PARALLEL PARKING

Well...I'm parked. Doing another week of bed rest till my BP is under control. Doc has flu and dizzy spells have me afraid to drive out of town so hit the nurses in town for blood work and stuff. Liver count off like Paros's test last year and was soooo hoping this next one would be clear since no more Jerky Treats but I'm afraid not. It's back to crop dusters and contaminated water so I have to get test kits that read for other things in water than just bacteria (metals and fertilizers, poisons, etc.). Jim is now showing symptoms too since he hung around 2-3 weeks after trips and Cmas vacation so I think they won't blow me off this time around.

In the meantime I've been upstairs "hibernating"; won't call it bed rest, and playing PS 3 still (BP was 179/109...YIKES!!!). When I tried to call another doctor since mine was down and my BP meds ran out...I get 2 'retired', 1 dead, rest of the 4 or so don't take my insurance :/  This was an hour out from the house because you can't actually make an appointment with the doctor in town :(  I do like the nurses and EMT there though :D

Then Paros stole a macadamia nut cookie last night so I freaked out calling emergency # to his vet, no answer :l  Then I call next vet half an hour away....no answer :l An hour away....3rd one finally answers but won't take him because we aren't clients! :O Call old vet an hour and a half out...they said it was ok. Not enough to even make him sick so we are going to change vets, unfortunately, to the one that was an hour out (which is still too far but at least they have emergency services). He is still getting his dental and blood work at his specialists 2 hours out so "Lord, hear my prayer" on the moving out of here, please.

Funny thing though...my little virtual character in PS 3 home got hit by a car, washed up on a beach in tattered clothing, lost in a maze...all while I am on the phone with insurance, doctors, nurses, etc. so I just put her tattered butt in front of the hospital lol and laughed with dilerium! I guess she is parallelly going through the same thing!

Best I can do is keep my cool and continue to work towards a resolve. Can't really get anything done in frantic mode. God calls us in when he calls us in so I do what I can till then and today it was to fire up the computer and central heat downstairs to find a resolve for PS 3 error code 80010514 that may have destroyed my new $60 video game, grab a pic of Paros outside (posted here along with the pond pic I took today and HD's of Jamaica and Caymen islands taken at Christmas) and one of the water holding ponds in the middle of a cotton field and down the street from Sayle oil across the lane here. And here I go being redundant again, but the water is oily and the EMT yesterday (who isn't from here...just works) even agreed with me on the water being 'nasty'.

To reiterate...3 men died from this lane with brain cancers or tumors. There are only 2000 people in this town and I keep to myself so that's too many already.

 

However we go from whatever reason...I hope I am loved, happy, remembered, and have at least done my best at caring for others and looking for a resolution to dilema's. My boy Paros has. He has been my companion, keeps me calm, forwarns me of approaching critters or strangers, and brings me such pride, joy, and comfort. He makes this house a home :}
 

 

We are still blessed. Things can always be worse than they are.

 

BLAST AWAY

This year started out with a bit of a bang. Met a couple in the French Quarter who homed little tidbit (the Yorkie) and they are in LOVE with him! I mean...to travel all the way from Texas, get a hotel room, and keep in touch...you just know that little fella is happy as can be :))) (Dunno why most breeders go through their dogs like they do and void of getting attached :/) We just meandered around the quarter and visited the new Harley Davidson Voodoo shop on St. Peters they built after Katrina. To be honest...I couldn't wait to get home to play with PS3 because I have been discovering the PSN Home part of it. Games are a bit cheesy but I've been having a blast...for now...roaming the new portals.

Of course we got the freeze for 2 days that affected everyone in the country. The temps probably broke records here dropping below as low as 10 :l  Ow. And yep. Wouldn't ya know...the water line broke so we had no water for 2 days. Then some oily film on it appeared. I've been a little ill but hope to head out of town to get some fresh water for the cooler this weekend while Jim is in Florida. I
would be down there with him but have the dogs and PSN keeping me happy and busy. Besides...I think I am traveled out lol.

Well..I still haven't added a lot of my Europe photos or the Caribbean Christmas vacation ones either yet so I am way behind. I also have some from the 2 trips down the road to New Orleans but have to admit...glad to be up a bit. The water is really worse down there and I am just tired of evacuating every year. I think that's what made me marry Jim. He was always there to help me and my dogs leave the beach house every time mother nature sent a hurricane to the area. There was another guy I was dating but he seemed to always 'chicken' out lol. Jim is the gum on my boot :}

And my youngest daughter should be back in Japan from her Hawaii Christmas vacation. I still have more stuff to send them out. Don't think we can 'friend' each other in PSN though because she is in Japan. Other than that...everyone I know plays on Xbox :/ Just don't like going downstairs to fire all that up. Try to stick it to the computer room and upstairs during the winter.

And who knows what the other daughter is doing other than singing or playing Xbox. She was singing since she was a little girl, to the birds, trees, church...then I taught her guitar and she joined chorus in high school. Now she just sings in bars and festivals for now but I love her stuff! She writes her own music and her husband plays heavy metal guitar. Till then...her song "LINE" is playing to the right :)

Till then...hope the new year blasted off to a good start and has blown obstacles outta the way ;)

HUMBLY HO HO HOME

There is nothing better about coming home than being reunited with my best bud, Paros! Our first cruise trip was over 16 yrs. ago and we were greeted with my first grandson who was 2 to raise him for 9 months during my daughter's illness. Now we promised this would be our last trip until we transferred somewhere that had capable boarding facilities. Not that there is anything wrong with the vet but just want more kennel room to where he isn't caged and can use the outside more than just 2 walks a day and when they find a cure for the new disease posted below that is hitting all the kennels now across the country. Not all vets are even aware of this yet.). And so this marked his adult year of turning 18 and graduating so it closes this chapter. And good thing...he had missed his graduation photo session because of work study so we were able to get his portrait done on the ship.

And coming home 2 days before Christmas broke from the trip and the Europe trip just before that, we had spent $100 on 3 children before leaving but found that not much of the community contributed Santa's gifts so we spent the last hour of Walmart's opening time on Christmas eve shopping for them some more toys from Santa and delivered it to them before they arrived home from visiting family (they had lost EVERYTHING ....including their clothes :( ). The check may bounce but it is the most humbling and spiritual Christmas I have ever spent. To be of use to others who really need it. And to have my hair done with my grandson, walkabout the ship with my stepfather, have my husband Jim to support me in my endeavors, and to help another family out who is really suffering. I just keep repeating my blessings and thanking our lord for them. Paros is my joy and my Christmas (although we did come home with a tiny tea cup Yorkie another lady couldn't care for and the word NO seems to be missing from my vocabulary :\).

We really didn't have too much money nor wanted to do anything after the mediterranean trip but sent the grandson on adventures and gave him a makeover for his graduation photo. I loved having my hair colored and cut with him on the ship and we had our last dinner together celebrating the occasion with cake and champagne. We also sent him spelunking alone. He seems to have plans on joining the navy and furthering his education so I am proud of him :}

I think what really makes me sad is seeing the generations of children grow and know I am getting older and saying goodbye to the things we knew as changes occur around us. We will eventually cease to exist and I just don't want there to be any regrets as to if I could have or should have done something, or more for someone who needed my help. I feel there has been more of an awakening of others with the new Pope and he exemplifies the teachings of Christ and what he wanted us to do. This humble man has not only stolen our hearts, awakened our spirits, but is drawing us a bit closer to God as well. I am also grateful for my husband, Jim who has traveled my side in these past 16-17 yrs.

So the best thing I got for Christmas is our health, happiness, memories, love, and togetherness. And the continual unseen blessing to be under God's grace with all of those unseen things like decency, values, morals, loyalty, etc. Like watching out for one another and not leaving their side if they are stranded or in need of your help.

 As for 'stuff'....I'd have to say it was the crown of thorns I will put on my wood twig cross to remind me of what it all is really about :}