Birthday Wishes

Happy birthday to Tommy, happy birthday to Tommy, Happy birthday dear Tommy, happy birthday to you! Well the blog post is a tad late as his birthday was on the 10th, but the sentiment is still there.

Every year I find myself in the same predicament...what to buy for the hardest person in the world to shop for his birthday, and also for Christmas. I happen to be at Bed, Bath and Beyond and there it was.....the gift. It was a homedic 4 ft. long heating pad that had massage settings. I thought it was the perfect gift since he is always setting in the recliner with a small heating pad on his back. With this he could lay in bed and have heat and massage. So the night of his birthday he tried it. He hated it. Said it didn't deliver enough heat and the massage wasn't that great. So I took it back to the store and gave him the money. "Happy birthday, dear. Now you can knock yourself out and get what you want." I think he spent it on a round of golf, which is probably what I should have bought in the first place.
We were at Sam's Club on Saturday and I noticed he was hanging around a DVD/Video recorder/player. As I approached he went off to get something else. So I asked, "is that what you would like for Christmas?" His reply, "Oh, I don't know. I saw one at Costco that cost more, but I'm just not sure." Okay, he tends to play the let's go to a thousand stores to check prices game and then ends up buying it at the first place we first looked. So I put it in my basket and purchased the item. At least this time I know that it is something he wants and likes.

I Have a Cold

For the past few weeks I have been busy getting ready for Enrichment. We put on a Christmas program that took weeks to get ready. After going, going, going and then finally the night of the program, I started feeling really icky. The next day I had the wonderful winter cold that comes when the weather turns cold. First Peanut, Andy's girlfriend gets sick, then within a few days Andy caught it, now me. Look out Tommy! Of course I haven't been to the gym in weeks, which bums me out cause just when I feel like I am making headway, something happens that throws me back a few weeks.
I went and saw New Moon the other day and actually liked it better the 2nd time. I was able to pay better attention to what was going on and the theater was more quiet cause there was hardly anyone in there. I guess I should read the 3rd book again to get ready for that movie. It is in a long line of books that I need to read.
I better quit blogging and go get my Christmas cards addressed. I am hoping that I will let myself slow down and enjoy the Christmas season.

Thanksgiving

I usually get depressed at Thanksgiving, but something changed this year. Tommy leaves in the morning and goes golfing, and Andy is off to play football or spend the day with his girlfriend. This year I decided that I was not going to let myself get depressed. I took the time to put up the Christmas decorations and do a bit of cleaning. It worked out perfectly cause by the time I was finished, Tommy was home and it was time to leave.
This year we went to Tommy's brother house for Thanksgiving. I don't have any pictures to post cause the camera wouldn't work, so I left it at home. But, we had such a great time. My sister in law is the party queen. She knows how to put together a spread that Martha Stewart would envy! We had 3 turkeys, 2 of them were deep fried and quite tasty, thanks to her daughter and son in law. We had all the fixin's to go with them. I thought I would try a new apple crisp recipe. It was the hit of the night. I brought home barely enough for one serving.
I made a list of the things that I am thankful for and have put them in an area that I can look at when I do get depressed. They are:

My small but wonderful family. Hopefully, Andy will be adding and making our family a bit larger.
The means that have been bestowed upon us to afford our home and to pay for life's necessities. I also have a husband that believes in saving.
My health. Luckily I don't have all the issues that my mom and sister had to deal with. Now more than ever I think about that and what a short time my sister had on this earth. I miss her every day.
The atonement of Jesus Christ, and a kind and loving Father in Heaven who I know loves me.
GREAT friends.
A TV that I can escape to and don't have to watch every sporting event.

It's a small list, and there is much more that I could add, but for now this will do. Hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving and have your own list of thankful things.

Arkansas

This past October my friend Wendi and I went to Arkansas for a family reunion on my dad's side. Wendi has become an adopted member of my family. In fact, they look more forward to seeing her than me.! When we walked into the senior center at Hartford, they all rushed to give her a big hug, then me. My aunt Imogene, and my cousin Wendolyn, just love her! My dad grew up in Hartford, which is a tiny speck on the map, close to the Oklahoma border. I look forward to going every year, but with the economy the way it has been, I have only been able to go every other year. Andy has been one year with me, and that was good enough for him, and Tommy is not to hip on the idea, but I think he I may be able to get him there once, after he retires. It amazes me at how much fun the two of us have in a place no one would think would be fun. First, it is beautiful country and the weather was cool. We spend the days in all the little shops and fabric stores, search the cemetery's for my ancestors, and just get a huge kick out of the customs of the people from the south. Thanks Wendi for sacrificing a few days out of your very busy life to go with me. You're the greatest!

I have attached some of the pictures from out trip.

In front of a quaint little restaurant in the older downtown area of Van Buren.

Somebody's door, but it made a great picture!

Let's just hold out the camera and see what kind of picture we get.
Not too bad.

In front of an old brick store.

Most of the remaining "Pitchford" clan.
These are my dad's remaining siblings and spouses. Aunt Imogene,
Uncle Ronald, Aunt Mary, Uncle Hap, and Aunt Marticia. Gotta love
some of those names!

Another Year Older, Not Sure if I'm Another Year Wiser

This past Wednesday I had a birthday. When you get to be 50+ years, you don't celebrate like you used to. I guess all the hoopla isn't so important anymore. Tommy kept pestering me about a gift. I really couldn't thing of anything, and I really don't need anything. Besides all the stuff I want is way too expensive. So we spent a very relaxing day watching movies. That night we went to dinner with Andy and Peanut to Texas Roadhouse. Thank you Tommy and Andy for not telling the waitress it was my birthday. I really didn't want to be humiliated on a saddle while they sang to me.
I have been thinking about what I have learned in life and why I have had the experiences I have had. This is what I have learned:
Since most of my family is gone, I have learned that there will always by people close to me that will love and care for me just as my family would.
I have learned to express my feelings and to let those around me know that I love and care about them.
I have learned not to talk to Tommy while he is watching sports. He really won't hear me anyway.
I have learned that I can communicate with Andy better since he has gotten older.
I have learned not to get upset over things I have no control over.
I have learned that I can choose to have an good or bad attitude.
I have learned that even though I am older, I don't have to act older and can still have fun.
Gee, I guess maybe I have gotten a little bit wiser with my age!

It's Just Money

If you read my previous blog then you know about all the air conditioning problems and the $$$ that was paid for a new compressor. What's the old saying; "When it rains it pours" and it's a down pour in my neck of the woods.
First let me say that we have double coverage on our health insurance. With all the health stuff I have had in the past, I am too scared not to have both insurance companies. The bills from my surgery are starting to come in and evidently my insurance didn't pay as much as we had hoped for. I just paid the hospital bill and that was a chunk of change, and now the anesthesiologist bill is forth coming and it looks like it will be another large chunk of change. I got sick this last week with a sinus infection and had to have heavy antibiotics so the bone graph wouldn't get infected. More $$$.
Andy is in desperate need for new clothes. If he was working full time I would have him buy his own, but he's not and he paid for his tuition this semester so I guess I could spring for some new clothes, right? Then I got some much needed new glasses, more $$$.

This morning we noticed the dog was walking funny. At first I thought it was her hip, but she didn't growl or cry out when we touched it. In fact, I took her on a walk and she seemed fine. Andy tells me after the walk that there is a growth on her back paw between the pads. So off to the vet we go. After an hour of poking, probing, examining, and draining, they're not sure what it is, but could be a tumor. Now we wait and see if the inflammation goes down and then they will determine if it has to be cut out or it just may be an infection. Now the dog is taking antibiotics and steroids. More $$$.

As mentioned in my previous blog, I am going to Arkansas to a family reunion. But, I guess I will be window shopping and not spending anything until the down pour passes. I wonder if I can survive for 4 days on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!!

Fall Is In The Air

I hope the heat has decided to go away, at least until next summer. Early Saturday morning Tommy and I got up and started our chores so we could listen to conference. I was upstairs making the bed when Tommy asked if I smelt something burning. Well since my surgery, I haven't smelled much of anything at all. But, I did notice that it wasn't very cool upstairs. He went outside to check the air conditioner and saw that one of the capacitors was burned to a crisp. Luckily, it wasn't too hot outside, but by the afternoon, it was pretty darn hot upstairs. Saturday night we opened up the windows and slept in our bed with the fan on. I got up and noticed the fan was off and turned it back on. The minute I fell back asleep Tommy would get up and turn it off. Finally, I went downstairs to sleep in the spare bedroom. About 15 minutes later, down comes Tommy who tells me it is too hot to sleep upstairs. No wonder, you keep turning the fan off! Sunday we slept upstairs and I actually got a little cold. He went and got the parts to fix the unit, installed the new capacitor, only to find out that the compressor had gone out. Geez, how much is that going to cost? It's only money, right? So again we are without air in the upstairs and hopefully the weather will hold out.

I went to the "nose guy" today so he could probe and see how the bone graph is healing. It's doing good and I go back in a month for my final appointment. WooHoo!! So glad to be getting back to normal, or whatever normal was. I am looking forward to my family reunion in the foreign country of Arkansas. You wouldn't think Arkansas would be the funnest place to go, but Wendi and I always have a good time. Besides, she is the only one that will make the trek with me as Andy went once, and that was enough. Tommy refuses to go as he was in the southern states while in boot camp. I guess that wasn't a pleasant experience for him. My relatives just don't understand, but it is what it is. Maybe some day he will have a change of heart, but I'm not holding my breath!