I uploaded everything and then posted added two pictures from each screen to this blog. Almost all of the pictures are from Grapevine Texas. One day the lovely Luis kindly took us out site-seeing.

Just random comments about pictures. Nothing too exciting.

Not Exactly the best picture of me, but I really like the statue.

I didn't really know what I wasn't supposed to take a picture of, so I took a picture of the sign.

The local funeral home in Grapevine had a display. It was odd, but interesting.

I really liked these statues too.

I loved all of these! I want my yard to be filled with things that move in the breeze. I grabbed a flyer from this place because they really were reasonbly priced, but I haven't been able to find it.

Isn't this nice? made out of spare parts of different things.

What a clever bench outside of a icey store!

I found this interesting.

I was able to have dinner with a little cutie one night!

My view at the office for a week. (Thanks for your desk Juan Carlos!) So many birds.

Luis & Brad. Luis was an excellent person to have around when visiting another office. It's a funny perspective on this picture. Luis is actually very tall! I will have to go add a couple more pictures now just to show you Luis in perspective.

This was the first jail in Grapevine, Texas.

It occurred to me today that if I read Xanga on my Nexus I don't comment as often, or as deeply, and I never blog. 

It's the keyboard! I can't really type quickly on my virtual keyboard, so I don't.

I will try to do better.

The week in Texas was good, I'll upload some pictures this week. Cold really kicked my ass. Still hanging on. coughing and blowing.

Brown shoes. Black & Grey socks. Blue pants. Yellow Shirt. Beige jacket. Red Purse. Black Laptop bag.

Thank goodness I work with all men who won't judge or notice.

I have a long involved blog written out yesterday that started with telling you about how sweet the lovely #StrawberryFieldsGirl is. Wait is it, #StrawberryFieldsGirl or @StrawberryFieldsGirl ? Either way I realized that my blog turned into two pages of meandering text which is why you should not post when you are loopy! She sent me some very nice compliments. She is very good at compliments.

This cold is kicking my ass. I can't even count how many times I've sneezed today! I hate the look of a cold. Watery eyes, red nose, I'm sure my face will get chapped from the constant kleenex application.

OMG I have millionaire matchmaker on the tv (which I usually do not watch) and they're making a cake with berries. It looks so good. Everyones talking about cake today! 

I can't watch most of Bravo's shows anymore. Just too fake. But it sure would be fun to be a millionaire.

I think I'm getting hungry.

I have to get on a plane tomorrow afternoon so this cold better get drastically better. Planes & colds DO NOT MIX!

ooo, just realized I'm the only one home. I think I'll just sit here with Kleenex shoved up my nose. 

I really miss fancy fun food. Tiny little plates with tiny little servings of fresh beautiful food.

OMG! I really have to go eat and pack. I'm suddenly feeling kinda of achey and feverish. That would suck the big suck. 

Bet you're sorry you read this!

I was thinking last week about narcissism.

noun

1.

inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.Synonyms: self-centeredness, smugness, egocentrism.

2.

Psychoanalysis . erotic gratification derived from admiration ofone's own physical or mental attributes, being a normal conditionat the infantile level of personality development.

 

I was being frustrated by someone who is not narcissistic but who is self-centered. At least I think that's probably the correct word. I do't really think I know anyone who is narcissistic, but I know lots of people who are self-centered. It's so frustrating when someone assumes that everything good or bad has to do with them. Someone cuts you off on the highway and they of course did it on purpose because they wanted to cut YOU off. Not because they just weren't paying attention when they changed lanes. People laughing in a restaurant? They must be laughing at YOU. Get a cold just like everyone else did, YOURS is worse. YOU feel things more. Need to lose weight? It's harder for YOU. Get cancer? It's much harder for YOU to cope.

It's not true you know. This is something that frustrates me to no end. Your pain is not deeper. Your sickness not harder to cope with, your losses more painful. You and the guy in Russia, and the woman in Ethiopia, and the little kid in Malaysia all have the same brain structure and feel the same. 200 years ago people had the same brains and when they got the flu they felt exactly the same way you feel.

We all do it to a certain extent her on Xanga. You go to someones blog which is a long post about something personal and your comment refers to you and how you had a similar experience, or if you didn't you talk about something that made you feel similar. You manage to make it about you. I watch myself do that and it's so hard not too. I think that sometimes we do it because it's our way of connecting. We're trying to find that bond. Maybe you have fie times as much money as me, or maybe you have one fifth. Maybe you are a strong religious bent or maybe you're a gay man in Kentucky. When I read your blogs or you read mine we try to find our commonalities. 

 

Last week when I was first thinking about this I had a point.

 

My husband just turned on Dr. Who. The first episode of the ninth doctor. Rose. This is the only season I watched, or maybe I watched the next one too. I don't remember. 

 

We also just watched the last episode of The Vicar of Dibley. I've seen the whole series before and even though I think it's wonderful, I think it's best the first time you watch it.

 

I've only seen one episode of the most recent Survivor. Just missed it. I bet I'm not missing much. Sometimes you need to take a break.

 

I can't believe there is a time change in a week. I detest the switch to Daylight Savings Time. Just leave it alone!

 

 

Went to the podiatrist on Thursday. She said I have a very unexciting and undramatic bone spur on my heel probably caused by a wicked case of plain old planta r fasciitis. She gave me a weeks of steroids plus prescription anti-inflammatories. As a bonus as soon as I took an antiflamatory my hip also started feeling better! I haven't exercised in four days so that everything could take a break. Tomorrow back to the routine. Hopefully bike & yoga in the morning. Might as well use the oompf that the steroids will give me.

Today I went to my adorably wonderful acupuncturist/Chinese herbalist and she grabbed my foot and manhandled me and it feels pretty good now! I just love her. I'll try to get back to her next week and she'll try and treat it as well.

I went off the prescriptions meds for the treatment of my telangiectasia because the oncologist said they didn't help at all, and told her and she gave me some herbs that will hopefully make some difference. Even if they don't they should help my sensitive radiated tissues heal up a little more as well. They she poked me with a bunch of needles and made me feel all relaxed and happy. I forgot how nice acupuncture can be. It's been too long.

I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how much I enjoyed the Bob Seeger concert. It's just not right that a man that old should still be that entertaining! It was really fantastic. I was going to post some pictures but I'm too lazy to stand up and find some for you and I'm on the wrong computer.

You are now caught up! 

Go get Swan Song and read it if you like post apocalype world stories. Very good.

Off to make some tea and drift into bed. I think I'll start dress shopping tomorrow.

Went to the oncologist on Friday for my quarterly check-up. All good. My lung x-rays were good, my CA-125 (the very first one ever) came back beautifully normal.

However I have some uncancer related lumps. 2 in my back and one on the bottom of my foot. We believe they are Lipomas, which are just little balls of fat. I am happy that the oncologists were not concerned at all. I went to my GP today and she referred me to an orthopedist for my back and a podiatrist for my foot. I have a lot of hip pain but she is convinced it's not from the lipomas so that's why I'm going to the orthopedist  The lipoma on my foot is on the bottom of my foot just on the inside edge of my heel so it is very uncomfortable sometimes. Burns like heck. I am a little frustrated with the onset of yet another weirdness in my body especially one that is causing pain when I try to do anything to physical, but on the other hand I have now been able to add a couple of more specialists to my list of doctors.
Podiatrist
Nephrologist
dermatologists
Oncologists
Endocrinologist
Neurosurgeon
Vascular surgeons

that's all the weird ones I can think of off the top of my head.
I have three appointments this week and another next week. I was surprised by how quickly I got in.

I started writing this about four hours ago. I'm sure I had something more entertaining to talk about than my ever growing list of medical issues but I don't remember what it was.

I am reading a book called Swan Song and it's very good. I am looking forward to my 2nd doctors appointment of the day so I can sit in the waiting room and read. I hope the rest of the afternoon people don't cancel because of the weather (freezing rain) and they get me in too fast. I discovered my app for books has a text reading feature so I've been letting it read to me while I get ready for work and then drive in.

I started playing the Candy Crush game that everyone was playing on Facebook a few months ago but then after a week I delete it because I get so mad at all the weird Faceook tie-ins. This last time I installed it I let it link to Facebook and now I get weird messages and "gifts". I have no idea how people are sending me gifts or maybe I would gift them right back! I think it's because I play on my Nexus and not through Facebook. I love games. And books. And cookies.

You didn't really think I was going to complain about work online did you?

I do not know what is the matter with me today but I do think it would be best for everyone if I just holed up in a bed with a blanket over my head and a brownie and a bag of potato chips in my hands. My head feels full of pressure like I might explode. Sometimes this happens if I forget my blood pressure medicine, but I don't think I did. It's oncologist week and I always get a little tense about that. Tomorrow is x-rays and blood tests, and the actual appointment on Friday. At least now we do the tests in advance so by the time I get there I get results. 

Perhaps my imminent head explosion has something to do with my constant battle to regulate my hearing. I ran out of hearing aid batteries. No one to blame but myself. I just kept forgetting to buy more. I will run over to Costco at lunch and pick up another years supply. I really need to make an appointment with the hearing specialists for a follow up. I am six months behind.

This is a picture of my husband completely loopy, but not knowing he is loopy. It was very funny. He was yelling really loudly when he talked and saying slightly inappropriate things. Test was fine. They dilated his esophagus while they where there even though they didn't really see that it was narrowed. One of those for good measure kind of things.

Cooking experiment this weekend. Oven baked crispy tofu.

Cut up firm tofu into slices (after getting off excess water) spray lightly with Olive Oil.

Coated with Shake 'n Bake

Threw it on some parchment paper.

tossed it in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Not too bad! Next time I will make my own mixture. Shake 'n Bake is way too salty. I think I will also try using egg to make it stickier. Maybe thicker slices, more coating.  Tofu gets creamy and almost tastes cheesy. I brought a coupe of pieces to try reheated. 

2nd weekend in a row we tried to drive from Toledo Ohio to Ann Arbor Michigan for our bi-weekly Trader Joes shopping and only made it halfway to Milan Michigan. Last weekend was a flat tire. This weekend we got stopped by three separate traffic accidents. The third one was a 15 car pile-up that we sat behind for more than an hour before we were finally able to cross the great divide on get on the highway going the other direction to head home.

On Sunday we went to the Historic Valentine Theater to see Don Giovanni. This is the first time I have been to the Valentine. It was lovely and is definitely now my preferred venue!

Yo...Xanga..how's it hanging?