Monday Errands

I was off work on Monday since I worked this past weekend.

After taking Cassie to school I returned home and loaded Eli into a cat carrier and took him to the vet for his annual appointment. Long story short, I was able to get him into the box without a fight, he hollered only while in the van, his blood work and stool samples tested disease- and parasite-free, he received his 1-yr distemper and 3-yr rabies vaccinations, the vet was pleased with how he looks, he weighs 11.5 lbs, and when we arrived home, Eli seemed very pleased to be back. The look in his eyes, when I unloaded him in the living room and gave him an early lunch, told me that he thought he had been headed to another home. He's been even more attentive than normal so I think he's thrilled to be here.

After dropping Eli to home, I hit the Health Dept and got his cat license. I stopped at Verizon and Alltel to inquire about their cell service and phones (my current cell phone is turning itself off, so time for a new phone and I think time to upgrade our cell service). Hit the post office. Picked up Mom and took her to the cemetery (Monday would have been Dad's 71st bday), then took her to Barnes & Noble. We picked up Cassie from school and went to Tico's for supper.

The temp hit low 50's so I had the van washed. Mom and I had good weather at the cemetery, but by the time we picked up Cassie the temps were dropping and it was trying to sprinkle. By the time we left Tico's the weather had definitely changed for the colder and the wind was really blowing.

So much for getting things done around the house. Chores have sat, waiting for me to get over the pneumonia, and I'm eager to get at them. I'm home for most of Tuesday so hopefully I can begin to make a dent on the mess.

Too Much Harry Potter?

This morning at breakfast Cassie leaned over to me and began talking in a nonsense language and making exaggerated hissing sounds. She informed me that she was speaking in Parseltongue like Harry Potter does. For the uninitiated, Parseltongue is the language of snakes, and those who can speak to snakes are called Parselmouths.

Our saturation with Harry Potter will not end soon. I ordered Harry Potter #4 ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire") from Deep Discount last night (always free shipping) and should have it in 5-10 days.

Cassie is a big fan of Harry Potter, but especially enjoys the parts where Hermione is a strong character. We always have to backup and re-watch those scenes, and as I like enforcing a strong, female character as a role model, I'm more than happy to oblige.

Pneumonia Update, and New Shoes

I've been getting to bed each weeknight as soon as I get home, and spending all weekend in bed trying to rest up to get over this pneumonia. I think the rest is helping. My cough has lessened and I don't wear out during the workday until mid-afternoon. And if you caught the news today, we have another example of the seriousness of pneumonia - Christian Brando, son of the late Marlon Brando, died of pneumonia. And he's my age.

Cassie requested that our Friday night supper-out be at Culver's. It was very busy but we had a hot meal and enjoyed ourselves. Mark left for his night job, then Cassie and I ordered our dessert - choc frozen yogurt topped with crushed Oreos for me, while Cassie ordered choc frozen yogurt topped with brownie chunks. Then home and right to bed.

I had to work this weekend. Saturday when I got home we put on a Harry Potter dvd again, but I went to bed at 7:30pm and missed most of the movie. Cassie apparently had too much sugar during the day for she was still awake at 11pm! I awoke Sunday morning at 8:15 to find everyone else was still sleeping, so once again Cassie missed Sunday school.

Sunday morning Mark left to put in a couple hours at his part-time job. Cassie and I sorted laundry and did three loads while I did some computer work. When Mark returned home I headed off to work - and it was busy. When I returned home I got to hear about Cassie's visit with Grma M., then she and Mark hit Target on the way home. She's now the proudest owner of Hannah Montana shoes. Not quite the winter shoes I had in mind for her...

Supper, a Harry Potter dvd, and a bath rounded out Sunday evening. Cassie carefully set out her clothes for Monday, including the Hannah Montana skimmers.

Book Display - Fill Your Bucket, Make Your Plans, Get Your Act Together

January is a month for beginnings, for retooling yourself, making new goals, and refocusing yourself. My current book display offers titles to help you determine where to vacation, what to read, and figuring out what's important in your life. (Which will be easier to do now that you've organized yourself per the previous book display!)

The 10 Best of Everything: A Passport to the Best: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers by Nathaniel Lande

500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up by Holly Hughes

1,000 Places to See Before You Die: Collection 1 (Alaska, Australia, Brazil, France, Hawaii, Italy), dvd by the Travel Channel

1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List by Patricia Schultz

1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die by Patricia Schultz

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die edited by Peter Boxall

1001 Classical Music Albums You Must Hear Before You Die by Matthew Rye

14,000 Things to be Happy About: The Happy Book by Barbara Ann Kipfer

All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten: The Essay that Became a Classic with a Special Commentary by Robert Fulghum

All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things by Robert Fulghum

America’s Best Historic Sites: 101 Terrific Places to Take the Family by B.J. Welborn

America’s Hidden Corners by the National Geographic Society

A Cat's Little Instruction Book by Leigh W. Rutledge

Constructing a Life Philosophy: Opposing Viewpoints edited by Mark Ray Schmidt

Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die by Chris Santella

Guide to the State Parks of the United States by the National Geographic Society

The Hard Questions: 100 Questions to Ask Before You Say “I Do” by Susan Piver

Life's Little Instruction Book (vols 1-3) by H. Jackson Brown

No Opportunity Wasted: 8 Ways to Create a List for the Life You Want by Phil Keoghan

Unforgettable Things to do Before You Die by Steve Watkins and Clare Jones

Wondrous Journey: The World is Waiting for You by Dean Jacobs

The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember by Fred Rogers

Gymnastics Meet and Busy Monday

I again slept late Sunday, not rising until 8:30am. By that time it was too late to get Cassie dressed and to Sunday School on time. She was unhappy at missing church, but she was just as content to lie in bed with me and have breakfast while watching Harry Potter. I slept most of the morning, but did get up to attend the 2:00pm UNL gymnastics meet (Univ of Oklahoma won, UNL took second, Air Force took third). Cassie had come home last Wednesday with free tickets to the meet and she was eager to attend. I returned to bed as soon as we got home. The events of Friday night and Saturday had really worn me out.

Monday I took Cassie to her 7:30am dental appointment. She has a permanent tooth coming in behind her lower, front baby teeth and a second tooth is ready to errupt as well. The baby teeth are just slightly loose and we're to wiggle them to try to get them to fall out so the new teeth have room - right now they are crowded and aligned sideways. She's so excited about the new teeth. She's been asking for several months when her teeth will fall out.

After her appointment we stopped at State Farm to pay a bill, had breakfast at McDonald's, ran an errand to Factory Card Outlet, stopped at Target and bought Harry Potter #1 and #3, then to Target near Hwy 2 where we surprised Scott, and got Harry Potter #2. When we arrived home she couldn't wait to show the movies to Mark. The Potter marathon began immediately. I slept through the second movie.

Mark went to his night job and I got supper for Cassie and me. We watched my timer tape of "Ghost Whisperer" and "Numb3rs" then put on Harry Potter #3. I'm can't wait until she's old enough to read the books.

Mark's Birthday

Mark's 51st birthday was January 17 (last Thursday). Friday night we all went out to supper. For his birthday supper he choose Noodles & Company. I meet Mark and Cassie there after work. Then he headed on to his night job, and Cassie and I went to Orscheln's. I had already purchased "China Ghosts: My Daughter's Journey to America, My Passage to Fatherhood" by Jeff Gammage (a China adoption story from an adoptive-father's perspective), but still needed to pick up some warm, outdoor socks for him.


Cassie and I went right to bed when we got home. I was so worn out that I slept through to 9:30 Saturday morning! I'm still coughing but my doc feels I don't need another round of antibiotics since the general population is reporting coughs that hang on for two or three weeks, and I have a history of coughs hanging on anyway. But I'm still to rest often, lots of fluid, and continue with Robitussin DM. I am feeling better and clear-headed but about halfway through the day I fade. So I'm making progress.




Cassie hadn't had breakfast yet so she and I headed out to LaMar's Donuts. Then, we visited The Quilted Kitty, The Back Porch, and The Cosmic Cow quilt shops. It had been a while since we'd seen everyone and I just wanted to pop in for a quick "hello" (and some fat quarters). We got home and I made us lunch, baked Mark's cake, and wrapped the gifts.




After frosting the cake and packing up everything, we picked up Betsy and headed to Mom's for Mark's party. After the festivities Mom, Betsy, Cassie and I played several rounds of "Go Fish." We packed up and took Betsy home, and both Cassie and I headed right to bed. I was exhausted and it had been a busy day.

Book Display - Get Organized

January is National Get Organized Month so naturally my current book display is all about getting it together:

10-Minute Clutter Control Room by Room: Hundreds of Easy, Effective Tips for Every Room in the House by Skye Alexander.

611 Ways to do More in a Day: Seize Control of Your Day so You Can Get More Done! By Stephanie Culp.

The Complete Household Handbook: The Best Ways to Clean, Maintain & Organize Your Home by Good Housekeeping.

Confessions of a Happily Organized Family: 100’s of Practical Ways to Have a Neat House, Happy Kids and Calm Parents – All at the Same Time! By Deniece Schofield.

Confessions of an Organized Homemaker: The Secrets of Uncluttering Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life by Deniece Schofield.

Downsized But Not Defeated: The Family Guide to Living on Less by Hope Stanley Quinn and Lyn Miller-Lachmann.

First Things First: To Live, To Love, To Learn, To Leave a Legacy by Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill.

Five Days to an Organized Life: The Fast, Easy, and Permanent System for Getting Things Done…And Doing Things Better by Lucy H. Hedrick.

Get Your Act Together: A 7-Day Get-Organized Program for the Overworked, Overbooked, and Overwhelmed by Pam Young and Peggy Jones.

Getting Our from Under: Redefining Your Priorities in an Overwhelming World by Stephanie Winston.

How to Have a 48-Hour Day: Get Twice as Much Done as You Do Now! By Don Aslett.

How to Organize Just About Everything by Peter Walsh.

It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys: The Seven-Step Path to Becoming Truly Organized by Marilyn Paul.

Lifebalance: How to Simplify and Bring Harmony in Your Everyday Life by Linda and Richard Eyre.

The One-Minute Organizer Plain & Simple: 500 Tips for Getting Your Life in Order by Donna Smallin.

Organize Yourself!: Home, Moving, Closet, Calendar, E-Mail, Using PDAs, Managing Interruptions, Bill Paying, Banking, Budgeting, Taxes, Desk, Filing, Financial Records, Health Records, Safety Preparedness, Travel Planning and Packing, Procrastination, Time-Saving Tips, and Much More! by Ronni Eisenberg with Kate Kelly.

Organizing for the Creative Person: Right-Brain Styles for Conquering Clutter, Mastering Time, and Reaching Your Goals by Dorothy Lehmkuhl & Dolores Cotter Lamping.

Organizing for the Spirit: Making the Details of Your Life Meaningful and Manageable by Sunny Schlenger.

Organizing from the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Organizing Your Home, Your Office, and Your Life by Julie Morgenstern.

Organizing Magic: 40 Days to a Well-Ordered Home and Life by Sandra Felton.

Restore Order to Your Home: Consider Your Needs, Customize Your Space, Organize Your Life by Vicki Norris.

Taming the Paper Tiger: Setting up a Work Center, Organizing Your Home Computer, Dealing Efficiently with Bills and Tax Information, Keeping Track of Family Records and Memorabilia by Barbara Hemphill.

Time Management from the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule - and Your Life by Julie Morgenstern.

The Working Woman’s Guide to Managing Time: Take Charge of Your Life…While Taking Care of Yourself by Roberta Roesch

The Zen of Organizing: Creating Order and Peace in Your Home, Career, and Life by Regina Leeds.

December Book Display-Christmas Treats

I did manage to get a book display set-up during December. I chose "cookie" books since December seems to be the season for baking:

500 Best Cookies, Bars, & Squares by Esther Brody

Betty Crocker’s Ultimate Cookie Book by Betty Crocker

The Complete Cookie: Cookies for Every Occasion by Barry Bluestein & Kevin Morrissey

Cookie Classics: Timeless Family Favorites by Better Homes and Gardens

Christmas Cookies by Better Homes and Gardens

Christmas Cookies: A Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publication edited by Jennifer Dorland Darling

Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook: Revised and Expanded with Chocolate Recipes Brought Up-To-Date For Use in Today’s Kitchen by Hershey Foods

Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book! by Debbi Fields

Mrs. Fields Cookie Book: 100 Recipes from the Kitchen of Mrs. Fields by Debbi Fields

Truffles, Candies, & Confections: Elegant Candymaking in the Home by Carole Bloom

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a serious infection of the lung that impairs breathing. Small air sacs in the lung (alveoli) become filled with pus, mucus or other fluid, and cannot supply oxygen to circulating blood. Pneumonia is not just one disease. Although it is commonly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, several different microorganisms can cause the disease.

An estimated four million Americans become ill with pneumonia each year, accounting for one million hospital admissions and over ten million hospital bed days. In the United States, pneumonia is the sixth most common disease leading to death.

Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health. Ed. Kristine Krapp. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 2002. p1922-1926.


And I've got it.

I've had a cough since November that wasn't going away. I didn't get a thing written in this blog all during December, I was barely ready for Christmas, I was down ill several times, and tired easily. So now we know the cause. Oddly enough I FEEL fine, I just wear out easily and have gigantic coughing fits.

I saw my internist, Holly McMillan, this past Friday morning. She made her diagnosis and prescribed azithromycin and Robitussin DM, bedrest and lots of fluids. I took two pills the first day, then follow up with one pill each day for the next four days. The drug will continue to work for the next 10 days or so. I report back to Holly M. around Martin Luther King's birthday.

I've spent most of my time bedridden this weekend, trying to sleep. We won't discuss the dishes that aren't getting done, the laundry sitting around, the general housekeeping that isn't being done, nor Cassie's constant companionship that, try as she might, disturbs more than assists. I gave up on getting out Christmas cards and decided to do a New Year's Newsletter instead which I haven't started yet let alone get out to everyone.

It should be interesting returning to work tomorrow. I can't talk without coughing and I'm used to napping several times a day.