Sunday morning

The sky is blue, it's not snowing, and it's going to be warmish. All good things! Ralph took the black stray that he calls Notbob to get spayed- we know he's a boy, because he keeps trying to hump the other feral cats, who don't appreciate it at all. This should settle Notbob down, as well as preventing the births of potentially hundreds of kittens. 

Friday I tripped over a mat at was laying unevenly, and tried to catch myself, and fell. I must have put my arm out to catch myself, because my upper arm was more sore than my knees. The worst part was that I needed help to get up, since it hurts to kneel. My knees were achey and messed up my steps for Friday and Saturday. My goal has been 4000-4400 per day. 

I talked to Carol in rehab, and she sounds great. She sees the doc tomorrow, and is hoping to be allowed to go home afterwards. She's been in hospital or rehab since March 8- way too long. 

Yesterday two cousins came to visit Mom to look at pix she has. I hadn't seen Dianne for a few years, and never met Stacy before. Stacy's grandfather and Mom's mom were siblings, and Stacy is very into genealogy. We had a nice visit, and talked about lots of things. 

And as soon as Ralph gets back, we're off to grocery shop.

Holly

Tuesday

Yesterday and last night it rained and rained, and thundered and lighteninged. Today was beautiful, clear, blue sky, in the 60's. A nice spring day, something we don't get many of.

I got the brand new Amanda Quick at the library today, and I'm still catching up on Jonathan Kellerman. 

We had grilled cheese, potato and macaroni salads for dinner. I'm back up to 2 miles, or 4200 steps yesterday and today, after slacking off on the weekend. Last week I did 25,000 steps! Of course, my fitbit buddy Becca did 50,000, but she's 25, works retail, and has her original knees.

Sharon comes to clean tomorrow, which is always a good thing! Tomorrow is Frank and Charlotte's 43rd anniversary! 

Jean emailed to say she loves the chemo caps, and to ask for some in light yarn and big stitches for summer. I've been browsing patterns for some that meet her criteria. 

I went to bed at 9 last night, and don't think I'll make it much later tonight!

Holly

Beautiful Saturday

It's in the 70's, blue sky, just so nice out. I made our usual weekend breakfast of pork roll and scrambled eggs. Ed had given me eggs from their chickens, and I used them- fabulous. 

I ran some errands- bank, post office, Michaels crafts for yarn on sale. Dinner is in the crockpot, a crockpot pizza casserole, a new one to us. Pasta, pizza sauce, spices, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. 

I just finished Susan Mallery's new book The Girls of Mischief Bay. A little different than most of hers, in that she widows one of the main characters halfway thru the book, then explores her grief. 

I mailed the first several chemo caps to Jean today. She starts chemo on Monday, and they told her she'd start losing hair about the third treatment. 

I've been so tired at night that I didn't do any crocheting the past two or three nights. Last night I took a nap rather than eat dinner, and just had soup when I got up. Yesterday was the first in a week that I didn't make 4000 steps or better. I did 3000. 

The new dishwasher seems like it working well. In the fall we'll replace the dryer, and we'll be good with appliances for a while, knock wood.

And the beat goes on!
Holly

Midweek

Back at work, which is interfering with life. It's much harder to get my steps in at work. It's 150  steps from my desk to the front do, so I've been doing the round trip several times a day. I tell everyone that my knees stiffen so I need to keep them moving. I've hit 2 miles tonight, or 4400 steps. 

I'm continuing to work my way thru Jonathan Kellerman's books. Right now I'm taking a detour thru Nora Roberts new one, The Liar. So far it's good, as are all of hers, under both her names.

I'm still making chemo caps for Jean, and I have to get them to her as she starts chemo early next week.

Monday was gorgeous, Tuesday dismal and rainy, today back to gorgeous. 

We had dinner with the nurses tonight, less Jean. I had a chicken salad club, which was really good and I have enough for tomorrow's lunch. 

And today was payday!

Holly

Back to the real world soon

Spring break has been so wonderful! I really hate to go back to work, and keep telling myself one more year. I don't hate my job by any means, it's just interfering with life! Except for the payday part, of course.

Thursday Eddie and Julie had school, and Heather was off. She came up and we went to Trader Joe's. We were so busy looking at everything that we kept walking into each other! Then we stopped at Bath and Bodyworks, then picked up Ralph and went to lunch at Bertucci's. 

Friday I went and got my hair cut, went to Target, and to Big Lots. 

The past 3 days, I've done 4000 steps per day! I'm going to make a real effort to wander around more at work, and keep up the amount of steps. 

I've caught up on Linda Fairstein books, and moved on to Jonathan Kellerman. These are all authors that I've read and enjoyed for years, but got seriously behind on their works. 

I've started another hat for Jean, #6 or 7, I forget. And Carol has been moved to rehab, yay! 

This morning I made our favorite breakfast, pork roll and scrambled eggs. I've got load #2 in the washer. The sky is blue, it's warmish, and it's not raining! Life is good.

Holly

Enjoying Spring Break

It's so nice to have a whole week off! I put my car in the shop on Monday- turns out it needed a new radiator. The auto repair guy said it should be good for at least another 20K miles, which is great to hear.

Last night we went to one of our favorite diners for dinner, and have plenty for tonight also. Today we went to BJ's. I had a coupon for a free 60 day membership, so we walked the whole store. Some things are a lot cheaper there, others I'm not sure about. 

I saw online that AC Moore had Red Heart yarn on sale, today only, for $2.39. It's usually $2.99. And then I had my NJEA discount, which brought it down to $2.03 per skein!

From there I stopped at Carter's. I'd forgotten how tiny newborn clothing is! I bought a few things for Baby Boy Briles, and a few for Amary. And via Retail Me Not, I saved 20%! So it's been a good shopping down.

The weather, on the other hand, is dismal. Dreary and drizzley. 

Carol is doing well, and will be released to rehab any day now, which is cause for celebration! Yay Carol! 

And double yay for spring break!

Holly

Easter Sunday

It's a bittersweet Easter for me. April 5, 2007 was Holy Thursday, and the day my Dad died. I can't believe he's been gone for 8 years, and there are days that I don't even think of him. 

I'm grateful that we had him as long as we did, and I'm grateful that Julianna was born early so he could meet her. I'm sad that he didn't get to watch Eddie and Julie grow up, and that he didn't get to meet Amary or Joey or the new baby coming in August. 

It's a beautiful sunny day and the skies are blue. We had a wonderful day yesterday with Heather and Ed and the kids. We had ham (our free ham from Perks, and it was awesome), mashed and mashed sweet potatoes, corn, baked beans, salad, and pineapple stuffing. 3 kinds of pie for dessert! 

This morning I went to Dunkin and got a bagel for me and a donut for Ralph for breakfast. We're planning a lazy day of doing not much!

I'm reading my way thru Linda Fairstein and making chemo caps for Jean. 

Happy Easter!
Holly

Welcome April!

April 3 and no snow for days! Hopefully it will stay that way. And it's finally gotten into the 60's for a few days. It'll probably be a typical Jersey year, and we'll get a few days of spring, then go right into summer.

It's the first day of spring break! We're off for ten days! I have lots I want to get done, including putting my car in the shop on Monday to see why steam is coming from under the hood. It was worked on in December, and the problem continues.

I've been to Perks, Dunkin, the bank, the locksmith, and Applebees for lunch. Now the ham is in the crockpot, and laundry is in the washer. 

We're having a pre-Easter dinner at Heather and Ed's tomorrow. Ham, baked beans, pineapple stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and pie. 

Manda had an ultrasound, and it's a boy! Baby Boy Briles has ten of everything he needs ten of, and all looks well. BBB will arrive mid-August. 

Steph and Dan are house hunting, which is exciting. They've been taking Toast to a park every weekend, and she can still walk over a mile. 

And that's the latest!
Holly