Mary came over this AM and washed the windows....in a way that they have never been washed before! They sparkle!

Mary wanted to come again tomorrow and power wash the house and do the floors with Rejuvenate....but Sandy put her foot down and said it's "too much" and I have to agree. I felt sick after Mary left, I was so tired. I guess I hit the wall, all the work I've been doing caught up with me.

I did the woodwork downstairs and tonight I washed the upstairs windows...not as nicely as Mary's job downstairs, but they are clean.

Tomorrow I have to go to the store and buy the rest of my supplies; cook my hams and get stuff laid out. Saturday morning will be a whirlwind and then I plan on cruising thru the afternoon, visiting with folks.

Terry may come over later in the day...she's visiting from Arizona...to see Lily, her new granddaughter (her first). I hope she does come, so she can meet Lynne.

Audrey and Luke are coming...so Audrey will get to meet her "Yoville" friends, Lynne and Leon.

Actually, a lot of people are going to meet each other for the first time on Saturday. I just hope people mingle, getting to know each other, instead of staying in little "clans" in the backyard!

Sox just lost to the Yanks....their first loss to them this year. Let's hope it's the last. I'm beginning to dread John Smoltz's starts for the Sox. He has been a big bust so far....I know he's an Hall of Famer...but PLEASE!

I'm exhausted...so I'm off to bed. It will be time to make the donuts before I know it...

Nighty night!

Went for the CT Scan this afternoon. Stood in the waiting room and drained that first bottle of berry flavored chalk in about 20 seconds...then sat down. They took me to the other waiting room-the one with the TV...and "let me" drink the second bottle about 30 minutes later. I drained that one right down too. UGH!

Now we wait for the results.

Went shopping and got the hams and lots of other goodies tonight. That's done.

Tomorrow Mary Carroll is coming over to help me clean. She says she's a bit "OCD" so that will come in handy. We're going to wash windows, woodwork and start dusting. I vaccumed this AM...upstairs and down, but not the thorough vaccumming, that will come on Friday and again on Saturday.

Maybe I'll see if I can go over to Mary's afterwards for a swim. Haven't really done that this year (go for a swim)...only once---last week---in Jean's pool. I need to swim more. Mary has a beautiful place on Pachaug Pond. With a beautiful dock to jump off of. Yep, that sounds like a plan.

Everything is shaping up nicely for the party. I'm going to see some folks I haven't seen in a long time. It will be a nice mix of people. It's going to be nice weather---so they say. I know we are going to have fun!

Nighty night.

Worked for 4 hours in that yard...in that heat. It felt good actually. I weeded and trimmed and mulched to hide the rest. I think mulch "dresses up" the yard. And it does hide a lot of sins.

I think I'm pretty much set for Saturday. Tomorrow is a waste--I have to spend most of the afternoon on the stupid CT scan. Getting there two hours early so I can drink that nasty stuff. I'll probably finish straightening up my upstairs office and computer area. I stashed the boxes back in the closet, so it looks better up there. I have to do some serious work on those boxes. I've pitched out a few loads already, but more has to be done.

I found my appointment book! It was on the shelf above my computer. And then I found my Mickey Mouse towel that I thought I had left in Maine....I forgot I had used it to wrap Mustafa, the UConn gnome, for protection as we traveled.

Yesterday I went back to work and had fun. It was good seeing some of the old gang again, and the "gig" was an easy one that I have done before. I'll be working every Monday this month and three Fridays. I have to skip the last Friday as I will have chemo on that day, but by then I'll probably be sick of the scenario I'm doing.

Sandy and Frank installed the new sink and faucet in the kitchen and it looks wonderful. They did a great job. After Frank left (late afternoon) Sandy got busy putting together the new table we bought for the new TV. When I got home she had the steak on the grill and had made squash and green beans from her garden. It was oh, so yummy.

Then she went back to work on the table. Carol came over and she and I were "sidewalk supervisors." Sandy finished putting it together sometime after 11pm. We put the TV on top and I had it fired up and was "ooohing and ahhhing" by midnight. It's fabulous!

For the party I'm going to cook a big ham and I ordered four cooked turkey breasts. People can make sandwiches. We're going to have egg salad and tuna stuffed in those little rolls. A potato salad. "Baked beans" chips and dips and desserts. Soda; coffee; tea and water to drink. If people want alcohol, they can haul their own to the party. I'm not going to sweat anything. If we run out of food, I'll send out for pizzas. Or some huge grinders from Subway...or something.

We'll have tables inside and out back in the shade. I heard from my cousin Nancy that she's coming and then her uncle called tonight and got directions, so he's coming too. Scott texted me to let me know he's coming...hope he brings the new g/f. Dan from work is coming with his g/f. I talked to Trudy today to thank her for the beautiful flowers she sent me...she's coming with her b/f! We are going to have a diverse group there: relatives; friends from work; agility club friends; old neighbors; new neighbors; childhood friends and new friends.

Audrey and Luke are coming...so Audge can meet Lynne and Leon who have only met her on Facebook. Hopefully Lisa Ginetta will be there...I've only met her through "Farm Town" and "FarmVille." It's a goofy world.....but I've met some nice people that way.

A few people have "come out of the closet" and admitted to me that they too, have "fluffed their britches" in the past. That makes me feel better, but I am going to be more cognizant of my "intestinal fortitude" after chemo!

Now it's the 12th inning and the Sox and Rays are tied. The Sox have only one reliever left to play in the game. What will happen? The suspense is great and is enhanced by the fact that I am watching it on the new 46" Sony! I better quit this entry and watch the game....they just announced that 405 pitches have been thrown in this game already!

nighty night....hope I see you on Saturday!

August is here, my friends...

First, my eye is much better. So much so that I forget to put the salve in at night. I have to try to remember...but I have so much trouble with my memory now due to "chemo brain" that it's a wonder I remember to put on my glasses!

I went to chemo Friday...Richard came with me in case I needed someone to drive. Poor guy...I had to be there early because they forgot to order a urine test so I had to do that on the day of..and I had to see the nurse practitioner to get the ok for chemo. Then for some reason it took forever to do the urine test and I didn't start getting my chemo until after 11:30! And my original start time was supposed to be 9:30. We didn't get home until about 1:30....and I didn't need him to drive.

He left, shaking his head and wondering why he had to come with me at all. Well...don't you know as soon as I got out of the car I started feeling all weird and then I got the runs.....so bad I didn't make it onto the toilet in time. It was bad.

That totally proves I'm getting the chemo....not a placebo. I had been constipated all week and I go for chemo and BAM I get the runs????? C'mon!

I told the nurse my concerns about the symptoms I've been having...the bloat is back; the constipation; the weight gain and the running to pee constantly. She did a pelvic and felt nothing...which doesn't mean a thing to me. I had a two centimeter cyst on one ovary and a three and a half centimeter tumor on my right ovary and no one felt a thing!

She agrees and says that the CT scan will tell the tale. I go next Wednesday. Insult to injury...they didn't have any of the flavored "chalk" they make you drink. I talked to the nice lady at the CT scan office and she suggested I come in two hours early and they will have the "nice" berry flavored drink for me. I said YAY!

The CT scan "beverages" are the worst part of this whole ordeal. They are the WORST! I'm happy to have the scan though, considering the symptoms. I'm hoping that they are connected to something else, of course. We'll see.

I told the nurse about my continued sleep problems. I'm so irritable and downright nasty from lack of sleep. She told me to try Tylenol PM. Sandy got some for me (the poor thing, she's probably desparate) and I took some last night. I did sleep better--I woke up a few times, but didn't have trouble going back to sleep. I got up feeling fairly refreshed. Let's hope it continues.

We had our SNEAK picnic today and I was responsible for making sure we had all the food/supplies we needed. We had a small turn-out due to the change in the picnic date, but it was a beautiful day, we had good food there and a nice group of folks. I got to sit outside and not have to weed anything for a change.

Tomorrow I go back into the yard to work on stuff. Trimming and weeding. Have to pick up some mulch. Sandy is going to do a quick mow---she'll do the complete mow again on Wednesday. Then I hope she's going to put the TV table together and we can get the new TV installed. Can't wait to see that satellite picture on that big screen.

What is with the tornados in Connecticut? Another one yesterday. This weather is so crazy. Thank goodness we have a new thunderstorm routine for Lily that works. She has gone into the closet with the lights on and has done well...I'm happy for her. It kills me to see her so anxious. The weather isn't cooperating...so I'm glad she has found her "safe place."

Here's hoping we don't get the t-storms that they say we may get tomorrow.

Oh, Martinez just got his first hit as a Sox---drove in a run. YAY!

Nighty night!

Achy breaky

Tuesday I worked in the yard again and ended up with a scratched cornea. Dunno how it happened, but I got some kind of tree branch or pine needle in my eye. I ignored it after awhile as the sensation of pain died down. I almost forgot about it, but when I took my shower it stung again.

Sandy urged me to go to see my eye doc...which I did. He found a scratch and gave me salve and drops to use. It's already almost 100% better.

Yesterday I said that if the weather was rotten I would not work outside, but go to the gym instead. The air was rotten and so it was off to the gym for me! After going to get my bloodwork done of course. I did about an hour workout...the treadclimber for 20 minutes, 20 minutes on the dumbbells and a few of the resistance machines; 20 minutes on the bike and then my warm-down routine--mat and the "stretch chair." I love that "stretch chair!"

After all the working in the yard and the workout at the gym I am aching a lot. My knees are aching almost as much as they used to when I was waaaaay overweight. I have new "sneakers" so I don't think it's the shoes....unless the shoes are wrong for me. I've been thinking I should go back to the pedorthic guy that I saw in the past and have my feet checked. I keep getting red marks on some of my toes and the edge of my foot...maybe I have to find out what size my foot is!

Sandy was off last night so we had today....to go shopping! YAY! Finally got that tv I've been wanting to get and because I'm paying for it...I felt free to get the 46" model! We got a table to put it on too....decided to not mount it on the wall. Sandy says she will put the table together on Sunday, so I have the tv for my birthday on Monday.

Of course, on my birthday Sandy and Frank are installing the new kitchen sink and faucet I bought a couple of weeks ago. So, I'm getting lots of good stuff for my birthday! But now that I type this stuff...I realized that I have paid for all my birthday presents! HA HA!

Oh wait, Sandy did buy the Sirius satellite radio for my birthday! How could I forget?

Uncle Dick is coming early tomorrow to go with me to chemo. They called me tonight to let me know that I was supposed to have a urine test done and it wasn't done. I told them it wasn't done because "they" didn't put it on my lab slip! I wouldn't have even had a lab slip if I hadn't insisted to June that she give me one! So, tomorrow I have to have the urine test done before my chemo...AND I have to see the doctor/RN practitioner for an exam before my chemo....so we have to be there early.

I'm trying to NOT be paranoid, but I'm having symptoms associated with the cancer. Bloating; constipation; frequent urination and a sudden jump in weight (5lbs). It may be nothing...but I'm going to bring it up to him/her tomorrow. Also have to remember to ask about whether or not I can get immunization shots prior to going on the cruise in late October. I don't know if they let you have shots when you are on the chemo. If they don't, I'll probably have to stay on the ship instead of going ashore, but that wouldn't be the end of the world for sure!

I hope I can sleep tonight. I have been having lots of trouble sleeping lately and it's making me quite crabby....a real "chore" to live with...poor Sandy! My temper is very short. I'll mention that to them too...although I think that a night of sleeping without Bubbles and Rocky would do the trick! Next time Sandy is off I think I'll sleep in the guest room, see if that helps.

Rocky "tosses and turns" all night, Bubbles overheats and gets me overheated too. Then she has to crawl out from under the covers and later, crawl back under. All this activity wakes me every time. I am too light of a sleeper.

So, I'll probably NOT sleep well tonight. It's the formula for disaster sleep-wise: Sandy's working; it's the night before chemo and Rocky and Bubbles will be "doing their thing." The only thing that could make it worse is if we have a thunderstorm and Lily goes nuts. Then I might as well sit up all night!

Nighty night to the rest of you....

Went for my annual dermatology visit today...was told I "look great!" Yay!

Worked out in the front again, weeding. Unbelieveable how those weeds grow....and the rain has certainly helped! I'm going to take Sandy's car tomorrow to get mulch and maybe some more annuals to fill in the blank spaces out there. I bought some big planters of petunias--all different colors on sale at Walmart the other day...for $10 apiece! I may go back and get some more stuff on sale.

I love Ikea....I think most folks know that about me. I love everything about the place and I love the products. Call me cheap and conventional...I don't care. Well...I finally found something I don't like about Ikea.....their Swedish pancake mix!

I love "plattar" the way my mother used to make it...with loads of eggs and milk....and sugar. Well, I thought I'd try the pancake mix. WRONG! You mix it with water and it's supposed to taste like plattar...no way! It has no sugar in it...so it just tastes flat! I had to load it up with lingonberries and no sugar maple syrup to be able to eat it! Maybe if I add Splenda to it....it MIGHT taste half-way decent. I think I'll donate the other box of it.

Steve is working on a job in Montreal. His second stint in Canada. Also his second incident of trouble with thieves being interested in his truck. Last time they stole his Sirius satellite radio...this time they stole the whole truck! Fortunately, his company is footing the bill for a rental car for him and he has theft coverage on his insurance. He loves that truck and was almost done paying for it. Now he'll have to get a new one.

He should have Sandy do the wheeling and dealing for him. Probably get him an extended cab model for what he paid for the old truck!

Tomorrow I work in the back yard weeding and hacking back the overgrowth. That will be better--there's shade in the back yard. I almost threw myself into the garden pond again, trying to cool off! Instead I set a chair up in the garage and took breaks there in the shade. I felt like a Memere...sitting in the garage and watching the cars go by!

He he. Like a Memere.

Open House stuff

Yesterday it was clean the fridge...an onerous task to be sure. I can never get drawers back in the fridge. Instead of my usual "if it doesn't fit...force it" way of doing things...this time I waited for Sandy to get up and had her put them back. Somehow she figured it out.

Today I worked out in the front and side yards, weeding and draining the garden pond. The former took the most time and energy...lots o' weeds out there thanks to the rain we've had. I uncovered the little walkway that was obscured by vegetation and I even got into the little side garden between our house and Cliff and Kathy's.

All the while the garden pond drained down, with my rigged up hosing. I had to drain it because the PH was too low...from all the rain. The lady at the "fish place" told me that all I need to do is drain the pond halfway or so and then fill it with well water--which is alkaline enough to raise the PH level...so I did that.

I also moved some of the potted plants in the pond around, to give a better view of the waterfall. In the process, I stepped onto the little shelf in the pond, slipped on the slime and fell INTO THE POND! I laughed my ass off....dragged myself out and kept on working. It actually felt good as the water was cold and I was sweating at the time...it cooled me off.

Oh, last night I spent part of my night sleeping on the floor in the laundry area, while Lily lay a few feet away in the walk-in closet. I put her there because of the thunder storm. Put the lights on in the closet and the laundry room, pulled the blinds in the bathroom all to help mask the flashes of lightning. It worked. She heard the thunder, but it was muted in the closet. She fell asleep pretty fast and I was able to get up from my bed on the floor and go back to my real bed.

Tomorrow I'm filling the prescription Dr. Dodman gave us for her to take when a storm is on its way. We're going to Foxwoods tomorrow night for Cirque de Soliel with Taylor Ryan and Jean. Lily will stay with Frank--as there are storms predicted.

I just hope it doesn't storm tonight....I'm too tired to mess around with the floor sleeping routine. Maybe she will just go in the closet and stay there.

OH! If you are reading this and you are planning on coming to the Open House....DO NOT bring any food, beverages or anything but yourselves and your humor! We have a menu planned that can all be done ahead of time....don't want anyone to bring miscellaneous dishes. Just come and have a good time. If you want to bring something, bring your own lawn chair.....we have chairs and will have some from a church hall...but your chair might be more comfy.