It's been a long time

My Internet is out, and I haven't had time to fix it!!!! So, I've not been blogging much lately. I have decided to start Life Coaching and see if I can additionally get someone to "back" me as a counselor. This is what I have wanted to do for years now, and I'm going to do it come heck or high water! I've been "busy" doing everything in the past few years for everybody else, and now it's time for me to do what I want to do.

Another good day - more or less

Had a good doctor's visit. I need to test again for C Diff. It can remain in the body and reoccur later - which can be dangerous for me and for those around me.
The day went fairly well. We went out to eat at the Pizzeria downtown. All my kids came, plus my niece and her son, my son's daughter, and my youngest daughter's boyfriend. Fellowship was good - as well as the pizza. Two among us had classes and/or meetings, so we had to leave by a little before 7:30.
Sometimes, I wish that things had been different, but, as the nursery rhyme states, "If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride." It would be nice to ride a little, huh?

Time Goes So Quickly

Here it is Sunday evening. My daughter, her husband, and granddaughter have been here from Colorado since Wednesday afternoon. It looked like a long time when she arrived, but now there is only one full day left until they have to return. We always have so many plans, and we get about half of them done - maybe!
We went to the pumpkin patch today. I think everybody had a really nice time. The baby rode a pony and seemed to enjoy it. We then ate - the husband was hungry, so we went to the barn for food. Next came panning for gold (youngest daughter), and then we all went to the petting zoo. The rabbits didn't cooperate, and the chickens weren't cooped up, but other than that, the pigs were cute; my son-in-law couldn't resist them. Last year, he tickled the one that they had, and it squealed; this time, he wasn't so lucky.
We went on the hayride to the pumpkin patch - saw donkeys, buffalo, and long-horned cattle on the way to the patch. A little disappointing. The hot, hot summer had ruined the pumpkins, and they had to ship in pumpkins, so they were all sitting in the patch, nicely cut, waiting for us to "pick" them. Six huge ones cost $37. Talk about breaking the bank!
We took a short jaunt through the corn maze, but we began to feel a few drops and decided it was a good time to beat a retreat to the treat barn. It really began to pour while we were waiting there. The driver of the pumpkin train really beat it back for all the parents to come and pick up their rain-spotted little kiddies. Lots of fun!
The kids love to go, and I love to spend time with them, so it was a very enjoyable day. It was rather sad as both the little kids were visiting other people this weekend. Next year, though!

Feeling Sad

Well, it's been a while since I last posted - probably a lifetime.
I'm a little sad today. Three months ago, my little Copper was killed by coyotes, and last Saturday, we found out that Callie, our yellow lab, is dying of cancer with only a few days to live.
This has been such a sad year.
My sister-in-law died suddenly on Easter Sunday. She had blood clot problems and one broke loose - that's all it takes. I really miss her and was looking forward to doing things with her this year. She was just starting quilting, something that I enjoy so much, and now she's gone.
Then, my Copper died, and I lost the one dog that I felt would protect us if anyone did enter the house. I just felt safer with him here.
Now, it's sweet Callie. We have taken her to the vet, and have surgery after surgery - all to no avail! She is sitting here next to me, breathing heavily, skin and bones, and I think back on all the wonderful years that we had together. She has been such a good dog. She certainly doesn't deserve this.

Lions, and tigers, and bears

I wish it had been lions and tigers and bears! What it was, was C diff. I thought I was going to die - and was praying for that to happen!
When I went to Colorado to visit my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, I was bitten by a spider on the next to last day that I was there. My cheek tingled every now and then, but I didn't touch it as school was supposed to start on Monday (we arrived very late Saturday evening). The next day when I awoke, there was a huge scab on my right cheek. It was sunken in and leatherly, so there wasn't much I could do. It was worse the next day, so on Tuesday evening after school, I went to Monroe Hospital where I was treated by a Korean doctor. He didn't know what it was but saw that it was infected, so he gave me an antibiotic to clear up the infection. That was the 17th of August. I took the medicine for 10 days, and the next day - Sunday, the 28th, I was sick. I think I had the flu 'cause my middle daughter had the same symptoms. I missed two days of school, went back to work, and by Friday afternoon, I was dead sick. I went home that afternoon - missing the last three classes, and went straight to bed and to sleep. I slept all of Saturday and was really sick. I told my daughter that if I wasn't feeling better by Sunday, I wanted her to take me to the ER. She came over in the afternoon, and I was a little sick, but better, so she went home. I had to call her in the middle of the night to take me to the ER. I was vomitting and had horrible diarrhea. They gave me some meds and rehydrated me and sent me home to bring back a sample.
When I took it back, it would be a while before they got the results. On Tuesday, they called: I had C diff. I was so sick by then that I was praying for death and making out my will. I would have texted my will to my son-in-law, but I was too sick. I missed the rest of the week, and Monday of the next week. I went back to work on Tuesday, but I wasn't really ready to go. It wasn't until Thursday, the 23rd that I finally felt like I was alive again! This has been really been the worst illness that I have ever had, and if I ever get it again, I don't know if I will make it.

Missing my puppy

I can't believe how much I still miss my little puppy. He was just such a personality. One of my friends at Ivy Tech told me to get another dog, but that would be like replacing a child - it just wouldn't work.
I have started on my paper. It's beeni kind of difficult as I've been a little sick today. I also had to go shopping as we were totally out of food. I have to finish my paper by Friday; get the house in some kind of order, and fix some meals for Grandma. I've tried to get her to call Steve to see if he can come and spend a couple of nights with her, and she hasn't yet. I don't know what I'm going to do. I really need this vacation. Maybe a change of scenery will help me to be less sad. I certainly hope so. I just haven't felt like doing anything since Copper died, and this just can't go on. My ex stole so many years from me, and I would like to have some good, happy ones in the future - beginning now.
I hope my paper turns out well. I think I have good research, and it's a topic I feel very strongly about - dating violence and rape. I'm thinking that if it's good enough that I may forward it to some of the people at work. Rape prevention really needs to start much earlier that it does. Well, it actually doesn't as the majority of rape prevention programs target women, making them the victims. Many rapes have already been perpetrated before college age, and alcohol is a contributing factor - beginning at home as kids have to have someone older to give it to them.
Well, I'm not making much sense now. I'm really tired and still want to do a couple of other things before bed. I just hope I can sleep tonight. Last night was rough!

Copper's been gone a week, today

Copper's been gone a week today. I still expect him to come home! Everyone misses him so much. Callie waits at the top of the porch stairs for him and often just wants to turn around and come back without him. Gretel goes through the house and barks when she smells his scent. This morning, she jumped at the bathtub and started barking - and barking and barking. She barked all morning. She also went into my room to sniff around and bark a little. I hope it gets better soon. This has been a miserable year.
I've felt so bad, and we were ripped off by Gary to the tune of over $300 dollars. It's just been so difficult adjusting to new medicines and being so tired. Then Rhea Dawn dying on Easter Sunday like she did was just awful. But I had to keep on - work, work, and more work.
The wedding was beautiful, but stressful, and then my money disappearing like that just when we needed it the most. I just don't understand how that happened. Going from extra to a big negative was quite a shock.
All the things that I have to do at home is so overwhelming, and now this! The puppies have been like my children, and now Copper is gone, and I miss his quirky sense of humor. He was so funny and happy. He didn't deserve to go like that. I don't know why he would go like that - especially that day as it was so hot, and he always stayed close when it was hot.
So, for nearly two weeks, I've worried and mourned. It's difficult.