Hospital Humor

Funny thing today: My mom's name is Susan and her Registered Nurse's name was Susan. My name is Jessica. Mom's Nurses Assistant's name was Jessica.

Good Things Today: Because Mom is in the Hospital she has nurses (and NA's) who know how to help her move and go to the bathroom. I have no clue when it comes to moving/helping people move. Its also good because she's able to get fluids, blood transfusions, and meds through her IV.

Not So Funny Thing Today: It took for-ev-er to get her CT scan done today. She want allowed to eat or drink. Her 12/1 pm CT scan ended up being about 5:45 ish. Long time when you want a drink!

Kind of Scary Thing Today: She's still kind of high on the temperature end of things, and she has even less strength. The lack of strength has moved to her arms and is now using only her right arm to do any maneuvering.

Great Things Today: Our cheerful visitors! Even if you come with a friend and chat she likes to be in the middle of things. She may not be all chatty but it makes her happy to hear things going on! She's in 502-1. When people werent in her room I was reading a funny book which she seemed able to listen to and enjoy!

One in Every Color-Fridge, Stove, Dishwasher

While were on the dream sewing room lets head right over to the dream kitchen. These are the dream appliances. (Made by a company called Big Chill.) I think I'd like a fridge, dishwasher and oven/stove in red. I would like black granite or concrete countertops. I would like my counter tops to be about 3 inches lower than the average counter tops. This has been run by Luke with the understanding that we'll have a very tall shower, and tall bathroom counters. Deal. I would like lighter cabinets. Luke prefers wood and that's fine. I would like a giant kitchen sink two sections, and a tall faucet with a retractable sprayer with a control button option.

I would LOOOOOVE a large island topped with a butcher block. No sinks no fixtures just  an outlet on the side. This is where Ill be doing all my baking! (I'm banking on the idea that big chill will come up with a way to install a second oven with the same look just under the microwave.)

I'll also take one of these! Probably hanging over the island for convenience, and I intend to have something like this plate rack for maybe 10 or so of my Fiesta plates to be arranged in seasonal color combinations!

Sigh....a girl can dream right? :)

One In Every Color-Tape

I'm definitely lusting after this tape found <here> at Happy Tape! Happy Tape people...does it get any better? And yah I know I have a whole stack of ribbon that looks just like this tape... but they'll look so great together in my dream craft room on dispensers like this painted to match!

And one wall over there will be cubbies with fabric and yarn also arranged chromatically. No baskets. I want to see the colors. The bottom wide shelves will be full of pattern books and magazines.

In the middle of this fictional dream room will be a giant table for cutting and blocking and ironing.

The wall with no windows will be corner to corner Wonder Wall. (Sort of like a flannel board) Ill be able to have my projects in progress clinging to that wall and there will be enough open space there so I can lay there with my feet in the air staring at it, and just enough space more so that when Luke walks in to ask me when dinner is and wonders what the heck I'm doing he can join me and lay there looking too! (And then get bored out of his mind and leave to watch ESPN.) 10 minutes later I might start dinner.

Wow...look what that tape started...

Sometimes Its Better To Not Say Anything

I haven't blogged in quite a while as things got rather interesting. Sometimes there's a fine line between blog material and things that will get you in trouble if the wrong reader should happen to come across it. Ooops! I decided that it might be better to hold off on the blogging and well things just took quite a while to wrap themselves up.

1.) Crazy intense week helping mom her first week in the classroom. I'm a strong personality with a potentially dominant teaching style. It was HARD work to make sure she was staying the boss, but keeping her chemo brain organized, setting up her class. I felt kind of like Oz being behind the scenes, but I know recognize that being the lead is a lot more fun/easier. I also learned the value of separation. Being "at work" and then coming home with her and driving everywhere was too much. Luke wisely suggested I be sure to go to the gym and spend 45 min somewhere not home just reading. Good escape. I read Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small Quartet over the following week and a half.

2.) Super fun weekend with the "O" girls. I got to play "gymnastics" mom and we made some fun invisible ink.

3.) I got sick. It was the Jr. Highers or waking up waaaaaay too early for too many days. Took me out for about a week. Mom was still pushing through with teaching again (she has Multiple Myeloma and within the last year has undergone chemo AND radiation). She was coming home and passing out as soon as she got here. I was glad to be the supportive happier daughter when I picked her up and took her places again.

4.) I headed up to Moscow to see Luke! Yay! And work on wedding quilt blocks with roommates and friends in Moscow! Yay! It was a great weekend! Luke is great! I got to cook! (They graciously let the living/kitchen space be my "turf" when I'm there. Not like they don't get some pretty good meals out of it though (if I do say so myself.)

5.) My congestion hadn't completely cleared up and had been aggravated from the flying to Moscow. I had 4 take offs and landings to get home so I was VERY wary. When I woke up the morning I was supposed to go home with MORE congestion I said "I think I'll reschedule." (Having already had 1 ruptured ear drum under my belt I did not want another.) I went to Wal-Mart and loaded up on decongestant and nasal sprays, and hunkered down for a glorious week in Moscow. There's something about that place. I cooked, I went to see Luke and Marks intramural games. I visited with friends. Luke, Mark and I even worked on and finished a baby quilt top for their cousin!

6.) I had the most grand adventure on the way home. I have a horrible pattern of not waking up for important things. I kind of sort of woke up at 6:20 in the morning and my flight was scheduled to leave at 6:45...panic! AHHHH! I yelled....Luke heard me and started hauling my stuff out to the car faster than I even knew he could wake up. He drove to the airport faster than anyone should probably safely drive and I'm on the phone trying to figure out if I can reschedule my flight before I have to buy a whole new ticket. We get to the airport in maybe 5 min flat. (No joke.)There's no plane which is unusual. I'm hoping maybe it hasn't landed yet and not that it just left. I run in. The Pullman airport is small and rather sparse so it wasn't completely weird for me to run up to the man at the desk and say "Is there any chance that the flight out hasnt landed yet?" He tells me "it just flew over to Lewiston." My heart sank and as I was walking away defeated it took my brain maybe 15 min to finally process that it FLEW OVER! The commuter plane didn't stop to pick up the passengers! They would have to reschedule everyone! I'm SAVED! My bank account is saved! (Plane tickets in and out of Pullman/Moscow aren't cheap.) Not only was I saved but I was one lucky duck. Because I hadn't gone through security yet I was first in line! AND was first on best plane out of there! AND I got to fly with Kelly a friend also visiting Moscow which meant we got to have smoothies together in Seattle!

7.) Mom has Pneumonia and is really unstable and tired a lot. She is done teaching at least until August. Please keep her in your prayers. Things aren't looking too hot from this angle. I was subbing on Friday and this poor unknowing second grader was telling me that she was sad because her grandpa died. He had cancer and then he got Pneumonia. Ugh. Not the thing I wanted to hear. To those of you who I told I would be at church this morning and think I ditched you...I kind of did, but we had a rather dramatic scare this morning. I woke up and heard mom sobbing in their room. Then I heard the word broken in my dad's voice. This is an underlying fear of Multiple Myeloma because it puts little pores/lesions in her bones and makes them very weak. Dad told me they heard a crack and she had fallen and that she thought she might have broken her ankle. I was so scared her legs are so weak already. She did not need one more thing. We took her sock off. Nothing looked wrong. Then she started moving her foot around and said there were no pains. I felt so sick. I'm normally someone who can hold it together until after and am generally a person of action. I just had to go back to my room and lay down and sleep. I felt lame for leaving my dad, but I'm starting to learn that my body might be using sleep as a defense mechanism. Everyone sort of hung around the fort today. My dad worked on HIS wedding quilt block. I did some hand quilting on the baby quilt. Mom slept, ate, sort of incoherently interjected in conversation, and then slept some more. Its hard to know what to think, and what to expect. Today wasn't a bad day. It was actually some pretty good family time, but man life throws us curve balls.

Were You in Lord of the Rings?

I was asked that by one of the 8th graders on Friday. I promptly responded by gaping at him for a moment because it had me flashing back to high school. Then I remembered I'm a secure grown up who loves being me and laughed. He never said exactly why he asked. Maybe it was because I'm short like the hobbits.Maybe it's because I'm delicate and elvish? (Don't catch me on technicalities because I have yet to see all the movies, connect with characters, and read the books. I know it's uber World of Warcrafty, but LOTR scares me!)

Maybe it's because I have a mean death stare...

Or maybe it's because I resemble Orlando Bloom (can't remember his movie/book name).

I used to wear my hair back like his during my earlier years, but then I was sitting in PE role call lines one day (no I didn't actually participate, I had my medical note) and the obnoxious fellow turned to me with a thoughtful look on his face. He didn't even look malicious like he usually did when he was about to say something. He just said "I finally figured out who you look like. You look like Orlando Bloom in Lord of the Rings." That was it. I was flabbergasted. I have yet to wear my hair pulled back like that. Now I'm very careful to at LEAST put a part in it. There's just something so functional about a half up. I was hoping to at least be viewed in a more scholarly fashion like Paris from Gilmore Girls. Sigh.
Any ideas for stick straight hair with a widows peak?

Calmer Waters

Literally. No rain today. Whew.

Woke up early, got a LOT of good work done in mom's Jr. High classroom. She starts on Monday! Eeek! Lots to do! I've got her bulletin boards mostly done, pencils sharpened, red pens flower-fied to deter thievery. We were there on Friday where the original teacher was supposed to be for his last day but he skipped out, and left a sub with not enough on her lesson plans.

Me being me and unable to leave students idle and prone to mischief (you know 8th graders give em an inch and they go for the marathon) I stepped in by the second class out of 5. I had students helping to take apart and clean up the classroom so I could start fresh. I also realised that even that wasn't enough to keep them busy for the whole day. So I told em to get out a piece of paper (something to keep em busy while I racked my brain for an assignment.) I told them to write their name, date etc. (still scrambling). Then I decide to give them a random question personal quiz that will allow me to get to know them while assessing writing skills. It was fun! I'm sitting here in an empty house, my music playing, tummy full, body exercised (that's right I went to the gym), sitting on the couch responding. I got some really good responses and am learning that these kids have potential to be really fun this year. Exhausting, but fun. Should you wish to participate here's the quiz:

1.) Using correct punctuation and capitalization, who was the last person to speak to you before school and what did they say?
2.)Answer the following question as if you are an expert from PBS. What three songs do you need to complete your music library.
3.)What has the potential to be your most embarrassing moment?
4.)What is the best thing your teacher could do for you?
5.)What would be the one thing that would ruin a persons reputation?
6.) What, in your opinion, is the best shoe in the world?
7.) What would be the best cafeteria food?
8.) Create a short dialogue between you and me.
9.)If you were working at your dream job, what would be something you would say to your boss?
10.) In a solid paragraph (Introduction, Filling, Closing 5 sentence min.) tell me something. Anything.

Some interesting things:

One student says his golf handicap is 3.2.

90% of another class said "The best shoes are Vans because they are AWESOME." Seriously...to the capital letters in awesome. I liked this answer:

"The best shoes in the world are....(drum-role please) VANS! I lah lah lah love Vans because they come in all colors and all shapes and they're very ADORABLE!"

Huh, they come in all color. Guess I better get me some Vans. I think we might hear more from this one. She also put Eye of the Tiger as one of her top songs. Yesss!

Lastly, I have yet to have one song repeated more than twice. Music is much more diverse than when I was in Jr. High.

Today it's hard to resist the urge to...

...yell loudly and kick things.

If you're reading this, I have yet to reconsider the post and delete OR someone has commented and I enjoy comments so much I couldn't possibly delete a post that has comments.

Why I want to yell loudly and kick things:
1.) I was awake at 6:00 AM.
2.)There was a beautiful view of the mountains surrounding our valley today during a break in the rain on my way to work. I was driving so I didn't try to take a picture and it started raining again....swift kick.
3.) The 5th day of rain.
4.) The 5th day of rain and 1st subbing in a fourth grade classroom.
5.) Not talking to Luke all day.
6.) Tutoring and reminding a kid that 20 is 20 for the 220th time this week. A two and a zero makes 20...really? Really? Is it THAT HARD?!! Or maybe that's the 5th day of rain talking.
7.) Talking to Luke...but only for 2 minutes because he has to go. Except I didn't know he had to go until he said I have to go...leading to an abrupt end of conversation and still an empty void from not talking to Luke all day. (The intro to conversation doesn't really count, it's usually formalities.)
8.) I get home, it's raining, my key takes 3 tries to turn.
9.) My quilt blocks have been disturbed on the wonderwall. I fully intended to sew them together this weekend. There's been a lot to do. I know the mover had no malicious intent in fact they had only kind and excited intent...but ugh...I have no idea where they went and I think I spent two hours staring at them to put them where I wanted. Ugh.
10.) Did I mention no Luke? He's in Idaho.

Suggestions?

Today it's hard to resist the urge to...

...drive faster through big puddles. I just love the splash it makes!

Growing Up - Toilet Paper

There are many things I've felt very prepared for when branching out on my own. Grocery shopping is one of them. Mom taught me how to check expiration dates and price per unit to ensure that I am in fact getting the best bang for my buck.

Here's the thing, I really never know how to by toilet paper...how do you compare? There's not really a price per unit notation like there is for cheese. And how do you compare brands? Its not like you can feel inside the package....My dad always buys whatever's on sale, but with some things sale doesn't always mean good deal. Or quality for that matter. Sometimes I go for marketing- I quilt, the ladies quilted the quilted toilet paper, I should support other quilters...I guess I avoid the ones with the bears on it because my...well, you know...isn't nearly as bad as any I've seen from bears while backpacking. But no one wants the tissue paper status toilet paper, and well TP that shreds, it just isn't fun. Grandma G has also recently alerted the public to the fact that the TP companies have begun to take advantage of the uneducated public and is slowly cutting back on the length of the toilet paper rolls. They're cheating us people!! We need to demand that our standards be met!

But wait what are the standards and really how do I know if the TP will live up to its promise if I can't access it inside the plastic? Any tips?

On Another Note

My Christmas present from Luke was George Winston concert tickets! I never really made the concious decision to be a George Winston fan it just sort of happened. My parents have enjoyed his music, and he strongly influences my father's (also named George) piano playing style. My dad used to play the most during bedtime when I was in Jr. High and Elementary School. The music would relax and sooth all my crazy ball of wire thoughts that wait to jump on you til bed time. As I got older I found the George Winston CD's in the cabinet, loaded them on my iPod and they are the BEST travel music. I put in my head phones, relax and sleep the trip away. I introduced Luke to George Winston when I was on exchange in Idaho, and either he REALLY appreciates the mellowing/never fail/soothing effect it has on me or he enjoys the music too! When I mentioned George was coming to Fresno, and that it happened to be just inside the window of time Luke had off from school...well the deal was sealed! We went two nights before he left. The music was fabulous and Mr. Winston even played the guitar and harmonica. Talented!

The most impressive part...he played in stocking feet! How cool is that. I like playing piano AND sewing barefoot so its nice to identify with the man.

We saw Tracy and Tim there too. I asked Tracy if there was going to be a strong Winston sound in the next day's worsip service, and she told me she was playing piano so maybe! Then if that dont beat all, neither of us had turned our cellphones on after the concert so we didn't get woken by our alarms (and when I DID wake up I couldnt wake Luke because he was at Live A Colorful Life's house with his phone off.) Lame.

Chocolate

Luke and I got a bag of those yummy Dove chocolates to enjoy. Fun part is, they have little sayings inside the foil wrapper. One I particularly thought was particularly appropriate said:

Engaged,
embrace,
enjoy.

(Okay really it said engage, not engaged...but once in similar regards to my conversation with Grandma G, minor technicality right?)

Putting the Seal on a Great Day

On Thursday Luke and I snuck away for a day on the coast. We decided that a Hearst Castle adventure would be a good break from the Fresno Fog. It was a beautiful day! We could see the beach from the hilltop estate. The cool thing about Mr. Hearsts' place is that Europe is tied in all throughout the property, and architecture. This balcony was inspired by the Doge's Palace in Venice.

This is the Neptune pool. Can't you just imagine yourself basking in the pool?

She seems to have found herself to be quite at home.

I thought it was funny to see men in State Park Uniforms cleaning the pool!

This fun dress was in one of the guest bathrooms. It made me think of you Neola! Orange and Cheery!

Can you imagine cleaning gold leafed grout? No Comet on those guys!

We were there in time to hear the bells in the tower chime!

Talk about a dinner party! You could have the whole neighborhood over with this table!

For Mark, I spotted this catchup. If W.R. Hearst can have catchup on his table, so can you!

In the pool under the tennis courts I realise just how many potential quilts are in the tile! (And yes, more gold leaf!)

Pinwheels!

Luke was especially fond of this pool. Check out the diving platform behind him!

After the the castle we went to the beach where we spotted LOTS of elephant seals sunbathing! You could see the steam rising off of them! These guys are HUGE! Well except for the babies. Below you can see one of the babies (bottom middle)by his Mom and Dad's heads.

Luke and I met a Marine Biologist and her husband who were observing the different beaches with binoculars. They gave us a LOT of really interesting information. We think this elephant seal is the one they saw being born Wednesday before we got there.
For Grandma G, I think maybe your cows should come vacation with Mr. Hearsts cows. (I know its a small cluster but the big groups of cows were located in inconvenient places to stop and take pictures.)

Check out their view!

On our way home we stopped on one of the touristy streets to grab some fish and chips to eat! They were yummy! AND I saw this beauty walking back to the car. Isn't it DARLING!