Happy Memorial Day!

I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend and taking a moment to remember those who have died for our freedom.

We had some friends over yesterday for a cookout and game night. It was lots of fun. Today, my parents came over to help me stain the fence...we didn't get very far before the rain started and we had to stop. I went out once the rain stopped and tried to finish. Oops, didn't realize until I came back in completely exhausted that it was an ozone-action day and neither my father or myself are supposed to be out in this weather...could explain my 2-hour nap when I finally came in. Now D is on his way home, he actually had to go into work today, which was no fun for him.

How did you spend your weekend?

Pacemaker Surgery

Because I realized, via Chris' comment, that not everyone read my "About Me" on the old site, I should explain my last post. Not that I expected everyone to read it, but did realize I'd need to explain so as not to freak any more of my readers out.

This is not the original pacemaker surgery, but a replacement for the one that was inserted in 1996. I have a congenital heart problem that caused two open-heart surgeries before I was 8 years old and my pacemaker was put in when I was 26. I don't mind talking about it, and assumed that most of my readers knew about it. But you know what they say when you assume. ;-)

The Squeaky Wheel...

well, you know the rest. Anyway, I finally have a date, if not a time, for the pacemaker surgery. I will be in for the surgery on June 12th. This makes both the reunion and my cousin's wedding impossible, but at least the pacemaker will be taken care of. I feel bad about her wedding, but I was at the mercy of the surgeon's.

Amazing how you sometimes have to be a royal pain in the a** to get things done, especially when it comes to health issues.

Scheduling Nightmare

So, sometime in June I am going to have the pacemaker replaced. The problem is they haven't given me a date yet. The reason this is a problem is that I have other events in June I need to RSVP to:

- My cousin's wedding in Chicago
- My 20 year high school reunion

I have left 4-5 messages for my doctor and his secretary and no one is calling me back. And, since I must abide by their schedule, I can't RSVP to either event as the doctors and surgeons are in complete control right now. AUGH! And those that know me know I must always be in control...I hate this.

Summer Flu

I hate being sick in the summer. Especially when I felt fine yesterday. I woke up in the middle of the night freezing, then a few hours later sweating. Now I just ache all over (and I'm not sure what's from being sick and what's from my first workout in 9 months). And, I must say that dry heaves suck when you're drunk, but they are even worse when you are sick and everything hurts. And D is out of town for work tonight, so I have no one to pamper and take care of me either. Soxy has only one tool in her first aid kit...puppy kisses. They are great but she lays on top of me to give them. She is 54 lbs and my chest/lungs really hurt more than anything.

Dry, warm, sunny weather would definitely help, but it's not in the forecast for quite a while. :-(

What Happens in Vegas...

This was a fabulously funny movie. It doesn't hurt that I just love Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher isn't bad to look at. Boston and I laughed alot during this movie. Then we headed off to grab Chinese food and a little shopping. If you get a chance check out this movie...and it's just funny enough for the guys to consider it a date movie, even though our husbands opted to let us go alone. :-)

Marriage Rumors

It amazes me how many people are against gay marriage by default. I think it should be allowed for anyone who wants to do it...although I do lean a bit more towards the civil union as I understand the religious arguments against it. However, hearing that Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are planning on getting married concerns me a bit...if we are going to give gay marriage / civil unions a chance, shouldn't we start with a celebrity couple that is more equally matched?

Also, this weekend is supposed to be the big Ashlee Simpson wedding...once again a celebrity wedding 'shrouded' in secrecy. I don't think that's the case, but why shouldn't celebrities be allowed to share such a special time with family and friends without the media swarming all over the place? Can't these people get one iota of privacy? I say good for them, and Beyonce & Jay-z for being able to keep this day about them and not the media and the rest of us.

Global Warming My A**

Unbelievable...it is May 14 and I am sick. I'm freezing, have a sore throat and ache all over. I had to cancel my 'play date' with my niece and nephews because I didn't want to get them sick. I have had my fireplace going all day while I sit here in my sweats shivering...with highs in the upper 50s for the next several days. I tend to think that global warming is a complete joke...kind of like Al Gore inventing the Internet. (Oh wait, isn't he the main spokesperson for global warming too?)

Mother's Day Weekend Recap!

I want to start by saying HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all those mothers who read my blog and to those who do the work of mother without the glory of the title.

Soxy woke me up with kisses for Mother's Day! Such a great way to start the day.

My Mother's Day preparations started on Friday afternoon. Once I realized that my cleaning lady wasn't returning my calls and therefore wasn't coming this week I had to clean my house as I was hosting a Mother's Day lunch for my family.

Now that I have cleaned my house, I will be looking for another cleaning lady. I was shocked at some of the things that she never dusted in my house. Then D came home and we relaxed on Friday evening.

Saturday was spent scrubbing floors on my hands and knees (hard work and I'm still sore). Then we did some running around and went grocery shopping for Sunday. That night D helped me make German potato salad and my berry salad for the lunch.

Sunday my family came over and we had the fanciest cookout ever. As it was raining and cold, we had our burgers and corn in the formal dining room on paper plates. It was fun and an easy clean up.

Once my family left, we cleaned up and then packed up the car and Soxy to drive down to D's family's house. On the trip down we discussed home projects we would like to accomplish. We had a wonderful visit with D's family and ate again. Amazingly, the scale shows that I have lost 3 pounds.

On the drive home we called Grandmother as it was too cold and windy for her to come to dinner. We have promised to take her out soon and spend some quality time with her. After all, the time spent is the most important.

Now, I need to get some work done on my translation and reading list this week. As the weather is not conducive for staining a fence right now.

How did you spend Mother's Day?

Mindless Week Going Well

Hi all...so I have spent the last four days doing nothing that required a lot of thought. There was one night where I went to a philosophy seminar, but otherwise I've planted flowers, did some shopping, and straightened the house up. I also spent a ton of time playing with Soxy and taking her for walks around the neighborhood.

What have you been doing?

Finals Over

Well, tonight I gave my last final of the semester tonight. Now I'm going to take a day or two and spend time with Soxy and Don before I get back to work tackling my German and my reading list for the summer. But I think my brain needs a break and I know my Soxy needs some attention!

Wish Me Luck

Tomorrow morning I am presenting the paper that I wrote with the head of our department. I am still finalizing the text. I could definitely use some smart vibes being sent my way at 9:30 am. I just hope I don't screw this up too bad, as it also reflects on him. Hopefully, we will be able to take feedback from tomorrow's panel and get this piece published.