BOO!

Another successful Halloween party at the McIntyre's!!

"We" pulled it off again-- the 2009 Annual Byrum Woods Halloween Party is now history!! The board members did 99.9% of the work-- all I had to do was open the garage door and smile!  The guys did the shopping, set-up, cooking and everything was cleaned up by 6:30 (1830 if you use military time).  I put the vinyl tablecloths in the washer and had 3 pairs of tongs and 2 cookie sheets to wash!  So Mike, it's not that we didn't miss you being here, but we were able to do it without you this year-- the board members may feel a little differently, but don't leave me with this again--OK?

Talked to my sisters this evening-- Lisa has some kind of nasty respiratory stuff going on- she sounded awful and is going back to the doctor on Monday-- hope she has a speedy recovery! 

Cheri should write a book-- I think she is a magnet for the extraordinary (trying to be nice, but she does tend to attract a lot loony stuff).  Last night she and her husband and stepson were headed to the church for the annual "trunk or treat".  It was raining, so the car decorations were cancelled, but the show must go on for the kids.  Cheri was in her car and Alan and Ricky were in his car behind her (if they weren't needed, they were going to leave Cheri and she would need a ride home).  Anyway, Cheri saw an accident happen that turned out to be a result of road rage.  Alan and Ricky didn't see the accident happen, but had to stop with  the traffic.  One of the cars started smoking and Alan pulled  the driver out of his car before it started burning-- so, after they gave statements to the police, Cheri went on to the church, but Alan was covered in blood that was NOT a Halloween costume, so he and Ricky headed back home.  Such is life in the big city of Loganville!

Waiting to hear that #3 son is on his way home from Iraq--- he is packed and on standby for his orders.  We pray for his safe and uneventful return to American soil.  I know he is anxious to be reunited with his wife and daughter.  We will do our best to patiently wait our chance to see again.

Don't forget to "fall back" tonight.......love to all!

Just for the Record

I did find the site I THOUGHT had the directions I was looking for, but the instructions were for painting bricks not stones.  So, I sent a note to the "paint guru" in our miniature club and will wait with baited breath for her reply.  In the meantime, I'm off to bed and hopefully some deep sleep!

What Do You Think of This One?

So, I guess I have more time on my hands than I think I do--- or I just get really sidetracked, really easily and don't get done what I am supposed to be doing (like right now-- I got on to find instructions to paint DAS clay to look like stone-- and I'm off again!)

Anyway, I had some more fun tonight and am much happier with this layout! 

The author of one of the other blogs I read refers to "the six year-old in me"-- I'm pretty sure my six year-old self is the prominent personality most of the time!

I did get to the gym again today-- I walked a mile, did some arm stuff, biked 3 miles and then did some curls standing on the BOSU and ended doing bridges using the BOSU (there was not a step in the Pilates room and I didn't feel like tracking one down {six year-old again}).

Well, I'm outta here to look for those painting instructions..... later...

A New Look

Just playing around tonight-- will probably do some more experimenting with the "decor"--- mainly just wanted to see if I COULD do it.

Had a great workout with Sarah today!  Lots of abs and legs-- I'm going to do arms tomorrow and walk after work.  Seems like no matter how blah I might feel when I start, I'm always invigorated when we're done.  I try my best to do everything she has planned, but that doesn't stop me from whining about it!

The rest of the week is really busy--- on call Thurs night and working Fri night.  Then we are hosting the neighborhood Halloween Party (5th or 6th year) on Saturday--- oh and Mike will be in Florida!  So "we" is ME -- thanks Mike!!!! 

Last night Mike got the yard decorations up-- 8 inflatables and a motion activated ghoul.  Well, about 1:30 I heard what I thought were dogs barking outside, but----- I looked out the front window and and saw green flashing lights and realized I wasn't hearing dogs--- it was that doggone ghoul cackling and yelling "did you come for a treat or did you come for a trick?".  So, I put on my dog walking clogs and my raincoat (did I mention it was raining?) with the hood up and go out to bring the blasted thing in -- don't want to agitate the neighbors any more than absolutely necessary and Christmas is coming-- just wait!  Good thing nobody drove by or I'm sure a sheriff's deputy would have been at the door.

Well, off to bed.......sweet dreams!

Well......Not so Much

Yesterday morning our daughter in law's mother lost her fight and is no longer in pain.  Our prayers go out to Nancy's daughters and granddaughter.  We know it is a difficult time for them, but also know they are strong women and understand their mother and grandmother will now be at peace.  We know they have lots of happy memories of their mother. 

Today, I woke up feeling all achy and chilled--- been in bed most all day and am heading back there now...

I Get to Play Again Tomorrow!!

I am so lucky--- 3 play dates in 6 days!!!  Tomorrow morning I'm going to visit my friend Sydnie and we get to play!  Yesterday I got to play with Mary and Sat was yet another playdate.  It has been a long time since I got this much play time. 

Met with Sarah at the gym yesterday-- she might have promised no pull-ups, but she knows alot of OTHER exercises that have the word UP in them!  I did push ups and planks and step ups and step up and overs (thanks Nikki)  and and  and......  I was pretty tired when we finished, but it felt good-- and I really feel like I'm getting stronger, I'm not totally immobilized the next day like I used to be!  I may never have "abs of steel" but I'm working on "quads of steel"!  So far I've also walked 3 miles and biked 2 miles this week-- I'm going to the gym in the am before going out to Sydnie's-- not sure what I'm going to do, but-- I'll make it good. 

Tomorrow evening, it's just me and the dogs so I'll probably spend some time plowing a path through my studio.  I'm trying to get my UFO's (unfinished objects) in order so I know what I have and what I "need" to complete some projects. 

Please continue to keep my daughter in law's mother, Nancy, and her family in your thoughts and prayers, her prognosis is grim and they need all the positive thoughts and energy we can send their way.  We love them all and wish we could wrap them in our arms and take away the pain and hurt they feel. 

Blessings..........

I am OFF tomorrow!!!!!

I worked 8 hours today-- it was payroll Monday, so had to get everyone's "time sheet" double checked-- make sure any premiums were added and time off entered.  (Can you still call it a time sheet if it is on the computer and there is no papaer involved?)  Then did a few other things for my manager.

After work I was off to the gym.  I walked 3.15 miles in an hour then did some work on arms and legs.  I remembered to stretch before I left, but I'm sure I'm still gonna feel it in am.   I'm meeting Sarah at 5:30 tomorrow (or technically today since it is after midnight),  I'm betting she will have some challenges planned for me!  (Sarah, if you are reading this, it is NOT an invitation to add more pull-ups and leg lifts, remember, I am still in a delicate state. {haha})

Going to go play miniatures later with Mary and work on our wine cellar from State Day.  The plan is to get the electricity in the box.  We'll see how that goes-- electricity is not my friend.

Talked to #1 son in Myrtle Beach this afternoon.  His mother-in-law is in the hospital and not doing well.  She had surgery Friday and remains in ICU still not out of the anesthesia and fears that her kidneys are shutting down.  Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers, they need strength during the this time of uncertainity (her name is Nancy if you'd like to put a name to your prayers).

Try to stay healthy-- there's a lot of stuff going around out there and some of it is pretty nasty.

Yesterday was a Good Day-- Today, pretty Lazy

Spent yesterday playing with some of my "mini friends".  It was my turn to host.  I made Tortellini soup for lunch.  Also had hummus (store bought) and black bean salsa and garlic bread.  I also made a pumpkin pie for dessert-- found something this group doesn't really care for-- that's OK, Sydnie and I enjoyed it!

I got one of my Raggedy Ann doll kits made except for her hair-- she really turned out cute!  Didn't get much else done, but just enjoyed being with friends-- no stress no deadlines.  After we ate Mike came in and had some soup, then he cleaned up the kitchen (I had just stacked the dishes in the sink).  I am soooo spoiled!

We enjoyed the soup so much, Mike and I had it again for dinner.  Good thing I had made a double batch, but so much for having soup leftover for lunch this week!

Today, I had thoroughly intended to get up and go to church, but I overslept-- next thing I knew it was 1pm. So after I dragged myself downstairs and took the dogs out, I came back up and sat at the computer for a while.  I sent the soup recipe to my friends and some other things I had promised to forward to a couple of people.  Then I started the laundry and went out to the studio for a while.

I decided to work on my club project for a while.  I needed to frame the window--well let's just say,  it didn't go as expected, so I had to dig around the "lumberyard" and find some more wood and stain it. GRRRR--then I figured it was time for dinner and time to take a break before I really did break something!

Got my last load of clothes in the washer-- gonna get my gym stuff together so it's ready in the morning-- I'll go after work. Planning to walk and do some arms.

Going to play miniatures again on Tuesday with Mary and Thursday with Sydnie-- I'm a lucky "girl" this week!!

Counting down the days til #3 son gets home from Iraq! 

Off to check the dryer-- later......

Here It Is-- the Evidence from the Heart Walk

Here we are before the walk started.  There were over 1100 people registered to walk last Saturday.This is on the way back to the car after we finished!  And we REALLY did finish--- the whole 2 laps around the lake-- Mike and I even took a few minutes to talk with a couple (not part of the Heart Walk) who were walking a greyhound that looked just like our Rae. 

Thanks to all who supported us and donated to the American Heart Association!

Back to Real Life

Well, I'm back to work tonight and tomorrow night, then office time on Weds and Fri-- it's time to go back to real life!

Still waiting for #1 son to post pictures from the Heart Walk!

Time to shower and eat before work......later........

Heart Walk is History

This morning was the Heart Walk. We put on our Coastal Carolina University T-shirts and headed over to the Market Common (formerly known as the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base). The walk was lead by the CCU marching band-- at least for the first couple of hundred feet! The route was around the commons area then crossed the street and was SUPPOSED to be two laps around the lake-- most people only did one lap because there was no way everyone was walking faster than Mike and me. We did the entire 2 laps and were the last ones back, but it was only a little over an hour when we finished, so we're very confident we walked the entire 5K.

Afterwards, we went back to the house and showered then to Broadway on the Beach for the Italian Festival. Nap time followed and now #1 d-i-l and I are headed to Kohl's-- because they are having a sale!!

Later we are going to Tavern on the Forest to eat and play bar trivia.

More details and pictures later... gotta go the dogs got out

Oh yeah, almost NO PAIN today!!!!!!

Can You Say BOOOOOORRRRRING?

Not much new--- still spending a lot of time in a drug induced stupor. Talked to a nurse at the dr office this morning. She said the pain is to be expected, she will call me back later about refilling my prescription and possibly something non-narcotic so I can go back to work. (Advil is NOT going to do it) I'm only sleeping about 3 hours at a time and have been waking up about between 4 and 4:30 in the morning in a lot of pain.

We are still planning to go to Myrtle Beach tomorrow. The Heart Walk is Saturday. Mike has said he will walk at my pace. I feel like I can do the walk-- just will take it slow.

Weds afternoon my "baby" brother became a grandpa! Charleigh Anne was born about 2:30 and weighed 8# 3 oz! Baby and Mom are coming home today!

I'm going to try to get a little bit of work done in my studio today-- no power tools or X-acto knives though! Gotta get caught up for miniature club next week.

Well, time to get a shower and take some more pain medicine.

Later.....

Still Hurting

Spent Sunday and today mostly propped in the recliner-- it hurts to put pressure where the rash is on my back. Still taking pain medicine around the clock which makes me pretty sleepy. I kept nodding off today while trying to do the puzzles from the paper. Hoping tomorrow I may be a little more coherent and might be able to spend some time in my studio.

This is a picture that our new miniature club project:

So far, we have marked the walls and put gesso on them to simulate plaster and stained and laid the wood floor. I have to get busy and paint my walls so I will be ready for club next week. We are going to work on the window and the floor in the hall area.

"Talked" via IM with #3 son in Iraq for a few minutes tonight. He is counting down the days until he comes home.

We are still planning to do the Heart Walk in Myrtle Beach this weekend. I will just take it easy and maybe re-evaluate my goal to finish in less than an hour. I don't think I'll get to the gym this week--it's too uncomfortable having fabric rub against the rash-- but hopefully it will be more dried up by Saturday.

I'm heading to bed and hope to sleep all night.......

Poor, poor me

This past week was pretty hectic-- I worked last weekend, was off Monday night, worked Tues night, did 8 hours of office time Weds from 3p-11p and was on call Thurs night-- I had had an itchy place on my back for several days and on Wed felt like my arm and side were chafing. On Thur I saw a rash on my back where the itching was. I got called into work about 2am, when I got to work I asked one of my co-workers to look at my back- -she said "I think you have shingles". So, then everyone had to take a look including one of the docs. They all said it was shingles and go home. Fri morning I called my MD for an appointment and guess what-- I have shingles. Long story short-- I am now on Valtrex and have Vicodin for pain and per the PA, I can't work until the rash is healed. I called employee health and was told I CAN work if the rash is completely sealed with a bandage and I wear 2 layers of clothing. I am having a hard time imagining putting a bandage on this rash and then wearing 2 layers of clothing. But, more important, I can't imagine going 12 hours with no pain medicine at this point, so I think I'll probably be taking off at least part of this coming week.

All that being said, I really don't feel that bad. A co-worker got married today and I had told her and her mother (also a co-worker) I would take care of the kitchen during the reception (held in their backyard). We talked after my diagnosis yesterday and decided I would still plan on helping and would use my judgement as to how much I would/could do. I took my pain med with me and stayed medicated (but not too medicated). It was a lovely reception, the weather was perfect, the food was great (prepared by the mother of the bride) and the kitchen was clean when everything was over! I was pretty uncomfortable when I got home and took my pain med right away. I think I overdid it today --- I'll rest tomorrow.

The Heart Walk is next Saturday-- looking forward to going to Myrtle Beach next weekend. Thanks to all who have made donations.

Off to bed, hopefully sleep will come quickly. Later.....