Bridget's profileLife is a jouney...and y...PhotosBlogListsMore  |  Tools Help |
Life is a jouney...and you hold the map.part journal, part interest and alot of bs!
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July 01 A Summer Pest This summer so far its been on the cooler side of things which isn't actually typical but it has some advantages... the wasps aren't out in full force just yet. Now this fun little buy and I have a long and interesting past. My first run in with his kind was years ago... I had put clothes out on the line to dry, one of those normal things to do. I had been called by a past employer to lend a hand at the retail shop I had worked at, so I grabbed the clothes off the line and got ready for work. Slipping on a pair of stockings, he got me!! Sure enough while the clothes were drying, he made his way into my sock and when I put my foot in...bang, he stung me! No big deal, right? Well... 8 hours on my feet at the cash register and doing other odds and ends, when I came home and pulled off my shoes and socks... my foot was swollen. A day or two of 'recovery' and things were back to normal.
Fast forward a few years, working outside...one of his kind got me again. This time on the ear... a long remembered wives tale had me mixing a bit of dirt with some water to make mud to place on the sting. Kind of funny now, but then..well, it worked well enough until I could do something about it. Pfftt... the next morning I work up with my ear about 3 times its normal size! I went to work, not realizing just how bad it was until I was sent home. I made a stop at the doctors and that lady doctor really sent me for a trip. By the time I got to see her, the swelling had moved half way down my throat. She imediately thought I was having a reaction... I was put on steroids and perscription strength Benadryl. Now me and the good Ben don't actually have a good working relationship... it puts me out, I'm pretty much useless. So I get a week off of work and the dual scripts have me awake long enough to take my next dose and I'm out again. For a few years after that I carried an epi-kit with me...
 Now what you are supposed to do with an epi-pen is give yourself a shot, should you ever have a reaction. Umm... I honestly never did see myself jabbing a needle in my leg should I get stung again. Its not that I'm afraid of needles or anything... I just couldn't see myself doing it. So for a few years, there was always a 'bee-sting' kit along with me. Of course everyone else was worried...what if? Pfftt... I can handle things, don't worry. It was later when I was seen by a doctor who raised bees as a hobby, who said, 'You're supposed to swell at the sting location'. Makes sense to me... if I were to swell up anywhere other than the sting spot, that would be the problem. He also told me, over the counter Benadryl would keep things in line until I could get to a doctor or call for help. Of course another couple summers go by without any problems... then the dang insect got me again! This time right on the hand. Yep, swelling did occur! So much so that I thought my skin would burst and my flesh would start oozing out, lol. My right hand was again 3 times the size of my left. So its back to the Benadryl and sleeping all day. Now that was a fun weekend, NOT!
Who would have ever thought that a bug that size could cause sooo much trouble? June 25 Windows... and heat againI've got another long weekend... started today, or should I say last night! A friend called and we went out..it was supposed to be an early night, lol, we always say that!! But nooooo...got home around midnight and didn't get to bed until about 1:30am. Of course when you can sleep late, its not going to happen. I was awake at 5:30, 6:30..and finally decided to get up at 7.
I went out on a bit of a limb this spring and ordered some custom made windows... yes a bit spendy but should be well worth it in the years to come. Well... today is instillation day, or the start of it. The smaller, easier windows are in! Tomorrow will be the big picture window and then the finishing up of the wrapping and trim and such on the outside. Since that won't take too long tomorrow, I just might start on those never ending lawn projects... hmmmm, plant, move, replant. Periannuals mostly... once the initial work done, they provide minimum matinence over the years, of course that is the biggest bonus!
Its 'warm' here again today... summer has struck! Beautiful if you enjoy that kind of thing, lol. I tend to believe in moderation....somewhere in the high 70's is really enough for me. Then again, beggars can't be choosers.... so a person does the best they can...like we can actually change mother nature's wonder.
So....after a night of less than normal sleep and an afternoon of reading and staying out of the way of my window guys...I'm ready for a re-charge nap, lol. Ok, so maybe after the last 20 or so pages of my book. June 22 Its a 4 Bottle DaySummer hit with a vengance today... the heat and humidity are here! Working outside, it gets to be a long day...so stocking up on the water is a must. Today it was a 4 bottle day... the 32 ounce size.
Life is almost always interesting these days, it seems I'm always running into old friends here and there...making new ones along the way. Alot of folks are definately starting to, if not in full struggle, today. I just happened to read a few emails and this little explaination made me laugh.....
Here is a short course in economics:
June 17 Everyone has one...what's yours?I've always been a 'people' person... the human animal fascinates me on more than one level. What makes them tick, why they do what they do... Monday nights have my attention due to a couple programs on A&E.. Intervention and now, Obsession.
During one of my more 'thinking' conversations with some friends, we were commenting on some 'town talk' about a guy I know, there were snippets of unfavoring talk of his behavior or what was believed to be happening in his life. While I'm not sure if the talk was true or not, the talk did lead to what we do when we are stressed, depressed or otherwise lost in what is happening in our lives. We all have our own addictions... mine just happen to be legal. Now I'm not in need of an intervention...but there are those moments when I find my mind totally out there and need to escape, so to speak.
Some people use drugs and alcohol, others gamble...some work to extremes, either at their jobs or in obtaining a strong body. Just as the old saying goes...everything in moderation. Monday night's Obsession was looking like an interesting one... my only problem was after a long week.. I feel asleep in the middle of it! Guess its an online review for me later.
The man 'featured' in Obsessed was a horder.... he had an attatchment to everything, throwing nothing away. Of course there are underlying problems when you become this bad, its the finding out why that makes it so intersting. We all have had bad things happen to us, its how we handle these things that makes us different from each other. Either the obsession with cleanliness, counting things, or hording or the addiction to drugs, alcohol or gambling... looking at it, both are more related to each other.
I know some alcoholics, related to a few horders... and know some strong willed people who have picked themselves up and dusted off to move on with life. Some are putting on a strong front but occationally crack when it seems everything in life is thrown at them all at once. Heck... I've been there! Having gone through that part of life, it seems like there are times when I'm watching myself...knowing just how far I can be pushed before I have to step back and remember who I am and what I can handle. I guess its that knowing part that keeps me in check. June 14 Summertime PlanningSummertime is always a busy time it seems... everyone tries to enjoy the great outdoors a little more than in the winters. People seem to get out and about visiting a bit more, or maybe its just the age thing... with the snow and cold we... or I tend to get home and hunker down instead of getting out and playing in the white stuff.
My family; parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, can make an event out of any little thing...an excuse to visit. There's the Martin Luther Day breakfast, a day off of work for some but a 5am meal with friends and family. This year I started the Memorial Day breakfast at my place... being my house is in close vacinity to the parade route, yes our little town puts on a nice patriotic event... the high school band, color guards from the local VF and Legion, scout troops and fire trucks line up to cross town ending at the cemetary for a memorial service.
Some of my more extended family are big into geneology. So every three years there is a great gathering of family for a reunion. Now it always seems that there is sooo much time between reunions but like always... its sneaking its way up and is almost here again. For the last few years its been held closer to home for me. This time its a bit of a trip but will be worth it. Since Gram and Gramps are getting up there in age, it will probably be their last. In fact, there was some rumblings about them not going at all... the 6 hour drive would really be tough on Grams knees being cramped up in the back seat of a car. The solution? We are renting a motorhome.... a bit of an expense but something everyone thinks is well worth it to have the 'whole' family together... going back to the hometown of my Grandmother.
The camper has been rented, people are asking for time off, lists are being made and I'm sure there's going to be one or two things that slip through the cracks. With about 20 of us making the trek, we have to line up meeting times, figure out what time we will leave....stops along the way to take a break....especially for those of us not riding up in luxury, lol.
So in a few weeks, it will be time to work harder at vacation time than at work. It will also mean another chance to kick back somewhat and enjoy what summertime once was.... a time to relax and visit with those that mean the most. June 06 June...a time for brides and....frost?This weekend I had a bit of a side job so to speak. A friend of mine's daughter got married and I was honored to take pictures of the wedding. At first it was just a curtesy to my friend but then became a 'job', I was it...chief photographer!! I enjoy taking pictures but when it becomes a job, well...I get a bit nervous. My best pictures are landscapes, animals, 'quiet' snapshots when no one is really posing. Now like most everyone, I've seen some great wedding photos.... I wasn't really sure I could capture the moment like most do. The pressure's on, lol. A friend 'volunteered' to come along as my assistant.... calm my nerves, take notes, make sure we got all the pictures...bride, groom, families, etc.
The bride wore her mother's wedding dress... it was a gorgous evening, not too warm...a small breeze, the sun shining. The first couple shots I definately was a bit on the shaky side, the tripod helped keep the camera still. The first few clicks of the camera and things started to settle into place. Pictures before the wedding, shots during the ceremony.... 150 clicks later I stopped at one of the local discount places just to throw the memory card in and see what I had. I'll have to do a little cropping here or there and only two or three that blurred. Yes, I'm relieved!!! I put them on a disc, unedited, printed one of the happy couple and bought a couple frames. One as a gift for the couple, the second as a gift to my girlfriend. The rest of the pictures they'll have to decide upon themselves.
Today they had the reception.... too bad mother nature decided to bring winter back!! Ok, it wasn't snowing or anything but dang... its hard to enjoy a beer when you can see your breathe!!! It was an outside reception, a bit of a grey, drizzly day... It would have been fun to stay longer, but as Tori Spelling says... 'there was a time when you'd say champagne? I'm here until 4am. Now, its like...champagne, hmmpfff. Sleep sounds better'. In this case... my sweats, a hot chocolate and a big furry blanket won out.
May 31 Another Beautiful WeekThe weather has been pretty dang nice lately...although, it would be nice to get a bit of rain. I'm thinking today would be a great day to grab a book, my beach chair and head out to the lake to catch some rays and enjoy a relaxing Sunday, an afternoon with nothing on my mind, lol.
As much as I'm going to enjoy the nice day, there is something about a warm, drizzly day of rain...especially now. The days of warmth have gotten the summer off to a nice start but its time to settle the dust and refresh the plants. I don't mind dragging out my watering can from time to time but its time for mother nature to take her turn at helping my hostas and such with a cool drink. Maybe I should wash my car, lol.... it never fails to rain after I do that!!!
Talking of rain reminds me of the great thunderstorms when I was a kid.... yeah, I know, there have been storms since I've 'grown up' but for some reason they can't out do those memories of the night sky being lit up with lightening. Of course it was a simpler time... or maybe we just enjoyed things differently then. At times we would grab the lawn chairs and sit under the eaves, watching the skies and counting the 'distance' the lightening strikes were away from us. I still love thunderstorms...as long as they don't cause damage.
There were times when the storms would hit a power line and we would be without lights, tv, etc... but there was always an oil lamp handy. Lol, nowadays there are candles everywhere, but I still have an oil lamp.... thinking of it now, I haven't used it in ages!!! Those days when it got dark and we couldn't go outside and play, we invented games to keep us busy....and dad seemed to be one of the biggest kids around. We would play a game of monster hide and seek, I guess we definately were easily amused back then, lol. Games of checkers and chess, card games and story telling... imaginations were in full use. Funny how a nice day will bring back thoughts of childhood... well, I'm off. Enjoy the day!! Can't believe it.... half the year is already passing by. Pfftt... for a brief millisecond a fleeting thought of snow and winter....**shudder** May 20 Refridgerators and then some....What a day!! It almost reached 100, so I'm relaxing... I was going to do a somewhat serious post about the mom and son who are 'missing' after the court ordered chemo on the boy but now its become more of a this and that thingy.
The yoga... I've never really thought it a serious 'exercise' more of just something strange people do, lol. A few months ago I upgraded my gaming system to a Wii... it was a splurg decision. The first thing out of my daughter's mouth, and a few other folks, was 'did you get the Wii fit?' Pfftt... yeah, I thought about it but never saw it anywhere...guess its popular, lol. I happened across it about a month ago so sure pick it up, see what its all about. The week before I went to Reno, which by the way Laochie... isn't all that exciting, I'm a Vegas person all the way, Reno is a quiet little place after you've been to Vegas.
These 'games' are becoming smarter than the person using them!! The balance board weighs you and tells you your BMI, pretty nifty but then if you happen to have one of those nights out and are a bit on the watered down side... it asks you if you happen to know the reasons for the increase. Well... there isn't any for out for a drink or pms so you gotta hit the ' I don't know button'... sheesh but I do know!! Anyways... four categories on the fitness line up, one of them is yoga, so sure give it a try. Before this, yoga just looked like playing that age old game of 'statues' ... stand like this for a minute. Wrong!! The fitness board measures how much weight, muscle or whatever you are using for the pose. Downward facing dog, for example is you with your hands on the board, butt in the air... stretching your back and toning your abs.... you have to have a certain amout of pressure/weight on your hands on the board. There's a little bar on the tv screen which you must maintain to do the pose correctly. Marge, lol... my kids would laugh at me too!! Good thing they aren't around when I'm twisting, stretching and so on!!
So in the mornings before work and after a cup or two of coffee... I'm on the board doing yoga, who'd have thunk?
Now for some fun stuff... people's refridgerators. Mine's usually pretty much empty except for a few odds and ends... I've seen a few pretty stuffed with everything. Its kinda interesting to see what people have in them, somewhat like looking in the medicine cabinets of friends when you're at their place. Well...I happened to click on this little blurb of sorts. Are you what you eat as the saying goes? There is one picture in this set that somewhat shocked me.... check it out, see if you have the same question, lol. Click here
May 18 A Story too good not to shareOk, so I haven't been around alot lately... its springtime, cabin-fever has long been forgotten and with temps this week of low 80s, well... you know how it can go. But as I watched the news tonight, this video was just too good not to share... a springtime ritual with a twist.
A shopping trip yesterday has a few plants for me to put in the ground...and if the weather holds until the weekend... a couple new tanks, woohooo... suntan city,lol. Yeah, yeah... its Monday, and a long one at that. I'm a bit slap happy... and tired, pfftt... but the ankle is feeling dang good. In fact better than ever... must be the yoga, just not the ankle strengthening ones. I'll wait a bit longer for those! May 08 Fishing Weekend and Bad AnklesThis weekend is the state's fishing opener and here in this little lake town, there will be lots of action on the lakes. Its been forever since I've actually gone fishing... I may have to think about it but I guess I enjoy just relaxing on the lake. Of course for some mysterious reason, opener always goes hand in hand with Mother's Day, lol.... Fish for lunch anyone?
There are tons of memories this time of year... especially since my grandparents have a place on the lake. They bought a cabin house there years ago and then built a retirement home there, so there are tons of stories.... I remember one day going on a picnic, taking the 'speed boat' out, the whole family... which at that time was Gram, Gramps, Mom, Dad, my sister and 1 brother. Of course boats back then were definately not like those of today! We headed out with lunch in hand for a spot down river... while much of the in between stuff doesn't really come back to clearly, it was the ride home that brings back the silly memories. A surprise summer shower made its presence known... the screams and giggles of us kids sent us seeking shelter. Gram has the pictures... funny how seeing a memory like that can bring back so much more!!
I am hoping to actually do a little planting this weekend.... yet at the moment, I'm a bit laid up. I've always had weak ankles... and sports back in high school haven't actually helped... sprains and twists have left them in even more of a weakened state. I've been doing a bit of yoga and other exercises but the one pose that is supposed to strengthen my ankles most likely strained one of them. Years back I broke an ankle... slipping on some ice, now it would be understandable if it was that ankle that was being fussy... pfft!! Its the other one!! A little swollen... but even more so after standing on it at work for a couple hours. So its back to the days of sports and remembering how to wrap my ankle.... and once home from work, the elevate and ice mode for half an hour. Thanks for visiting!
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