AnnieM's Stuff

Been watching that new show, "The Big C" on SHO...it's pretty good. The woman has cancer and hasn't told her family. She has only told the old lady across the street. I can't imagine.

She's going nuts with this stuff....cashing in her 401K and spending it on stuff. Having an affair with a guy at her school, etc. WHAT???!!!

Oh well...everyone is different...it's what makes the world go round.

Sandy's vacation was wonderful...made us wish that she could retire soon, so we can always be "off" together.

We did go golfing at Chanticleer. It was a perfect day for golfing...sunny but not too hot. And not too many leaves either! I golfed the best nine holes I've ever golfed, which isn't saying much.... We had a great time. Just as we left the course and headed to Harry's for lunch the car place called and said Sandy's car was ready. What great timing!

Friday I went over to Lynne's to make good on our birthday present to her....an agility lesson for her and Franklin. I brought two jumps, a tunnel and two weave poles. I showed her how to get him to do these things and they practiced a bit. Franklin caught on quickly...he will "work for food." I think if Lynne keeps up working with him and going to classes, they will have a lot of fun and will do well.

Sandy took Bubbles out in the kayak to see how she would do. She did great! She was able to balance on the very tip of the kayak without falling in....something Truman and Rocky can't manage to do. So, when we go out together, she can ride with me...the soaking wet boys can ride with Sandy.

On Saturday AM I went and got my hair cut for the first time since last October...well, except for the two times that Sandy shaved my head...that doesn't count. Kelly trimmed me up nicely and it looks good.

When I got home from Kelly's Sandy was packing her car for the agility trial on Sunday....I pulled part way into the garage to see that she had stuff piled up, blocking my way...so I started backing out of the garage. Suddenly I hear an awful scraping sound. Sandy went behind the car and directed me to keep backing out...so I did...and my side view mirror got whacked! So much for her skill at guiding me!

I was so pissed...way out of proportion to what happened. I was slamming the steering wheel and swearing...a lot. Then I got over it. Nothing that duct tape couldn't fix.


In the afternoon I went up to Woodstock to a party for Jim Donovan. Jim and Carol came up from Tennessee and a bunch of folks got together to see them. I hadn't seen Jim in almost 40 years! And I had never met Carol before, but we hit it off like we've always known each other.

I have been following Jim's journey with cancer on the internet and he has been following mine. It's like we are cancer buddies. I understand most of what he is going through, but he has had greater obstacles than I have. Carol and I hand out advice to each other and it really helps to know that there is someone out there who is sharing the experience.

Saturday night I had lots o' trouble sleeping. I think it was the full moon. I love it, but it makes me kind of crazy in my chest...keeps me awake.

We had to get up early Sunday AM, to head off to Wrentham for the agility trial. We took all the dogs. Lily was so relaxed in the tent....it was great seeing her like that. I got to see Rocky run a few events...he was the only one of the three to come home with a ribbon...he qualified and took first place in tunnelers! Truman made up his own courses out there so he didn't get anything. Bubbles ran all the courses perfectly (except for the weave poles) but she took her damned sweet time so she was way over time.

Sandy and I think Bubbles is going to retire from agility. She gets slower and slower every year. She likes doing it in the yard and she may take some classes every once in awhile...but as far as competing....not so much.

Sandy is back at work now and I've had a burst of energy in the kitchen....cooking dinner the last two nights. Last night I found a Rachel Ray chicken thigh recipe that made some sense and I cooked that up...just threw in garlic powder as it was kind of bland...it was good. Tonight I served up a eye round roast, with gravy, mashed potatoes and spinach...yum. First time I've ever made a roast...and I did this one in the crock pot.

I'm going to work hard to make more meals...and more importantly, to plan them ahead of time. We end up getting food to go way too often. Sandy is gaining weight and I struggle to maintain. So, I am going to plan menus like I should have been doing all along.

Of course, I don't know how to cook for just two. So we have a huge amount of roast, potatoes, gravy and spinach from tonight. I will have to learn to reduce.

Lately I've been having problems maintaining the ban on milk that the doctor ordered. I broke down and had a glass of chocolate milk the other night when I was desparate to fall asleep. For some reason the milk works like magic for me. I fell asleep before I finished the glass.

I don't think the milk is what was causing my bathroom problems. I think it may have irritated my stomach, but it wasn't the sole cause. I'm hoping I can go back to milk when all is said and done. I just love milk and cheese too much!

Oh, and people said how they loved coconut milk?? YUCK! I like the almond milk though...that's pretty good stuff. Can't kiss Sandy after I drink it though, she's deathly allergic to nuts! Go figure!

Anyway, I see the gastroenterologist next week. Maybe I'll get some answers from the tests she ordered. In the meantime...I'll try real hard to not have milk and hope for the best.

Oh and I went to see Bob Miller today. I went to the local Chinese restaurant and tried to get them some different things to try. I did order Bob's usual "chicken chop suey"...which he always gets. I also ordered sweet and sour shrimp for he and Wini to try. And egg drop soup, wonton soup, crab rangoon, steamed dumplings. Well, they really screwed up the order....even though I circled the items I wanted on the menu to help the new girl out. They forgot the sweet and sour part of the shrimp...just gave me a big box of fried shrimp; they gave me chicken and broccoli instead of chop suey (but Bob ate it anyway); they threw in barbecue beef sticks which I didn't order and they put the wonton soup on top of the bag...it fell over and all the liquid poured out into the bottom of the bag, making the crab rangoon and the fried wontons very soggy. YIKES!!!

They did like the egg drop and shrimp and chicken and all the rest of what I could salvage....so I left them with plenty of left-overs and the knowledge that they had tried something new and had lived to tell the tale.

Tomorrow Lynne is coming for lunch...she's bringing grinders. Taylor will be coming too...she comes up on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 to 1 (in between classes). In the afternoon I'll load all the dogs into Sandy's car and drive up to Colchester to order the replacement mirror for my car. For some reason they won't take a credit card number over the phone....weird. Sandy has to go to classes in Massachusettes tomorrow and Thursday so she will take my car.

This weekend I hope to be able to see my "old flame" Mark Russell. I found him on the internet finally after having lost contact with him some years back. He is coming up to CT for a Marianapolis Board of Director's meeting and we hope to be able to arrange a time for us to get together. It will be great to see him again and catch up on old times.

Well...enough now. I have to make an effort to write in this thing more often...so the entries aren't so long.

Nighty night!