Saturday, July 4, 2009

Fourth of July

Big day today....woke up to sun shine...nice. Last night, just as I put my book away and rolled over to shut out the light, my glasses fell apart! So, this AM I had to hike down to WalMart to get them fixed. Since they were still under warranty they gave me a whole new frame! Wow! I was hoping for just a new bow.

I got home just in time to get up to Joanne and Mike's and hope on the trailer for the annual Fourth of July "tractor parade" that this neighborhood is famous for. It was a small-ish parade this year, only about six tractors. We went to Amanda Lane for the formation of the parade and met the new people who just moved into the house that Deb used to live in. Surprise! The new people are Karen Lauk and her fiancee....I know Karen from the old Camp Bark. So it was like old home week.

The parade took about an hour, wending our way through all the cul de sacs and waving at all the kids and neighborhood dogs. We threw candy out to the kids. I learned more about the neighbors and met some new people. Linda, who lives across from Carol and Mark, told me that her husband built our house. This info may come in handy someday. Maybe he can explain the mysterious wiring in the house. We have wall switches that aren't connected to anything.

OUCH! The fireworks next door just started with a HUGE BANG! We've been dreading the start of the fireworks all day, ever since we heard about the plans. We considered taking the dogs out for a ride into the Pachaug forest--we figured no one would be setting off fireworks there...but we are too tired to be out riding around.

I turned the volume on the tv up...hoping this masks most of the sounds. Probably wishful thinking. We're listening to House Hunters at 75% volume...deadly.

After the parade I went to Mike and Joanne's for awhile...they had a little cookout. It was nice visiting with them and Joanne's Mom...she of "mussell making" fame. She agrees that we should do two mussell making parties a year...one in Sept and one in April. Joanne has two pans of mussells in her freezer and cooked some up for us. YUM!

Then I went home, collected Sandy, who was having some wheezing problems (first time in a long time) and we went up to Barb and Mary's for another cookout. I went swimming (for about two minutes) while Mary lounged in a blow-up recliner in the water. The kids had water balloons and one of them got her right in the mouth. She handled it well though and then we all watched as she manuevered her way out of the recliner and onto the dock and then into her artificial leg. She asked me to hold her leg and protective sleeve, telling me not to let them get wet--as she was getting out of the water. I got her in line by threatening to throw the works in the pond. She shaped up fast, let me tell you!

Then she let me drive her around in her golf cart. What fun! I even drove the cart down the "nature trail" through the woods, where we spotted trees and even a squirrel!

Barb and Mary have a "party boat"--one of those pontoon boats. I have to go out in it someday. Sandy's chest was hurting so we had to leave early, before we could get a ride. There was a concern that they were going to run out of gas, so I'm kind of glad we didn't go out. Although I did have baked beans...so there would have been plenty of gas, if you know what I mean.

We got to meet Barb's kids and grandsons. Very nice family. We also had a nice conversation with Michael and Doreen, who rent the cottage next door to them every year. Michael is a big UConn fan (both teams) so we had lots to gab about. He is a hotel manager and I would have loved to hear his stories...but Sandy was really hurting so I took her home.

Sandy is okay now. She did a breathing treatment and the air conditioning helped.

I'm going kayaking with Deanna, Lorraine, Charmine and Pat tomorrow. They were making plans to kayak at Hopeville Pond and asked me to join them. Sandy can't go, so I invited Barb to come with us. She met Charmine last week at the Relay and they got along. I doubt there's anyone in this world who WOULDN'T get along with the two of them!

So, Barb is coming at 11:30 to load my kayak on her truck and we'll meet the rest of them at Hopeville. After we're done we'll cook out at our place. Jean and Frank may come up to help Sandy put the doggie pool up...now that the heat is here (we hope)...the doggies will need to swim. It will be good for Rocky's rehab too....wonder if we'll be able to get him to swim. Bubbles and Truman are really "un-Russell-like" in that regard. They love the water and most Russells do not!

I hope I can get Sandy to tolerate, at least, my desire to have company over to cook out. Tomorrow will be fine--her parents will be here after all. But I'd love to have Barb and Mary over, and Mike and Joanne, and Carol and Mark and other folks too....

We'll see. She's grudgingly (is that a word?) accepting the fact that we're having the Open House next month....maybe there's hope that we can entertain at other times.....

The explosions are getting louder...the dogs are barking furiously....but no one is cowering in fear. The fun is just beginning...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!! AND MANY, MANY, MANY MORE!!!!

Nighty night!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Computers in general suck....

Can't live with them...can't shoot them. I finally got the laptops working with the new modem/wireless set-up...but my PC upstair is acting up...horribly! Now the printer doesn't work; I can't get AOL to load...let alone go online; and I can't load my McAfee to see if it's a firewall problem. Guess I'll have to break down and call Dell tomorrow.

We had a hella bad night last night with Lily. It started storming and she went all bull-shit about it....as usual. She paces, panting and drooling all over the place. She climbs up on our bed, shaking the whole bed with her panting. We tried everything, medication, gentle leader, ignoring her, etc. But when she tried to climb UNDER the bed I said "enough!" and went downstairs.

Lily, Bubbles and Rocky came with me. I set up in Sandy's recliner, by the windows with them open so I could hear the rain. It POURED so hard...it was like someone was on the roof with a fire hose, I swear.

Well...Lily didn't stop her shenanigans, as if she would just because she was downstairs! She finally went back up and I was able to fall asleep with Bub on my lap and Rocky at my feet. I went back up to bed around 6am and didn't really sleep well at all. The result is that I felt icky all morning.

In the afternoon, the sun came out and I got back out in the front yard, pulling weeds and trimming bushes. It looks great out there, even though I'm not finished. I did make a big dent in the work. It felt good to be out there working...I managed to work for two hours solid.

I think that we are going to put a big kennel upstairs for Lily. When it storms we'll get her in there and cover it up with a blanket to make it dark in there. That's what Carol and Mark do with Landry and it works. She now goes into the kennel when the storm comes. I hope we can find something that works. It hurts to see her so anxious and scared...not to mention how it robs us of sleep.

Lynne's Mom is in rehab now and Lynne is back home. She is exhausted. I hope she can get some rest...she's earned it!

I did well at work yesterday...doing physicals with three students...I thought it would be two but there was an extra student and I ended up working with him. The doctor I worked with was one I have had problems with in the past...I was bummed when I saw that I was stuck with him again...but he and I had a chance to talk a bit and I like him more now. It also helped that he wasn't on the phone or answering his pager the whole time like he has done in the past to me.

Afterwards I drove up to Enfield to Marie and Don's to deliver the prize they won at the Relay Raffle. Thanks to the GPS I was able to find their house...and dropped the package off...they weren't home from work yet.

Because I had noted an accident in the south bound lanes of I 91 on my way up....I asked the GPS to find me an alternate route. It took me through the fields and farms of Ellington...a beautiful ride which reminded me of the summer I went to stay with my best friend Deb Lovett who had moved to Ellington. Then when I got to Vernon I hopped on I84 and headed home from there.

I got a check from work today...nice. Reminds me of how much I want to get back to work.

Well, I'm going to watch Rescue Me that I have saved on the dvr. Love that show!

Nighty night!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

ATT SUCKS!!

So ATT sent me the new modem to use. And it didn't work. Then they had a guy come over to get the phone jack turned on....now (allegedly) my computer doesn't recognize the new modem so it can't connect to the internet. Since my PC is the gateway to my wireless network for the two laptops...we can't connect remotely...we have to bring the laptops upstairs and plug the modem directly into them. IT SUCKS!

Hopefully we will get this straightened out....soon! It's a royal pain in the tuchus!

Lynne's Mom fell Saturday night and broke her hip....she had surgery yesterday...hopes to be in rehab somewhere around here in CT on Thursday. Lynne is staying at her Mom's house (in Brooklyn NY) until that happens...so no Ikea and lobster for us today. Her birthday WILL go on and on, just as I predicted!

The Relay was a huge, if somewhat, soggy, success. Jean, Sandy, Lynne, Mary Anne and Carol joined me in the Survivor Lap and then they held a Caretaker Lap and we all walked in that one...that was a nice touch. They gave me a Survivor Pin to go along with my Survivor T-shirt and also "Caretaker pins" to give to people who helped me most. I gave all of them a pin and gave one to Marie too...when she came later in the day---for knitting all those hats. I'm going to give one to Linda too...she made hats and that fabulous "stitches pillow" with all the covers that go with it.

Our team exceeded our goal of $4,000 sometime last week. On Relay day we turned in another $500 or so. And Maria still has to collect from some people! I think we may get close to the $5,000 mark! WOOOHOOO!

We had so many new walkers this year: Tammy and Emily came from Rhode Island...I had met them one day at a chemo session...Tammy and I shared a chemo room; Russ Boulet and his Mom, Bonnie and Bob joined us...although I didn't get to talk to them very much...it was very hectic when they arrived; Annette came and spent most of the night with us...she walked off andon; Suzanne St. Dennis (the area's best dog trainer) walked and had fun--and really helped by donating two eight week sessions of dog obedience classes for the raffles! AND BARB!! WOW!! Barbara Lukens, our real estate agent---and new friend, collected a boat load of donations and walked off and on all night. She took a nap in the middle of the night, got up, walked again then went home. She came back later in the AM to help me pack up the tent, screenhouse and the rest of the equipment. Janet came back and helped too...they are the greatest!

Special thanks to Jessica, Annette, Barb and Charmine who stayed all night and walked through the night. I walked some, but they really walked! I think we had someone on the track all day and night, until about 7am...when I started packing stuff up.

Big thanks to Russ and Co; Steve; Don and Marie; Anne Marie and Suzanne, for walking in the heat...I can't do it!

Maria, Cathy and Karin showed up at 8pm to walk....in the gymnasium it turned out---as the lightning was so bad, they made us all go inside. This is the first year they joined the team. Maybe next year they will stay over night...at the relay or at the house. It was great seeing them there.

I came home, unpacked my car; took a shower and crashed around 11:30 am...woke up at 6pm. Got up and ate...then crashed again...all night. Yesterday I was all wiped out still and just rested. But today I got up and worked outside...in the heat. I trimmed some bushes out front, pulled weeds and generally neatened it up out there. It had gotten to "jungle-like" proportions out there with all the rain, etc. I was able to do more than half of the front in a couple of hours and then stopped as I could feel the heat getting to me. I'll finish it on Thursday. There isn't as much to do as today's job. It did feel good to be working out there again....like a normal human being!

Tomorrow I go to work in Hartford, doing physical exams with the interns coming in for the summer to St. Francis Hospital. Afterwards I will drive up to Enfield to deliver the raffle prize Marie won...a fabulous vacation package to Mt. Monadnock region. It's got everything in it!

Thursday I hope to be back out in the yard...as long as the weather holds.

So, I may not post again here for awhile....maybe not until the ATT situation gets resolved.

CONGRATULATIONS to all my old co-workers who are now officially retired! You're going to LOVE IT!

Nighty night