Back at It

School resumed today, and there are eleven more weeks of the daily grind before summer vacation begins. I am counting the days.

I attended my first knitting class on Saturday morning, and I caught on pretty fast. I'm working on a pink scarf already. I had a really good teacher, Tammy. She gave me almost constant attention for two hours. I loved every minute of it. Knitting is fun! The store at which the class takes place is just beautiful. They've got a corner of the store set up with comfy sofas, and a couple spaces with tables and chairs for their knitting students. It's a bright, colorful place, and it feels like being in someone's eclectic, warm home. It's my new Saturday morning hang. Check it out:








After my knitting class, I went and had a massage. The massage therapist used hot stones on my back. It felt so good. I've never experienced that before. It was great. I wish I could have a massage every weekend!

I talked to my hubby when I got up this morning and when I got home today. He's in Frankfurt, Germany. I don't think he's seen much of anything but the airport and the hotel. He's wiped out from the flight and the time difference. Poor guy! But he's got a day off tomorrow, so I'll bet he gets up and does some sightseeing although I don't know what there is to see in Frankfurt. He mentioned that there's talk about another European tour this summer. If so, we may need to cancel our Hawaii trip, and I don't really want to do that, but I'd go to Europe with him instead. I need to get my passport changed to reflect my new last name. I guess I'd better get on that this week. They are taking a long time with those these days.

While I was drafting this post, a fire engine, paramedics van, and two police vehicles pulled up out front. All the neighbors came out to watch. I watched from my front window for a while, and then I went out to see what was going on. I heard that the neighbors' adult daughter has overdosed. Her parents are out-of-town right now. It sounds bad. Her parents are so nice. They will be devastated. Please say a little prayer for this family.

Sunday Morning Praise

God of Wonders - City on a Hill

I Miss Him Already!

This morning my sweet husband embarked on his latest tour. After a quick weekend appearance in Atlantic City, he'll be jetting over to Europe for most of the month of April. They'll be playing in several German cities, Paris, Helsinki, Belgrade, Amsterdam, Moscow, Vienna, and Malaga, Spain.

I'm sure he'll have a great time - he loves to travel - but I'm going to miss him so much.

So, I need to keep myself busy while he's away. Going back to the war zone, oh, I mean work, will help pass the time. For the weekends, I've signed up for a knitting class that starts tomorrow at this beautiful, new knitting shop in the neighborhood. I'm finally going to learn how to knit! I'm so excited about that.

I'm also committed to losing five pounds while he's gone. So, I'll continue walking and watch my diet. I might even try some yoga classes at the gym.

I've got lots of books to read (including my ongoing bible study), three more episodes of The Tudors to watch on DVD before the new season begins (we ordered Showtime just for The Tudors!), and I'm going through his dresser, armoire, and closets again. He's got so much stuff that he never wears. It's time to purge! He'll never even notice that it's gone. I won't take it to the Goodwill - I'll let him do that - but I will bag it all up and get it out of the house. I don't believe in keeping clothing for sentimental purposes, but my husband does. Consequently, he never gets rid of anything. How can one feel sentimental towards a pair of ratty, old socks? Answer me that!

My Spring Break So Far

Well, even though we haven't spent Spring Break in some fabulous locale, we have had some fun and we've been really productive, too.

Easter Sunday was spent with family - breakfast with his folks, and lunch at my sister's. I had attended church on Friday night thinking that it would be a special Good Friday service. I was a teensy bit disappointed to realize that it was THE Easter service, and that it would be repeated Saturday night and Sunday morning. I was hoping for a reflective, somber service Friday night, and instead I got all the bells and whistles that go with the grand celebration that is Easter at my church. Oh, well...

Monday we drove up to Los Angeles to do a few errands for Michael. We had lunch at Chin Chin. There used to be a Cafe Chin Chin nearby, but they closed that location and we miss the food there. So, we were excited to get a little Chin Chin fix. Yum! I ordered a spinach salad with mandarin oranges and shrimp. So good! Later on, we went up to Sherman Oaks for dinner with a friend of Michael's at Solley's. I think they have the best matzo ball soup, and I love their honey mustard salad dressing. Mmm...

Tuesday was our second, and I'm happy to say last, termite inspection. We were so pleased with the quality of the inspection, the treatment options, and the price we got from Bug Central. So, I canceled the third inspection. We are lucky (insert sarcasm) in that we have not one, but two types of termites! So, our home requires two types of treatments because there is no one treatment that kills both drywood and subterranean termites. Come June, we'll have the house tented and treated with Termi*dor. Then, I'm choosing to go with their yearly inspection plan. In doing so, I will pay a yearly fee, and they will conduct a yearly inspection and treat any new infestations at no extra charge. Sounds good to me, and since we're now thinking we'll be purchasing a new home in a few years, this may prevent us from having to tent again.

Tuesday night we went to Morry's of Naples for a little wine tasting. Tuesday night's there they offer all their wine flights for just $10. I tried some Pinots and we shared some cheese. Oh, cheese! Yum, but we are now on a kick, I mean lifestyle change, to limit our fat intake and hopefully reduce Michael's cholesterol level. So, we'll have to find something else to snack on while we sip wine at Morry's next time.

Yesterday, we did a little home improvement. Michael replaced the seal on the toilet. Our first termite inspection had revealed a leak there. So, with much effort Michael got that done. I was as helpful as I could be. We saved about $200 by doing it ourselves instead of hiring a plumber. So, that's worth it!

We finished our day yesterday by doing a little shopping for Michael. He got some great deals on a new pair of athletic shoes (for our walks), and some shorts and sweatpants. He says he will use the gym at any of the hotels he stays in while he's on the road. So he's packing those for his upcoming trip. The best deal of all was getting a new suitcase at Ma*cy's on sale - 60% off - and we had enough gift cards to pay for the entire thing! Cool beans! We celebrated our savings by going out to dinner at the Crab Cooker.

This morning we have finished our taxes. We just about broke even, what with getting a little refund from the state and owing a little more than that to the feds. Since it's our first time filing jointly, we seem to be in a new tax bracket and I'm glad we didn't owe more.

Today is Michael's last day before he begins this next tour. He is working today, but we hope to make it to his brother-in-law's book signing this evening and then another dinner out. I am not looking forward to him being gone for such a long time, but he's excited to make the big bucks, and he's thrilled that he'll be working in Europe. I would be too!

I've got plans for how I'll pass the time while he's gone, but I'll blog about that later.

So, even though we weren't able to get out of town this week, we've spent nearly every day together, dined out every day, and slept in our new luxurious, hotel-like bed. That's almost as good as going on a trip, I guess.

Spring Break

Originally, we were supposed to spend Spring Break here:

New York City

When that trip had to be canceled, I made reservations for us here:

Cambria, California

But, this morning (and every morning this week) I am here:

Home Sweet Home

What happened, you ask? Well, we were going to mix business with pleasure in NYC. When the business end of things was canceled, so too was the pleasure. So, I made reservations at a dog-friendly inn in Cambria. We were going to take Buffy with us! But we had to cancel those plans due to a doctor's appointment and some termite inspections scheduled for this week. With Michael leaving at the end of the week for a month (a month!) these things couldn't wait.

Sigh...

That's the breaks!

Happy Easter!

The Glory of Your Name, Christy Nockles/Watermark

Celebrating Easter with a glad and grateful heart!

Be blessed!

Joannah

Remember Me

They bound me in leather and a cat-of-nine tails
Was raked across my flesh and bone.
I'm a thief and a liar, and I'm payin' the price,
And I've got not one to blame it on.

When I tried to get up life would kick me back down.
Now I'm hangin' from this highest tree.
My accusers are calling from the mocking crowd,
"You're here to face eternity!"

Remember me!
When you enter your Kingdom, Lord, remember me!
Remember me!
When you enter your Kingdom, Lord, remember me!

There's a man here beside me who's done no wrong
But still they choose to crucify.
You're the King of a nation, You're the chosen One,
And You're hangin' here with me to die.
All the soldiers are laughing, "Won't you save yourself,
O, King, if you were meant to be?"
And the eyes of the rulers glaring up at You,
Unaware You'll set this captive free.

Remember me!
When you enter your Kingdom, Lord, remember me
Remember me!

Remember Me lyrics by Bryan Duncan

Infertile Thoughts

Yesterday my dearest friend told me that she and her significant other are trying to get pregnant. I am really happy for her. She's been through a lot to be in a place where this is a step she's ready to take. I'm also happy that I may get to share the experience of pregnancy and motherhood with someone I'm so close to at the same time in life. Most of my friends will practically be empty nesters before my kids (if I am so blessed) are even in kindergarten.

But after she told me, there was this part of me that seemed alarmed. There was this little fear of her succeeding at something that I haven't yet. I hate that a thought like that crept into my mind. But it did.

So, I had to capture that thought and deal with it.

This isn't a competition.

My friend and I are both on our own timelines.

God is using this time to prepare me and my husband for having a family.

I just want to be in a place in my heart to be happy for anyone who gets pregnant while I'm still waiting.

I don't want to let infertility negatively impact my friendships.

Infertility seems to be as much a battle of the mind as it is a battle of biology.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Doesn't that look gorgeous? Ireland is on my list of places to go before I check into Heaven. ;-)

Since Michael doesn't usually eat red meat, we're forgoing the corned beef tonight. We're thinking about searing some scallops and roasting some asparagus instead. Yum!

Luck of the Irish to you!

Palm Sunday

The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!"
Matthew 21: 9

One more week until Easter! I have so enjoyed my time of prayer and study during Lent. I'll admit that there were a few days when I didn't get to my Bible study, but most days I did. I've still got a few weeks of study left in Beth Moore's David: 90 Days with a Heart Like His, and when I'm done with that I'm eager to begin another of her studies Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only. My study of David has been so interesting. Not only have I gained spiritual insights, but I've so enjoyed becoming more familiar with the history of David's time. Good stuff!

Blessings to you on this holy day!

This & That

Conference Week is over! Well, sort of. I've got two conferences scheduled for next Wednesday. One of them is with Mrs. LBH. She's being a bit of a pain again, so I'm stressed out a little. I just wish she'd go away. She will on June 13th, but I wish she would go away sooner!

Over all, my conferences went well, but I'm discouraged by some of these people and their parenting skills. Some of them are so hardcore and their kids can't achieve high enough to satisfy them, while others are apathetic to their kids' academic progress (or lack thereof). The differences in attitudes are rather extreme. I've just about had it after this year, and I've been fantasizing about other careers. But that isn't going to happen. I'm too invested in the career I've got. So, I've asked to change grade levels next year instead. Hopefully, my request will be granted.

The perfect pillow turned out to be from Macy's. It's their Charter Club Down Surround Feather/Down Pillow. I went with the firm support which is supposed to be designed for side sleepers. That's me! I spent one awful night on a temperpedic pillow. It was so hard and it radiated all my body heat so that I had a sweaty head and neck. It was terribly expensive, and thankfully I was able to return it with no hassle.

Shelley made some great suggestions in her comment about my husband's snoring after my last post. I've always been concerned about his snoring, and I believe he has sleep apnea. We'll be seeing our physician in two weeks so we can discuss it further with her, but here's my (his?) problem. Michael is so stubborn about seeing the doctor and making lifestyle changes to prevent and/or treat conditions. How do I as his wife make sure he takes care of himself without mothering him or being a nag? I'm hoping you long-time married ladies can leave me a comment with some sage advice!

Anyway, since his blood work indicated his cholesterol is high (we're not sure how high just yet - we've got to see the doctor to find out), I have been able to get him to walk with me almost daily lately, and we're cooking healthier meals. I picked up a copy of The Sonoma Diet cookbook and we've cooked several of the recipes in the last couple of weeks. The menus in that cookbook are low in fat and high in fiber, and they have been so flavorful. I highly recommend it.

That's it for now. I hope your weekend gets off to a great start!

Thank God It's (Almost) Friday!

Time Change.

Conference Week.

Need I say more?

I'm almost at the finish line. The weekend awaits!

I'm looking forward to sleeping in a little bit in my new bed over the weekend. I can't say enough nice things about that bed. I feel like a princess when I'm in it. I said that to my husband and he told me I am a princess. I agreed with him. Then he went on to say I'm an Italian Princess. I'm just a quarter Italian, but he likes to think of me as Italian. He's cute.

The first morning after we'd slept on the bed, he said, "I don't know about that bed!" He'd had a rough night. Whenever he snores, he doesn't sleep well. He usually snores when he's overly tired, or when he's had dairy products in the evening. Both were true that night. I didn't sleep well either because of all his snoring. Anyway, I thought he was going to make me send the bed back, and I was willing to put up a fight, I tell you! I reminded him that the store's policy was that we sleep on it for at least 30 nights before we request a return. Anyway, since then we've both slept well. So, I don't think the bed is going anywhere.

Now I'm on a quest to find the perfect pillow. I'll let you know how that goes.

Heavenly

Uh, not-so-heavenly old mattress with lumpy featherbed.

Ugly old mattress stripped down and ready to move out.

Our heavenly bed - 16.5 inches of cush! I'm so glad our sheets fit.

All made up and ready for a good night's sleep.

Now, we just need a frame. Maybe this one...

Look familiar, Julie?

And perhaps a pair of these...

No rush on the frame or the nightstands, though. I'm just thrilled about sleeping on that new mattress!

Update: My sweet husband has been crashing on the new bed for more than an hour, and snoring so much that the shingles on the roof are flapping. Okay, so I'm exaggerating a little bit, but he's really bugging me right now because I wanted to take a little nap on the new bed. There will be no sleeping in there with him snoring like that. Drat!

Happy Birthday, Buffy!

Original Cost: $650

Expenses since she came home (including food, training, dog toys, dog accessories, kenneling, veterinary services/emergencies, and surgeries: it's got to be close to $10k

Being loved by this big, goofy, beautiful Yellow Lab: priceless

Today is Buffy's 5th birthday. It's been five years of craziness and big bills for her upkeep. We call her "The Ten Thousand Dollar Dog". Whatcha gonna do?

She's still recuperating and spending lots of time in her crate. Her staples have been removed and the hair on her leg is growing back in. The vet gave us another prescription for the sedative, though. He understands that she's hard to keep calm. Thank goodness! I don't know what we'll do when we can't sedate her anymore. Today I took her for her first 5-minute walk. She can have two walks a day, and we can increase the length of her walks each coming week by 5 minutes. She loved getting outdoors today, and I loved having her at my side.

Happy birthday, girl!

Just Like Flo

Hey, if this teaching thing doesn't work out...

Well, we spent most of the day at the hospital. We had to check in by 6:30 am - I think Michael's was the first procedure of the day. I got to meet his interventional radiologist and was really impressed. Such a nice guy. Michael was only sedated for the procedure and they played jazz in the room for his enjoyment. Everything went really well and the patient is recovering nicely. In fact, he's got nothing more than a little bandage on his collar bone. Aside from feeling tired, he's himself. We just couldn't ask for a better experience. Now, let's hope it is effective. I'd like to get pregnant later this year. :-)

Thanks to all who have left encouraging comments for me and my labs. I appreciate your kindness and concern for us.

My other bit of news is that we bought a new mattress on Monday night. I am so excited!!! We have been sleeping on Michael's old mattress set and it is torturous. Well, at least I think so. He thinks it's just dandy. This is a man who can sleep anywhere, anytime. I think that mattress has been around since 1982 and isn't even fit for a rundown motel, let alone our bedroom. I wake up each morning feeling stiff and achy. It's just awful. Hard as a rock. I hate it!

So, we bought the same mattress as the one they have in all the Wes.tin hotels and Star*wood resorts. They call it the Heaven.ly Bed, and I think it's aptly named. We spent a little more than our original budget, but I didn't want $300 bucks to keep me from a heavenly experience. No way! It will be delivered on Sunday, and in the meantime I think about it all the time, and I'm counting down the nights I have left to sleep on our crappy old mattress. Did I mention that I really hate that mattress?

Come on Sunday!!!

Paging Nurse Labrador

Well, it looks like I'll be nursing two Labradors this coming week.

If you'll remember, in late January we decided that we would treat our "male factor infertility" issue instead of continuing with more IUIs, or moving on to IVF now. It seems to have been the right decision because we have been able to get appointments with our primary care physician, Michael's urologist, and the interventional radiologist without any delays. In fact, when we were given appointments weeks and weeks in the future, something would always open up and we were seen within days. Thank you, Lord!

I just about lost it earlier this week when my dear husband decided he had cold feet and he expressed that he wasn't so sure about proceeding (he did that about three months before our wedding, too!). While I threw a temper tantrum (of which I am not proud), he went in to see the interventional radiologist, and after his appointment he felt good enough about everything to go through with the procedure. Whew!

As for Buffy, she is doing really well. She'll go in for another check-up on Monday, at which time she will most likely have her staples removed. I'm still keeping her sedated, but I only have enough pills left to last two or three days. Once she's sober, her recovery will be a whole other ballgame. She isn't going to like sleeping 22 hours a day in her crate then. She'll bark and make us crazy, I'm sure of that. But I can't very well keep her sedated for the entire 6-8 week recovery time. So, we'll have to cope.