Four Meeses

Arthur and S.I.L. have meeses.

One night, while S.I.L. was attending a good friend's funeral, Arthur was home alone with my two grandkitties, Arthur saw a little 'something' run across the floor. Chloe and Buffy took after the 'something' which turned out to be a baby meese. After chasing, catching, tossing and generally having a good old time with the meese, the meese managed to escape.

The next night Arthur and S.I.L. put out meese traps and have so far snagged four. Of course Arthur cried when the first one was found, and almost cried on #2.

Last night, Arthur woke up because Buffy was jumping on the bed and immediately digging in her claws and jumping back off the bed, back and forth several times. When Arthur flipped on the light to see what was going on, a meese was in the bed! Thankfully, that one was already dead.

I am not sure, but I think most mother meeses have a litter of about 8 - 12 babies. So there are probably 4 to 8 more fuzzy-wuzzies running around there.

When I was in the advanced stages of pregnancy with Courage and still experiencing morning sickness, I kept saltine crackers on my headboard to nibble on first thing in the mornings. One morning I woke to find a nice bite taken out of one of my crackers. I immediately woke up the Hubster and told him I didn't think his little prank was very funny. I was fat, nauseated, uncomfortable, and not humored at all by his nibblings. But the Hubster insisted it was not HE that took a bite from my cracker. I didn't believe him and told him to stop picking at me, I was not in the mood. That night, Hubster put a mouse trap under the head of the bed and under a dresser. I couldn't believe the cracker I had that morning had been dined on by a mouse, but in the wee hours of the morning a snap and squeal proved that was indeed the case. I had not believed a mouse climbed the bedpost and made it's way to the headboard. But it did.

I hope Arthur's meeses only get in her bed if brought there by Buffy. And they are already dead.

Z-Paks and Ear Drops

If you read my blog about my step dad's journey with brain cancer, you will see today's post is about sometimes needing more than 'just medicine'. But there are other times when all you need is 'just medicine'.

Arthur suddenly came down with terrible throat and ear pains today, accompanied by chills and chest pains. I know Arthur. If it starts this quickly and this painfully, it's going to result into time in bed, time hovering over the toilet, and time off work that doesn't need to be taken. I urged Arthur to go straight to the doc-in-a-box after work. Thankfully, she listened to me.

The doctor (who's name I cannot remember, or pronounce if I could remember it) gave her the once over and prescribed a Z-pak and ear drops. Yeeeeaaaahhhhh! This means Arthur will be feeling fine, more than likely, in the morning and will be able to go to work. If she doesn't feel better, she now has S.I.L. to take care of her instead of Mommy-dearest, that would be me. (tee hee)

Yes, I did go to the doctor with her, only because we carpool, and it made more sense to go straight to the doc instead of home and back again. Arthur did comment when an older lady (my age) and a younger lady (Arthur's age) came out together. She said see, her mom still goes to the doctor with her. (smile)

Strep throat (or something close to it) is always treated BEST with medicine. This is one of those times when yes, the other stuff....chicken soup, jello, wet wash cloths, will somewhat 'help', but the Meds are miraculous and definitely at the top of my list!

The Weather has me down!

What is up with the weather???!!! We are less than a week away from Easter, and I had to wear my big, huge, Eskimo-hood winter coat today because it was flippin' 39 degrees this morning and the wind was blowing like a mini hurricane! On top of that, there were snow flurries today at lunch time! I am going insane!

Thank the good Lord above I have not switched out my closet yet. (For those with large, spacious, walk in closets the size of a small bedroom, closet switching is what you do at the beginning of warm weather and the beginning of cold weather; you haul all your clothes for the season that just past to some far away part of the house and haul in all your clothes for the upcoming season). The problem with living in Georgia is that there is no 'in-between' weather. It's either freezing cold or it's hotter-than-hello! I have so many cute, sleeveless, turtle neck sweaters that would be so cute on a spring day...temps hovering around 73 - 74, blue skies and fluffy clouds, the heat off, the windows open...but no. One day I have on a big fuzzy sweater and the next day I am wearing a sleeveless cotton button up blouse and Capri's.

Several ladies in my office can't wait for spring/summer. They have taken to wearing sandals to the office, their lacquered and flowered toenails shining pretty from beneath their slacks and Capri's. Not me, if my feet are cold, I am cold! I am holding out until it is HOT to wear my sandals.

Last Friday I wore a short sleeved blouse and sat huddled at my desk like an old lady...hunched over my cup of coffee trying to catch a little warmth from it's steam, my coat clutched around me and my knees nearly touching my chest. My dear friend N sat in the cubicle down the way with a little pink electric fan in her hand, she was holding it inches from her face as she fought down a 'hot flash'. Yeah...she has entered No Man's Land. In the cubicle next to me, two other friends sit nearly on top of a little floor heater.

I would really love to start walking on a regular basis. Soon. I have ended my stint with WW as I had reached my goal within 2 lbs and held it there for two months. But now I have added 3 pounds back and I would like to just end it there. Walking three or four miles again, like I did before going back to work, would chisel those extra pounds off pronto. But he weather...

Arthur, the happy newly wed, has managed to keep her pounds off plus some. She too has stopped attending WW meetings, but continues (unlike her mama) to eat WW-like and keeps counting points. She still looks great and continues to down-size.

Courage has a gym membership and she works out 2 hours per visit...which is about every other day. She has a tummy as hard as our driveway and has went down a pant size or two. She is one lean, mean, college student machine!

The Hubster has decided he was getting a little pudgy around middle and went back on the Atkins Diet (all meat and protein). He has already taken it off in a few weeks. He is just a little skinny thing.

To get an update on my Dad and his life with brain cancer, see my blog on the list to the left titled 'Ed's Journey' and click on that...it will take you to that Blog site. He is currently doing quite well!

Several of my friends at work are about to become first time grandparents, some are already grandparents, some are like me...just waiting for that magical time. One co-worker is a mom to adult girls, an infant son, has a three month old grandson and has another grandson due this month. Her son is an uncle at age 1. Her husband is trying to convince her to have another baby. She is close to my age. I wish her luck, blessings, more power....

I hope you are enjoying your Spring Time Snow Flurries! But I really want the sun to come and stay.

Remember Snow Day 2009...

Snow Day 2009...it began snowing about mid-day Sunday, February 28. By the time darkness fell the white stuff was falling fast and sticking to everything. The newly wed Arthur and SIL arrived just after nightfall and declared there was a 'blizzard out there'. Their power was off and they came to Mom and Dad's in order to have heat and entertainment. Hmmm. You would think newly weds would have plenty of both, with or without electricity. Hmmm.

Our cable was out, but we have tons of DVDs, books, magazines and games. We also have a generator the size of a utility building behind our house that will run for four days on a tank of fuel. And a fridge and pantry full of food.

I tried to temp the children and hubby into watching 'Grumpy Old Men' with me, but they would have no part of that. So after visiting awhile I retreated to my room to do crossword puzzles and watch my movie alone.

Before it got dark, Courage and Krumm bundled up in layers and went out to play on sleds. They had a blast being children and getting frostbite. They urged me to come out, but I only made it as far as the front door steps. It was just too cold for me!

Finally, with all the children inside and thawed out, I went to bed and slept like a bear in hibernation. The next morning, after many calls to the county to see if we had been added to the long list of business closures (we were not on that list), Arthur and I got up, showered, and headed out to work.

Driving to work was not so bad. It was the parking lot at the county office that nearly got us!

The parking lot is approached from one end by a small incline, which we made up without problem. But shortly after we got into the lot, other folks started sliding and spinning and making a whole big mess of the parking lot. I moved my car from one spot after watching helplessly as a small car slowly slid and spun getting closer and closer to my 'New Old Betsy'. I moved her to a lower spot in the lot, away from most all other cars. But parking there made a longer journey for Arthur and I to make to the safety of the building.

It took me and Arthur almost half and hour to inch our way from the car to the building. The pavement was iced over into a sheet of slippery glass. We had to walk taking little baby steps, with knees bent to have some balance, and all the time searches for bits of dry ground to place our toes. And during this time, cars were sliding sideways down the lot, crashing into other cars and coming right at us at times. We watched as one of Arthur's co-worker's attempted to push cars and pleaded with him to stop before he was knocked down and crushed by a sliding car. He did eventually slide down and bust his butt, but luckily a car didn't slide over him.

The snow and ice are beautiful as it falls and covers the earth, but it is also dangerous.

To this day, I watch traffic tickets come in with the date 2/28 and 3/1 and I look to see what the charges are...over half are following too close with an accident and/or failure to maintain a lane. Hmmmm.

More Birthday Celebrations

We had more birthday celebrations this week. Courage turned 19 this week and my step-dad, Ed, turned 63.

We celebrated Ed's birthday extra large last weekend with a cookout and live gospel music with over 50 people in attendance. Ed enjoyed having friends and family around to enjoy food and music. (SIL and Arthur)


Last night, me, Krumm, Arthur and SIL (Son in Law), took Courage to Buckhead to eat at The Cheesecake Factory, a first for all of us.

We started out with a hot cheese and spinach dip with tortilla chips and sour dough bread and butter. Courage ordered a Parmesan chicken sandwich, Krumm ordered a burger, SIL a burrito, and Arthur and I shared a chicken salad sandwich and I also got a bowl of clam chowder. The portions were HUGE! Everything was good except for the clam chowder. I found it terrible tasting and a total waste of money. At last, we came to the good part; the dessert! Arthur and SIL had Godiva chocolate cheesecake and Courage and Krumm ordered Tuxedo cheesecake. Both were 'delishush' but the Tuxedo was my favorite! (Courage and Krumm with famous Cheesecake Factory strawberry lemonade)

(All us girls at Cheesecake Factory)

Courage is 19! Wow, how time flies! Seems like just yesterday she was walking through the house in pull ups and toting her beloved 'Da-Dack'.

Birthday Week

It has turned into birthday week. This is day 3 of my celebration of turning 48. Tonight, my family treated me to dinner at the new Japanese restaurant in town...Kyoto. We would normally go to Nagoya for hibachi style food, but decided to give this place a try. They make the fried rice a bit different (they add bacon) and their sauce is a deeper shade of pink (hmmm). But the food was great, and the company most awesome! I am happy to have celebrated another year on this earth with my loved ones!

An Irish Blessing

Thanks to all my friends at work, friends at church, friends in general, and family, I had a wonderful birthday!

I got cake, cupcakes, pie, lunch, dinner with family and several gifts. But mostly I got lots of hugs and happy birthday wishes - which made my day! My former in-laws called and sang to me, I put them on speaker phone so the office could hear them, and that was really touching because it's been a tradition for a bazillion years!

I got to see my Mama and Dad and see them happy and smiling.

Courage is still recovering from a terrible tonsil infection, but she feels better tonight and that makes me happy too!

The Hubster gave me exactly what I asked for this time for a change...a gift card to Smoothie King! YUMMMMMO!

The birthday card I received from my former brother and sister-in-law (now friends, not relatives), had the best Irish Blessing inside! It really touched me and seemed appropriate, so I want to share it with you;

May God give you... For every storm, a rainbow, For every tear, a smile, for every care, a promise, and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh, a sweet song, and answer for each prayer.

How sweet that is! I pray it for me, and you too!