Something For Sunday

Hi Diddley-Ho, Fellow Blogerinos!

Wow. I’ve neglected this worse than I thought I did. BAD JODI!!! No booze for you!

Lemme just start by saying that my husband and daughters have been gone a WEEK. They flew out of PHX on 6/13 to go to West (By-God) Virginia. It’s the kids’ summer vacation with his family and my husband’s also. I didn’t go because:

#1) we NEEDED a break from each other.
#2) we couldn’t afford to put all 4 dogs in a kennels for 12 days.
#3) Just couldn’t afford that 4th ticket @ that time.

So I have been hanging here at home, still looking for a job (more on that later) and enjoying some time to just do what I want…relax, read, watch movies, sleep as long as I want where I want (meaning if I conk out on the cough, that’s where I stay). Oh and I can eat whatever I want without worrying about someone saying, “EEWW! That’s GROSS! I don’t LIKE that!” Ug. Kids.

OK, so where to start?? Lemme gather all the thoughts in my feeble mind here…

OK! Here we go…

Beauje is doing WELL. Here’s a picture of him I took just yesterday. Isn’t he beautiful? That’s my dumb dog! Since Ralph and the girls have been gone, he’s been pretty cantankerous. I’ve lost a pair of tennis shoes; a purse and Ralph lost a shirt (that he don’t know about yet!). I try not to leave him alone for long and after those 3 incidents; I’ve gone back to muzzling him when I have to leave. It’s just nice to know that after a run-in with a car and $400 later that he’s only suffered MINIMAL brain damage. :p

My unemployment benefits got extended for 13 weeks. The way I figure, they will expire and be non-renewable on Labor Day Weekend. I’ve been applying like crazy to places I never thought I’d ever apply for a job. And now that I’m the age I am, it’s like I can tell when I go to interviews that they want someone YOUNGER. WTF ever. It’s just as well. Most of them are only offering PT and minimum wage. Honestly, I can make more on Unemployment and that is SAD, my friends.

The health is good…got it under control. Managing the CHF well and my water aerobics class is going well. They are kicking out butts a little harder each week. But I’m at a weight loss of 8 pounds (SO FAR!) and my blood pressure is down to 115/80, down from 136/93. So I am really happy with that. I’ve almost lost a whole pants size and am rediscovering parts of my wardrobe I’d forgotten had ever existed! The only thing that’s bothering me is that the fibro pain is flaring up again and I’m having trouble with my Dr. giving me something that WORKS. They keep telling me to take Tylenol, Aleve and Advil. WHAT FOR? So I can slowly kill my liver a little bit more!?!?!? I need a prescription anti-inflammatory. Not necessarily a PAIN KILLER like they THINK I’m asking for, but something that will help me to KEEP moving instead of STOP moving. Savvy?

OH! And look what I got in the mail on Friday:

Ain’t she PURDY!? You know, ever since school had been out, I’d been a little disillusioned about where I was going and what I was going to do…how “stalled” and meaningless my life has felt recently. Was this really worth it? Am I going to regret these sacrifices someday? Is this truly my calling? But when I opened that envelope, held the certificate in my had, read the letter, admired the watermark and re-read everything 2 times, tears stung my eyes. That letter & certificate are a tangible manifestation of everything I’ve given up yet worked so hard for over the last 6 months. It was definitely what I call delayed gratification. I knew I’d made the Academic Honors list, but no one could tell me WHERE I could view this list or who I would even talk to…but they didn’t forget me. My hard, endless, tedious work has been recognized. Thank you.

So… that’s about it. About all I can come up with right now. Most days, I’m good. Some days, I’m not. But I’m just gonna keep on keepin’ on...it's all I can do.

Now if y’all will excuse me, I’ve got some TiVo to catch up on! Ciao!