A New Addition to the Family

Yesterday, Michael and I took a drive to Meadville, west of Warren. It was about an hour and a half drive to see a motorcycle that Michael had seen on the internet. He has been looking for something to drive to work that gets better mileage than the truck. A few months ago, he had a dream to get a Corvette or a Pontiac Solstice. Thank goodness he didn't go that route. I told him I'd rather have a nice boat to take on the reservoir or Lake Chautauqua but this isn't about me is it? Anyway, off we went but, of course, the motorcycle he saw on the internet was already sold. After 4 long hours of waiting he was able to drive this Honda VTX 1300 home on the the same day he bought it. You should have seen the smile on his face.

GO PENGUINS

I can't believe I haven't posted anything in here about my 2nd favorite hockey team. (Stars are still first) We are going for a rematch with the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup finals starting Saturday. I really think the Penguins have a chance this year. And, Tom, in Detroit, and Kathy in Dallas, your Red Wings are goin DOWN!

Just so we won't forget, the Cawley's love hockey so much, that their wedding rehearsal had a hockey theme, remember?

Terry's Update

I just finished talking to my sister. Her spirits are good today, although she is having bouts of nausea since they started her on solid food a few days ago. If she can keep the stupid nurses away she might have a good day today. I called her yesterday when she was in the middle of an argument with, as she put it, the dumbest nurse she's ever met in her life. Had to wait for a call back and then got the explanation that when she had asked for her pain medication, he had brought half of the dose. She asked why and he said, that's what she was given earlier. She said go get the rest and let me have it and he said he couldn't because he threw it out. Man, wasting good morphine like that. And who paid for it? That's what I want to know. Terry has never been one not to tell you what's on her mind. I'm just glad I wasn't there to hear all of that.

Terry is on the verge of going home from the hospital. The doctor talked about it yesterday and today he is in surgery all day so he sent the resident in. I don't know if the resident can give going home orders or not so we will have to wait and see. She was given nothing by mouth until this past weekend. Then she was given jello, tea, juices, you know, the general liquid diet for a few days and they weighed her. She told me she gained 40 lbs since she went into the hospital. "Darn, Val, this is one heck of a diet. Now, I'm going to have to give up jello!" she said. Let's hope not. We love jello sooooo much! Since Tuesday, she has been on solid food. I know it is such a relief for her not to have her food go in her mouth and out her stomach fistula as before. She has had some nausea with that. Now the real gastric bypass diet begins. Oh, and I don't think the box with the doggie goodies has arrived yet. I haven't heard a word about it. Now Terry and Curtis will celebrate their lucky 13th anniversary June 1 and Michael and I and my mother have a gift in the mail for them being shipped today. I won't mention it yet. She might go home today and spend the rest of the day on her computer. (If you do, I love you Terry, but you'll have to wait. I'm not spilling the beans on here.)

Terry's Hospital Visit

Tuesday, May 21, Terry went in for her repair surgery. She had a gastric bypass in Nov. that went wrong and has had an open belly wound since then. She has been waiting for that wound to heal and in the meantime developed a fistula and an abdominal hernia in the wound which has required surgery. Finally, the wound healed and she went in for the repair. Of course, she was petrified that she might not make it through the surgery. She was in a coma for 21 days with the first one and in ICU for a month and a half making her hospital stay a few days short of 3 months. I'm happy to say, so far, so good. The doctor said her surgery went well, although it was a mess to clean up. It took around 5 hours. She was in recovery for 7 hours while they tried to get her BP and heart rate up. She now is recouperating at Baylor Hospital and is expected to be there a week. We are hoping that she might be able to get rid of the feeding tube she has had since the last surgery before she leaves the hospital. Alll this to get skinny. I think I'll just stay the way I am.

I just sent a box off to Dallas with a gift for Terry and a dog quilt I made the 3 dogs Charlie, Bitsy, and Ryan. WHAT? A quilt for the dogs? I couldn't resist the fabric and I love them soooooo. Whatcha gonna do when ya don't have any kids? Ya spoil the animals. It's really a surprise but since Terry is in the hospital, she won't be opening this blog up before she opens the gift. I also sent Bitsy, the rat terrier, and only girl a "wubba toy" and a dress. It's pretty darn cute. Can't wait to see her in it. You might notice, I quilted the dog's names around the border.

Is Summer Here?

Well, it's warming up here. I think we should be in the 80's again today. Yesterday I planted the barrels and window boxes in the front and the pots on the deck in the back and I did it early in the morning. I was still sweating even though it was cool. I still think we need more flowers on the upper deck because we now have new chairs. Thank goodness Michael is such a handy put together guy. (More screws and washers and directions) Then I got the cushions set up on our chairs but because the sun was beating down on them, I only rested for about 15 min. there. I think they will have to be used in the afternoon and evening. What a way to end the day with a nice cool drink, conversation and our beautiful view. I did do an azalea assessment also and it seems the little guys we bought last year made it through the winter. They are obviously late bloomers. We all know a few of those. We still don't have the window air conditioners in yet. We'll see how long Michael can stand me whining..."I"MMMMMMMM HOTTTTTTTTTT". I told him last night I'd be glad to give him some of my hormones.

Quiet around here!

Every year around this time, Michael goes on his weekend fishing trip with friends he's known for many years. Jim, Chuck, and Rich from Ohio, Stan from Tennessee, Frank from Virginia all meet up with him near a little town Southeast of Warren called Emporium. A couple of times they have met up in Marienville, also south of Warren. They love the creeks or "cricks" as they call em up here. (Sorry, but I taught phonics so long, I don't understand that pronunciation.) I know, where does, "ya'll" and "fixin-to" come from? Anyway, I have had two quiet days to do nothing if I so please. Yesterday, I decided this weekend would be a good time for me to fix food that I like and that I usually don't fix for the man. He has an allergy to tomatoes so I'm not able to use those in soups or salads. I made a vegetable soup with stewed and whole tomatoes and then made stuffed green peppers with tomatoes. He doesn't care for green peppers either. Why did I fix soup on a day when the humidity was high and the temperature went to the mid 70's? Well, guess what. It was 40 this morning and the high will be in the 50's so I'm having soup, WITH TOMATOES, for lunch!

Oh, and one more thing about food. I mentioned earlier that we had a new grill. Here are the comparison shots.

OLD GRILL

NEW GRILL

The Next Generation

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hope this works. I've been playing with "smilebox" and this is what they told me to do to get this to my blog.

Look What I Found

I took a little drive today after stopping by Sears for a grill cover. (Our old one doesn't fit the new grill.) I was hoping today would be the day that I found the swans and cygnets. Michael and I did take a drive this past weekend to see if we could find the swan family but the wind was so fierce and the temperatures plumetted that we couldn't blame the swans for not showing up for us. I did have luck today. Mama was cleaning herself while the three babies rested until one of the little ones decided it was time to go for a swim. What luck... I got pictures of that too. Looks like she had triplets and she's a good mother. As soon as that one took off into the water, she was right there with him and the other two went in with her. Dad? Don't know...didn't see him today but they mate for life. Maybe he had to go to the bar for a break!

Michael's Birthday

Yesterday was Michael's birthday. This is the day he can do anything he wants. Does that mean I don't let him do anything he wants the rest of the year? I don't think so! But I did ask him if he wanted me to fix him breakfast before I left for a morning of shopping. He passed. He had already snacked on some leftovers in the refrigerator. I left for a few hours to see a couple of shops in town and found the cutest gift for my baby girl niece, Bitsy, a rat terrier. For some reason she's getting most of the presents in this next shipment to Texas. I'd mention it, but my sister reads this blog. When I returned home, Michael had the new grill unpacked...really unpacked, in the garage-the box, styrofoam, plastic bags, and parts. In the office, which is right inside the garage door, more plastic bags, pieces of styrofoam, parts and the rotiesserre box. I followed the trail upstairs to the living room and I could hear a loud radio and talking to the cat. Michael is sitting in a patio chair with most of the grill put together. I was amazed. He was not a happy camper. He said he had been working on it since I left which was two hours earlier. I guess there were about 7,362 parts to this grill and I think that's a low estimate. I tried to help with getting the rest of it put together by finding the rest of the parts in the garage and office and bringing them to him. I had to come inside because the wind was so gusty yesterday it nearly blew me and the grill off the deck. He finished everything but hooking up the propane tank. We still have to oil the grates and wipe down the stainless steel with a solution that keeps it from discoloring. We were so tired after all that, neither one of us felt like going out to dinner or cooking so we did the drive thru, hurried home and watched the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Washington Capitals in overtime 4-3.

The Latest

Just incidental news.
Yesterday was errand day. I took TC to the vet for his glucose check. His sugar was in the normal range so he is to continue on 7 units twice a day. We go back in 4 to 6 wks. That's fine with both of us. He was very stressed yesterday and even though we do this a lot, he never gets used to it. He did the usual breakfast expulsion in the crate. After taking TC home, I made a trip by the post office and on the way home stopped by the swan's nest. NO ONE WAS HOME! Everyone was gone. I didn't have time to go look for mom and any babies but I'm sure they are all safe and enjoying a relaxed life on the Allegheny.

Also did the grocery store routine. I had to get taco stuff to celebrate Cinco de Mayo a day late. Last year we went to Bradford to the only "real" Mexican restaurant within 1400 miles. It was so crowded, we waited an hour without getting served and decided to leave. That's when we determined if we are to celebrate any more holidays at restaurants, we will celebrate a day early or a day later or better yet, at home! Our restaurant in Bradford and the sister restaurant in Lakewood, N.Y. were both raided by the INS. The one is Bradford is now closed and the one in Lakewood has a changed name. Actually, Michael seems to think it was good food. I am spoiled by the "Tex-Mex" menus from home (Texas). I don't care for white cheese on my tacos and enchiladas. That is Mexico Mexican food. NOT THE SAME. I'm perfectly happy at Taco Bell for now. I'm just waiting for some good ole boy Texican to get up here and open a decent Mexican restaurant. We even had a Mexican restaurant in Warren. Their problem was they had hamburgers and peanut butter sandwiches on the menu. ???????? What's with that???? Wonder why they aren't open anymore???????? My point, I guess, is that you have to come to Val's house to get a good Tex-Mex meal these days. I even serve beans and rice (ok, out of a can and a bag).

Today, I'm off to make myself look younger. Gotta get the hair colored and deshag my eyebrows. Tonight, we might go look for a new grill. I'd put in here more about my other doings this week, but seeing how it relates to Michael's birthday, Mother's Day and an anniversary coming up in a month, I'll save it for later. Off to the shower.

Looking for Spring Photos?

I just love this time of year because something new is blooming every week. We had a few days of rain last week and it seemed like every tree on our hill went from brown to green in two short days. The flowering trees are blooming in town and azaleas are bursting with blooms. I'm not sure our azaleas are going to make it. We planted them last year, got one pretty season from them and I think winter may have killed them. Since our trees and bushes bloom about two weeks after the ones down in town, I'm giving the azaleas two more weeks to shape up. I have a fellow blogger friend who is taking beautiful spring pictures in Warren. She's a great photographer. Go to her blog, Linda's photo journal, (on the right) and look at the blooms. Thank you Linda for sharing!

Swan Update

I can't believe that we are going by weekly to check on "our" swan. We haven't seen any babies yet but we did get a surprise this time. Looks like someone is getting a little impatient. Either that or he's just making sure mama is doing ok.