on it that reminded me very much of a young Alan Rickman.  Alan Rickman plays Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies.  Even before that, he was in a Tim Allan movie called *Galaxy Quest* (very cute and funny movie).  He's also appeared in either one or two of the *Die Hard* movies as the vengeful brother who wants nothing more than to destroy Bruce Willis.  All very different roles; all showcase his talent.  He has a long list of credits to his name and I will bet if you look him up on Google, you will be impressed.  I sure was.

I have no idea what is wrong with the Beast tonight.  I was trying to get my feet to stop throbbing and making me cry.  I got up at 7:30pm and found him in bed, some cooked shrimp defrosted and on the sink and some still frozen on the counter.  I put the still frozen shrimp back in the freezer, took some of the defrosted shrimp, along with cocktail sauce to eat for my dinner and then put the rest of it in the fridge.  I'll make up some garlic butter for those tomorrow and some linguini noodles.  That and a small salad will be our dindin.  Fast, easy and filling.  I love meals like that.  Heck, we even have some Texas toast in the freezer I believe.

Okay, my foot is actually in a comfortable position at the moment and I may just be able to sit here, comfortably, for a while and read the news, my email and some of the other sites I like to visit daily.  I will say *good night*, *pleasant dreams*, *stay safe and warm* for another day.  Love you all. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Writing a blog every day when your life isn't full of people, events, surprises, etc. can be a real drag.  So what do you do?  You talk about how you feel about the life you are living and what events make you happy or sad.  It can surprise you at times what you can say about it all.  My life isn't exactly material to twitter over.  That much I can be sure about.  I'm no star nor even a real person of interest.  I'm just what I like to think is an average person.  One exception is that we really don't have much in the way of financial problems.  Thankfully.

Our CPA used to shake his head over us.  He believed you should leverage your income and your assets to acquire more.  The Beast believed in not having bills.  Not even a mortgage.  So, every time we sold a house, we used the money to pretty much pay it off or else that is what we concentrated on doing.  It worked well for us overall.  We actually own two homes right now.  Both are paid for.  One of them we are selling on contract to Tara.  If she changes her mind, it's been no worse for her than renting.  But, she is actually paying down the principal faster than she would be with a conventional one.  Even our lawyer thought that was generous of us.  Hopefully, within a year or two at the most, she can convert it to a regular mortgage for herself.  Right now she is working to get her own business started so it wouldn't look real good on paper just yet.  But it will.  I have faith.  She's done well so far and just picked up another client the other day.  Poor baby will be stuck with a six-day work week.....at least until she hits the point that she can hire someone to help her.  That day, too, will come.

Poor Sister Cee has had a major problem that developed with Frankenstein.  He got an infection in his spinal column.  It required an 8 day stay in the hospital, major draining, the installation of a stent so that she will be able to administer the medication which he will require for another 6-8 weeks.  But, she says he isn't complaining about pain in his back any more and seems to have regained his normal (cheerful?) attitude.  It still amazes me that the doctors removed two of his spinal disks and replaced them with titanium ones without causing him to be paralyzed or to die.  That WAS a possibility.  The healing part was a mess, too, as I recall.  His big problem was actually that fact that it DID leave his feet without feeling.  After the pain he had suffered, I guess he felt it was a small price to pay.  But there are always drawbacks to any major surgery on your body.  It's an *insult* that the body sometimes just doesn't adjust to.

I lost another aunt last week.  It leaves just two uncles on my dad's side of the family.  I know that they are *old* since I, who was once a baby they dandled on their knees, am now an *old* person too.  But it is so sad to see them leave us.  They are family and a part of our history and continuance.  She had grandchildren and, perhaps, even great-grandchildren.  She lost a son several years back.  A real tragedy since it involved a subway train and it was about a month before the family discovered what had happened.  He was young and he had his whole life ahead of him.  Way too sad.

Well, time to get this posted before the storm rolls in once again.  I dread all this moisture in the ground.  We will have to get out very early in spring to try to keep any fungus from developing.  Lots of lime and other goodies that will help, we hope.  If the Lord is good, he will give us some aid.

Love you all.  Stay warm and safe.