another year

Turned 45 recently. Spent a quiet day at home with Dan and the kids. We went out to Bone Heads Bar-B-Que restaurant in Willis for dinner, then came home for cake and ice cream.

Pleasant day.

Bill and I had what the doctors think was the swine flu last week. He had it much worse than I did, but we are both doing OK now.

I just had a week off from work, which I spent watching Steven play soccer (he plays varsity for his high school), playing a lot of games on Facebook, running errands, and getting as much rest as humanly possible. Tomorrow is the last day day off, and Dan and I want to go to a park or a botanical garden or arboretum, and go for a walk in the beautiful autumn woods.

autumn daze

It is cold, dark, and rainy today. The power was out for at least a couple of hours this morning, leaving me without lights or running water or heat. Today would be a perfect day to curl up in bed or on the couch with a stack of good books, a bottomless mug of hot chocolate, and a pile of blankets to snuggle underneath.

Alas, tonight is a work day.

thank you Mr. Harwell

How I love this old man. Ernie Harwell, with his class, generosity, humility, and kindness exemplifies what is best about all humanity. God bless you and keep you Ernie. We love you!

brief update

I have not posted here in a while; primarily because I have been so stressed out and exhausted due to my job.

Dan and the kids are doing well, though. School starts next week for the kids, and Steven has been in soccer season for a couple of weeks now, even though school has not started yet.

having been trying to relax

Work is always in such a horrible stressful uproar these days, it has been hard to relax.

I have been trying to watch movies when I wake up in the morning to keep from brooding and feeling bad about work. Yesterday it was Paul Blart, Mall Cop, today it was The Other Boleyn Girl, which was gorgeously filmed, but even more flawed in its history than the book it was based upon. Not sure what it will be tomorrow - perhaps Kung Fu Panda or that musical based on Abba tunes whose title escapes me at the moment.

I hate my job.

talking vacation

We spent nine wonderful days at Muskegon State park, camping out on top of a towering sand dune on the Lake Michigan shore, with a stair case down to miles of private beach. It was too cold to go into the water- the water itself was cold due to it being such a cool summer, and the day time highs were only in the sixties some days when we were there - but ti was still peaceful and beautiful.

It rained two nights and one day while we were there.

Dan and I drove up the coast to Pentwater, Luddington, and Manistee one day, stopping off at farm stands for fresh cherries and blueberries and eating lunch at an outdoor cafe in Pentwater.

Another day we drove down the coast to Grand Haven, and enjoyed lunch there near the beach. The beach was set up for the US Open for beach volleyball, but no one was out because it was raining, cold, and windy.

We cooked over the fire a lot, and had s'mores nearly every night, to the delight of the kids.

One of the cats (Bud) had the time of his life and the other (Matty) hid under blankets in the camper for most of the trip, earning the new nickname of Lumpy - as in lump under the blankets.

It was a wonderful and relaxing time, and I was very sorry to come home and have to go back to stressful nasty work.

I have woken up twice since coming back in the middle of the night, dreaming of being in the camper, and wondering where I am, while lying there in my own bed at home.

On Thursday I had a sick day from work as I went to the endocrinologist in the afternoon. Given the never ending fatigue, it was no surprise that they increased the synthroid dose again.

I hate my job. I hate it so much. After more than twenty years there, I have finally reached my limit on how much crappiness I can stand to take. Given the economy in Michigan right now, though, I have little choice in staying or going.

holy crap

Going from camping on Lake Michigan to that bottomless pit of despair called work tonight was like going from heaven to hell in less than 24 hours. Pray for me and my co-workers - we need it.

vacation at last

About to leave for a camping trip on lake Michigan for the next week. It will be a blessing beyond words, with miles of sandy beach and plenty of relaxation.

and more work

Dan and Steven spent Sunday out of the house, working for money, while Bill and I stayed home and just worked.

We popped up the camper and scrubbed it down on both the interior and exterior. It has not been used for nearly three years - we could not take vacations between me being so sick and the poor elderly dog being so feeble and incontinent - and man, did it ever smell musty and bad. We left it popped up overnight, and will leave it popped up to continue to air out until we leave on Friday or it rains, whichever comes first.

We also spent hours weeding the garden and the flower beds.

We got a lot done over the weekend!

I also kept getting so tired that each day I basiclly collapsed from exhaustion each afternoon and slept for at least a couple of hours. And at bedtime on Saturday night I was so tired I was literally staggering around the house as if I was drunk and couldn;t think straight. This worries me, as it indicates that my synthroid dose is still not right.

I drank the radiation in January - and while I do feel better - it is a relief not to be shaking from anxiety, having heart palpitations, and having daily diarrhea from the hyperthyroidism - I am not feeling as good as I had hoped I would at this point in my treatment, and I am still showing signs of hypothyroidism.

I keep reminding myself that it took them years to correctly diagnose the problem, and those were years when I got completely worn out physically - and that it might take me more than a few months to really start to feel better.

Fourth of July

After we all got done working, and Dan and the boys got home, we had a nice dinner - brats, barbecue beans, macaroni & cheese, and watermelon.

Then we set off small fireworks (mostly fountains and sparklers).

I have just given the kitties catnip from the garden - they are blissing out. LOL!!!

in honor of the Fourth of July

work work work

I have a three day weekend off from work, and we are all working anyway. Dan and the kids are busy doing work for money, including putting in full days today, on the holiday. I have been busy here at home - I cleaned both bathrooms (which were filthy) today floor to ceiling.

I am sad that the Wings have pretty much hit the salary cap and that most of our free agents are walking - though they signed the two most important ones in Zeterberg and Franzen during the regular season. It is actually sort of a joke seeing how much money some of these guys are signing for with other teams - Kopecky and Samuelsson in particular. I had to laugh to see how much money other teams are signing our third and fourth liners for in contracts. And while Hossa is a regular season beast, a true stud, he is certainly not worth that much more money than Hank Zeterberg, who is a much more complete player, and who actually shows up during the playoffs (unlike Hossa, who goes from being Hoss to Ghost Horse once the playoffs begin). I have the feeling Chicago just signed away their future with that contract, as they have some young studs that will have to be signed to contracts themselves in a year or so - and the Hossa contract is going to nuke their salary cap.

Gary Bettman - the worst thing to ever happen to the NHL - has wanted parity (which can legitimately be seen as a code word for mediocrity). That means that the good teams, the quality teams, have to be torn down. And that the money from the successful teams is sucked away and endlessly funneled to the bad teams in locations that just do not make sense like Phoenix. What a rotten business model! This is the first year that the Wings are really getting hurt by the salary cap, and as a fan I do resent it.

I should add that I do wish all of the Red Wings free agents well - and I do not blame them for going for the big money. At any time any of them could get a career ending catastrophic injury (due to the nature of the sport), and the contracts they have been signing will set them and their families up for life. I want them to suck in games against Detroit, but otherwise I hope they shine on their new teams!

At least the Tigers have been doing OK. First place in a terrible AL Central, with the dreaded Chicago White Sox breathing down the backs of their necks. The Tigers won a really important extra innings game against the Twins in the Terror Dome last night in 16 innings.

We have one week until our vacation, a week camping on a sand dune overlooking Lake Michigan - and I cannot wait! So peaceful. So beautiful.

quiet weekend

Having a quiet weekend - trying to get as much rest as humanly possible.

Yesterday my big activity was going to get my blood drawn for the latest round of thyroid labs - today it was going to the library, followed by light housework.

I'm very tired from the last few weeks of work - the rest is both welcome and needed!

a little rage against the machine

Just because I really like this song...

sick kid and grocery stores

How come whenever I go to the grocery store to get a huge cart full of groceries they have a bunch of express lanes (15 items of less) open and very few regular lanes open? And now today, when making an emergency trip to buy crackers, jello, and Popsicles for a puking kid, they only had regular lanes (really backed up with people with huge cart fulls of groceries) open and no express lanes?

Sometimes the universe laughs at me...

I missed so many parties this weekend!

On Friday I missed the get together for a beloved friend (John) who was briefly in town from Vegas. Everyone got together for lunch down in Dundee, but I got to go to the dentist instead.

Today there was a high school graduation open house for a good kid from a really nice family. Dan and the kids went, but I had to go to work.

Yes, between the Red Wings loss on Friday and missing the parties I am feeling sorry for myself!

Things are going better today

All of the extra sleep from my collapse yesterday afternoon seems to be paying off. I feel better today (though still very tired). Of course, no dentist appointment and no championship to be lost by a team I have been following for some thirty years also makes things better!

I caught a ride with Bill into town and went to the library while he was working. Dan and Steven are up in the Hell/Hamburg/Pinkney area for a soccer game. I skipped the game because it is cold and drizzly outside today, and I do not want to risk getting sick.

I am about to do some laundry. Not my favorite activity, but one that is badly needed! I am also nearly got caught up with typing up some entires with my book blog over at livejournal, and am nearly done reading a book Amazon sent me to review.

I am glad we are having a relatively quiet day today!

what a depressing day

The kids and I started out the day by going to the dentist, not on any of our lists of favorite activities.

This afternoon I fell into an exhausted sleep for a few hours - I literally could get nothing done around the house beyond a single load of laundry. I couldn't even read a book or watch television.

Tonight my Wings lost game seven - and the Stanley Cup - on home ice. At least the Penguins legitimately won the game - it was not decided by poor officiating, as I had been dreading might happen. The Wings looked disorganized, old, and tired. The numerous injuries caught up with them, I think. Perhaps if they had been healthier, they might have had a chance, but such was not to be.

I did have to turn off the television before seeing Crosby being handed the Cup at the Joe. Nothing against him as a player or a human being, but I despise the constant hype over him. If it had been any other captain I would have watched the Cup ceremony.

done with the school year

Today was a half day for Steven, and the end of the school year for him. To celebrate we went out in the cold heavy rain and ate lunch at Applebees. He is happy, even though he has a lot of homework to complete over the summer for two of his AP classes.

I was going to catch the start of today's Tigers game before going in to Hell Mouth (work). But they are having a rain delay in Chicago. I have not looked at the radar, but it must be a pretty big storm system over the Great Lakes today for it to be raining hard in both Detroit and Chicago this afternoon.

I have to say that the Tigers are having a pretty decent start to their season - primarily due to some very solid starting pitching. It is great to see Justin Verlander doing so well, and starting to live up to his monumental potential - and even Dontrelle Willis seems to be turning things around - and if he does, that is a completely unexpected bonus. He has been so classy about his troubles and trips to the minors - it would be great if he can become a decent starting pitcher again! Edwin Jackson has been simply superb, and Rick Porcello shows a lot of promise. Armando Galarraga started out the season as our best pitcher, but had a poor May - but he seems to be turning the corner and improving greatly. Our new pitching coach is really doing a fine job with the staff!

And it is great to see them taking a series from their number one nemesis - the Chicago White Sox. I know the Sox are having a rough year, but it is still good to see the Tigers taking a series from them in Chicago. The Sox have owned the Tigers for years now - this series win might help the Tigers get over that mentally.

The last two weeks at work have been hellishly busy. I am glad I only have to go in tonight, then will have two nights off. I have been exhausted, and do not know if that is due to the thyroid thing, work being so busy, or some combination of the two. I have been having trouble reading, working on the computer, or doing much of anything other than sitting around in a tired daze.

NO, not a game seven~!

Ugh. The Penguins beat my beloved Wings the other night in game six, forcing a game seven in the Stanley Cup finals.

I hate game sevens.

I hate how a team's season can end because of a couple of bad bounces of the puck or a couple of bad calls (or non-calls) by the refs!

Ah well, win or lose, I love my Red Wings.

This year's playoffs have just been...bizarre. While I am sure it has happened in the past, I cannot remember any team ever facing so much adversity in the course of one playoffs - from the flu outbreak in their dressing room last week to all of the injuries (at this point it would probably be easier to name the few players who have not been injured rather than the all of the ones who have been) and illnesses. Nicky Lidstrom got hurt in the Chicago series and has not been playing as well as usual in the finals - and I ran into a rumor tonight on the Internet that he was speared in the groin in game three against Chicago and has a ruptured testicle. OUCH!!! Yeah, that would certainly slow most men down. A lot. I do not even have a testicle, and it makes me wince.

Crazy and awful stuff.

So win or lose, they have done a great job overcoming adversity and getting this far! In fact, if they do win, I think this might be the most meaningful Cup in my lifetime with the exception of the first Cup in the Yzerman era (and first in my lifetime won by the Wings) simply because the team has been through so much.

They have one big strike against them - I will be able to watch the game. Every Cup they have won in my lifetime has been while I have been at work and have been unable to watch the game. This time game seven will be on my night off from work! And that gives me a very ominous feeling. Nothing against the Penguins (a very good team) or Sidney Crosby (a very good but pukingly over hyped player), but I think I will have to turn off the television before seeing Sid the Kid hoisting up the Cup at the Joe should the Pens win.

domestic terrorists

I (like many many people) was completely horrified by the shooting at one of the big museums in Washington DC today by an elderly white supremacist. A guard was killed, and it sounds like he (the guard) gave his life to protect the lives of thousands of people (including many children) who were visiting the museum.

As a long term federal government employee in a small Midwestern city, I feel much more threatened by violent hate filled freaks like today's gun man or the two guys who blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City than I am by Muslim terrorists from overseas. (This might be different if I lived in a major city on the coasts...)

Seems like there has quite the outbreak of extreme murderous domestic terrorist acts lately. Very disturbing.

Very disturbing, indeed.

I have no idea how people can become so twisted with prejudice and hatred and anger that they feel the need to murder perfectly innocent people going about their daily lives and/or performing their jobs.

Very troubling.

WINGS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RED WINGS WIN GAME FIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One win to go to earn the Stanley Cup!

With the return of Pavel Datsyuk as an inspiration, the Wings blew out the Penguins tonight at the Joe 5-0. The Pens fell apart and took a bunch of really dumb frustration penalties which let the Wings keep on the power play for good chunks of the second and third periods.

This is the first time in this entire finals series when my team actually played like the Red Wings!

worried for my beloved Red Wings

The schedule and injuries are killing my team. Not to take anything away from the Penguins, who are a damned good team - but the injuries and schedule are killing the Red Wings. I could not watch game four because I was at work, but from what I understand they were reeling from exhaustion and making all sorts of dumb mistakes as a result.

The decisions on the part of the NHL to move the finals up by a week and have back to back starts for game one and two has probably destroyed most chances for the Wings to win the Cup this year.

I think if the Penguins win game five tonight, they will win the Cup in game six. If the Wings somehow manage to win game five, I think it will go seven games - and anything can happen in a seven game series.

fireworks

This weekend is the Milan fair, and tonight they had the fireworks.

I love fireworks!

Last year I really wanted to go, but couldn't because I felt so poorly. That was back before the doctors had diagnosed the Grave's Disease, and I felt like my life was slipping away bit by bit.

This year I was tired - I was sound asleep on the couch when Dan got home from work - but I went - and we had a truly grand time!

tired

Wow, I am really tired. Work has been kicking my butt this week. My Wings lost game three tonight (though in truth I was not expecting a team with so many injuries as the Red Wings to sweep a team as good as the Penguins! I have nothing but the highest respect for the Pens!)

I am about to take great joy in a hot shower and then heading to bed.

This new slightly higher synthroid dose does not seem to be helping much...

another bad day for my poor Michigan

GM has now joined Chrysler in bankruptcy. Thousands more jobs lost, one of them my brother-in-law's who works at the Orion plant. Thousands more mortgages in jeopardy, even as property values will probably plunge some more.

And the thing is - it is not just the line jobs that are lost. It will also be truckers, office people, support staff. The husband of one of my friends lost his job early in the year - and he worked for a company that did human resources for small auto parts supply companies.

So you are probably looking at thousands more jobs lost that serviced GM on top of the thousands of GM jobs lost.

Will this devastating economic downturn ever end? Or even ever hit bottom?

game two

I couldn't watch or listen to any of it, since I was at work (and worked sucked hugely tonight, which is a whole 'nother story) but my beloved Red Wings (led once again by the defensive work of Hank Zeterberg, the magical goal tending of Chris Osgood, and the Grand Rapids minor league kids)won game two of the Cup finals, again by a 3-1 score.

Two more wins to earn the Cup!

Wings win game one of the finals!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!

Red Wings win game one of the Stanley Cup finals!

3 more wins to earn the Cup!

a Red Wings moment of beauty

Darren Helm, with his speed and puck handling ability, will someday be one of the deadliest players in the NHL. Great little player, who has been brought up from the minors the last two years in the playoffs to cover for injuries, and who deserves a spot in the regular season lineup as soon as one is available. (I could see him replacing Maltby or Draper on the checking line when one of them retires, for example).

an amusing moment from Franzen

An amusing moment from Wings/Blackhawks game four.

With all of the injuries (especially Datsyuk and Lidstrom) I am afraid that the Wings will have a world of trouble beating the red hot Penguins in the finals.

nice morning

I lay in bed for a while after dawn this morning, in that border land between sleep and wakefulness. Dan's sleeping warmth was next to me. A steady and gentle rain drummed on the roof. I felt so safe and warm, in a cocoon of comfort. It was one of those moments when you are filled with joy just to be alive.

finally the results are in!

All twelve of Dan's biopsy samples came back clean and cancer free. They now think that he has inflammation of the prostate, which is why it is enlarged and his PSA blood levels are high.

Thank God.

and still waiting!

Still no word on the biopsy results! It will be two full weeks tomorrow!

In the meantime, I have been feeling increasingly tired the last week or so, to the point where all I have energy for is going to work (the dirty laundry pile in my room is nearly as tall as I am) and sure enough, the blood test they pulled last Friday came back with my thyroid levels too low, and they will be increasing my synthroid dose. Hopefully I will be feeling better soon.

At least the Wings have a commanding 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals against the Blackhawks.

still waiting...

Still have not heard the results for Dan's biopsy. It should have been 3-5 days according to all of the medical articles I googled. It is now over a week, and this is getting old very quickly.

At least the Red Wings are still playing and keeping my mind off of more serious issues. They won their game seven against the Duckies, and won their first game in the Western Conference finals against the Blackhawks. I missed being able to watch both games due to work. Let's go Red Wings!

waiting for the biopsy results

Waiting...waiting...dreading...hoping.

In the meantime, both the Tigers AND the Red Wings lost tonight. Bah. Humbug. Now the Wings will have to play a seventh game in their series against Anaheim - and ANYTHING can happen in a game seven. You can end up losing the series on a bad bounce of the puck or a bad call from an official. I hate game sevens.

the biopsy

We got up early and Dan and I drove to Livonia. Why Livonia? Why, when we are long time University of Michigan health care system patients and live a few miles from Ann Arbor did we have to drive to Livonia? That is a darned good question, and one I would like to have answered. Surely they must do prostate biopsies at the University of Michigan Hospital or the adjacent Taubman outpatient facility? Or even the east Ann Arbor center where I had my colonoscopy? So why did we have to drive to Livonia in the Detroit suburbs?

But anyway we got there, and they took Dan on back. I waited in the waiting area, and did not realize how long he had been back there until I finished the book I took with me in my purse, and noticed how far along the morning had gotten...

Turns out they did the procedure, and took the samples. And then Dan's blood pressure plunged and he tried to pass out on them while still on the examination table.

They eventually realized I would be worried sick, and came to get me to sit with him. He was dehydrated, and they gave him lots of water to drink, and he had not eaten yet that day, so they gave him some food to eat. All of that seemed to help, and his blood pressure came back up to a more normal level, and they finally let him leave.

We went to the nearby Panera Bread for some lunch. I thought soup and some lemonade would further help him, and they did seem to.

We got home and he climbed into bed and stayed there for the rest of the day while I ran errands and Bill kept an eye on him.

Today the poor man was driving us crazy with his grouchiness and constant demands. He is moving very stiffly like he has a baseball bat stuffed up where the sun does not shine (and they do go in to get biopsy samples via the man's rear end), and seems to be in a lot of pain, so the grouchiness is perfectly understandable. Hopefully he will feel a bit better, and move a little more easily, tomorrow.

He is not supposed to lift anything heavier than ten pounds for a week. That leaves out both cats (they both weigh more than ten pounds), some bags of groceries, laundry, etc. etc. I do not know how he will work next week, but he says he will find a way...

Wings win! work week over! biopsy in the morning!

The work week is over! YAY!!! Tomorrow a friend might come over, and we will exchange yard plants. I will give him some raspberry vines, and in return get some crane's bill geraniums from his yard.

The Wings won game four in their second round series against the Ducks. The series is now tied 2-2, with two of the three remaining games to be played in Detroit. We have a chance! YAY!!!

Poor Dan has his biopsy in the morning. He is not happy, to say the least. Apparently they do a biopsy of a man's prostate via his butt, and let's just leave it at that.

And, of course, there is anxiety over the biopsy for other, more obvious, reasons.

trilliums

The trilliums are blooming in the patch of woods behind the house. Lots of May apples as well. The daffodils and tulips and spring flowering trees and bushes are all blooming like mad. Beauty lives in my yard!

I went to the library this morning and met Dan for lunch. Always good to see him during the week, when we work opposite shifts.

All of these things make me happy, and keep my mind off of Dan's impending biopsy on Friday morning.

Also keeping my mind off of the hockey game last night, and the terrible call which disallowed the game tieing goal for the red Wings with only a couple of minutes left in the game. I usually do not complain about officiating - as I tell my kids, in the long run you will get as many bad calls in your favor as against you, and things even out. But man, that was a horrible call. Wings are now down 2-1 in their series.

Must go to work soon. Only two nights left this week...then comes the biopsy, which I am dreading.

we've finally caught up with New York,,,

...spring wise anyway. It has taken a good week, and we are no where nearly as warm as Eric and Christy's wedding weekend, but at last we have our tulips and flowering trees in their full glory.

the days since we got home

Dan and I both picked up a bit of a bug sometime somewhere on our trip. We have both been coughing and sneezing and having muscle aches, and I have been running a low grade fever off and on and have had some light diarrhea almost every day. Nothing serious, and no one has had to go to the doctor, and the kids have not caught it from us - but it has been enough to slow us down somewhat. Neither of us is a spring chicken anymore, and we have both been having health issues over the last few months (well, in my case more like the last few years).

I do not think that it helped that New York was in the high eighties and sunny all weekend, and back home in Michigan it has been mostly rainy and in the forties/fifties since we got back. Quite a change and shock to our systems, LOL.

Nonetheless, I am very happy that we went, and am glad my health was good enough to allow me to go. Yes, I had to take a lot of naps over the course of the weekend - but at least I could go. And being able to be at the wedding was a cause for joy.

On Friday I had to run a bunch of errands. On Saturday Bill and I planted some cold crop vegetables (onions, shallots, garlic, etc). and some flowers like pansies who like cold weather. We did a bunch of yard work as well.

Then we relaxed and watched the Tigers and the Kentucky Derby on TV.

Dan made burritos for dinner. I had requested Mexican food, since that would be our last dinner together before Cinco de Mayo (given that he works days and I work afternoons).

I really did not want to go to work today, as I do not feel 100%, but forced myself to go in. Luckily, it has been quiet. While I was at work the Red Wings lost their round two game two in triple overtime at Joe Louis. I am really afraid that they lost the Stanley Cup with that game.

At least Verlander seems to be pulling out of his season plus funk - with two great starts in a row. It would have been three great starts, but three games ago he had a really bad one inning meltdown. It is great to see him going - the Tigers will not do much unless both he and Galarraga have solid seasons.

wedding weekend day four

Last Monday we drove home. To save time we ate the continental breakfast at the motel, and did not stop except for gasoline and bathroom breaks. We had thought to stop at a Panera bread in Ohio along the turnpike for lunch, but decided to just bull through to home.

When we got to our home town, we stopped off at the Kroger for groceries and picked up a couple of pizzas for dinner. We then ate dinner and watched the Tigers game on TV with the kids.

Pennsylvania is still a beautiful state to drive through, and we were very lucky in that we still had great weather for the drive home. All four days of the weekend were hot and sunny.

Just a joy of a weekend. Seeing good people get married is always a cause for happiness. It was a true celebration of life and love and all sorts of the best things in life.

wedding weekend day three

This was the day of the wedding!

Dan and I got up early and walked down the hill to the diner to eat breakfast. I had something sinfully delicious - M&M pancakes. YUM.

Then I took yet another nap as Dan did some work on the laptop (he packed Bill's). After a while I woke up and got dressed in a blouse and skirt for the wedding. Dan dragged his feet a bit because he was in the middle of something, and we got out of the hotel room only a half hour before the ceremony, which was to be held at noon.

Now, half an hour should have been plenty of time to get from Newburgh to Montgomery, but we ended up waiting at one traffic light alone for twenty minutes. The hotel was around the corner from this convention center, and they were having some sort of huge motorcycle thing there, so great big groups of bikers were out and about, and plenty of car traffic, as well. Once we finally got by all of that, it was only five minutes until the wedding.

And then Dan got stopped by a police officer for speeding just outside of Montgomery.

Aye yi yi.

The cop let us go with a warning, once we explained the circumstances, and Eric called just as we were turning into the arboretum, as they were holding up the wedding for us. (blush).

The arboretum was gorgeous and glorious. The tulips - thousands of them in every color and color combination that tulips come in - were in full bloom - as were the trees, daffodils, and other spring flowers. Bees were buzzing around and butterflies were flitting around. it was sunny and hot - just a perfect spring day for Eric and Christy on their wedding day.

The ceremony was simple and meaningful, out in the garden under the sun, surrounded by those tulips and the blossom scented air.

The reception hall was a little class room building in the middle of the gardens. Eric and Christy again went with simple and classy, and they had enough food - good food! - to feed an army.

It was one of the most enjoyable weddings I have ever attended. but then again, Eric and Christy are both very laid back and good people, and their wedding reflected that.

After the reception, Dan and I went for a drive on country roads, just because it was such a lovely afternoon. We drove through a little town called Goshen, through those state parks that form a greenbelt north of New York City, and by West Point. It was all very beautiful.

Then another nap. Yes, I really am pathetic!

We did not want dinner after the huge spread of food at the reception, so we just went out for a dessert that night.

Then early bed, for the long drive home.

wedding weekend day two

Woke up that morning to gorgeous sunshine. There was a balcony/veranda on the second floor of the hotel, where our room was located, and we sat our there for a little while, looking at the sun gleaming on the lake across the road.

Then we walked down the hill to the diner called Johhny D's for breakfast. The food was good. Eric called while we were there, and it sounded like he wanted us to drop in for a visit that morning, so we agreed to head out to his house after we ate and ran a couple of errands (including getting a wedding gift, though we did not tell him that).

Eric and Christy live out in the country in a nice house on a lot of land, which is great for the kids and the dog! It is really windy, though, and that apparently causes problems on occasion, to the point where their giant trampoline once tried to blow away. They live near this great paved bike/walking trail that goes for miles through the rolling countryside.

We had a nice visit, but then I had to go back to the hotel for a nap.

While very glad I could go to the wedding for the weekend - something I could probably not have done over the past few months due to sickness and exhaustion up to the point where I could start taking the synthroid - last weekend also showed me how very far I still have to go before I feel well and normal again. I needed a lot of naps to get through everything...

In the evening we drove to Eric's pretty little home town called Montgomery for the rehearsal dinner. It was at a nice Italian restaurant called Pazzo. The food was good, as was the company. Eric and Christy were a delightful and laid back wedding couple - and the events of the weekend were also delightful and laid back. After dinner we all sat out on the porch of the restaurant and took pictures and relaxed.

wedding weekend day one

Dan and I had a wonderful time in New York over the weekend.

I think I might break it down by the day, in case I get interrupted and have to break off.

DAY ONE
It took us about eleven or twelve hours to get to Newburgh, New York. I was really tired since I had worked the previous five nights, and I think we ended up stopping at half of the rest stops in Pennsylvania so I could move my poor old middle aged body. That was no hardship, though, since Pennsylvania is such a beautiful state!

We left fairly early, and ate breakfast at the Coney Island in Milan before getting on the freeway. We did not stop for any other meals, though we obviously stopped for gasoline and to stretch our legs. We did get cookies at a Panera Bread at a stop on the Ohio Turnpike, and had those as a snack while driving.

We stopped for gas in Pennsylvania just before hitting the New York border, right at dusk. That was when we noticed that the spring in that area was at least a week further along than ours here in Michigan. There was a pond near the gas station, and they had frogs croaking and singing!

After crossing the Delaware River into New York, lots of little things started hitting the wind shield of the Jeep. At first we thought it was rain, and could not figure out where the rain was coming from, as the sky was perfectly clear. Then we realized that it was bugs. EWWWWWWWW.

We got to Newburgh and found the hotel. We quickly called Eric and Christy to let them know we had made it in safely, then went to eat at the Applebees, as it was very near to the hotel. We just wanted some hot food and sleep at that point. The restaurant was filled with avid Yankees fans, which was very amusing, given that they were playing the hated Red Sox that night. I might have finally found a fandom that might be worse and more extreme than Red Wings fans. LOL!!!!!

repacked!

I checked the weather forecast for New York last night, and it will be sunny and near ninety all weekend! So today I repacked my whole big duffle bag. But because I could take out the jeans and substitute shorts and take out the extra sweaters and such, it is now half the size it was. YAY! All we have to do is pack our medicines and cell phone chargers in the morning, and we will be all set to leave as soon as Dan can drag my tired afternoon shift worker butt out of bed!

Man, am I glad that the work week will be finished tonight. All of my coworkers have been behaving very badly this week - each one taking a turn to have a childish tantrum on a different night. I hope I can endure one more night of this crappy behavior - and knowing that I can leave a bit early and then have a four day weekend at the end of it will hugely help!

I probably will not around until next week, as I work tonight and then we will be leaving for the four day trip early in the morning.

Red Wings playoffs round one game three

Down in Columbus (and I hope their weather down there is better than ours in the greater Detroit area today)!

I was at work, as usual, so could not watch the game.

But from what I have heard, the Red Wings won 4-1 over the Blue Jackets, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in a best four of seven game series. Zetterberg scored two goals.

It is good to know that the team and especially the goalies have found a higher gear for the playoffs. You have got to wonder if the team might have gotten a bit bored and burned out during the regular season this year? And that was why their play so often seemed to lack a bit of focus?

insane Michigan weather

After the lovely cool spring sunniness of Friday and Saturday, it started raining on Sunday. On Monday it poured rain all day, with well over an inch of rain. Today on Tuesday it rained, hailed, was briefly sunny, then misted rain. Later on tonight it is supposed to snow. We're likely to get a rain/snow mix tomorrow - and then on Thursday and the weekend it is supposed to be sunny and nearly eighty. LOL!!!

Only in Michigan...

Busy Saturday

My last day off before Dan and I drive to New York for a wedding next Friday!

I spent the second day in a row doing as much laundry as I could. I also packed pretty much everything other then my camera, toiletries, and medicines, and those things should be quick. So that is one big task out of the way! YAY!

Bill helped out by planting the snow peas and working in the garden, so that was something I did not have to worry about!

In the evening we watched Steven play soccer. His team won 2-1. YAY!

Then we came home and watched the Red Wings win game two of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs - they beat Columbus 4-0. YAY! And we also ate dinner.

We were about to watch the Tigers, but the kids wanted to watch Quantum of Solace, so we watched that instead. Turns out that the Tigers won their game, too, 2-0 over the Mariners. YAY!

Red Wings game one

I have been at work and could not watch any of the game, but the Wings beat the Blue Jackets 4-1 tonight at the Joe in the first game of the opening playoff round.

Sometimes working all off shifts sucks, and during the hockey playoffs it is one of those high suck times.

Then again, in April I can watch parts of all Tigers home games before coming in to work - I lose track of the team later in the season when they have mostly night games...

Almost able to go home and start my weekend now - a bit over an hour to go. Man, do I ever have a lot of errands to run - and a lot of laundry to get done so we can pack...

very cute!

Saw this on science fiction writer John Scalzi's blog, and had to bring it here in honor of the playoffs starting.

Tigers/Red Wings - getting ready for the New York weekend

The Red Wings start round one of the playoffs tonight against the dreaded Blue Jackets. Why would a Red Wings fan dread the Blue Jackets you ask? Because they are young, talented, and hungry; they had our number and gave us some mighty beat downs in the regular season; they have a really hot and very talented young goalie who is good enough to win series all by himself. And they have a hideously ugly blue wasp mascott... Of all of the teams in the Western Conference, they along with the Sharks had me worried. My beloved Wings might not make it out of the first round this year.

The Tigers are temporarily tied for first place in the AL Central, along with the Kansas City Royals. I know that probably will not last very long, but I do like the team far better than the team they put out on the field last year, even though most of the players are the same. Last year was infuriating because they often looked so lackadaisical and lazy out there - just not a good effort far too many times in far too many games. This year their chemistry is obviously much better, and they keep trying even when down by quite a few runs. Eating the fourteen million dollars to get rid of Gary Sheffield was probably well worth it - the hard working team that scrapped their butts off from 2006 has returned in spirit at least. And watching Armando Galarraga will be a joy this season - he is really coming into his own as a fine young pitcher.

Very sad about the death of former Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych in an accident. He was one of those rare souls who find joy in life and in whatever life handed him. A truly special human being, and a true original.

Dan went in for more blood tests on Tuesday. They came back better than the first worrisome round, but still not good. They had wanted him to take a course of ciprofloxacin, a powerful antibiotic before the second round of tests. And the antibiotic did improve his blood levels - just not enough. The next step for him will be a biopsy in two weeks. And then I can talk freely about what is going on...

Sheesh. I just realized that tomorrow and Saturday are my last days off before Dan and I go to New York for the following weekend for a wedding, and parts of those two days will be eaten up by Steven's soccer game, a trip to the library, etc. I got up early today to start laundry - and that is a task I am a million miles behind - so I can at least attempt to get started packing on Saturday night - for things like a dress for the reception, Dan's dress shoes, and my camera - all things I will not need before the trip and can pack away ahead of time in preparation.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to all Christians out there, Happy Passover to any Jews. Happy beautiful spring morning eating chocolates to everyone regardless of faith!

Tigers home opener

Today was one of the biggest unofficial holidays in the greater Detroit area - Tigers home opener.

Thousands of kids play hooky from school and tens of thousands of adults play hooky from work to gather in the streets near the stadium and party, watch the game in sports bars and party, or just catch the game on TV at home or at the homes of friends and relax.

It is a day which (hopefully) marks the end of the long Michigan winter, and (hopefully) an end to snow until next October or so. Our hopes are usually in vain, but spring forth every year anyway.

This year's opening ceremonies remembered the great George Kell, and also the young Angels pitcher who was just killed by a drunk driver. What a freaking tragedy - he was only 22 years old, with a long and full life ahead of him.

The game itself turned into a blow out on the part of the Tigers over the Rangers. They saved our best starting pitcher, Armando Galarraga, for the game, and he pitched a gem of a game. We are finally seeing a healthy Miguel Cabrera, and he is a monster - a beast - a genuine stud. Wow, can he ever hit a baseball!

I got to watch most of the game on television, but then had to take Steven to a doctor's appointment. He is doing much much much better, and looks to making a full recovery from his post-concussion syndrome.

And that is such good news~!!!!

thank God

The Tigers finally won a game tonight. Of their three games, this one had the second solid start by their starting pitcher in a row - but the bullpen did not blow this one.

The season record is now 1-2, and may we reach .500 at some point this season!

The sun came out today, and most of the snow melted. The spring flowers are blooming in a crazy orgy of purple and blue and white and yellow in my yard right now. I love those little flowers.

All in all, the world seems like a better place tonight. ;-)

wow, it might be be a long baseball season for Tigers fans

Now they are 0-2. The first game was lost through poor starting pitching; the second through terrible relief pitching and poor managing on the part of Leyland.

It is all looking just like last season's bitter disappointment all over again. (Though at least we do not have to put up with Gary Sheffield and his ugly mouth this year, which is a huge improvement).

My great fear: it might be be a long and wretched summer for Detroit Tigers fans.

snow; spring; MLB is underway!

After a snow free march, we are certainly getting snow in April. Just a handful of days after my early bulbs starting blooming, we got about half a foot of really wet slushy snow. We are getting flurries today - I have been watching the flakes coming down all morning, and dreaming of sunshine and baseball and tulips, even as the ground is covered with snow.

The Tigers had their season opener last night up in a domed stadium in Toronto. It is good it was not the home opener, as that would have probably been snowed out. I could not watch the game due to being at work, but from what I have heard, it was a very ugly loss. Justin Verlander apparently pitched a very bad game, which does not bode well for the 2009 season. Well, hopefully he can pull it together as the season goes on. From what I hear, Curtis Granderson had a great game, and deserved his nickname Grandy. What a great young player he is, and a wonderful and well grounded young man on top of it. The home opener is this Friday, and rain is in the forecast.

Today I am on the second to last step of being weaned from the beta blockers I have been taking to protect my heart through all of the thyroid issues. I am now down to taking one pill every other day for a week, to be followed by stopping taking them all together. So I am slowly (much more slowly than I would like) on the mend.

George Kell has passed away

I learned today that long time Detroit Tigers player & broadcaster George Kell has passed away.

Very sad news. A big chunk of my childhood was spent watching/listening to Kell and Kaline - gentlemen both - broadcasting Tigers game.

My prayers and thoughts are with the Kell family and friends today.

And the world is now a lesser place...

doing better

I am doing better now that I am on the synthroid. I woke up - really mentally woke up - for the first time in at least a couple of weeks on Monday. I have a bit more energy, and have made it through all of my scheduled shifts this week. That said, I am still sleeping a lot, and feel tired most of the time, though not nearly dead from exhaustion like the last two weeks. The doctor told me at my appointment yesterday that it might take an entire year to feel entirely better - but that I am on the mend. I do not have to see the specialist again until June, though I do have to go in for blood tests in the meantime.

Dan is the one I am worried about right now, but cannot talk about it yet due to his request. He is waiting for the results of more medical tests before he wants anyone to know what is going on with him.

All I can say is - he has been a rock for me over the last few months while I have been so horribly weak and sick - and I intend to be a rock for him, as best as I can.

in honor of the Hugos

Here is Holst's Mars from the Planets - what a kickass piece of music!

2009 Hugo Awards

Quote:
Best Novel
(639 Ballots)
Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Morrow; Atlantic UK)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury UK)
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Tor Teen; HarperVoyager UK)
Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit UK)
Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi (Tor)


Best Novella
(337 Ballots)
“The Erdmann Nexus” by Nancy Kress (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2008)
“The Political Prisoner” by Charles Coleman Finlay (F&SF Aug 2008)
“The Tear” by Ian McDonald (Galactic Empires)
“True Names” by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2)
“Truth” by Robert Reed (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2008)


Best Novelette
(373 Ballots)
“Alastair Baffle’s Emporium of Wonders” by Mike Resnick (Asimov’s Jan 2008)
“The Gambler” by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2)
“Pride and Prometheus” by John Kessel (F&SF Jan 2008)
“The Ray-Gun: A Love Story” by James Alan Gardner (Asimov’s Feb 2008)
“Shoggoths in Bloom” by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s Mar 2008)



Best Short Story
(448 Ballots)
“26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss” by Kij Johnson (Asimov’s Jul 2008)
“Article of Faith” by Mike Resnick (Baen’s Universe Oct 2008)
“Evil Robot Monkey” by Mary Robinette Kowal (The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Volume Two)
“Exhalation” by Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two)
“From Babel’s Fall’n Glory We Fled” by Michael Swanwick (Asimov’s Feb 2008)


Best Related Book
(263 Ballots)
Rhetorics of Fantasy by Farah Mendlesohn (Wesleyan University Press)
Spectrum 15: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art by Cathy & Arnie Fenner, eds. (Underwood Books)
The Vorkosigan Companion: The Universe of Lois McMaster Bujold by Lillian Stewart Carl & John Helfers, eds. (Baen)
What It Is We Do When We Read Science Fiction by Paul Kincaid (Beccon Publications)
Your Hate Mail Will be Graded: A Decade of Whatever, 1998-2008 by John Scalzi (Subterranean Press)


Best Graphic Story
(212 Ballots)
The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle Written by Jim Butcher, art by Ardian Syaf (Del Rey/Dabel Brothers Publishing)
Girl Genius, Volume 8: Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones Written by Kaja & Phil Foglio, art by Phil Foglio, colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)
Fables: War and Pieces Written by Bill Willingham, pencilled by Mark Buckingham, art by Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy, color by Lee Loughridge, letters by Todd Klein (DC/Vertigo Comics)
Schlock Mercenary: The Body Politic Story and art by Howard Tayler (The Tayler Corporation)
Serenity: Better Days Written by Joss Whedon & Brett Matthews, art by Will Conrad, color by Michelle Madsen, cover by Jo Chen (Dark Horse Comics)
Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores Written/created by Brian K. Vaughan, penciled/created by Pia Guerra, inked by Jose Marzan, Jr. (DC/Vertigo Comics)


Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
(436 Ballots)
The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer, story; Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, screenplay; based on characters created by Bob Kane; Christopher Nolan, director (Warner Brothers)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army Guillermo del Toro & Mike Mignola, story; Guillermo del Toro, screenplay; based on the comic by Mike Mignola; Guillermo del Toro, director (Dark Horse, Universal)
Iron Man Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, screenplay; based on characters created by Stan Lee & Don Heck & Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby; Jon Favreau, director (Paramount, Marvel Studios)
METAtropolis by John Scalzi, ed. Written by: Elizabeth Bear, Jay Lake, Tobias Buckell and Karl Schroeder (Audible Inc)
WALL-E Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter, story; Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, screenplay; Andrew Stanton, director (Pixar/Walt Disney)


Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
(336 Ballots)
“The Constant” (Lost) Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof, writers; Jack Bender, director (Bad Robot, ABC studios)
Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog Joss Whedon, & Zack Whedon, & Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen , writers; Joss Whedon, director (Mutant Enemy)
“Revelations” (Battlestar Galactica) Bradley Thompson & David Weddle, writers; Michael Rymer, director (NBC Universal)
“Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead” (Doctor Who) Steven Moffat, writer; Euros Lyn, director (BBC Wales)
“Turn Left” (Doctor Who) Russell T. Davies, writer; Graeme Harper, director (BBC Wales)


Best Editor, Short Form
(377 Ballots)
Ellen Datlow
Stanley Schmidt
Jonathan Strahan
Gordon Van Gelder
Sheila Williams


Best Editor, Long Form
(273 Ballots)
Lou Anders
Ginjer Buchanan
David G. Hartwell
Beth Meacham
Patrick Nielsen Hayden


Best Professional Artist
(334 Ballots)
Daniel Dos Santos
Bob Eggleton
Donato Giancola
John Picacio
Shaun Tan


Best Semiprozine
(283 Ballots)
Clarkesworld Magazine edited by Neil Clarke, Nick Mamatas & Sean Wallace
Interzone edited by Andy Cox
Locus edited by Charles N. Brown, Kirsten Gong-Wong, & Liza Groen Trombi
The New York Review of Science Fiction edited by Kathryn Cramer, Kris Dikeman, David G. Hartwell, & Kevin J. Maroney
Weird Tales edited by Ann VanderMeer & Stephen H. Segal


Best Fanzine
(257 Ballots)
Argentus edited by Steven H Silver
Banana Wings edited by Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer
Challenger edited by Guy H. Lillian III
The Drink Tank edited by Chris Garcia
Electric Velocipede edited by John Klima
File 770 edited by Mike Glyer


Best Fan Writer
(291 Ballots)
Chris Garcia
John Hertz
Dave Langford
Cheryl Morgan
Steven H Silver


Best Fan Artist
(187 Ballots)
Alan F. Beck
Brad W. Foster
Sue Mason
Taral Wayne
Frank Wu


The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
(288 Ballots)
Aliette de Bodard*
David Anthony Durham*
Felix Gilman
Tony Pi*
Gord Sellar*
*(Second year of eligibility)




Three! Count them! Three! Young Adult novels up for novel of the year!(And those would be the Doctorow, the Scalzi, and the Gaiman).

Since I try to read the nominated novels every year, I am a bit disappointed by the inclusion of the Stross. I read a nominated novel by Stross every year it seems, and he is just not a writer for my personal tastes. Maybe this year's will be different? I hope so - I know he is a very well respected writer and I WANT to enjoy his work. I am hoping that it at least will not be written in second person gaming speak, computerese, and Scottish vernacular like last year's. Reading the second person POV in Halting State drove me freaking nuts.

I have already read two of the five for best novel - have the Stephenson, the Doctorow, and the Stross to go. The Stephensen book is a cinder block - probably as long as the other four nominated novels put together.

Of the two I have read, the Gaiman was charming as hell - really good, I highly recommend it, and it has already won a major award for children's books (the Newbury). That said, it is a children's book - and I am really surprised to see three children's/YA books up for best novel. As you guys probably noticed. LOL!

The Scalzi was a YA retelling of his previously nominated The Last Colony, from the POV of a teen aged character, and filling in a couple of plot holes. Scalzi did the teenaged girl POV really well, but since it is basicly a retelling of a book previously nominated, I was really surprised to see it.

For the Campbell award - Felix Gilman is a brilliant new voice - his Thunderer was a lovely literary lyrically beautiful novel that I hugely enjoyed. I have not read Durham, but have heard through the grapevine that he is also a very good writer. I have not heard of the other three.

As always, congratulations to all nominees, and I wish you all well!

on synthroid now

Since I have been feeling so crappy, I have only managed to make it through one full shift and two partial shifts at work over the last two weeks. Luckily, over the years I have not missed much time, and even after all this have 3-4 months of sick leave in my leave bank.

On Thursday I left early and caught a ride to University hospital, where I had a blood draw in preparation for my next specialist visit on upcoming Tuesday.

Yesterday the endocinologist's office called and told me to start synthroid right away. Apparently the blood labs did show that I am now in a state of hypothyroidism, and they did not want me to wait even until Tuesday to start the synthetic thyroid hormones. So they faxed a prescription to my pharmacy, and I started taking the drug this morning (it has to be taken with water only on an empty stomach, so should be taken first thing in the morning an hour before eating or drinking anything else).

So I am on the last bit of road to wellness now. They have to get the synthroid dose right, and once that happens I will be feeling well and normal for the first time in years. Thank God.

back to work

Made it back in to work last night - after missing seven work days and two weekends where I did very little other than rest and sleep. I made it through about half of the shift before being ready to collapse from exhaustion. Luckily, there was an extra person scheduled, so I could leave without disrupting anything or anyone.

I cannot wait until I start feeling better and can reclaim my life!

Came back to work getting earfuls of nasty rumors that a lot of things will be changing in bad ways simply and seemingly for the sake of messing with people. I am getting so sick of the poisonous atmosphere, but feel that I CANNOT start looking for a new job (if that is even possible in this bad economy) until I feel better. It would be too stressful for me and too unfair to my new employer.

just because it is beautiful...

things have not been so good lately

Two Thursdays ago, our elderly dog passed away. It certainly was not unexpected given his age (15 1/2 is a VERY long life for a Labrador retriever), but it has not made it any easier. The few times I have left the house since, I am still surprised when he does not meet me at the door, and am still waiting for the warmth of his warm body curled up on top of my feet every time I sit down to use the computer.

About the same time I think that my thyroid finally died from the radiation treatment I had back in January. At least I started showing all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism rather than hyperthyroidism. In fact I felt so rotten that the doctor wrote for me to be off of work for a week so I can rest. Rest I have - it is all I am capable of doing right now. Even watching television or reading a book is mentally taxing, and I nod off constantly. We will not even talk of me trying to drive - I am so tired I weave around like a drunk and it is a miracle I have not been stopped by a policeman yet.

I get to see the specialist again next week, and can perhaps start on synthroid depending on what my blood labs show. And then I will hopefully have rounded the back turn and be on the home stretch for healing and being well. I really want to feel better.

a spring wedding

On President's Day a dear friend called, to say that he and his fiance are going to get married in late April in New York State.

I am so happy - if you could pick out your family, Erik would be my big brother! It is wonderful that he has found true love and will be getting married!!!!

I have a long weekend off approved from work for that weekend, and have made a motel reservation in Newburgh.

I just hope that my health will allow it, and have my fingers crossed for my next set of blood labs and endocrinologist visit. Maybe a miracle will happen, and the exhaustion will abate a bit.

and here's the Captain!

No one ever thought anyone could rival Stevie Yzerman in pure class or in leadership ability, but Nicky Lidstrom - one of the greatest blue liners in NHL history - has somehow managed to do just that.

In honor of the Red Wings victory over the Predators

This is the song they played at the Joe when the Wings scored their sixth goal...

A PERFECT Detroit Winter Evening

On Wednesday Dan and I spent a perfect winter evening in Detroit.

We parked on the street (for free) in Greektown, and ate at a good Greek restaurant (the Olympia) in historic Trapper's Alley. We drank hot tea with lemon, and both had saganaki (flaming cheese) as an appetizer. OPA!!! So a classic Detroit dinner.

Then we hopped on the People Mover, the monorail that snakes in a big circle through the downtown core. It only costs fifty cents each way. We rode to that historic shrine, Joe Louis Arena, to see the Detroit Red Wings play against the Nashville Predators.

The game was great - the Wings won, and it was Kris Draper night in recognition of his recent thousandth NHL game. There was even a good hockey fight - featuring Marion Hossa of all people. Who knew he could throw punches like that? Thankfully he did not hurt his hands or wrists. And our beloved Captain, Nicky Lidstrom, scored two goals!

After the game we rode the People Mover back to Greektown, where we heard a busker playing some sweet hot sax.

The rain and snow held off until we were nearly home.

Classic - perfect - Detroit winter evening.

Valentine's Day

Last Saturday was Valentine's Day, and Dan and I had a very pleasant evening.

The new furniture arrived on Friday, and - after eating a delicious dinner at Ichiban's, a Japanese restaurant in Ypsilanti, we spent some time cuddling on the love seat in front of the fireplace, listening to . It was very relaxing, very wonderful.

One of the best Valentine's Day we have had in quite sometime.

specialist visit yesterday

Well, went in to the endocrinologist yesterday. My hyperthyroidism is actually worse now (according the the blood tests) than when they gave me the radiation treatment last month. They did say this might happen, as the thyroid releases all of its stored hormones as it dies. So another six weeks without any physical activity to protect my heart. Another six weeks of propranolol. Another six weeks and then I get to go in for another round of blood work and specialist visits.

And yes, I am sort of sad. I had hoped things would be on the upswing by now.

We have had two days of heavy rain, which has melted a lot of the heavy snow cover and turned everything into a sea of mud and water. We are expecting about twelve hours of sustained 50-60MPH winds tonight. So they are expecting widespread power outages as a result, as trees are expected to fall. I am hoping beyond the power of words to describe that we manage to keep our power here at home.

it is trying to be spring

It has actually been above freezing for three days in a row - and that is saying a lot this winter, as it has been bitterly cold and very snowy. The snow is trying to melt now, which should help with the furniture delivery on Friday.

I cannot remember if I ever posted about the new furniture or not. The last couple of months are all sort of a blur in my head what with the thyroid thing and all. Anyway, we have had the same living room furniture for more than fifteen, and possibly as many as twenty years. It has more or less survived cats, a large dog, and two rambunctious sons and their friends. Needless to say, it is literally falling apart now - to the point where the wooden frame has come out of the back and poked holes in the walls.

So Dan and I ordered new furniture for our wedding anniversary in late December. I must have sat on 20-30 couches and found one with great lower back support that was very comfortable. So we ordered a reclining sofa, reclining chair, and reclining love seat. They will all be in a dark chocolate brown. They are made by La-Z-Boy right here in Michigan, so we are supporting our local economy while buying much needed furniture.

The chair and the sofa will go in the living room and the love seat will go in the front room, where we have never actually had furniture other than a china hutch and book cases, as we could not afford to buy new furniture when we moved into the house. It will be lovely having the reclining love seat there. We can relax and listen to music, sit in front of the gas fireplace, and watch the snow falling outside through the picture window. I cannot wait until it comes on Friday.

On last Friday I went in and got blood drawn at the hospital for my Tuesday appointment with the next specialist for my thyroid.

This year I added the kids to my vision insurance just for the hell of it, since it did not cost much. It turned out that they both needed glasses, so this was a very good decision.

heh

It has been three years now (this month back in 2006) since I permanently dropped someone from my life whom I once considered to be a dear friend. I did this because he kept lying to me and treating me like complete and total crap. It saddens me that I still miss the many good things about him, such as his laughter, but I know that I did the right thing.

Why does the right thing sometimes hurt so much?

Ah well. I know that I am the only one hurt by it. I felt great friendship towards him, but he certainly never felt any towards me. By both his words and actions he proved that I meant nothing to him at all.

Well, the new furniture did not come, as it was supposed to on Friday. They said that two of the three pieces have been made and are at the Belleville warehouse. The third has yet to be made by the factory, and they are saying to look for all three to be delivered on Valentine's Day weekend. I am looking very much forward to the new furniture, and reclining in front of the big window and fireplace in the front room with a jazz CD playing and a good book to read

Well, last week was rough. Lots of snowy roads - I saw many people off in ditches both driving in to work and driving home from work. But I did survive, and hopefully I will never have to work another day shift. I cannot stand waking up in the darkness and cold, as I had to for the month of January.

In addition, we all have a nasty bronchitis. "We" meaning everyone here at home along with everyone at work. Seems to be the thing going around the area right now.

After only having Saturday off, tonight I will be heading in to work to go back my usual Sunday through Thursday second shift (providing I am feeling up to trying). I have the feeling this might be another long week to start off February, after January being an extremely long and unpleasant month.

killing the thyroid

On Thursday they decided that I did indeed have Grave's Disease, and decided to give me a huge drink of radioactive iodine (again mixed with disgusting luke warm Ann Arbor tap water) to destroy my thyroid. Again, it made my stomach upset, but I managed not to throw up.

The dose was large enough that I have had to stay in seclusion for a few days. Monday was the first day I had been cleared to go to work, but poor Dan had to continue to sleep on the couch until Wednesday night so as to be protected from radiation exposure. I had to use my own bathroom (thank God we have two in the house) until then as well, flushing at least twice each time I used the toilet (the two main pathways my body will get rid of the extra radiation are spit and pee) until Wednesday as well. We replaced the shower curtain and toilet seat in the one I had been using just to be on the safe side. I had been using all paper and plasticware for eating purposes, and they went into a separate trash bag from the rest of the garbage.

They say I will actually feel a lot worse for the next 2-3 weeks, as my thyroid will release all of its stored hormones as it dies and all of my symptoms will probably get worse until I go into hypothyroidism, and then will be put on artificial thyroid hormones for the rest and my life and stabilize.

I will be taking a drug called propranolol for the next 2-3 months to protect my heart from palpitations. Every time they have taken my heart rate over the past year it has been racing along at around 100 beats a minute, and they do not want that to get worse from the thyroid surge as my thyroid dies. So far the drug seems to be keeping my heart rate down in the eighties, so that is big improvement.

To make things even worse for me, this month I have too go into work on day shift for the first time in more than twenty years. Needless to say, getting up at 5:30AM is not fun, and I hate never seeing any sunlight (as the sun is not up yet when I go into work, I have no window access, and the sun goes down only about an hour after I leave work). This is probably the very worst time for the extreme shift change to happen, and i am exhausted and unhappy with life right now.

I'm so hot I'm radioactive...oh, wait...

Well today was the day I went in for the first round of serious tests for my thyroid, with round two tomorrow.

It was sort of a weird day.

Had to go in "bright" and early, at 0830, when it was still freaking dark out. I hate that crap. People should not have to get up before the sun. Of course, in the depths of the Michigan winter, that would not happen until what many would call mid morning. It was ten degrees Fahrenheit, too, and I also hate that crap.

First I waited in a waiting room with my husband. Then they called me away, and I got to sit in another waiting room for a while.

Then I got called in to an exam room, where they used a special camera with a lens that looked like a telescope to take the before pictures of the outside of my throat, and also measured the baseline radiation readings. (The after pictures will be taken tomorrow, after my thyroid has had 24 hours to suck up all of that tasty radioactive iodine).

And then I got the joy of drinking some low dose radioactive fluid, mixed with disgusting lukewarm Ann Arbor tap water (Ann Arbor has the worst tasting city water of any place I have ever been - depending on the day it can taste like anything from sewer to swamp. Oddly enough, Detroit has some of the best tasting city water anywhere - but I digress). So I drank it down. The radioactive stuff was in a plastic container put inside a lead lined thermos thingee.

Then I got called to another exam room where they pulled blood and then shot me up with a low dose of radiation. The shot came in a lead lined box.

I then got to wait in a third waiting area, while they gave my thyroid 15 minutes or so to suck up and trap the crap they injected me with.

Then they had me lie down on a table and they took films of my thyroid. Some of the films involved them putting a huge machine right over my head, with the cone pressed into my throat. Unfortunately, this made me have a panic attack, with made me hyperventilate and nearly faint and nearly vomit. But by closing my eyes and counting to one hundred over and over again (each image took about five minutes and I had to stay completely still for that time even though I wanted to slap aside the machine and run away screaming and throwing up and peeing in terror and panic and horror) I managed to remain sane and still.

I was told I could go home after the doctor looked at the films to make sure that they were usable. But I think he saw something in the films, as he decided to feel up my throat. So he put his hands around my neck and felt it by pressing his hands up against it, and had me drink small sips of more disgusting lukewarm Ann Arbor tap water (not good when your stomach is already trying to puke) to see what it felt like from the outside when I swallowed.

So after that, then they said the films were fine, and that I could leave.

We got the hell out of there and started driving home, and was still feeling really queasy. But I was trying really hard not to throw up, as who wants radioactive vomit all over themselves and their car? Even though it was still very cold, I had to crack the car window open for the cold air as it helped calm my stomach, and my husband had to pull over in city parks a couple of times when I started gagging. I did manage not to throw up, which was good. That way my tests tomorrow will not be messed up, plus the city did not have to call out a hazmat team to clean up radioactive puke in a city park.

This took all morning, and they had originally told me I would not have to miss work (I talked to my supervisor as soon as nuclear medicine called me to tell me about my appointment and arranged to have the day off anyway, thank God, as there was no way I could have gone into work after that panic attack or with a stomach that upset) or a driver (my husband volunteered anyway, thank God).

Round two will be tomorrow morning, again bad and early and dark. They will use the telescope thingee to take more pictures of the outside of my throat and read the radiation levels. And then I will get to see the endocrinologist on staff with the nuclear medicine department.

I am really hoping there will be no more panic attack inducing stuff.

Happy New Year!!!

And the Wings came through for us all, winning the Winter Classic in Chicago! We Michiganders can always count on our beloved Red Wings!

Spent a relaxing day at home, with family. We watched the Wings, watched The Dark Knight, and had make your own submarine sandwich night, and all ate too much.

But the old superstition says that if you start out the new year with a feast with the people that you love, you will have a prosperous year.

May it be so!

And may we all (especially Steven with his post concussion syndrome) and I (with the thyroid issues) have a much healthier year as well!