Friday, January 19, 2007

Its not too little storage!

I finally see the problem!! Its not that I don't have enough storage space! I have too much stuff to put in my home to start with. For starters lets roam through my kitchen. yes it needs more cabinets and counter space. ANd I really could use a more updated refrigerator instead of the loverly harvest gold one from 1970 that sometimes starts freezing things in the lower part instead of the freezer part! But what about this angle......there are only 4 of us living here. We have the ocassional dinner guest over. I have enough dishes for for 12 people....3 times over. I have plastic plates and china plates and pottery plates. I think the plastic is going to get tossed. I have a 'ton' of odd and end glasses and coffee cups. They are going to hit the donation pile too. I am going to pare this mess down until all I have left are plain glasses, my Christmas china and the nice place settings that I saved and got for myself a few years ago. I may just box up the dishes and sotre them in the basement and label them as college bound for when my girls finally leave the nest. But I don't need them cluttering up my cabinets. So the kitchen is my next organization target. Maybe I can finally find space for all my little gadgets that I like to use when I cook. And as things wear out or break down, THEN I will replace them.

I do have a pantry and I don't like going to the grocery store so I buy in bulk the mainstays that I use regularly like corn and peas and diced tomatoes and other veggies that I process and can myself in the summer.

Things that make me go whaaaaa!!!!

Why is it when I get a new coffee pot, I keep the old carafe like it will really fit the new one!

Why do I keep the plastic storage containers when the lids have gotten warped?

Why on earth do I constantly have to check the back of the refrigerator for the cure for some disease because I forgot to throw out the leftovers!?

Surgery and financial wrangling and deductibles

Used to be that a person could get ready for surgery the old fashioned way, get your house cleaned and straightened up, make sure there were plenty of cooked casseroles in the freezer so that all the family had to do was pop one in the oven and viola! dinnner was served while you recovered. The clean laundry was neatly arranged in closets and drawers and the beds all had clean sheets for you to recuperate on.

Now, its wrangling with the hospital financial offices over who is going to get the deductible, them or the doctor and everyone wants you to pay them the deductible first. I just got off the phone with the surgery center and explained that the deductible was already met through the doctors office. That means that when I get there I will pay one third of what they think I owe. And I just got the last surgery paid for this week on top of paying the surgeon his 20 percent that my insurance doesn't cover. I got a little specheil about wondering which one would file first. I can tell you from the past experience that the doctors office filed really fast. much quicker than the surgery center did. Those bills just dragged on in. And for something that will take half the time that the first one took it seems like the price is higher this go round. I know that we are lucky to have health insurance but it seems so hard to be able to actually get something done. This isn't cosmetic, its reconstruction for heavens sake. I have waited 6 nearly 7 years for this day, to be cancer free and on my way back to the way I was (plus a few years of aging!) before the mastectomy.

I can't begin to say enough about my doctor. He is wonderful. the TOP DOC in my humble opinion with his reconstruction skills, very compassionate and a dry sense of humor. I am ready for this next surgery to be over and get this uncomfortable saline bag out of my chest. I don't think I would like the saline implants at all. I am glad that I going to have the silicone 'gummy bear' implant by Mentor. Its going to be much warmer and look pretty good too.

Health care for the American people needs to be less imposing. I don't believe in going to the ER for every little thing that happens and unfortunately that is what a lot of people do. I take responsiblity for my health and I only go to the doctor when its absolutely necessary or for my yearly checkups. Now I have a regular overall exam, the yearly breast exam, the yearly bloodtest and bone density exams, and after this year I will add the yearly visit to Dr. Adams to my list to keep up the progress on this implant for the study I will be in to help other women like me. My nose is twitching as I become more and more of a guinea pig for medical research.
You are welcome fellow breast cancer survivors. You had better be 'TICKLED PINK' as I 'MAKE STRIDES' for us in the recovery and reconstruction department.

Three Trees (a moral story)

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving andeveryone would see the beauty."Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull. "Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the Hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.

"After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the Woodsmen said,"I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one," and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feedbox for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreamsof being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the Storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be goingyour way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best. May your day be blessed, may God cradle you in the palm of His hand!

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Thursday's Musings

It is so so cold. the weather is so bizarre this time of year. The yellow bells are trying to bloom one day and the next day its bitter cold and sleeting. If we don't get snow we get ice and I would prefer not to have that. I don't like extreme heat or extreme cold. I could really be a bear cos in cold weather I just want to curl up under a warm cover and sleep.

Well I sent off the 20 percent to the doctors office for my surgery. Isn't that something? You have to pay the 20 percent up front before the surgery is performed. Guess I can't blame them. I should start doing that for all of my art work. Get at least a third of it up front to cover the cost of the supplies that I will have to purchase to get started. A business head I don't have which is probably why I don't have a 'business' any longer.

Have you ever had a cat in heat? Lord have mercy on us if we live thru this. I now understand what the term 'caterwallin' means. That is all she does. And that danged tomcat is out in the yard calling her. She sounds awful. ITs like we are killing her. Its a good thing people don't act and sound like cats. On second thought I have seen some humans that acted just the way this cat is right now. Oooo slap my face!!!!!

Monday, January 15, 2007

Attitude is everything!!!!

Attitude
There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today?" So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today?" So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YEA!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"
Attitude is everything.
Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,Speak kindly.......Leave the rest to God

Sunday, January 14, 2007

my new aristocratic title

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Her Grace Lady Vonda the Infinite of Longer Interval
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title



This is fun. I think I like this name!
My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Her Grace Lady Vonda the Infinite of Longer Interval
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title