Wednesday, July 30, 2014

A new week almost gone

The big "Columbia Cup Hydro Races" are over and the OBoyOberto won for the 2nd year in a row. We watched the time trials and practice runs and the Dash for Cash plus the Air Show Practice runs across the river on the Pasco side. It was great, since it was Friday and no one was there. Lots of space and no charge. Charlie got some pictures on her phone for me to use since I hadn't thought to take the camera. It was a great 3 or 4 hours in the not too sweltering heat. 

Our temps are running in the low 100's for the last month now. Hope it turns to fall real soon.  Fall and Spring are my favorite times of the year. I enjoy Winter here in the Tri-Cities because we don't have extreme snow but we do get some pretty cold temps. 

I've done the Dexa scan, finished the PFT testing, and the Lasik exam is next week. That should take care of tests for this year.  I got tired of the VA cancelling my cataract surgery on me and then during the 4th pre op physical telling me that they won't clear me for the surgery without a Cardiac Specialist release. They never asked for that a year ago when I started but now they want one. So, I just got a referral from the civilian doctor for lasik surgery and that pre-op exam is next Monday. Don't know yet when the actual procedure will be but it's not as much of a hassle as working with the VA. And that's pretty sad since I served 20 years in the Navy and can't get half what I need from them now. Oh well, that's life working with government programs.

My Grand daughter and her daughter are moving back here to the Tri-Cities next weekend also. I am so looking forward to have my Olivia around more often.  I haven't had any new pictures of her in a couple of years but I'll make up for it soon.  She likes to do photo shoots. Here's a couple from last years shoot in Grand Junction. And I can't remember which kits I used the day I made these pages. Now I'm putting it in the picture when I make the scrapbook page since I'm loosing memory.
Olivia and her Mom in Grand Junction, Colorado


Another one of the two lovely ladies.

I wish I could remember the designers names and kits. If anyone recognizes their work please let me know. I'll be happy to give you a shout out here!

Darling Olivia when I put her in the bath tub with her stuffed toys to get her out of my way for cleaning.

This was such a great shoot. Bridgit got some really good pictures.

Some beautiful kits for Autumn, but I can't remember the names.

I'm going to do a little more organizing on my computer. and I have to clean up the corner of my bedroom where I sprayed for ants last evening. They were all over my end table by my bed. I set a drink of soda on the end table and an hour later it was covered with itty bitty ants and they made their way to my bed so I ripped it apart and slept in the recliner for awhile. Not much sleeping from 11pm to 2am, just moving around in the living room from recliner to couch and still not getting to sleep. So I just went to my bed and slept on the bottom of the bed...no ants there. now I've got to get that room put back together.

Have a Blessed Day!


Monday, July 21, 2014

More Tests

I thankfully say none of the upcoming test have anything to do with fasting and needles.  This Wednesday I'm having a Bone Density Test or as they like to say a Dexa Scan. I haven't had one of these since 2011. Guess it's time.  Then the following week it's a PFT and 6 min walk test. Should be interesting since they said no breathing meds before I get in there. At least it's at 9 am.

Saturday was a BBQ at Greg's house. He has a good sized back yard with all sorts of BBQs and Smokers. He smoked a brisket but I didn't have any of it. I had a good sized burger and a Bratwurst (which was slightly spicy). Beans and macaroni salad topped it off. That's enough but the fact that I ate it all made me sort of uncomfortable. Good old Papaya helped that out. It was Brian's birthday and it was the whole gang from Thursday nite. Charlie took a lot of pictures and I've made some scrapbook pages.

Isn't she just the cutest thing? This is Amyah and her Mom Christine. The kit was Purple Day by Moleine.

Brian, whose birthday we were celebrating and my girl Charlie  giving a kiss to Brian's wife Ann. I used a kit "Tequila Sunrise by dbd.

Dear Charlie found the hammock and decided to give it a try. Another pic from Tequila Sunrise.

Our dog Chazz with her arm over the puppy Junior (I guess to keep him from annoying her). "Sweet Dreams" by Bel Scrap.

A very sweet young lady in the US Army named Krista. She qualified on the shooting range and she enjoys working out at the base gym. The kit was 'Foggy Summer Evening' by Kyra at Russian Dutch Heart Designs.

My not so sweet Mrs Beasley in her favorite past time, when she's not laying in wait to attack me. This is also from the Foggy Summer Evening by Kyra.
Going to rest the eyes now. Talk to you in a couple of days.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

I Survived all the Doctors!

Started out the week on a pretty sour note. The VA now won't authorize the cataract surgery without a cardiac release from a specialist. This was the 4th VA physical for the cataract surgery, so why didn't they say something before? I've lost all belief in the VA system. I may have served the Navy 20 years but they certainly aren't serving me very well now.

Then it was about an hour on Tuesday with the Resource Center for former Nuclear workers. Got some paperwork straightened out there and paperwork sent off to the proper place and now we wait for a couple more visits with folks.

First one is with the Cardio-Pulmonary Rehab center for a Pulmonary Function Test. You'd think as much as I enjoy talking and I'm pretty good at it, this wouldn't be too much of a problem. Blowing into a tube until you've emptied your lungs as a young lassie wasn't any problem at all. Now at 74 with COPD & other malfunctions, it's a major thing. Then they want me to do a six min. walk. That doesn't sound like something to worry about either but I have trouble with the hips. Think I've got a major malfunction going on in the right hip. I don't know if I can last 6 mins walking even with the oxygen attached. Well week after next we'll be finding out how bad this stuff really is.

Next week I'm trying to get on the schedule for a bone density test to see how bad the Osteo-porosis is. That's an easy test. Not like the 4 fasting blood draws in the last year.

And that's enough whining for now. I'm a big girl and I'm the one who didn't really take care of the body I was given so I really shouldn't complain.

Today the Thursday night gang that used to show up here at our house are meeting today for a BBQ at Greg's back yard. His house isn't too far from the Columbia River so it shouldn't be too bad there after 5 pm.  Hanburgers & a smoked Brisket are what is on the menu for tonight with sides galore. Greg has a pretty good sized garden so the salad will be really fresh. If it's grown up enough...it should be grown by now though.

Here's a couple of scrapbook pages from my increasing album. I'll take the camera tonight and get some good ones of the Thurs nite gang. Looking forward to getting a good pic of Zakiah's new hair cut, and I'll surly be making a feature page of the side of his head. I've seen one picture of it but it wasn't taken in the right light. It was taken facing the sun so it's got a big flash of light on it.

Carrie Wessling with her daughter. Kit was A Perfect Moment by Manuela Zimmerman/Manu Studios

Eric with a camp fire in the back yard. The QP was from the kit Breathless by Kyra at Russian-Dutch Heart.

My sister-in-law Joanne at a ball game in Minnesota.  This QP was done by tonpop from the kit A Perfect Moment by Manuela Zimmerman

Little baby Matthew Michael  put together from  the kit "At The Beach" by Kyra at Russian-Dutch Heart designs.
That's all for now. Hugs to everyone and have a Blessed weekend.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Lots of appointments this week and some more next week.

Lab work is always fun and this is the 4th time for this in one year. Mainly because the lab work needs to be under 30 days before cataract surgery. This means that when ever it was cancelled and rescheduled it was scheduled 4 months into the future which meant another set of labs and another physical. I'm getting pretty tired of this so I'm going off the 'reservation' meaning the VA (which is in trouble these days anyway) and I have an appointment with a local doctor for the exam and a referral to a local surgeon for the cataract surgery. Should have it taken care of by labor day. Wish me luck!

We've also had our little man, Aayden this week. He's getting so big. And today his daddy and Grandpa Marc took him to the swimming pool here in our park. He loved it. Then he came home and got into my shower to wash all the swimming pool water off. It's a salt water pool and it's heated. Absolutely a great way to enjoy the afternoon or at least an hour or so of it.

My Pulmonary doctor is setting me up for Pulmonary Rehab, now that the Rehab Center has moved back to Richland. It's less than 3 miles from our house. I'll be back on the bicycles and whatever else to help with the cardio which in turn will help with the pulmonary. And hopefully it'll help me loose some pounds! I should loose about 50 but I'll be happy with 30. And she's going to schedule me for some special tests: a 6 min. walk test with a spironmetry before and after (what ever that means). I only hope it doesn't hurt. lol I also get to have a full Pulmonary Function Test. Those are always fun. She's going to stretch the time out because of the heat wave we're having (over 100 for the next 8 days or so). She doesn't want me out in the heat since it makes breathing harder. Yeah! tell me about it. I'm the one with the 500 lb gorilla on my chest. I am sort of excited about getting back into rehab.

Enough about the medical junk! Let's talk about "Scrap booking". I made some using Kyra's and Miriam's, and some from Raspberry Road and who knows what I've done. I like the pictures, so here they are.

This is Kaddie and her brother Aayden. They came out from behind the couch looking like little immigrants/peasants. Grandma Charlie liked the look so she asked us to take a picture. The kit was "Born to Garden" by Raspberry Road designs.

Eric and his daughter Haven getting ready for a water balloon fight. The kit is "Catch a Wave" from Manu Studios.


I can' remember if Moe was into golfing before she moved over to the coast. She's certainly enjoying it now. This is Moe & husband Phil somewhere on a golf course. The kit is "Travelworld" from Manu Studios. And a piece from her Catch a Wave kit also. I do some mixing and matching.

Lovely Moe with the Wine of the Day. Kit is "A Moment to Remember" from Manu Studios.

I know I used this picture before but they are so sweet. It's a new kit called "Born to Garden" by Raspberry Road designs.
Thursday nite is "Live @ Five", a concert in the park where they usually give away something to the kids. Last night it was the spooky looking glasses he has on. I have no idea if he could see or not. But he had fun in the park! This is Manuela's kit "Catch a Wave". Thanks Manu!

Time to rest my eyes. The computer is too small and I squint a lot. The TV is easier since it has sound and I can make out who they are anyway. I squint sometimes there also and it won't be long before I can quit with the squinting.

Good Night everyone and Have a Blessed Day!

Monday, July 7, 2014

4th of July has Come and Gone

The weather is extremely warm and my computer room is probably the warmest in the house. This is where I have the concentrator that connects to the long 50+ foot hose that I wear. Most of the time I feel like I only need it at night but sometimes I need it during the day when the atmosphere is oppressive. Or maybe I've over gauged my level of stamina and did something I really shouldn't do, like lift things I have no business lifting at my age. Anyway, today is one of those hot muggy days so I'm staying inside. Time to wash the blankets and sheets on the bed.

I have been busy making scrap book pages and I'd like to share a few.


This was such a sweet picture (with some one's leg & foot and a post, that I had to cut Haven out of the picture and make her own special place. I used an old kit from Carina (in France) called In the Forest.

I'm not sure where the kids were to listen to story time but Haven is right in the front and loving the stories. This was a QP from someone, (I think from Linda but I could be wrong). I just added a few Disney characters.

This was the original cut out from the snapshot, so I put it in one of Miriam's kits called "Mega Wedding".  Isn't Haven looking sweet?
The kit is the one I used for my Grandson's wedding album. 
Miriam I made 52 pictures for that album then turned it into a slide show and put it in a viewer for the kids anniversary. Thanks.

Haven and her Mom are blowing bubbles at the wedding. The kit is "Cottage Rose" by Raspberry Road Designs.

Picture of Haven after they took off the white dress from the wedding.  Kit I used was "Fabuloso" by Kyra at Russian-Dutch Heart Designs. Thank you Kyra.

Had two of the Gr-Grand kids for lunch last week and their Mom brought "do it yourself " individual pizzas for them to put together and then we baked them for the kids. They had a good time. I used  the kit, "Berry Delight" by Raspberry Road Designs.  Gr-Grand daughter's sister came along and we don't see much of Mia, so this was a treat.

Going to get my laundry taken care of now.
Every one have a great day and as you celebrate the 4th of July, Please stay safe and watch the children carefully. Little fingers can get blown off by some of those fire crackers.

God Bless America and God Bless all of you!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Wednesday is the middle of the week so why am I not energized?

The weather is extremely warm and my computer room is probably the warmest in the house. This is where I have the concentrator that connects to the long 50+ foot hose that I wear. Most of the time I feel like I only need it at night but sometimes I need it during the day when the atmosphere is oppressive. Or maybe I've over gauged my level of stamina and did something I really shouldn't do, like lift things I have no business lifting at my age. Anyway, today is one of those hot muggy days so I'm staying inside. Time to wash the blankets and sheets on the bed.

I have been busy making scrap book pages and I'd like to share a few.


This was such a sweet picture (with some one's leg & foot and a post, that I had to cut Haven out of the picture and make her own special place. I used an old kit from Carina (in France) called In the Forest.

I'm not sure where the kids were to listen to story time but Haven is right in the front and loving the stories. This was a QP from someone, (I think from Linda but I could be wrong). I just added a few Disney characters.

This was the original cut out from the snapshot, so I put it in one of Miriam's kits called "Mega Wedding".  Isn't Haven looking sweet?
The kit is the one I used for my Grandson's wedding album. 
Miriam I made 52 pictures for that album then turned it into a slide show and put it in a viewer for the kids anniversary. Thanks.

Haven and her Mom are blowing bubbles at the wedding. The kit is "Cottage Rose" by Raspberry Road Designs.

Picture of Haven after they took off the white dress from the wedding.  Kit I used was "Fabuloso" by Kyra at Russian-Dutch Heart Designs. Thank you Kyra.

Had two of the Gr-Grand kids for lunch last week and their Mom brought "do it yourself " individual pizzas for them to put together and then we baked them for the kids. They had a good time. I used  the kit, "Berry Delight" by Raspberry Road Designs.  Gr-Grand daughter's sister came along and we don't see much of Mia, so this was a treat.

Going to get my laundry taken care of now.
Every one have a great day and as you celebrate the 4th of July, Please stay safe and watch the children carefully. Little fingers can get blown off by some of those fire crackers.

God Bless America and God Bless all of you!