Whirlwind 45 Hours

We went to Fresno for the weekend, to attend my Dad's retirement dinner, and had a whirlwind 45 hours!

Friday we got to feel like rock stars! We arrived at my Sister's house, and the cousins were outside and ran up to the car while yelling, "They're here!" We felt so famous! We had fun saying hello and then ran to the chiropractor. WOW, I feel a LOT better! I haven't found a chiropractor here yet, and Dr. "J" has a technique he uses on my foot that is torture and tickles and the the feet feel SO good. It is definitely something I look forward to. After that we had dinner with Hannah's "boyfriend" and Robert's friend, Stevo. Then it was back to Aimee's house to play with cousins until late into the night.

Saturday morning started EARLY (my kids are always so excited to be with cousins that they can't sleep). We went to my parents' and saw more cousins. Then we visited my Grandpa for awhile. The kids were really disappointed, because Grandpa Birdie has a poodle named Ruby. Hannah and Topher just couldn't understand why the dog wouldn't want love from kids who LOVE pets! We tried to explain that Ruby was an grumpy old lady dog who didn't like to be touched. After that, we visited my Aunt Bonnie and her family--including puppies Lolly and Chewy who DO like to be touched! The kids had a great time and the adults had a nice visit and then it was back to Aimee's for some more cousin play time. This time to the pool! Toph and Hannah were the only kids who stayed in the pool for the entire 2 hours! Hannah really worked on her swimming skills. It was great! Then we got the babysitter and the grown-ups went to my Dad's party.

Sunday morning started early for Me, as Toph woke me up at 2 AM, crying. "Do we HAVE to leave tomorrow? Can't we stay another day?" The cousins had a couple more hours to play and then it was off to Grandma D's house in Kingsburg (Robert's Mom). We had a nice visit and lunch and then it was back on the road.

We got home around 6 last night--a whirlwind 45 hours!

Toph is not the only one glad that the next time we're there we get to stay a little bit longer. I was so glad to be able to see "the whole big family" (Hannah's phrase) but I like to be a little less rushed.

Happy Retirement, Dad!

This past weekend my Dad celebrated his impending retirement, so we loaded into the car and drove to Fresno to attend the celebratory dinner.

In trying to keep up with all that needs to be done in my own life, I haven't given much thought to what retirement actually means for my Dad. He's been working my whole life (that's a good thing), and now he has permission to NOT work. He can just watch the grass grow, if that's what he wants to do.

My Dad is a teacher and has probably touched more than a thousand students in his career (No Robert, not physically TOUCHED!). He is a GOOD teacher, because he has a passion for the actual TEACHING. My Dad has an administrative credential too, and he could have made more money being a principal, but he loves the TEACHING and not the politics. His school will miss him, because he's a hard worker and honestly cares about the kids. Several people spoke at his dinner on Saturday and they all commented on his genuine goodness. And then my Dad spoke and I was so proud. One of his final comments was that he wanted to make Kratt (the name of his school) a better place when he left than it was when he got there--EXACTLY!

So at the close of school on June 12, my Dad will have NOTHING but time on his hands. He will be FREE to do whatever he wants. He deserves the freedom. He has worked hard for a long time. I wonder if he'll get bored?

When I retired from teaching, I immediately went into my second career--that of being a Mom. And I rarely miss those days in the classroom. My teaching moments are much more frequent, although without the benefit of the lesson plans that dictated my life for so long. Now Hannah will be starting school in August, and I will have FREE time too. I don't expect to get bored for a long while. I'm looking forward to better keeping up with the other WORK of motherhood. I'm very glad I didn't have to juggle both jobs at the same time.

Dad has joyously told us "the countdown" for most of the last 2 years now--I wonder what will be the next countdown? Seriously Dad, WAY TO GO!!! HAVE FUN!!!! ENJOY your retirement!

Pea Brained

Thanks for all of you who have given me well wishes--they have helped! I have even slept a few times! Thanks to modern medicine and nasal washing, I am SO much better! But I have discovered, yet again, that my brain must be the size of a pea. Those of you who have suffered sinus infections understand just HOW MUCH you can blow out of your nose when the infection starts to go away. Where does all of the snot come from? There's NO way there's room for the snot AND a brain inside of my head, thus, I MUST have a brain the size of a pea.

So I may be pea-brained, but I feel a lot better!

Visited one of MY body mechanics

Well, I did it! After 3 weeks of barely sleeping and 3 nights of REALLY NOT sleeping, I called my body mechanic. She wasn't available, so I saw one of her fellow mechanics. I walked in and basically self-diagnosed (as usual). OH WHY didn't I go to med. school, so I could write my own prescriptions?! Well, because being a body mechanic was NOT my calling in life. I have accepted this. But I nailed it, even what she'd probably prescribe. By Saturday I'll be feeling like a human again--maybe I'll even have slept!

Oh, LOVING the body mechanic's receptionist! I got my Rx for Allegra-D, which my insurance wants to fight over. I'm considering paying for it out of pocket, I'm so desperate! I called the office to see how long this fighting will take, and the receptionist, bless her heart!, offered to give me some SAMPLES to tide me over. Oh Joy! I told her I loved her!

After 1 hour on the Allegra-D, I can stand for the windows to be open! I'm not "fixed" but I'm feeling more human!

I think I'm seriously allergic to the jasmine that surrounds our home AND THAT I LOVE! So now we know, Maree needs the GOOD drugs when the jasmine is blooming.

Maree also needs to sleep, so she can remember phone conversations she's had in the last 2 days. If I've promised anyone anything, you'd better double-check! I have had conversations with folks that I don't EVEN remember!

I'm going to bed!

Body Mechanics--a first-rate rant

Warning: This post is a rant. Proceed at your own risk.

I've been giving this topic a lot of thought during the past week, and I just have to get it out of my system. Some of you have heard this rant before. I mean NO disrespect to any health professionals who may read this.

In this age of technology, NONE of us should be ignorant of things pertaining to our bodies. In the same light, I wish folks would stop looking at their doctors as gods. Doctors are MECHANICS--of the body, and they are HUMAN. They have specialized training, enabling them to care for the physical body--just like your car mechanic has had specialized training enabling him to care for your vehicle. You HIRE your car mechanic, right? So your attitude about your doctor should be the same. They are not gods to be treated with awe and wonder. Yes, they know more about the body than most, because they've suffered a long time in school. But you still HIRE them to care for your body. Even if your insurance limits WHO you can hire, your doctor still works FOR you! And if you are not satisfied with your doctor, YOU CAN FIRE him/her. I've done it before. And since the work they perform for your body can cure or kill you, you SHOULD be comfortable with your doctor!

Short story: I have some health issues and have had many health professionals care for me in my lifetime. I had some sinus issues several years ago. I was unhappy with my ENT. He had a superior attitude and I felt he "talked down" to me. I'm not ignorant when I go to my appointments. I DO research ahead of time. This doctor told me that I needed to eliminate all dairy from my diet (Dairy is evil!). Then he looked in my nose and prescribed an "allergy" shot. I asked how he could tell what was wrong just from looking in my nose? He was offended that I would question his judgment. I allowed the "allergy shot" and made my follow-up appointment--but already I was starting to question. The doctor had NOT told me the name of the drug in the injection--I should have asked, but I didn't. What if it would have an adverse reaction with some of the other drugs I was taking? They didn't even ASK what other medications I was on--standard procedure most places. When I got the bill, the name of the injection ended with "-sone." Because of my up close and personal relationship with Prednisone, I know that most drugs ending with -sone are going to be steroids. I looked it up, and that was the case. That doctor got fired. He was not honest with me about the treatment he prescribed. Yes, sometimes steroids are a good treatment option, but I was not given all of the facts, so that I could make an informed decision--and I DID NOT ASK! The fault was mine too. Incidentally, when I started with a new ENT (in the same practice), I asked how Dr. X could tell what was wrong by LOOKING inside my nose. Dr. Y said that it was not possible--there are bones and other things in the way--which is what I'd felt was true all along. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!

Our Fresno Pediatrician is an old family friend, and a darn good doctor! When I became a mother myself, I was fortunate to be able to choose Dr. Jones. He always said that he trusted the Mama's Intuition. I would feel foolish for taking my baby in to be seen when she was just extra grumpy or not sleeping normally--but my "gut" said that something was wrong. And 99% of the time, it was. Recently, I was taking Hannah in to the doctor, and I was prepared to tell him that "he could find something wrong that could be fixed, or he could take her home." Once again my "gut" was saying that something was wrong--and she can TALK now and tell me these things. She was sick. I'm glad I took her in. TRUST YOUR GUTS!

Another beef I have is folks who are ignorant about the medications they take. People tell me I should be a pharmacist. I'd actually LOVE to do that, but I'm afraid that I could NOT pass the chemistry and math requirements to obtain that degree. But I can memorize drug names, doses, and side effects. So can anyone else. I guess it's just a sick hobby of mine, no pun intended. If you're going to take a medication, even an OTC, why NOT do a bit of research and figure out what it's supposed to do for you? For instance, did you know that most OTC sleep aids ( Sominex, Compoz, Tylenol PM, and Unisom) are the same ingredient and dose as Benedryl--an antihistamine? It's cheaper in it's generic form than the sleep aids too. Pay attention to the label and the dosage. Pharmacists aren't infallible either.

I believe that folks should go to their doctor appointments prepared--research things out ahead of time, ASK QUESTIONS, take someone else with you--don't just blindly accept. You should be in partnership with your doctor in the caring for your body--YOU own it! YOU'RE the one who ultimately has to LIVE with the consequences--take some ownership! So that's it--I just wish people would put some effort into being more informed. It's not hard to do in this information era. Let it be a force for good in your life. Knowledge is POWER. The end.

How did I NOT know this?

I was watching the late news tonight, and I learned something really astounding.

Did you know that Puerto Ricans get to VOTE in U.S. elections? I did not! Am I the only person on this planet who did NOT know that Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, and that their ultimate leader is our President?!

Where was I in U.S. History, both in High School and College, that I have escaped these many years without this knowledge?

Why DON'T we have 51 stars on the flag then? Robert tried explaining this all to me, but my idiot gene must be in control today.......

Seriously CRAZY weather!

Last week at this time, it was over 100. It was hot and uncomfortable. Today it was 67--COLD, windy, and rainy. And a tornado in Riverside county? WHAT THE HECK?! I really don't know if I'm coming or going--if it's summer or winter or something in between. One week, I've got my air conditioning (which I'm VERY thankful to have) on and the next I'm thinking about turning on the heater again (down to 62 in the house). The heater on at the tail end of May--the very idea! Oh, Mother Earth, PLEASE take your Lithium so you can be less bi-polar!

By the way, I LOVE living here! Most of the time, the weather is like unto Paradise. We can handle a few bad weather days--but please, not every spectrum of the weather all in the same week, okay?

Would you make Dad's oatmeal for dinner, please?

Robert LOVE LOVE LOVES oatmeal--I don't. He makes steel cut oatmeal, and I thought I was going to gag some down, to be supportive. It was delicious. Topher, world's pickiest eater loved it--requests it! I was supposed to make some last night, so he'd have it this morning, and I dropped the ball. So Toph requested Daddy's Oatmeal for dinner tonight. Okay.

Here's the recipe:

Daddy's Oatmeal

2 c. steel cut oats
2 Tbsp. butter
6 c. water
2 c. milk
2 tsp. salt

If you have an electric kettle, great. Put the water on to boil. If you don't, put the water into a pot and bring it to a boil while you're getting the oats ready. Melt the butter in a big saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Add oats and stir to toast them. This will take a few minutes--you know you're done when they smell nutty. Pour on the water and give a stir. When it reaches a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Then, USING THE HANDLE OF A WOODEN SPOON, break up the cooked oatmeal (it will be really chunky). Stir in the milk (handle of the spoon!) until it's creamy. When milk is incorporated into oatmeal, add salt and stir again. Serve with brown sugar or dried fruit. Yummy, even for dinner. This is a double recipe. It re-heats well. Don't cook more than a double recipe at once--we haven't had success with that.

Happy Birthday, Grandma Jan!

Janice Mary Yates was born on May 21, 1925 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Later in life she moved to Chicago, Illinois where she lived until 1963, when she moved to Fresno, California. She is my Grandmother, and I was privileged to know her.

My Gram met my Grandpa, Robert John Blessing, (we call him Grandpa Birdie) in high school—they were sweethearts. She graduated from high school at the age of 16, and was engaged to be married. Then World War II interrupted plans, and she had to wait for the war to end and her sweetheart to return. Gram and Grandpa were married on March 30, 1946.

My Gram was always a working woman. She worked at a department store (Marshall Fields) before she got married, to accumulate things for her hope chest. During the war, she worked as a secretary in a Top Secret department for Northwest University. Later, she worked in the Hall of Records and then as the secretary to the City Manager. In 1963, my grandparents moved to Fresno to follow Grandpa Birdie's dream of owning a driving range—which ended up being a miniature golf course. In Fresno, Gram worked as a court clerk for a short while, and then she worked as the secretary for 4 Mayors. In my younger years (because I'm so OLD), my Gram was like a celebrity to me—she WAS the mayor's secretary, after all! I liked going downtown to see her at work and get my package of raisins. It was especially nice the times we could go to Gottschalk's and have a tapioca with whipped cream. She was the most famous person I knew!

When I think of my Grandmother, several words come to mind: fun, funny, music, patient, kind, loving, guileless, proper, fashionable, and enduring.

It was my privilege to live in the same town as my Grandparents my whole life, so I got to see them frequently. Whenever we'd spend the night at their house, Gram would serve us juice in special juice glasses. Holidays always came with traditions when Gram was involved. Halloween meant that Gram would dress up in her witch outfit, complete with crooked nose, and she would CACKLE as she'd answer the door. Christmas meant Christmas Eve at Gram's and hiding under/near the bed and pretending to be asleep so that Santa would come. Easter meant a frilly, beautiful dress. Summer meant BBQ's—and tuna macaroni salad (which NOBODY can make like Gram) and sometimes CHEESECAKE (also unique to Gram). Gram was the person who showed us how to skinny dip! She made sure all of the men stayed inside and then had her join us—what fun!

I remember one Christmas, sitting around the ROUND table at my Aunt Bonnie's. My sister, Aimee, told the joke: “How do you get an elephant out of a phone booth?” “Take the E out of elephant and the F out of way.” Gram must have said, “there's no F in way” a million times, and honestly didn't know why we were rolling on the floor laughing. She was so guileless that the joke had to be explained to her (and I'm not sure she thought it was so funny). To this day, I laugh out loud when I thing about that, “but there is no F in way......”

My Gram's best friend in the world was her sister, Phyllis. Phyllis moved to Fresno before Gram, and I think that's one of the reasons my grandparents moved to Fresno. Gram and Auntie Phyllis took me and Cousin John to BYU one summer—me for EFY and John for a football camp. The whole way there and back they laughed and hooted and talked about a book called Lake Woebegone Days and looked for Wayne Newton. They were certifiable when they were together—so silly!

Gram spent HOURS of a precious Saturday helping me learn how to make a 3-point turn in Grandpa's white truck. She was SO patient with me! I'm not exaggerating when I say it was HOURS. I think we spent the entire afternoon working on that—and I passed my driver's test, because I learned how to do it by practicing for hours and hours. Thanks Gram!

Gram had music in her life. She appreciated music. She played the piano, organ, bassoon, harpsichord, and other instruments—and she let us play her organ! I'm sure it was a sacrifice to allow us kiddos to play on her “baby.” Of course, we had music at many family gatherings—lots of singing. And we couldn't have Christmas without the CHIMES! When she wasn't playing the instruments, Gram was singing. She was well-known for several musical numbers that she performed countless times--always funny songs. Many of Gram's callings revolved around music—a true talent. She served about 50 years in music-related callings at Church.

My Gram is a great example of love. She LOVES Grandpa Birdie. I remember when she got mugged at the mall and had her purse stolen. She was more concerned about missing a picture of Grandpa in his Navy uniform than anything else--and she was moved to tears when it was returned to her. That's love in action. Sure she and Grandpa must have disagreed in 60+ years, but I never heard her yell or fight with Grandpa. She was a good example of the little things that make life more pleasant. Gram was patient too. She was so kind and patient with Grandma Ada (her Mom) when she had Alzheimer's. Gram didn't complain about having to repeat herself a million times, and although it must have been sad for her to watch her mother decline, Gram didn't give into self-pity. She enjoyed the time she did have to spend with her mother and the things they could still do together.

My Gram is a great example of being rock solid. She attended Church faithfully. She did her callings faithfully—I don't recall her complaining. She went to the Temple when she could. She was kind and loving, and she spoke kindly of others. Gram was not given to gossip and tried very hard to only say kind things about other people. This was always a good example to me. She didn't seem to hold a grudge. She was ALWAYS a good example of dressing nice and being proper. And it was through Gram that we girls had some of our nicest dresses. She was a perpetual shopper—sales ladies KNEW her! She always dressed so fashionably that my friends would comment--”That's your GRANDMA?” You wouldn't catch her using bad language or bad manners—ever. The closest she got to bad language was, “oh shed!” and that was usually in jest. She was always very active with her groups of friends-- GoGo Girls, Philharmonic friends, Bunko, etc. Gram has always been FUN—to watch or be around. And often, it was the watching that was fun. Even the last battle with cancer saw Gram pretty much in character—she endured without too much complaining, and still tried to dress up and look nice to attend the events she did attend. She tried to think about others and went to Church as LONG as possible. “Enduring to the end” is Gram personified, and I miss her!

It just seems fitting to pay tribute to such an Elect LADY on such a special day. I'm sure she's enjoying herself with my Auntie Phyllis, having a hooting Heavenly party today. And I'm sure she's the life of the party. Happy Birthday, Grandma Jan!

Young Love

Hannah has a CRUSH, but DON'T TELL! It's a secret! But not really--her behavior gives it away.

We had a visitor this weekend. Stevo is one of Robert's friends--he actually works in Robert's old job. Stevo needed to get away, and he chose to come here. Hannah was in HEAVEN! Wherever we went, Hannah wanted to hold Steveo's hand and sit next to him. She only had eyes for Stevo. I felt so rejected--but so did Robert.

We had a lot of fun. Friday was restaurant day. We ate a HUGE breakfast and then we went to Cheeburger for dinner--yes, it's a theme with us right now. Originally, we were supposed to go to Sea World, but it was WAY too crowded on Saturday, so we parked at the Fashion Valley Mall and took the trolley to Old Town for lunch (just mediocre; we were disappointed). Then we hopped back on the trolley and went to the Embarcadero. We were hoping to take a harbor tour, but we got there too late. So we walked down the block to the Maritime Museum. We visited Point Loma and saw the tide pools. Good times were had by all.

When we weren't being tourists, the guys were busy playing video games and watching movies, and Hannah was following Stevo around. She reminded me of when our Basset Hound, Princess, would follow me around with her nose touching the back of my knee. Hannah does this type of following to me all the time, so it was fun to watch someone else be her victim.

Just tonight, Hannah was all emotional, with real manufactured tears, because, "I just miss Stevo so much." He's a nice house guest; we all enjoyed his visit--but none more than Hannah. Oh, young love!

Mom, Today I'm a ballet dancer

This is what Hannah greeted me with as I was getting out of the shower. She brought in her leotard and asked me to help her put it on--an impossibility, since the leotard was a size 6/7, and Hannah wears a 10/12! We even tried to squeeze her into it, but it just wasn't long enough for her extra LONG body.

I decided that Hannah could wear her swim suit with the tutu--that would work in a pinch. It took a bit of coaxing, but I managed to talk her into it.

THEN, as I continue to try and get dressed, Hannah starts to POWDER her legs with baby powder. I don't mean a little bit--she's virtually PAINTING her legs in powder. When asked why, she tells me that it's because all ballet dancers have WHITE legs--don'tcha know? I was thinking that might have something to do with tights, but I kept that observation to myself.

As soon as I took her picture, Hannah had lunch and all visions of being a ballet dancer have fled from her mind--until tomorrow.

I LOVE this girl!

Butternut Squash, as promised!

On a recent trip to my favorite, Yanni's Bistro, we ran into several friends. EVERYONE who eats there raves about the butternut squash. Yanni's is different in that the owner has no qualms about sharing his recipes with his patrons. After all, you don't eat there because you CAN'T fix the food they serve.....

I have the recipe for the butternut squash--it's a restaurant quantity though, so you'll have to cut it down to something you might possibly eat in a week--good luck! Also, they don't give any directions for this recipe. I'm assuming that the squash just gets cut up and cooked on the stove, drained, and then mashed with the other ingredients--I could be wrong. I've NEVER even purchased a butternut squash.

Here's the recipe:

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

5 LB BUTTERNUT SQUASH BOILED
4 OZ BROWN SUGAR
1 TSP SALT
1 TSP PEPPER
1 TSP NUTMEG
2 TSP CINNAMON
8 OZ BUTTER
4 OZ MAPLE SYRUP

A BIG thanks to Doreene (Robert's Mom) for sending this to me! We also have the recipe for Budino, if you ever want an AMAZING dessert--PLEASE don't anyone tell me how many calories are in it! Let's just say, it's a special occasion dessert, not an everyday dessert! :-)

Howdy, Partner!

Toph's "gang" of buddies--we all walked to the school together.

Topher's school does a Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dance every year. This year's theme was Hoedown! They do an AWESOME job decorating the multi-purpose room--I can't fathom the hours it takes to create the scenery. I REALLY hope they take it all down very carefully and store it. It could be re-used every 6 years and nobody would know!

We met a few of Toph's friends at a friend's house and walked over together. It was fun to be part of a "group." As soon as the kids crossed the street, they were begging to be cut loose and on their own. We walked in the doors and they took off for parts unknown to run around with their friends. For the boys, the dance is more about seeing friends than it is dancing with your Mom.

Sharon and I were standing over by the punch, trying to scope out a place to be out of the way, and suddenly people were calling to me. Toph was ON THE GROUND! There were several Moms who were right there, and told me that he was tackled and landed on his head--on the cement! He never passed out, was altered, or was sick--so instead of calling 9-1-1, I let him get up! We put some ice on the NICE goose egg on the back of his head, and Toph said that he wanted to stay at the dance.

He was a little subdued after that. We walked around and talked to some of his friends. We danced a couple of times--watching Toph do the Cha Cha Slide was SO worth it! We took a very over-priced picture (it's cute) and we took many of our own pictures.

McDonald's provided our nightcap--sundaes. I had a very nice time on our date. Hannah was beside herself that she couldn't go this year--NEXT year holds the key to SO many other activities for our girl.

We went to the doctor today, just to make sure that Toph is fine. I woke him up before I went to bed last night, and he was fine. But he was still a bit dizzy today, and our doctor says he's conservative when it comes to head injuries. I felt better having a professional confirm what I already felt--peace of mind was worth the co-pay. Toph will have a headache for a few days and he's to have a quiet weekend. Since it's FREAKIN' HOT here right now, that will be easy to accomplish!

A bit of ice for the goose egg.

Good times!

More Toph Memories...........Naked Tool Man

Toph had a REALLY cute habit as a young kid. Once we'd strip him down for the bath, he'd run throughout the house REALLY FAST! We'd call this the "naked boy run," and we enjoyed it as much as he did--you'll have to imagine 2-year-old running and GIGGLING. SO CUTE!

Then, as we entered the Bob the Builder phase, Toph's naked boy turned into "Naked Tool Man" and he'd run all over the house, usually with a drill, trying to fix something. SO CUTE! Of course we got pictures!