Wondering...

Today... I am full of wonder... not necessarily all the 'wonderment" of good things... but here's my list!

I am wondering how long it will take Fed-Ex to deliver my cell phone? ... Mind you, it started out in PA, had to go to NJ to be sorted, then trucked back to the distribution hub in PA, and then put on the truck to be delivered today... they said by 4:30... they've got 2 more hours!

I am also wondering... why is it that one "Big Dude" at UPS has it in for my DH? He literally knit-picks every job that DH does... and now has requested that the Manager of the company drive up and inspect and evaluate the work my DH does. Does this mean that a window is about to open... could it be that we will either have to move back to MD or look for other work?

I am wondering... about friends... and how they manage to go and do other things in their lives, and cannot follow through on returning calls or emails. It always bothers me to be placed at such a low priority that it can take over a week to hear from anyone... and of course, family???? that's a whole other story... I often wonder how long I should go before picking up the phone and calling to say... hey... I'm still here!

I often wonder... just who really reads this... and if they do, why do they never leave a comment? I just would like to know if you liked what I wrote... or if you even care... (Not you, Pearl or Sandra!)

I am wondering... if I should get another dog... I would love to add to our household. But if we end up moving, that would make it harder. And then there's my knees and going up and down steps all day with animals... hmmm.... it's a big decision. And how would Nolli really feel? He's a very sensitive little guy, and I don't want him to feel slighted.

I am also wondering about all the projects I want to do in this cottage. We are about to embark on a few things... like finishing the outside steps, building a pantry, and my redoing all the curtains in the living room and making new seat covers for the dining room. Am I about to take on too much?

I am wondering... about my scheduled endoscopy for this Friday. Has anyone out there had one and care to share your experience? This is a procedure that I have to go to by myself... DH has too much on his plate on Friday to even attempt to go with me.

I am wondering... will Summer ever show up? It's been rather cold today... the house has been quite chilly all day. I had to go sit out in the sun for a bit to get warm!

That's enough wondering for this afternoon... have I bored anyone to tears yet? I hope y'all still are willing to hang with me after all this wondering!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY (July 13th, 2009)...

Outside my window... the sun is shining, there is a nice breeze and the crows are cawing out by the stream

I am thinking... of my dear friend "N", losing her sister so suddenly. I'm grateful that I could be there to support and help her when she needed me.

I am thankful for... my wonderful Husband, as always! He works so hard for us... and he does whatever he can to make my life wonderful. Never have I know such love from a man other than our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus.

From the kitchen... things are neat and put away. Mexican is on the menu for tonight.

I am wearing... cute denim shorts, a black and white paisley knit top with ruffled cap sleeves and my black single strap birkenstocks.

I am creating... a new honey-do list for my hubs!

I am going... to ice my knees from my p/t appointment today and do my exercises.

I am reading... through all the mail I picked up at the post office today... my hospital bill was in there... interesting reading!

I am hoping... to stay on track for all the things we want to do in the house and yard this week.

I am hearing... fans blowing in the windows... the birds in the trees, Nolli breathing near my feet.

Around the house... I need to pick up just a little bit and dust. DH will vaccum for me later.

One of my favorite things...How wonderful God's timing is and how he supplies!

A few plans for the rest of the week: to continue with physical therapy and strengthen my right knee and hip... and hopefully start my Hyalgan injections this week!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Sunday Odds & Ends

Well... last night's thunderstorm was a real head-banger! It rocked and rolled 'round here for a good 2 to 3 hours. The winds didn't come like expected, and it only hailed a little bit. But we are still glad to have put all the yard stuff and the car into the garage. As the storm approached, I really felt the atmospheric pressure change... I was yowling in pain. I had to take stuff and have DH rub my back and my knees with bio-freeze so I could go to sleep. I woke up in pain... and had to do it all over again this morning. Sweet DH let me sleep until 10! I woke up feeling pretty good after that.

Also last night, my dear "N" called me... she had just discovered that her oldest sister had passed away. She needed me to call our pastor (from back home) and let him know to call her or her sister, Miss A. Her sister Miss L, had a pretty tough lot in life... and in her later years, it showed. She was on disability for COPD, but wanted her independence and lived alone. When no one had heard from her yesterday... they went looking and when they got no response, called for paramedics. That's when they found that Miss L had gone to be with the Lord. "N" felt so badly that she hadn't gone over sooner... I tried to comfort her the best that I could... but it never feels like enough.

Today... DH has worked on house projects... we have an attic ventilation system that has been broken from the time we moved in here. He's tried several times to fix it... today, he's installed a new motor and variable speed controller that is worth about $850. (He had it from another piece of equipment that he owns.) He's almost done with it... but is trying his hardest to figure out how to correctly mount the original fan in place... it seems that it was never properly mounted to begin with! I have a feeling a trip up to the attic might be in store for him instead of working through the vent opening. He's such a hard worker and such a smart "technical" man.

Tomorrow, I see the physical therapist... we are going to meet and do paperwork, set up a plan of exercises for my knees and schedule some pool time. Sounds like a lot, huh? I have to be out the door almost right behind DH to make this appointment. That hasn't happened in awhile!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Saturday Fun!

I called my dear friend Mary on Friday... she told me about how she had gone to visit her youngest son over the 4th weekend and did a whole bunch of yard sales! She inspired me... so this morning... DH and I went out and hit a few sales. We had a ball and came home with some really good finds. DH has been wanting to buy a wireless router... and he found one, in the box for $5 and got it for $3! We also got a nice small tv for the guest room for $8!

I've got to cut this short... we have a tornado warning in effect... and the thunder and heavy rains have started! Time to batten down the hatches... hang on, Toto!

Snails Pace

I am moving slower than a snails pace today... My blood pressure still is not down even though they doubled my dosage of "the big, heavy hitter." So, now he's doubled the dosage of the second one to see if we can get the numbers down. He said it might slow me down a little... this is more than a little, but I'll make the adjustment eventually.

I'm glad that it's the weekend... and glad that we can just hang out tomorrow and do what we want... maybe a little laundry and vacuuming, a swish of the feather duster, and we are pretty much done. If fact, I may just work on getting all that done this afternoon while I wait for DH to come home from work. It is Friday after all... and we all know that his supervisor likes to "screw him over" on Friday! Hopefully, he will make it home before 7pm for a change. (I've been praying about my attitude and the Sup's as well... change us both, Lord!)

I did stop by the flower shop yesterday... the owner of the shop finally did some maintenance on the place and had an electrician come in and fix both lights in the work area and in the cooler door! It looks so good in there now. (And you can see what colors you are really working with!... Not that I am doing any work!) It's a small improvement, one that was needed months ago. If it were my shop... I'd give the place a new paint job, inside and out, add a little landscaping and better signage... and reset the layout inside and merchandise, merchandise, merchandise! But... that's not my shop. If I ever win powerball... I'd buy it in a New York minute and do it up right! Miss J knows how I feel about the shop and what needs to be done... if only the owner would listen! (wow... how did I get here?)

I did go to Och's Country Market today... it's truly out in the country! They had some lovely Shasta Daisies that I would have loved to have bought. But, alas, I have no place to put them, and I don't know if I have the energy right now to dig up part of the yard or go out and buy a barrel for them. So, instead, I bought a little fresh produce for dinner and few bulk staple items that I can't find in town. It was fun and I will have to take DH with me next time as I couldn't decide on what kind of pie to buy! We may head over to the Amish Farm Market in the Poconos tomorrow... I am almost out of their delicious rolled creamy butter... that stuff is fabulous! And I can always use more farmer's cheese too!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

I'm back from my appointment...

And the Phyisican's Assistant... worked me over... and then the Doctor worked me over... and I had x-rays that also worked me over! I'm tired and my knees hurt! I will be going back into physical therapy... back in the pool, Thank You Lord! I am also a candidate for Hyalgan... (like I didn't already know that!) Once all the insurance stuff is verified... I will be trekking up to Berwick to do my "thing" in the pool. He talked about my severe arthritis in both of my knees... and told me that when the pain gets so bad that I can't function, then I can have my knees replaced. (I'm just too young to have it done yet since it only lasts 15 years.) That's where I am at for now... no surgery to be done as of yet! Yay!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

I Can't Take It Anymore!

Those of you who know me... know that I have struggled with my knees for almost 10 years. Back in January of 2000, I slipped off of some icy steps while holding a clients baby... I held on to the baby and injured my knees with blunt force trauma from landing on the sidewalk that was 4 steps down. I was rated by the state as having incurred 7-10% permanent knee damage and disability.

I have not been able to go down steps the "normal way" since then.... nor can I kneel down to garden, pass cpr or play with the dog. I have had several series of Synvisk... which is an artificial form of synovium fluid that cushions the cartilage in your joints. I had the longer last Hyalgan done in my left knee, 3 years ago. It did well... and recently quit working. I've gotten to the point that I have to rest after doing basic chores and have to be careful of the side to side motion that we all do when we are doing dishes and cooking and doing laundry. (You don't realize it, but there is a lot of side to side motion in daily life.) Not to mention, all the stairs that I climb up and down during the course of my day. (Some days are better than others.) Last night, after fixing dinner and cleaning up, we ran off to Walmart to pick up prescriptions and a couple of items... when I got back to the car, I was in pain... enough to take my breath away. When we got home... I waited until DH had done all the outside watering and walked the dog before I got the courage to climb the stairs.

Today... I called the doctor and made an appointment. I know that this is going to entail x-rays and that I will have to kneel on the table while those x-rays are taken... Oooowwww! I am hoping to start another Hyalgan series at the very least... and who knows.. maybe it's finally time for new knees. We shall see!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne