M.I.A. Kitty

Hi All!

First of all - I am trying the "new" blogger interface so . . . I am not really sure how this will go today so be patient!

Next, a report on the new meds.  So far, it seems like my body is starting to get used to the new meds.  My stomach still gets a bit upset but nothing like the first day I took the meds. Saturday marks the one week point as well as the point where I "get" to up the dosage.  Hopefully, it won't up the stomach "issues" as well!

Speaking of meds, I got two prescriptions filled yesterday and one had tiny little pills in a tiny little pharmacy bottle.  Then I pulled the other out of the bag - it is HUGE!  The pills are HUGE and the pharmacy bottle is HUGE.  It was a bit of a shock to see that HUGE bottle.  It makes me feel like an old woman with that big bottle in my cabinet.

In other news, I am behind in class.  This is something that is totally and unequivocally my own fault.  Well, I will blame the meds a bit but . . . I am sure that I could have done what I needed to do if I had just tried a bit harder.  Being behind isn't that big of a deal since I am really only about one day behind.  However, it means that I will be working like the dickens today to get everything done before class!

Last night, Miss Cleo gave me a bit of worry.  Hubby was home all day with a hurting back and as I was puttering around the house putting off my school work, I noticed that Miss Cleo was missing in action.  I called her name.  I put food in the bowl.  No Miss Cleo.  Finally, Hubby found her in the guest room curled up on the chair. She looked up when he came into the room but didn't move.

Now we knew where she was but . . . why was she in there all day?

We went about our normal business and she stayed in the guest room.  On the chair.

We went to bed and I had a hard time sleeping.  I was worried about class (being behind will do that to you!) and Miss Cleo (just why hadn't she come out?) and all kinds of other things I can't remember now. 

In the morning hours (EARLY morning hours!), Skor came in to let me know that he was lonely (Miss Cleo was STILL in the guest room on the chair when I peeked in) and needed someone to watch him eat breakfast.  Silly cat.

Now I am thinking that I might have to take Miss Cleo to the vet.

Then - right as Hubby was leaving for work (his back is much better - thank the Lord!)- Miss Cleo sauntered out and casually checked out the food dishes.

What is up with that????

Doesn't she know that we worry?

Kids.  Uh - I mean - Kitties!

Trisha

Voice Update:  Doing well.  Doing well.

A Minor Miracle . . .

Hi All!

Something weird is happening here this morning.

I think it may just be a minor miracle. Check it out.
Two kitties sniffing at air from a recently opened window.

A mischievous kitty taking advantage of an OPEN WINDOW.
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Notice the OPEN WINDOW!
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It is September in Texas and I have two windows OPEN!

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Am I nuts????

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Actually, the temperature has miraculously lowered into the refreshing range. Quite a change from the "Oh my!" range we have been living with for the past months.

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Heavenly!

In other news - Texas is home of longhorn cattle but these "longhorns" are a totally different breed. Check them out (you may need to enlarge the picture to get a good look! I was taking the picture from my car across the street and my purse camera doesn't have a strong zoom!)!

This is a date palm I started from seed. It spends the summers outside and, from the number of leaves it now has, it seems to enjoy it!
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Before this summer, this plant only had three leaves. Now - just look at it!
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Okay - quick story before I go.

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Skor, my lovely, innocent kitty, has been getting up on our kitchen bar lately. Both Hubby and I have had to reprimand the little bugger several times. Neither of us could quite figure out just why the bar was suddenly so attractive to Skor.

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So - we attempted to take everything we thought Skor was interested in off the bar. Apparently, that didn't do the job because the other morning (at about 7:00) I got up and noticed some papers (formerly on the bar) on the floor. When I looked closer, I also saw a candle - the kind in a glass container - on the bar stool. Shattered!

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Not just broken or cracked a bit - SHATTERED!

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There were glass shards everywhere across the living room! Pieces on the carpet. Pieces on the rocking chair. Pieces on the sofa table. Pieces on the couch!

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Glass everywhere!

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I got Hubby up to help me clean up and . . .more than forty-five minutes later we thought we were done. Of course, we are still finding little bits of glass in weird places.

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Bad Kitty! Bad, bad Kitty!

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The good news, however, is that he hasn't been back on the bar since!

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Trisha

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Voice Update: Doing really well!

A Squirrel Visit

Hi All!

Happily, my eye infection is on the decline. The blood is all gone - a wonderful sign! However, my eye still hurts -back behind my eyeball. This happens mostly when I am tired - have been using my eyes a lot. For example - when I am communicating in sign language which is all visual, my eye starts to hurt after a while (a couple hours).

Maybe I should call the doctor and ask if this is "normal" for an eye infection. What do you think?

In other news, we have been having daily visits from a friendly male squirrel. I am positive that the visits have NOTHING to do with the food that is out (including some less than edible berries. Edible to humans that is!) and more with the fact that he LIKES US! Yeah, right!
Here is our friend trying very hard to get into our bird feeder. So far, he hasn't managed to figure out how to get the seed but, maybe he will someday!
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Then we will need to buy another, more squirrel-proof feeder to continue the "game."

You might ask how we are sure that Mr. Squirrel is a Mr. and not a Mrs. or a Ms. Well, let's just say that there are times when he really "lets it all hang out." If you look very carefully at this picture, you will see what I mean. I apologize for the darkness of the picture but it is taken through tinted windows and from the shadows.

After munching on our fruit offerings (which are more for the birds than for Mr. Squirrel but they are willing to share!), Mr. Squirrel sometimes likes to take a nap on the fence. I have been trying to capture this particular pose for quite a while but, normally, he scurries away while I get my camera ready and I miss the shot.

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Doesn't he look comfortable?

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Skor has really been enjoying Mr. Squirrel's visits. Sitting on the kitchen windowsill (the feeder is right outside the kitchen window), Skor "chats" to the squirrel the entire length of his visit and then looks quite forlorn when Mr. Squirrel flits off to visit another family or feeder. Sometimes, Skor remains at the window waiting in vain for his little friend to return.

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Hubby and I are just happy that our plan for a "kitty entertainment center" has worked out so well. Between the feeder, the plants, the bird bath, and the fruit offerings, Skor has a lot to watch during the day. This keeps him busy and keeps his mind off of other, possibly more destructive, ventures.

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Now, if we could just keep Miss Cleo from opening all of the closets when she is bored . . .

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Trisha

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Voice Update: Still doing really well. My throat is a bit "crunchier" than usual but I am starting to really work on that. I need to get out the "thumper" to help me in the process.

A Bit Distracted of Late

Hi All!

So sorry that I have been M.I.A. lately. No - the bad, bad medication is not back and no, I didn't have to abandon the house because the AC wasn't fixed. In truth - I am just having some adventures and have been a bit distracted lately. Being distracted isn't good for blogging, apparently!

Anyway - an update on the AC situation - well, we now are the proud owners of another air return vent. This addition made the air conditioner run much quieter but it did not stop the "revving" which it was intended to stop. Now Hubby and I are trying to determine if it is worth the hassle to have the AC guys (whom I now know by name) around the house even more or not. Maybe we can just live with it as it is. If now - we will contact the "boys" again once my distracted phase is over.

Luckily, during the most recent AC adventure, both cats stayed firmly embedded in their hiding places so neither raced out the door and both are safe. Miss Cleo did come out of hiding for a bit when the noise level decreased and looked absolutely bewildered when the door opened and a strange man walked in. Poor little girl! At least that is done for a while (or at least until Hubby and I decide what exactly to do about the AC now!).

As you may remember, the last time I posted I told about getting my hair cut. Well, I am continuing to grow my hair from its VERY short style (sported on my profile pictures for Blogger!) into a nice bob. It is frustrating! The bit of hair around my left ear isn't quite covered up by the longer bit from the top and to prove that it is still showing, it likes to stick straight out from my head! NOT a good look!

The hair around the ear on my right side doesn't have to resort to such measures as it is covered by hair from the top. Somehow the top hair is a bit uneven!

When I asked my hairdresser about that annoying bit of hair, she was hesitant to cut it (I wanted her to just shave the bit so it wouldn't stick out) so, being the wimp that I am, I am still contending with the sticking out. Talk about something making you want to just shave your head.

For the moment I just have to keep chanting "It WILL get better. It WILL get better!"

That is it for now - my distraction is returning (no - it isn't a real person!). I will try to post a bit more in the near future!

Trisha

Voice Update: Despite doing a bit more talking than is probably wise and getting a little hoarse, my voice is doing very well. I am trying to keep up with my massage despite being distracted by things. So far - so good!

Short and Sweet

Hi All!

Well, the AC guys are back up in my bonus room trying to fix the problem with the NEW AC unit that we got two weeks ago (maybe three by now). The problem - so they say - is that the system isn't getting enough return air so o o oo . . . . they are putting another air return in.

That means a hole in the wall and lots of thumping and banging and who knows what else. Wonderful!

At least (maybe) this will fix the problem (fingers crossed!). I can't recall if I told you about the problem or not. The new system - which was supposed to be so quite that you "hardly notice it when it is on" was as loud as a freight train. Also, the two phase motor was supposed to "ramp up" when needed. Instead, the motor sort of "revs" so that the air blows hard, then soft, then hard, then soft . . . you get the idea! Anyway - the problem might be that the system isn't getting enough return air from our two existing air returns. SO - they are putting in a third.

If this doesn't fix the problem I don't know what I will do. I am sick and tired of seeing Mike (the AC guy)!

In other news - didn't walk or swim today since I had to hang at home to await the arrival of the AC guys. I did play the piano (it didn't go well today) while I waited though. I guess that is a good thing!

Tomorrow I don't know if I will get a chance to blog in the morning since I have a hair appointment. This is how the "growing out" is doing so far.
Just so you know - this was taken after swimming before shower and without benefit of any comb (or makeup) action!

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Not too bad, right?

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The only real problem I have with with the "flippy" stuff that you can see in the right side of the picture in the vicinity of my ears. This is hair that is short and has been kept short while waiting for the top to grow down to meet it. Apparently, this hair feels that it needs to show itself through the longer hair and absolutely refuses to lay flat!

Do you see this? This was taken the last time the AC guys were here. I managed to corral the kitties in the guest room and they felt confident enough to peer out the window (before they guys started thumping and thudding upstairs).

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Today I didn't even think about getting the cats into a "safe" room. So - Skor is hiding under the bed in our bedroom and Miss Cleo is in her classic hiding spot behind the couch.

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I told the guys to make sure that the door is closed in case a cat decides to bolt but I think they are both hidden for good - at least until they guys are done.

*sigh*

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I wish it was this time of the day already and all of this was already done!
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Trisha

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Voice Update: Doing really well. I actually did about fifteen minutes to twenty minutes of oral reading last night to the kitties during our pet-fest. They seemed to enjoy it.

Back to "Old Faithful!"

Hi All!

Well, I got out my "purse" camera again today and took some shots of my gardens - mostly for my mom but . . . I thought I would share with everyone!

It has been a lazy week for me - yesterday was my birthday so I slept in and then this morning it was only 57 so I slept in again. But - I am so proud - I did walk in the evening yesterday and will do so again!

Now to get the mornings going and the swimming! I can hardly wait!


I love little green tomatoes - they hold such promise of good things to come!
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I have already had FOUR tomatoes from this plant and they were very delicious!




My Hostas are growing. They get a bit bigger each year!

Since I fenced in my Coneflowers they are doing really, really well. This is the second bloom this year.

And another is hot on it's heels!

This is a new addition to my garden this year. I keep picking off the dead flowers and it keeps blooming. I don't know that it likes the sun too much though. It is in a place that doesn't get too much and still the leaves are a bit crispy!

Sorry about the blurriness - Hubby took this last night to show me how the kitties were curled up for the night. I think they like each other!
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Skor was sick last night. He kept walking backwards and then vomiting up greenish yellow liquid. He wanted to play with his toy but when I got it out he just chased it one time and then laid there watching it. Poor little boy!

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Luckily, he seems to be better this morning!

Here is the beautiful cake that Hubby picked out for my birthday! He said that the woman who took the order was impressed because he knew exactly what he wanted and most men don't!

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To celebrate my birthday, we had cake and ice cream for dinner! Not very healthy but fun, fun, fun!
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Trisha
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Voice Update: My voice is still doing really well but I continue to have problems saying the word "two" in certain situations. That is frustrating - my voice sounds perfectly normal until I get to that darn word and then . . . trouble! Oh well! I guess only having one word which is giving me trouble isn't too bad, is it?

A Cat, A Game, and a Kiwi

Hi All!

Welcome to the first day of my Spring Break! Even though I am in college I am not doing the "traditional" college spring break of going somewhere warm and partying all week. In addition to being allergic to the sun, for some reason, staying at home and taking some naps sound more enjoyable than partying 24/7. I must be old!

Anyway - I am looking forward to seeing where this week takes me. Maybe a little work (classwork never ends despite the break from classes!), a little fun (yet to be determined), a little relaxation (can you say afternoon naps?), and a little more time with family (hello Hubby!).

Today I corralled a few pictures I have taken but not had time to share . . . .

I know you recognize this critter. It is Skor - my mischievous cat who thinks he is still a kitten!
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I took this picture to show you the look I get when I am trying to get ready to get out the door. It is so nice to have a supportive kitty at home!

Recently, I bought this game. My favorite Aunt Donna is a scrabble fanatic and when I saw the commercials for this I immediately thought of her. Then I decided to buy it to see what it is like.

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I have been enjoying the game - so very different from the regular scrabble game. The next time I head up to Ohio for a visit I will take this with me to show Aunt Donna to see what she thinks.
Like my Kiwi?
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Actually, the purpose of the picture was to show you the nifty little tool I got with my Kiwi purchase. It is a knife/spoon. Perfect for kiwi eating on the go!
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I am inordinately thrilled with this little "freebie." I regularly take kiwis with me to eat before classes and this will make life easier and a little more interesting!

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In other news, I am listening to some new music I downloaded from Amazon. The SXSW festival is taking place in Austin (I am not too familiar with the festival . . . I know, shame on me! However, it is a place where new music and new films are presented to the world. I know that much.) so Amazon has several samplers of music which is being presented during the festival. FOR FREE! So, of course, I downloaded them. There is a mix of music styles on the samplers and I am enjoying listening. True, some of the music isn't exactly my "favorite" but . . . it IS free!

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Free music is such fun!

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Speaking of free music, I got fifteen free songs with my annual subscription to the local musicals. The songs are from musicals and they are neat! Not a bad gift. And, again, free!

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Trisha

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Voice Update: Amazingly, my voice is holding its own despite my lack of attention. Honestly, I have been taking a few additional minutes to take care of massage and exercises but I am not at the "normal" length of time for these ministrations. That is another thing Spring Break will be good for!

What a Sink!

Hi All!

Despite my best intentions It has again been a while since I last posted! I just don't know how that happens! Actually, I do know. First, you get a headache and dizziness and then you get busy!

I finally found a research topic : The recognition and proper use of register in community interpreters. Doesn't that sounds interesting? It really is! Now all I have to do is actually research the topic and the other one for Practicum and I am all set. It is so hard to get motivated to research.

At least I have been trying to read the book for class - in fact, I was reading that while dining at a local Mexican restaurant yesterday for lunch. It is a bit awkward to eat alone but . . .hey- everyone needs to eat, right? I had yummy fajitas and managed to get the first chapter of the book read. Score! Then I went to the restroom and saw this sink.

(Ignore me in the reflection and the reflection of my overstuffed purse!) I had never really seen a sink like this and was a bit mystified as to just where the water would come from when I turned on the "joystick" faucet control.

Surprise! This is where the water comes out! Not exactly where I thought it would come from but then again - I didn't really know what to expect.

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A pretty upscale sink for a restaurant, don't you think?

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After eating a great (and inexpensive) lunch I headed to the grocery store to shop - it has only been about three weeks since I went grocery shopping!

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As I have said before, I really enjoy the shopping part of grocery shopping just not the getting everything into the house and put away part! Since it had been a while since I last shopped, I got a lot of meat - which then needed to be cleaned and vacuum packed for the freezer. Luckily, I got to chat with Mom on the phone to keep me distracted.

Once that was done I managed to relax for a while. It was heavenly! I even read a book for enjoyment (I did feel a bit guilty since I have so much research to do. I felt like I should be reading a research book . . .).


I think I should just take me cue from my darling kitties and do this all the time . . .

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Trisha

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Voice Update: Doing well. Still a bit of a crunch throat going on but working on it with massage. I don't think it helps that my shoulders are holding a lot of tension (from picking a research topic and then not feeling well).

Blogging Obstacle

Hi All!

Yes, it is still snowy here but the sun is out trying to melt some of the stuff off the roads as I type. Miss Cleo is certainly happy to see the sun and is rolling around in her patch of sunshine. It is going to be a good morning I get to finally have a haircut around 11:00 today. As you can see from the pictures today - my hair is certainly growing!


Speaking of pictures. I asked Hubby to snap some shots to show you what I deal with when I try to blog - or do anything else on the computer.
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Notice how precisely Skor has positioned himself so I must crane my neck to the right to see the monitor.
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At least he is sitting down in this picture. He likes to stretch and stick his very fluffy tail straight up in the air to complete the blocking maneuver.

Here is Skor just finishing a "Halloween Kitty" stretch that completely blocked the screen. Notice how I have leaned back to try to actually see some part of the screen.

(Tilt your head to the right to see this picture correctly.)

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How can such a cute little thing be so darn annoying????

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In other news - On Thursday Hubby and I braved the icy roads to travel to see Doc Feely. We thought that this would be the visit where the Doc took off Hubby's one remaining big toenail. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. Apparently there has to be a three month wait between "procedures" for the insurance to cover them. So - it won't be until April that the other nail goes.

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In the meantime Hubby will have to soak the foot and wedge cotton under the nail to try to discourage the nail from growing into his nail bed. Doesn't that sound like fun??

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In class news I have two research papers to write and am having a TON of trouble trying to figure out what my topics should be! I have been racking my brain and still have no clue! UGHH!!! The topics are due on Tuesday so I guess I need to kick myself into gear!

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Did I remember to tell you that I didn't have any classes this week thanks to the ice and snow? Part of me was happy to have a break but part of me was sad that I missed two days of classes!

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While I type I am listening to my iTunes - as usual. I am still so impressed with how good the music is when you put everything on shuffle. There is something that just makes you listen even more closely when a country song is followed by a gospel song which is followed by a classical piece. It makes me appreciate all the genres of music that much more!

Speaking of music - I am browsing the free mp3 downloads from Amazon.com. There is one person who comments on the free offerings and rates each one. His/her comments are specific to each song and very thoughtful and thorough. I really appreciate that someone so into music takes the time to review these things. After all - hearing the previews doesn't always tell the real story of the songs. I also appreciate that Amazon.com puts these songs out there for free. I learn about new groups I wouldn't normally hear and did I mention that is it FREE? What could be better?

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On that note I think that I will get out of here - time to get ready for my haircut!

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Hope you have a great weekend!

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Trisha

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Voice Update: Doing well. Doing well.

Mish-mash and a Meme

Hi All!

Here is a very fuzzy picture of my thermometer this morning!


15!!!!!!
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Can you believe that?
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In TEXAS????????????????

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And poor Hubby has to go into work. I am praying that he gets there safely - there is ice on the roads!

Because it has probably been a day or two since I have shown you some kitty pictures . . . .
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Here is Miss Cleo in her new favorite spot - her "cube." She love sitting just like this - with her head poking out so she can see what is going on.




Skor is still enjoying his play time. In fact, he DEMANDS it! I guess it is okay since he looks so darn cute while he is playing!

Just look at the positions he gets himself into!

This face-off took place yesterday. The dove was cold and was trying to avoid the wind by sitting on our windowsill. Skor didn't think that that was a good idea!

Here are the new shoes I bought last week. I like having something to just slip into for those everyday kinds of errands, etc. There are perfect!

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Yesterday, Hubby and I stayed in all day and kept warm. The sun valiantly came out and tried to melt the snow/ice but it didn't make much of a dent since the temps never got above 21!

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Like I said, Hubby has to go to work this morning. His office opening was delayed until 10:00 so he got to sleep in just a bit. It was only a bit because the power went out around 6:45 (and the Carbon Monoxide detector makes a VERY loud beep when the electricity goes off or comes on). After knowing the electricity was off, it was hard to sleep since the alarms were all off (powered as they are by electricity!).

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At about 7:15 (just an estimate because we were clock less!) I got up to watch the kitties eat and at the exact moment I stepped out of the bedroom, the electricity went back on accompanied by the CO2 detector's loud beep. Let me tell you - it stopped me in my tracks and scared the kitties!

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At least Hubby could sleep for a bit longer now that the alarms were back on!

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I had to reset the time on our automatic thermostat because when the power goes out it resets the time to weird times (this time it was 1:08P.M. even when the real time was 7:15!) and then the temperature settings we have are all wonky. The last time the electricity went out we couldn't figure out why it got so cold during the day - it was because the thermostat time was off by twelve hours and it thought it was night - when we have it set to be a bit cooler! Technology!

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Yesterday, my friend Flea invited me to participate in a Meme about reading. You take a picture of the book(s) you are currently reading and tell a bit about it(them). This Meme sounds right up my alley so I decided to do it even though I don't normally participate in Memes!
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Here we go!

This is my current reading list. From left to right:

Lone Star Ice & Fire by L.E. Brady. I am only into this book a little bit but so far, it seems like a winner! This is the story of two brothers, Sonny and Walker, who come from an abusive home. Their escape was their music.
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Both brothers play blues guitar and both are very talented. They descend upon the Austin, Texas blues scene and quickly make it their own.
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Mixed in with the music there are many tales of mistakes and triumphs that litter their way to fame.
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Next up is a classic - Reader's Digest. This magazine is always fun to read with its humor and stories of people doing good in the world when most of the news is about people doing bad.
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Third is Winter's Awakening by Shelley Shepard Gray. This is a book about the Amish way of life. The main characters are Amish and the book shows how they deal with interacting with "English" or non-Amish neighbors.
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I enjoy reading books about the Amish since I saw many Amish people when I lived in Ohio. The farm that my parents own is rather close to some very popular Amish towns for the tourists. It isn't unusual to see Amish buggies along the roads in that area of Ohio.
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Those, my friends, are what I am reading.
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Well, besides THESE!

Books for class research papers!
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Trisha

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Voice Update: I didn't do much talking yesterday but I did my massage and my exercises! I also did some reading out loud just to get into the swing of things!
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P.S. Hubby update! Hubby isn't going to work this morning since he couldn't even get out of the driveway!

What In The World?

Hi All!

Do you see this adorable kitty?

He is so calm.

He is so cute when he does "Halloween kitty."

He is so inquisitive.

Who else can look so darn adorable sleeping like this? (Okay - who else can really sleep like this anyway?)

Look how demure - he hides his face when he sleeps.
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So - what in the world happens during the night to transform this adorable little fluff ball of a kitty into such an annoying little pest???????

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This morning it started at 4:30 A.M.

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I tried and tried to ignore it. I did pretty well until about 6:00A.M. when the pest decided that since I wasn't getting up he should work on waking up Hubby. Let me tell you - this is quite a task. Hubby sleeps like a rock!

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Well, Skor managed to wake Hubby up! Now both of us were awake and wondering what in the world was wrong that Skor had to be so darn annoying! Hubby even got up (earlier than usual!) to go and check that the kitties had food (they did). Since that is the normal reason for morning annoyance, we were stumped.

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True, Skor likes me to be up to watch him eat (weird cat!) but this morning he didn't even head to the food bowl when I finally managed to make it to the kitchen. He just kept whining! The litter box was cleaned. There was fresh water. He didn't seem to be in physical distress.

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What in the world????

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Then, once Hubby was out the door to work (limping just slightly due to the toe - and yes, he does know that I blog about his toenail less state!), Skor headed into the guest room for a nap. Totally ignoring me! I even went upstairs this morning (an unusual event) and he didn't follow at all. Just curled up for a nap.

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Such nerve he has!

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Well, I guess I am up so . . . whatever.

This morning the weather took a nasty turn. It had rained over night and the temps started plummeting (from around 50 to just above freezing in an hour). Then the winds picked up. It sounded like the entire house was going to pull a Wizard of Oz! Then it started spitting sleet. The perfect walking weather, don't you think?

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Neither did I! Instead of heading outside, I went upstairs to use the neglected elliptical machine. I decided it would be a good alternative this morning AND I got to watch the premiere of Hot In Cleveland while I worked up a sweat! Of course I have no idea how far I went or how many calories I burned - the batteries were dead in the "computer" and I didn't have replacements this morning (can you say Walmart trip??). So - I just worked out for the length of my recorded show and then called it a done deal. Then I looked at the clock and it worked out pretty well time-wise as well!

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And I stayed warm! Yeah!

Trisha

Voice Update: Went a bit more "in depth" with my massage yesterday and now my neck is a little sore but my voice feels better. Yes, my voice can actually feel good or feel bad. I think that when it feels bad there is more difficulty in getting those cords to close and make sounds then when it feels good. I never thought of talking as taking a lot of effort but this whole SD thing has certainly changed that. There are days (and times of days) when talking just takes too much effort to be worth it. This is normally at the end of the day when I am talking to Hubby in bed before we both fall asleep. That is when I don't feel like making any kind of sound at all! Today I will be able to do more work on my exercises during my drive to and from school. I have found that is the easiest way to remember them when I am out and about during the day - doing exercises each time I get into the car. The only problem with that is that sometimes I don't go anywhere and then I don't remember my exercises as easily!

Guessing Game Time!

Hi All!

Well - it is that time to guess where Hubby and I have been! The first person to correctly guess three of the places we have visited(and I will be describing) over the next few days will get a wonderful prize from me in the mail!

Just a note: you must correctly identify the places we visit and NOT our method of transportation to said places!

Let's start.

Monday:

Today Hubby and I woke up deliciously late (we can sleep in with no four legged alarm clocks waking us at four in the morning!) and headed to the dining room for a nice luncheon with two other couples.

Then we headed down the gangplank and onto a "safari style" taxi for the jaunt into town. When we alit from the taxi we headed to a kind of a bazaar/flea market kind of a situations and then off to the "real" stores.

Joining another couple, we shouted "Cariloha" out into the street to earn a free bamboo necklace each. Then we bought some nice bamboo sheets and a bamboo towel set (for me) to be shipped to our home in about two weeks.

Then we wandered the gauntlet of jewelry and souvenir stores being told over and over that the "best deals" were just inside the door of whichever establishment was being passed at the time.

We paused in our wanderings to look out over the harbor and to contemplate a taxi ride up to Meaghan's Bay. Deciding that we should just finish out walk and head to the local grocery store to stock up on water and Diet Coke, we caught a passing taxi and were whisked back to our mobile hotel.

Tonight we woke from a lovely nap (again sans felines) and went to dinner. Yum!

Tomorrow we will be in a totally different place for you to guess.

By the way, the aforementioned felines are being well taken care of by our friends D and C who say that they have seen two sets of eyes but no actual cats so far.

Trisha

Voice Update: So far I have managed to get most of my massage in but I haven't done too well with the exercises. It is just tough to continue my routine of doing the exercises whenever I am in a vehicle when there are many other people in the same vehicle who would look at me oddly if I did my exercises! I will find a way!

Susan was pleased with how well I am doing with my voice. I had a bout with my back about four days before I saw her and that caused my neck to tighten up significantly. By the time I saw Susan I had managed to get most of the kinks worked out . . . not all but most!

It's Been a While . . .

Hi All!

It has been a while since I last posted . . . that means I have been busy, busy, busy. Which is a good thing, right?

I have had several observations and then, yesterday, class. And . . . some shopping!

There is a store near the college that I have passed for the past two years or so without going in. It is called $8 Fashion Outlet and has misses and plus size clothes at cheap prices. Well, between my morning observation and going to the lab I stopped in. Look what I found!

Two lightweight jackets - they have an interesting textured fabric that looks a bit tweedy. They are washable and everything! They obviously need a bit of ironing at the moment but I think they will be great! (The second jacket is orange and is peeking out from behind the blue jacket.)



Here is the rest of my "haul!" I bought two casual long sleeved shirts - both ned shortened but that is nothing new! Then I bought three lightweight sweater shells to wear under jackets. The white, brown, and grey will be perfect for any color jacket with brown or grey pants.

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I guess I should also tell you that every piece of this haul only cost $8.88 ( the pink shirt was on sale for $6!). Score!

Last Friday I stopped at Big Lots and checked out the kitty toys. There was a big "piece of cheese" that I just had to take home with me. It is wood covered in fuzzy fabric and has holes in the tops and sides which allow the kitties to see (and reach) into the "cheese." Inside the "cheese" are two jingly balls (which Skor has discovered can be removed with some effort). Attached to the corners are three little rattle mice.
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I was worried that the kitties wouldn't like it.
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From this picture, do you think I should still be worried?

This is the reason I was at Big Lots browsing through the kitty toys!
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It is a Domino's pizza three cheese mac and cheese bread bowl (well done) and it is a wonderful treat!
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I have included two videos of Skor playing with "Mr. Sparkly," his favorite toy. He is just so darn cute!

Hope you have been having a fabulous week!

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Trisha

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Voice Update: I have been a very good girl! I have been doing my exercises and massage EVERY DAY! My voice has been holding its own and I am so, so happy!

Let's Try This Again!

Hi All!

Well, I never really figured out what I was planning on posting yesterday but today I do have something - hopefully it will be interesting!

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Have I ever mentioned that I can be a bit of a klutz at times? It seems like if some weird, freaky accident can happen to me - it does!

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Well, yesterday was a good example of just that.

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I was just finishing up my shower. I had the towel and was drying off and getting ready to walk out of the shower - the door was open and everything. Then. . . I dropped the towel.

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Bending down to get the towel was not a problem but straightening up again . . . I hit the shower door with my head.

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There was blood - actually, there was a lot of blood. I split my head open - about an inch and a half long and up in my hair so it isn't really visible unless you look. It seemed like the blood was never going to stop so I called up Mom to see just when you needed stitches. My hair was turning a nice reddish color (maybe I will try being a redhead sometime!) and there was blood running down my cheek and my neck.

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After several minutes of applying pressure to the cut, the bleeding stopped - well, it slowed to a very slow ooze and then stopped a while later. After examining things and consulting with Mom and Dad I decided I didn't need stitches - just a softer shower door!

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Cleaning up the blood ended up being the worst thing. I got lightheaded and ended up going to bed. This was in addition to the headache I had from actually hitting my head. What a morning!

To make things even more interesting, I had an appointment to get my hair cut yesterday afternoon! Luckily, everything went fine and great care was taken around my cut.

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Did I mention that I am planning on letting my hair grow out? It has been short for quite a while and it is time for a change. Of course, when your hair is SHORT like mine is, the only real change you can do is to let it grow so . . . that is the plan. We will see how long I can stand it before having it all cut off! Hopefully, I will make it to a bob!

I think that I will have to "document" the growth of my hair. Of course, I don't have a photo for you today - this morning my hair is all "Bed-head" so I will wait until I am having a good hair day to show you!

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At least Skor had a good time yesterday!

How was your day yesterday?

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Trisha

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Voice Update: Well, I didn't really do everything I planned to do yesterday - including my vocal exercises. I will be back on track today as long as there isn't any blood!

A Morning Tale

Hi All!

This morning came WAY too early for me.

Last night I was at an observation until about 8:00 and so when I finally got home and had some dinner (prepared by hubby) and relaxed, it was time to go to bed! Of course, I put it off some because I needed to have some time with the kitties (they like it when I sit down with them and pet both of them at the same time) and some play time with Skor (to hopefully wear him out so he leaves me alone during the night!).

Just when I was ready to nod off while on the living room floor, I realized that I needed to wash my face, brush my teeth, and prepare for bed. Reluctantly I heaved myself off the floor, plodded into the bathroom and started taking care of what I needed to do.

Why doesn't the water in the sink get warm quicker? Washing my face with cool to lukewarm water isn't particularly inviting.

Once everything was ready I played "try to keep Skor and his toy out of the bathroom so I have some privacy." Let's just say that I very, very rarely win that game.

After a final burst of playtime for Skor, Hubby put up the toy (Mr. Sparkly) and we both settled in bed for the night. It seemed like Hubby was snoring away in mere seconds but me - I was tossing and turning trying to get comfortable. Then, when I found a good position for my body, my mind kept running and running and running. I spent another good while trying to focus on something to get my mind calmed down (it ended up being a weird story about being a famous singer/ice-skater/ballerina whose feet were injured - due to the fact that my feet were slathered with cream and encased in special moisturizing socks). Anyway - soon I was in dreamland.

My dreams last night seemed to center around grilling outside for some odd reason.

Then - it was morning.

Just like that. Without any warning.

Hubby's alarm went off. A full hour earlier than usual (due to his "field trip" for work which left this morning at 6:45). Ugh!

Since the alarm went off, that meant that it was time for Skor to wake me up (who needs an alarm clock of my own??). Let's just say that I was certainly NOT ready to get up yet.

After Skor got frustrated by my lack of movement he left (to call in reinforcements) and I listened to the sounds of Hubby getting ready for work (with my eyes closed).

It wasn't too long before Skor was back. With Miss Cleo.

You need to understand that Skor - while not very subtle - tends to be easy to ignore (until he starts massaging my face with his claws!). Miss Cleo will NOT be ignored. For such a small cat (in stature, not weight), she certainly has a hard head. Which butts against available parts of my body in her efforts to get attention. Being head-butted in the kidney is my particular favorite. It is right up there with having her massage my bladder first thing in the morning (Oy!).

So - the situation is that I am in bed desperately trying to remain asleep. Hubby is in the bathroom getting ready for work and occasionally asking me questions (all of which I managed to answer intelligently). Both cats are now on the bed working on getting me up (they are certain that if Hubby is up and I am not - I MUST be late!).

Don't you wish you were me this morning?

No?

Surprising!

Hubby finally headed out to the kitchen for breakfast and he fed the kitties. Hearing that magic sound of food hitting the bowls caused both kitties to speed out of the bedroom like their tails were on fire.

Finally. Some peace.

I managed to nap for a bit until Hubby was ready to leave. Since he is headed out for a while on his "field trip" I wanted to say goodbye.

After Hubby left the kitties apparently gave up on me (either that or they were so full from the food fest that they just had to rest a bit) and they let me sleep for another 45 minutes - until my "normal" time to get up.

Then - right before the alarm went off - Skor came in to wake me up once and for all. He manages this by getting in between me and the alarm clock so I can't turn the blasted thing off (which is the loudest alarm I could find at the time I purchased it) for at least an entire minute. After that - I am awake.

Luckily, once I am awake, I am fully awake. Hubby hates this fact. I wake up ready to talk and laugh and start the day. Hubby - he starts the day out more . . . gradually.

I got out of bed and got dressed to walk (the first time in a while since I have been leaving the house early for observations). Next I headed to the kitchen for breakfast and then hit the sidewalk.

Let me just say it was the perfect morning for walking. It was about 67 degrees when I woke up and there was a light breeze. I didn't start sweating until about 3/4 of the way through the way and that, my friends, is a wonderful treat! The sun and the clouds put on a nice welcome to the day and I got to rubber-neck to see all of the Halloween decorations in the neighborhood.

Is it just me or are people getting more into Halloween these days? I don't seem to remember too many people decorating for Halloween when I was a kiddo. Maybe it is just the mass marketing of Halloween decorations which has jump-started the trend.

Anyway - after finishing my walk, spending about 5 minutes petting a kitty who was outside (please, please, please keep your kitties inside. They live much longer and healthier lives inside than they do outside!), and watering my flowerbeds and tomato crop (have I told you about that? I have about 8 little green tomatoes on the plant and I am pretty sure they will all get they chance to ripen before the end of our season here!), I came in, sat at the computer, and started taking the hem out of the right leg of my walking pants.

What an exciting start to the day!

Trisha

Voice Update: Believe it or not I am being VERY good! I am still doing my exercises each and every time I get into the car (I mute the radio until I am done so I don't get distracted!) and I do my throat massage every morning and evening when putting on lotion after washing my face. I have been hearing a few weird breaks in my voice lately but I attribute those more to stress (meeting new people and going to unfamiliar places is not something that I really enjoy. However, it is something I must do for my observations!)than to any real problem with my voice. Now all I need to do is get that oral reading going again.