R, my friend who is now in Texas, called me telling me she had breast cancer 5 years ago. Yesterday we caught up again and this time round it is not her but her hubby, G, who is going for a laser treatment for back pain. They are not young anymore, and by the way, they are in their early sixties now, she said she needs to slow down and reminds herself she is not a spring chicken no more! It was so nice to hear from her again, catching up with what they are up to in Texas for the winter and their traveling adventures. I do think of her all the time….she has saved me from “trouble” a lot of times!
The weather is at a decent temperature of 30′s and 40′s fahrenheit. It is perfect sleeping weather and is saving a lot on the heating bill. I have the temperature in the house set at 65 and and we go to bed it is set at 63. DB initially was complaining it was too cold at 63 saying he would require CozyWinters.com heated clothing!! Mind you, when you go to bed with all the blankets and pillows and an extra human in the bed, it’s very very hot. That’s me. I know he, too, at times will say it’s too warm. We had the temperature set to 63 for 2 weeks now, he is adjusting to it and also to the day temperature setting of 65. My friend said I’m torturing him!
The snow finally came on Saturday. All good 3 inches, and that was all. It’s actually disappointing for me! I was hoping for more. I was out and about on Saturday meeting up with my ex co-worker at Panera Bread. When I left the house at noon it was just sleeting. Traffic on the freeway was not bad at all, smooth. However, 3 hours after, the snow plows were out and I was stucked at County Road 42 for 1 hours 50 minutes just to get home. It was a parking lot!
This is what it looks like while getting off the ramp to 35E/W. The roads were very icy, a lot of cars spunned out and accidents all over. I suppose since it was the first snow fall of the season, every one has to learn how to drive in the snow again!
The holiday mood is buzzing around – in the office and every where I go. A friend from the retreat I went to in August (EL her name) invited me to her cabin in Buffalo, MN. It’s probably around 50 minutes drive or more from where I am. I seriously do not know but I would like to go if only I don’t have to get ready for my own vacation. EL has bugged me since we departed to visit her. She lives in her cabin permanently now equipped with cabin furniture, I was told by her best friend, to-die-for furniture. EL invited me to come up this Friday for the weekend and we all ladies could go Black Friday shopping at the outlet mall!!! Argh….I so want to go but….a rain check is in order right now.
I’m definitely done shopping for my upcoming trip. I’m broke!!! I wanted to get a funny t-shirt for my friend, I had to say, “next time”. I’m suppose to go home with very little gifts but looking at the stuff in the corner of the walk-in closet is scary. My trip home will only focus on eating, an eating spree for 3 weeks, no shopping for me!
When I see the town home community center wraps up for the summer where the pools are cover with pool covers, the deck chairs and tables put away, I think of the kid who comes over to chat with me every time I’m outside with the two older dogs….back in spring and summer. I should said she is not a kid anymore, she is 16 going on 17!! She used to work at her grandma’s apartment complex, helping out at the pool area. She longs for adult interaction that’s why she comes over when she see me outside. Don’t blame her, she is the assigned babysitter for her 3 little siblings! I told her she needs to get a part time job but….responsibilities are at home.
It’s funny how my conversations with my co-worker, M, always take place in the bathroom. We were once cube neighbors till she moved to a different area and we don’t see each other very often. It was such fun times when we were next to each other…all the laughs and stories she tells me. I’m still very impressed with how she juggles a few dates in one night and sleepless nights!! I told her I’m too old for these “funs”. She was the one who enlightened me on free online dating sites years ago.
I heard this song on the radio driving in to work and it’s stuck in my head since then. Good thing it’s a beautiful tune which reminds me of the days back in Main Convent during our Ethics classes. I remember playing it on the piano, too, at home, not at school! 
Time is really flying by so quickly. It’s already mid November, it’s the holiday season, again!! Shopping goers packing the malls. I was at the big mall last Saturday which of course filled with weekend shoppers. I have to say not all shops are busy. Sometimes I do wonder how these shops that are not busy with shoppers, how in the world do they survive in a big mall. I suppose that’s where small business loans come in handy to help with the rent, at least!
I was invited to an engagement reception of a church member. It is on this weekend. I wanted to go since the first and last engagement I ever attended was my own eons ago!! The weird thing is the invite came kind of last minute and how much that couple has been talking about buying diamond engagement rings from Reeds. I really have to forego the invite because I have an appointment with my former coworker at Panera Bread on that day. I can always see this couple some other time, but my former coworker is back in the city for a visit. So yeah, a girl to girl chat will be more for me this weekend!
This fall, the weather is perfect with temperatures in the upper forties to the lower fifties. I love it. Love it because it definitely saves us a ton of gas money and electric, too. The man wants it warmer in the house but hey, I think it’s perfect in the house with the temperature set to 65. I wanted to drop the temperature to 63 when I got to bed but the man said it’s too cold since we do not go to bed at the same time. Nevertheless, 65 degrees is good enough. The furnace is hardly running except on occasional nights, the temp drops to the twenties.
When we rented this house, the landlord gave us a choice if we wanted to enroll in the energy saving plan, the same as Texas energy plans. We did not sign up for any of the plans. We thought we will pay the bill with what energy we use for the furnace and heat for water. The energy bill so far is bearable, not a killer yet which I hope it would not be. We did sign up for the service plan which also include servicing the dishwasher. Knock on wood, every thing in the house is in good condition and no problems. So yes, if the weather continues to stay within the above mentioned ranged of temperature, I will be a very happy camper because my energy bill would be in a minimum amount!
I found this after reading the news about the Duggars expecting their 20th kid! So I was being a busy-body continued to read about the comments others wrote on this dangerous pregnancy the mother Duggar is going through. One of the commentersput the below list that she copiedout from the Duggars’ website. My opinion is it is a list I myself should be mindful of.
- Always use soft words, even when you don’t feel well.
- Always display kind actions and joyful attitudes, even if you have been mistreated. Have the right response by quickly forgiving others in your heart even before they ask.
- Always be enthusiastic and look for opportunities to praise others’ character.
- Always deflect praise and be grateful to God and others for the ways they have benefited your life.
- Always use manners and be respectful of others and their belongings.
- Always do what is right, even when others may not, or when no one is looking.
- Thank God for how He made you, for what He has given you and everything He allows you to go through. (Romans 8:28)
- Don’t mock or put others down. Develop compassion and pray for others.
- Never argue, complain, or blame. Quickly admit when you have done wrong and ask for forgiveness (even if you were only 10% at fault). Don’t wait till you’re caught. Be sure your sins will find you out. He who covers his sin will not prosper, but he that confesses and forsakes it shall find mercy.
- Have a tough accountability/prayer partner to daily share your heart with and to keep you in line (your parents, spouse). The power of sin is in secrecy.
- Be attentive and look for ways to serve others with sincere motives and no thought of self-gain.
- Think pure thoughts (Philippians 4:8, Romans 13:14).
- Always give a good report of others. Don’t gossip! Never tale-bear unless physical harm will come to someone. (Use Matthew 18.)
- Never raise a hand to hit.
- Never raise a foot to kick.
- Never raise an object to throw.
- Never raise a voice to yell.
- Never raise an eye to scowl.
- Use one toy/activity at a time. Share!
- Do your best to keep your surroundings neat, clean and organized.
- Never let the sun go down on your wrath.
(Don’t go to bed angry or guilty) - Amendment J.O.Y. -
-Put Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last.
Guest post of the week by Brittany Booker
We didn’t know what we were doing when we started our food truck – all we knew was that we made some mean Mexican foodand we wanted to share it with everyone else in the world. But you know, for us there’s something soulful about cooking for people you love and I just wanted to do something I LOVED doing every day instead of working on spreadsheets and things like that. Anyway, I got put in charge of all the logistical stuff like going to smallbusiness.xo.com and talking to the permit people with the city and my husband Max decided to get into the food side. He dealt with vendors and developed the recipes we’d use each day and you know, it really only took about three months before we were off! Business is great and I love the flexibility of having a literal moving business. I also love being able to cook all the time – it’s special to me to share my life and my work with my husband, too.
To the dogs now. The two dogs are loving the much cooler weather. The colder it is out there, there’s less and less panting. The day temperature so far is around lower 50′s F and evening is down to 40′s F which is really nice for outdoors. I have been spending a lot of time outside since it is so much cooler out.
Ok, back to the dogs…. Ranger is itching on his very bad hot spot. I forgot to take a picture of it . I will when I get home and upload it. The hot spot started off as a very small spot and was getting worse the beginning of fall which we sent him to the vet. Vet said it was infected, cleaned the wound and gave us antibiotics for him. It sure seems like every darn infection on a dog, the vet will prescribe antibiotics. The antibiotics were administered and done with in 2 weeks. Ranger also quit itching much but now….for some reason, he suka-suka scratched the spot till it bleeds. That night when I saw the blood on the carpet, I knew he was scratching it and I had to clean it up. I used diluted tea tree oil (melaleuca) to clean the wound. Surprisingly the bleeding stopped very quickly but the hug spot is still the same. Occasionally it will ooze blood. Dang, I really have a very bad feeling especially reading about the top 10 cancer related claims from VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance). I took a snap shot of it from my email. However when I clicked on the links on my email it takes me to PetPlace.com.
It really makes me sick to see that Lymphoma is the number 1 on the list and worse was seeing number 5, Eyelid Cancer. Cooper had that too. Take a look at the picture I took which was taken 5 days before he left us. Can you see the lump under his eyelid?
I had mentioned the lump on Cooper to Dr M, maybe couple years ago. It was growing and was actually leaking blood and some times water. It looked lika pus. Dr M said it’s nothing to worry about. Again, it’s an infection from the oil glands around the eyes. He prescribed antibiotics and eye ointment. Those two medications work but it was just temporary. Oh well, there’s no sense crying over it and same with reading over his blood work (they were very bad). He is in better place now, seriously.
Ok, now to Chase, he is the replica of Cooper…..he whines for every thing like Cooper was, but Chase’s whines are loud as if someone is slaughtering him. The worse is when we get ready for our walks. I guess I should have trained him better when he was younger. Like the saying goes, you spend and give a lot of time and attention to the first one, when the second and third one comes into the picture, all obedience training goes down the sewer! Hahaha expecting the young ones to learn from the older ones. What a joke. He is actually getting some grays on his snout. He will 5 on December 28, no signs of slowing down with this fella. It’s alright with me. Get me running all the time when I take him for his walks. This guy here is as happy as a clam. Tail is forever wagging and jumping around like a little gremlin!
I’m going to take a picture of Ranger’s enlarged so-called hot spot. I said so-called because I don’t believe it’s a hot spot. I will send that picture to my friend’s son who is a veterinarian, an ophthalmologist, but I’m sure he will have some idea.
Updated: Here’s there best I can get of the lump. Cleaned it as much as i can but there are still dried up blood on it.
That’s right, what’s up, peeps? There is nothing new on my end, for sure. It’s SSDD – same shit, different day. All I know is it’s already November and daylight savings ended last Sunday. However, I am feeling the winter blues already. It’s absolutely crazy.
I have going to bed around 9-ish every night and up at 4:15 am, yet I’m still tired, so tired that I actually nods off at my desk with eyes opened. Looks like i have to get back to some serious exercise to boost my energy levels. Moreover, I don’t see the sun much maybe that’s why the winter blues. I have to start using the SAD light, you can click on the link to find out more. I bought it last year and used it every day (15 mins max). I didn’t know about till I started talking to my coworker, she told me to get the SAD therapy light. It works if I used it religiously and for 1 hour. However, I don’t use it for 30 minutes or the recommended 1 hour. Now that I know my problem, I better take care of it.
I have been doing a lot of window shopping for my trip which is about 3 weeks left. It’s a scary thought coz I have not shop much…well, take that back. I did shop for my sister’s boys and some of her stuff, but the biggest headache is what to get for the older folks, i.e. my mom and our family friend (my mom’s age). I don’t want to get them any knick knacks or blouses. I thought of getting them chocolates, cookies, handbags (maybe), and then I’m left blank. Maybe get them a huge bottle of fish oil (1500 mg/capsule) since it’s so cheap here. I haven’t even clean out my luggage from the previous trip, and when was that??? July 2009! I have some bits and pieces of papers, flyers, books and no idea what else are in there.
This weekend I really have to buckle up to finish up what’s left I need to get – non parishable stuff. The parishable stuff are honey crisp and another newer breed apples for my sis, dried cranberries, munchies and not sure what else. I did write down what I needed to buy but I misplaced the list. This is call procrastinating!
Ok, next up is about the dogs! Woof, woof!
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