HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I wiah I had some nice pictures and graphics to brighten this page. I am waiting for a package in the mail from Jean which will include a camera that Scott was willing to part with. THANKS SCOTT. At that point I hope to take more pictures and get them on the blog. Of course my pictures will consist mostly of Sheba since she is the only entertainment I have in this house. No cute shots of kids like Jen or random pictures of Life like Brenda. Jean, has also mastered this blogging and gets her fair share of pictures up for me to view. Being in Portland makes these blogs ever more special. They keep me connected to everyday life and my great family. I absolutely loved the pictures of Kels yesterday in her cute pick and pearl outfit. That small smile and that darling headband. She belongs on the cover of a magazine. I am trying to figure out how that could happen. I read about these contests in magazines and will have to contact Jen to have her enter the girls. Macey did not look too shabby either...I can tell you that. She looked so determined pushing that stroller with her baby sister in it. Everytime I see her in those black leggins I have to smile, her legs about as big as toothpicks, so like Jenny at that age. I remember Renee laboring in love as she perused the clothing on the racks in seach for something that would stay up at Jen's waist without falling to the floor and something was yet long enough in the legs so they did not look like capri's which were not in vouge when Jen was 2-3. Somehow she always found something that worked, even if she resortd to Jen wearing those darn cowboy boots. Oh how I miss that woman, my sister, my friend.
Then there was Rachel and Katie-Kat. Thier Mother kept them in stylin as well.
And then come along 4 boys...I remember Jeff looking a little "dog-eared" every now and then. I would be at Mom and Dad's, look through the dining room window and here would be Jeff tromping through the garden with his shirt in-side-out or some such....always asking for food which Grandma gladly indulged. Dan was always the one to tell her where everyone was and what they were doing. He often knew more than Jim did as to the whereabouts of the family. Poor Rachel was working a lot of nights back then and I still to this day do NOT know how she did it, working full time and all those boys....
Life in Portland has been slow. I had another Doctor appointment yesterday and was told I am bot one bit better than I was last week and I sure do not feel any better. I am trying to do things right. I am drinking one can of diet-coke a day and about 10 glasses of water. I take my medication, I do my breathing treatments and I am still wheezing, coughing and have NO stamina and get short of breath real quick. I came home from the Doctor to a "dark" house. No POWER...no tv, computer, lights, phone, etc. It did not come back on until about 8:30 pm. There is not much to do laying in the dark. Sheba stayed close by trying to figure out why the house was so "wierd". was glad when the power came back on suffice to say.
Normally I would pass out candy and dress up Sheba for Halloween, but I do not quite have it in me this year so I guess I will pretned the power is still out and not put the outside lights on...Bad, I know but I have not even been to the store to buy candy.
I did get a big lift as Val cleaned my house for 3 straight days. She did all the windows, carpets, fridge, stove, walls, plus all the normal cleaning so I feel much better sitting in a very clean house. THANKS to all of you that contributed to that effort. There are still many fresh flowers on the bushes in the front yard, so I did snip a big bunch of roses and put them around the house. The weather has been awesome here, in the 60-70's, but I hear a cold front in on the way. That means you guys should have some nice weather coming your way.
Robert is still working on our house in DC, but he has been taking regular "breaks" and going out of town fishing. He went to New Jersey for 5 days with 6 guys from the Fire Department a few weeks ago. They caught tons of fish and ended up selling most of it at the dock as people were begging for fresh fish. They sold the halibut for 10.00 each and also lots of black bass, striper and ling cod. They always go out on the ocean so they return with that type of fish. Anyhow, all the fish they sold paid for the hotel, gas and charter fees so they had a blast. They had enough that everyone got as much fish as they wanted even though they sold do much. This past weekend he went down to North Carolina to fish with a buddy who retired there from the fire Department. He is the only Black guy with a bunch of overweight white guys, so you can visualize just about what the group looks like. Of course they spoke of politics and the election becuase they listened to XM talk radio the entire time they were out on the boat......I will leave it at that, you can only imagine. Robert is a news FREAK and can out-talk any argument thrown his way so I certain the captain of the boat did not know what he had on his hands.....
Thankfully the location of the DC house is in an area that is not deappreciating in value. It is in the Capital Hill area which given the econonmy is still holdoing strong so I guess we will keep that house when he moves out here. That house has been the subject of much debate, but we have decided to hold onto it. There are a lot of rich people in Washington DC and surrounding areas due to the high rate of government workers/pay so I am certain we can rent or lease the house without a problem. He will be here for the holidays and here for good next spring. We are grateful he has a pension which is not affected by this economy and becuase he is such a news FREAK, he moved all of his money out of 401-k's into annuities where he is gaureented a minimum of 3% gain about 8 months ago before the market crashed. If not for him I would have long ago been out on the street living under a bridge since he pays many of my bills. That, along with gifts from family members keep me with a roof over my head and my small pension pays the house note every month So I never have to worry about that.
I was hoping to get to the condo next week, the beach is so nice this time of the year but I still don't feel very good so time will tell. Sheba is anxious for long walks on the beach. I would go with Doug and Val who walk the beach about 4 times a day even if I don't and Sheba can hardly contain herself when we are there.
Well I guess I have rambled on long enough, I have not posted for a bit, but there really is not much going on here. I hope that Katie-Kat has a good time in San Fran, (one of my favorite all time places to visit) and that Doctor Dave and Nurse Rachel have a good time at thier Halloween events. Brenda reports she is dressing as a hippie and handing out candy with Dolly the hot-dog and then going to Colon tomorrow to help Jen and Jason. Congrats on the house you guys, can't wait to see pictures. If you guys can post on Snapfish, I can order all the great shots. Brenda, you must get over to Aunt Rachel's and teach her how to post pictures so she can start her blog.....

Seriously negligent on my blogging......

I guess it has been about 6 weeks that I posted. I can tell you where I have been in that time and maybe that will determine where I "picked up this pnemonia"
Chicago, Ill
Colon Michigan
Port Huron Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Holland, Michigan
Colon, Michigan
Elberta, Michigan
Benzie, Michigan
Benzonia, Michigan
Frankfort, Michigan
Glen Arbor, Michigan
Manistee, Michigan
Bronson, Michigan
Chicago, Ill.
Portland, Or.
Don't forget O Hare Airport2x and Minn/St Paul airport 2x, which at any given time have in excess of 10,000 people in them.
When I was back in the hospital for the 2nd time this week, yesterday about 5 more people asked me where I "got this".....I started to pin a note on my shirt of where I had been so they could determine the answer to the dumbest question I have ever heard.
Since I did not get a call back from the hospital today I am assuming I do not have a blood clot in my heart, although they put me on blood thinners to be sure, along with a prednisone taper, antibiotic, cough meds, stomach meds, inhalers and breathing treatments.
I must say I feel a bit better today, probably that injection of prednisone and 60 mg tablets gave my system a much needed jolt.
Sheba is back home with her Mom and taking good care of her. She is laying at my feet and really does understand that her Mom is sick. She gave me several kisses and is acting very proud to be taking care of me.
I did have a great time in Michigan for Dad's 90th celebration up north, crafting and my daily jaunts out of town. I did start feeling crappy the last week, starting at the cottage, but I always hope I can just go with the program and not miss out on anything. It kind of caught up with me this time.
Jean mailed me 7, yes seven boxes of craft supplies which arrived on the porch today. I could not lift them to get them inside so Doug did that for me when they brought Sheba back.
Nice post by Jen and Brenda recently. I just got a phone call from the Doctor while I was writing this post. The Doctor not the nurse...my bloodwork has lots of abnormalities. My liver function tests are sky high. This has not been the case until last month and we are certain is due to the injections of methotrexate for my RA. My potassium is low, thyroid is low, WBC is high.....so go figure, I still feel better than I did the first 4 days of the week. I see the Doctor again on Monday.
I am kind of at my limit with feeling so pitiful....I don't even expect to feel good, just "fair" would make me happy.
Have a good time Sunday with Dad and the celebration at church, post any pictures on Snapfish so I can order them.