01-01-01
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I MADE IT !!!
01-02-01
We brought the new year in at the house of my son & his girlfriend. She made her wonderful chicken cassirole. I really enjoyed myself for the 1st time in a long time. It was just the 4 of us. She gave me a little black kitten, which I haven't brought home yet because it was so late when we left that night (I didn't want to scare the little thing to death!).
Actually, there is a story that goes with this kitten which I call "Moses". Back in the summer, an old grey cat started hanging around here. It was living up in our barn. It was SO skinny, you could count it's ribs. Of course, being a softy that can't stand to see anything hungry, I gave it a bowl of warm milk. It was so friendly and came to me as though it were begging for help. I knew it was a stray & may have any kind of diseases, but I had to feed it. I had almost made up my mind to keep it, take it to a vet, and nurse it back to health. Then, my little dog came out of the house, and she clawed his face down good! Not just once, but every chance she got. I knew I could not keep her. He is a timid little fellow and she really scared him. So, we checked the barn for possible kittens & called the humane society & had her picked up. A few days later, my brother-in-law heard a kitten up at the barn. By now, you know why I call it Moses. The kitten had been hidden by it's mother to protect it. My husband & I had always been dog lovers & have never had a cat. My son's girlfriend has always kept & loved cats. She loves ALL God's creatures. So she said she would take the cat home, even though they already had 3 dogs & a cat, and keep it until she could find it a home. My husband has always HATED cats, so I didn't consider the possability of keeping it for very long. I was never fond of them, either, until I had pity on the mama cat. This sure was a cute little thing, and VERY loving. Every time my husband would visit my son, he would end up holding that kitten! There was never a home found for it. He asked me the other night what I would think about taking it, since it stays outside. I didn't have to tell him I wanted to keep it to begin with. He already knew that. My only input on the subject was the name. I have ALWAYS called it Moses, because it was hidden and spared fron being taken away by the humane society.
So, this will be our 1st cat.
I just wanted to share the story of how we became a TWO pet family after all these years. Now, if anyone has any tips on caring for cats, I'd appreciate the input. I am surely a rookie!
Guess I'd best get off here & take care of some phone business today. If all goes well, I'll be back to work Thursday. My ribs still feel sore, but I guess that's to be expected, after all the coughing I did for so long. 'Til nextime. Chris
01-04-01
Got my xrays done yesterday & got the results. I still can't go back to work until Monday. But the xray showed a lot of improvement...all expanded back out except the bottom portion. She gave me some deep breathing exercizes to do over the weekend so I MAY get to return to work Monday. I believe I will.
I have a new insurance as of Jan. 1st. NO MORE HMO!!!And I now see REAL doctors(the ones who helped me finally get relief after that wreck). I am thankful for that. I think instead of making resolutions that we all break anyway, we should try to see what the new year can bring to be thankful for, be thankful for good things from the old year (or, in my case, be thankful for surviving it), and look into being kinder to each other in the up-coming year.
Well, time to scat. The doc told me to gradually increase my activities over the next few days, and there are plenty of activities in this house I can use to do that with. I still haven't put away my Christmas flowers! I think I have grown attached to this chair.
All take care and remember me in your prayers.
1-6-01
My husband & I went out to dinner last night for the 1st time in a long time. I really enjoyed it. We went to Sammy's, my favorite mexican resteraunt. Afterwards, we went to my son's house & picked up Moses, the cat, & brought her home. We live out in the woods and when we pulled back into our yard, we saw a beautiful site. We have lived here 12yrs. and had never seen this. There were three big deer feeding in the field beside the house! It was breath-taking. Just fascinating to watch. I have seen them at a distance in the wild, had them run across the road in front of me while driving, and saw them in zoos. But that was nothing compared to what we saw last night. It was as though they weren't even aware we had arrived. I loved it!
Moses seems pretty content with her new home. I KNOW I said I would be keeping her outside, and she is now. But since last night was her 1st night here & it was cold outside, I kept her in the house. She woke me off & on all night. When we 1st got home, she was eating out of the dog's bowl. He is so picky it was good to see someone enjoying that food. She got on the loveseat & went to sleep. I think she & the dog remembered each other, as they didn't pay each other a bit of mind. Just as I started to sleep, I heard paper tearing. She had found HER food bag. So I got up & fixed her a plate. She pigged out & I went back to bed. She joined me, falling asleep atop the covers on my legs. She was up & down all night. So today, I made the big box my computer came in into a nice house for her on the porch, complete with bedroom & dinette. I shall sleep tonight! She IS a lovable little thing.
My husband & I both go back to work Monday. I still have a little cough & am still very weak, but I will be alright now. I'm on an uphill climb & work woth a great bunch of guys who know what I've been through & will bear with me. But I DO worry about my husband's return. The doc put a 50lb. permanant lifting restriction on him. He is released to go back under "permanent light-duty" restrictions. His employers aren't nearly as compassionate as mine. In fact, I think they resent him because he got hurt at work. I expect they will retaliate against him in every way, as they have shown NO concern for his injury. This worries me. He is a good man & hasn't hired an attorney on this thing, hoping he won't have to. I hope he won't, too. He has been through enough.
Guess I'd best stop for today. I tend to rattle on. I shall return.
01-09-01
I finally got back to work yesterday. Gosh, I had missed those guys. I guess we don't know what we've got until it's gone. In this case, I was gone, but I still got the message. Heck, I was so happy to be back, I forgot to turn in my Dr.'s notes. They are in my truck & I'll put them in my file tommorrow. Nobody asked for them, either. They knew what I had gone through, and I believe they were pretty glad to have me back, too. Today was my day off for this week, so I may be awhile coming back this time. Gonna be a busy bee and I'm glad of that!
There's a young guy who works with us now that I am crazy about. Maybe he brings out that maternal instinct, but I think that young man will do well in life. I was disappointed when I got there & saw he wouldn't be working. But at about 7:pm, he came in and gave me a big welcome back hug. Said he saw my truck & wanted to stop. Said he had really missed me. That really warmed my heart. Let me know the feeling's mutual. He's a great kid, and I try to let him know that it DOES pay off to keep a straight head (God forbid he should ever see inside mine!). I don't believe young people who put out effort get nearly enough encouragement. Seems everyone stays SO busy dwelling on problematic teens that those who try to do well get neglected. Guess that's where I come in at. I had thought about checking into that Big Sister program, but never got around to it. Besides, that seems more of a thing for rich, bored housewives with plenty of time on their hands. THAT AINT ME!
'Til we meet again.
1-14-01
I'll be brief tonight. I'm beat! Have a day off tommorrow. Lots of errands to run, including going for that follow-up check-up I was SUPPOSED to go for last week. Just wanted to give myself a little more healing time. I really have cut back on the smoking a lot through this ordeal. Realized a little about what it's like to not be able to breath. Couldn't smoke at all for two days; but that didn't keep me from wanting it with every breath. Still not totally rid of that cough, but mostly. Gotta get off here & start laundry, as I wore my last clean uniform shirt today.
I can't help fantasizing sometimes about what it would be like to just work a part-time job (where I am, of course). A woman sure would have more time to be a lady. I hate cutting corners due to lack of time. ie. I "know" a facial would improve my skin, but it's late, I'm tired, so I'll just wash it good. I "know" I look prettier in my make-up, but I'm running behind schedule, so I'll just throw a little lipstick on to give me some color. I "know" lotion would keep my skin soft & young, but....I sometimes think we'd be better off "not knowing any better".
SEEYA! CHRIS
01-21-01
Well, it HAS been awhile. Back to full-time work & not as much playtime. I'm glad to be back. Guess I've put off my follow up check up as long as I can. I'll do it tommorrow. Had just seen so much of doctors, I had to take a break from them. Tommorrow is Monday & I have the day off. I worked 11:30 to 7:30 today.
I usually eat lunch out. But I take my lunch with me on Sundays. I would feel like a hypocrite if I said I don't believe in working on Sundays and then ate out or shopped on Sundays. That is what makes employers demand people work on Sundays. If nobody spent money on Sundays, they would HAVE to close. It really bothers me to see church let out & the families leave there to go out to eat. Did they not listen to anything about the sabath at church? Does it keep it holy to make others work to surve you? Or have they just not thought of it that way? I wish they would. I guess carrying my lunch on Sundays is my way of living what I believe. Yes, I work on Sundays. I work retail and do as I am required to do. But I DON'T think it makes it right and I don't plan to do it forever. God knows my heart and sometime, somehow during my workday every Sunday, I make sure he comes into at least one conversation. Who knows? Maybe I can STILL do his will there. I guess I am more likely to do something to help someone there than I am in a church house listening to a sermon. But I do NEED to go here some sermons; to feed myself spiritually. Church is somewhere I go for ME. Guess when I need it badly enough, God will provide. He always does.
It is cold here tonight. The thermometer in my Jimmy read 29 when I came home from work. That's COLD in this area! The weather here is generally mild in the winter. I don't like the weather here in the summer. It is too humid. The heat wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't constantly a 97% humidity with it. I guess I grew up used to the cold in WV, although the mountains formed a barrier against the wind. The summers there, though...I guess they are the best in the world! How would I know? These are the only two states I've lived in. Guess there's no place like home.
I'm off next weekend, so I guess I'll get to go visit my parents. I haven't seen them since before Christmas and sure do miss them. I call them often, although not as often as I should. Mom is doing about the same. Dad says she doesn't want to walk for him. When she doesn't walk daily, she gets to where she can't.
Guess I'd best close for now. Gonna go watch a movie with my husband. He gets lonely here while I'm at work. I KNOW he's tired of being off, but some things can't be helped. Y'all take care. Chris
01-24-01
I finally went for my follow up Dr. visit. GREAT NEWS! My x-rays show no pneumonia. It has been a rocky road, but it's behind me now. I needed some good news. I asked the Doc why I am still so weak because it is frustrating. He laughed at my impatience and informed me that I wasn't just recuperating from the common cold. I asked if exersize would speed the healing process. He said if I'm working everyday, my body is getting more than enough exersize and that I need to REST when I'm not working - and lighten up! He's not the one seeing the girlish figure I'd maintained all these years turning to saggy flab. I HATE that! I'll be 40 in Nov., so if it goes to pot it won't be easy to get back right. I REALLY became extra aware of an escalating problem when I saw my profile chest x-ray. That was scary! Time is cruel, but illness is even harder on the body than good old-fashioned aging!
Gotta turn in. It is 1:AM and I have to be back at work at noon. Thank you for your get-well prayers. He really was listening! CHRIS
1-27-01
I have the weekend off & can't believe I'm still here! Figured I'd be in the mountains by now. I just had an extremely trying week; at work & home. Guess I was just too tired to get in gear today. I'll leave early in the morning. THIS is why I won't make a committment to be there. I'm as predictable as the weather.
02-04-01
It's been TOO long this time! A lot of things have been happening, so I have a lot to say tonight. Better move on to the next page! SeeYa there!
