My Dunkin Dilemma

 On November1st it only feels right to write.  I have written 1000 or more words every November 1^st for the last 14 years, often starting at the stroke if 12am.  Today, with no Nanaowrimo worth participating in, I feel a little lost.  I did not think about or organize an outline for a novel in October.  I didn’t meet with my writer friends and plan an event to kick off anything.  There was no overnight party or writing frenzy at midnight.  This year feels so quiet and uninspired.   I miss it all and yet I am somewhat relieved to have it behind me.  I can still write.  My writing buddies are all still here and will meet from time to time.  We can get together and plan our own events in a month not hounded by the pressures of the upcoming holidays or the impending cold season.  Maybe March can be our new novelling month.  The coming spring will inspire us to bring new life to unknown worlds and create unforgettable characters ready for their own epic journeys.

I find myself still itch9mg to write.  I often feel compelled to start writing my blog again each January for the new year.  I frequently make a pledge to write daily in the new year and I have never managed to do it.  I last maybe a week.  A few years I managed to get some posts done over the course of several months, but never the daily writing I first intended.  I know that the discipline to write everyday is necessary for me to improve my skills and reach my writing goals.  Why is it so hard to do it? 

My new plan is to use November, not to write another lame unfinished novel, but to practice writing every day.  I will post to my blog.  Eventually I want a new blog, but for the sake of not putting this off I will resurrect a very old blog.   I won’t be reaching Nano word counts, but I am putting forth an effort.  Somedays there may be a couple of posts.  I have a lot to say, and I am constantly lecturing in my head.   If I can express even a little of it in the written word, I will feel accomplished. 

 

My Dunkin problem.  I can’t walk yet.  I am working on regaining the strength and balance to walk independently again, but it is a long slow process.  I am also on clinic hemodialysis three days a week.  So on those days, my husband goes to work at the normal time, then has to come home to get me.  When he gets home we have about fifteen minutes to get me washed up, dressed, onto my scooter, out of the house, down the ramp, load me and the scooter into the car, and leave.  I am at dialysis until he gets out of work, leaving me gone from the house for almost 7 hours.   I am not allowed to eat at dialysis (policy) so if I don’t eat breakfast, I don’t eat until dinner.  On the way to the clinic, we drive near 3 Dunkins.  It’s New England, surprising there aren’t 10.  I get the $6 meal with a medium hot coffee, breakfast sandwich, and hash browns (the hash brown is part of the deal, it would be rude not to eat it). 

I scoff down the food on the 20-minute ride.  Then sit, hooked to a machine, for 5 hours.  Dialysis takes a lot out of the body, figuratively and literally.  It removes toxins the kidneys would remove if they functioned.  It also removes 1 – 4 kilos of fluid, depending on one’s gain since the last treatment.  That is roughly 2 – 9 lbs removed from the body in 4 -5 hours.   It can be quite hard on the body, not to mention sitting in an uncomfortable recliner for that long.  When I get in the van, I am weak, tired, and famished.  The only things I want at that moment are caffeine and food.  This often leads us back to Dunkin on the way home.  I do love the Berry Spark’d  drink.  My routine works for us…timewise; but not so much budget-wise.  I have asked for Dunkin cards instead of gifts for anything and everything.  I am not proud. 

If you would like to help support me getting to dialysis fed, please feel free!  You can gift Dunkin cards right from the Dunkin App… upper left menu  >  Send Gift Card>  fill out the form and choose a card.  You can send it email or text.  My email is Nikitazkya@aol.com. You can use my given name (if you know it) or Nikitazkya.  I can also receive help @nikitazkya on venmo.

Nanoless November

 On November 1st it only feels right to write.  I have written 1000 or more words every November 1^st for the last 14 years, often starting at the stroke if 12am.  Today, with no Nanaowrimo worth participating in, I feel a little lost.  I did not think about or organize an outline for a novel in October.  I didn’t meet with my writer friends and plan an event to kick off anything.  There was no overnight party or writing frenzy at midnight.  This year feels so quiet and uninspired.   I miss it all and yet I am somewhat relieved to have it behind me.  I can still write.  My writing buddies are all still here and will meet from time to time.  We can get together and plan our own events in a month not hounded by the pressures of the upcoming holidays or the impending cold season.  Maybe March can be our new novelling month.  The coming spring will inspire us to bring new life to unknown worlds and create unforgettable characters ready for their own epic journeys.

I find myself still itching to write.  I often feel compelled to start writing my blog again each January for the new year.  I frequently make a pledge to write daily in the new year and I have never managed to do it.  I last maybe a week.  A few years I managed to get some posts done over the course of several months, but never the daily writing I first intended.  I know that the discipline to write every day is necessary for me to improve my skills and reach my writing goals.  Why is it so hard to do it? 

My new plan is to use November, not to write another lame unfinished novel, but to practice writing every day.  I will post to my blog.  Eventually, I want a new blog, but for the sake of not putting this off I will resurrect a very old blog.   I won’t be reaching Nano word counts, but I am putting forth an effort.  Somedays there may be a couple of posts.  I have a lot to say, and I am constantly lecturing in my head.   If I can express even a little of it in the written word, I will feel accomplished.  

Birds of Maine

I am going to start documenting some of the beautiful birds I find just outside my window.  I suffer from a few chronic health conditions that require me to have quite a lot of bed rest.  Luckily, my bedroom window faces the yard with all my lilac bushes and bird feeders.  I often lean out the open window and use my zoom lens to capture a number of different birds dining on my cheap feeders.   I have quite a collection of pictures and I am trying to learn the identities of all the different species that frequent my yard.  Over the past couple years there has been quite a variety and I have a lot of great photos.   I will share them here, with the tag BIRDS.

Here are the bushes and feeders as seen from my window.











The Dogwood tree (more of a bush since it was hit by a truck 5 years ago)













The cheap blue bird feeders...  popular, like the birds don't even know they are eating at $5.99 feeders.


More soon...  write on!

What the f**k is wrong with you?

I have been asked many times "Hey,  what the f**k is wrong with you?"  So I wanted to write a little something to explain.

  Fibromyalgia - Pain, Pain, more pain  and irregular restless sleep just in case the Pain wasn't enough.
       -  This also accounts for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, brain fog, joint stiffness, TMJ, muscle spasms, extreme nerve pain, numbness and that wonderful pins and needles sensation...

  Orthostatic hypo tension - when I stand up,  often times my blood pressure will drop suddenly, leaving me very dizzy and occasionally unconscious.

  End Stage Renal Disease - I have zero kidney function, zero
(yes I am on dialysis, thank you for asking)
           -  This also causes high blood pressure (with goes nicely with the above mentioned sudden drops) congestive heart failure (if I drink too much fluid) weakness and more fatigue, because I didn't have enough.

   Tinnitus -wonderful high pitched noise in one or both ears...  quite lovely really,  as long as you don't want to hear anything else and do not currently have a headache.

  Tachycardia - my heart rate is usually above 100.  no matter what I am doing,  this combined with sometimes very low blood pressure can be a real treat.

  Asthma - when I get sick,  just for fun,  I also can't breathe

  Plantar Fasciitis - Pain in the feet caused by tight calf muscles...  ow,  just ow.  Every step.  OUCH  I wear burks, I get yelled at a lot for my footwear,  but y'all can bite me.  (yes I do the stretches)

  Arthritis -  more pain,  but not just pain,  swelling and stiffness too

  Unknown Seizure Disorder - if I have a few more Grand Mal seizures, it will be called epilepsy, but right now it is still "unknown seizure disorder"

  Dry skin  -  itches like a son of biscuit

  Hang nail -  those things hurt

  Migraine - yup,  more pain and sometimes nausea, along with a sensitivity to light and sound (have any of you met my daughter?)

  Sarcastic attitude - diagnosed as a teenager,  no cure yet,,, and I think it is hereditary because my kids also seem to suffer this one.

This is the list when I am well...  occasionally I get sick.

So,  next time you see me and want to ask "What the hell ails you?"  I refer you to this list.

Thank you. and WRITE ON!

Miracle Worker

The cast and crew for the Miracle were excellent and so much fun to work with.

Our adventure began in late August when we auditioned for the show.  I always request a small part because my energy levels cannot keep up with the demands of a larger role on stage.  I did a general audition and got the part of the house keeper, Viney.    The big news was that Ashleigh auditioned as well as got the part of Annie Sullivan.  She was super excited.

The show was difficult to practice as we were stuck in the library basement for the first weeks and a few of our cast were unavailable to start.  It was slow going and nothing really felt right until we got into the theater and were allowed to practice on our real stage.

The show is VERY demanding physically and emotionally.  I was very glad I had the role I did.  It was about all I could handle.  I had to set the table a few times,  pump water a couple of times and had a handful of lines.   Ashleigh was the bulk of the show.  She had so mush to do on stage,  I am really not sure how she remembered it all!  She did an amazing job with lines, physical stage work and covering for her cast-mates who struggled with remembering their parts.   We opened Nov. 1st, then had the Sunday show cancelled due to weather.  The following weekend we held all three shows to decent audiences.  The show itself did not pull in the audiences the same way that Wizard and Godspell had,  but it still did pretty well.   Everyone agreed that Ashleigh and Olivia (Helen) were amazing!

Grand Mals

Written after the fact and post dated so I can remember when it all happened...

On Saturday, September 13, 2014 I woke up around 6AM and hustled into dialysis.   I arrived at dialysis and Brandon called me right in.  I got on the machine right around 7AM, the usual time.    Dialysis itself was fairly uneventful.  My foot and right ankle cramped around 11:30 and Gerard gave me some saline.  I stood up on my foot and the cramping eased off.   I remember sitting back down and dozing a bit.   The next thing I remember is the ER.   I woke to find myself in the emergency room.   My former classmate Shirley was there as one of my nurses.   I had an IV in my hand and was told I had a seizure at dialysis.   I recall bits and pieces of the ER.  I woke again to find myself in room 132 of the hospital Saturday afternoon.   I was told I had another seizure in the ER.   I also had a CAT scan at some point on Saturday, though I have no memory of it.   I am told that my mother visited.   I remember nothing of Saturday.    I have a faint memory of coffee ice cream.

2 Grand Mal Seizures out of no where for no known reason.

I was in the hospital until Tuesday.  They found no reason for the seizures and put me on an anti-seizure med called Keppra.   The neurologists found no abnormal activity in the test results  (they looked at my brain,  found nothing (hahaha))  One more thing to add to my growing list of concerns and ailments and yet another thing to raise my anxiety...  yeah me.

Anemia, what a good time.

So...  the rest of May was interesting.    These events began on May 17th and I was home safe and sound on Friday May 23rd.

   Almost died.   I don't recommend it.

     In March, April and May I had a health issue and ended up having a minor surgery.

 After being in and out of the ER at CMMC over the weekend, and a terrible time at dialysis in Auburn on Monday (5/19), they finally decided to do the surgery.  Although I was anemic,  they avoided giving me blood transfusions as it can make it harder to get transplanted in the future.  The surgery was done on Tuesday after dialysis in Augusta (since I bailed on Auburn early).  It wasn't too big a deal,  until...

 I came home from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon and  could not feel OK.    I had come home and was out of my head, started panicking about feeling so sick and dizzy.  I was basically freaking out.    Finally,  I called 911 and was taken back to CMMC.   I spent the evening in the ER with several nurses and Dr.s fretting over me.   I remember them telling me they needed to start IVs.  It took a life flight team with an ultra-sound to get 2 IVs working.  One to give me blood transfusions,  the other for anything else.  Scott stayed by my side the whole night.   No one was sure if I was bleeding internally from the surgery, or if something else was going on.   Eventually I was admitted to ICU and given another unit of blood.  I remember thinking that my ICU nurse looked about 14.  She was very nice.  I began to feel less out of it as the night went on.  They sent Scott home and gave me sedatives.

By morning I was feeling MUCH better.  They admitted me to a regular room for observation.  The IVs were painful,  but I cannot describe the feeling of being that anemic.  I had dialysis at CMMC on Thursday and went back home on Friday.  On Saturday I was back at the Kidney Center in Augusta.  By the next week it was business as usual.

Amazing that you can go from ICU to fine in a few days.

Sometimes Life Just Sucks

On Tuesday,  April 29, 2014, I went into dialysis.   I knew there was a good chance that I would have a substitute nurse, as our shift nurse has been sick for quite a while.  I was right.  I noticed as I walked in, that the director of our facility was also there.  I remembered at that moment, I had been told to be slightly early if possible, as he was going to visit.  I was at least on time, and he was still busy with other patients.  I got hooked up to my machine and relaxed to begin watching NCIS (new episode, yay!)  At about 8:20 the director made his way to me.   He was accompanied by the facility Social Worker.  They sat at the end of my chair.  I stopped watching NCIS and removed my ear piece.   I knew then,  that they were not here for a routine visit.

The news was delivered quickly.   We are closing the Nocturnal shift.   Thursday will be the last Nocturnal shift.   -  I was devastated.  I have been on this nocturnal shift since it was first offered.  I even made it through the first attempt to close it and turn it into an evening shift.  Since 2008,  I have been on Nocturnal,  having dialysis from about 8PM to 4AM three nights a week.   I have had the same tech for the entire time,  while we have gone through a few nurses.  My whole life is arranged around this schedule.  Now,  with about 48hours notice, it all changed.

My options:   I only have one option for the immediate future...  T, TH, Sat.  day time dialysis of 4 hours.   8 hours is immensely better for my body,  but that seems to be irrelevant.   Eventually I might be able to move to the Auburn facility where there is still a Nocturnal shift...  they will have to hire a nurse for that to happen  (then why they can't they hire a damn nurse here???)   but that is at least a few weeks out.   Another option is peritoneal dialysis which I could do overnight in my home.  (This sounds perfect,  but I may not qualify and my house may not be able to handle it!)

I feel like I have not good options...  even if I can go to Auburn it is quite a drive and I barely make it home now...  never mind the Winter driving.

I am not a fan of change to begin with,  but this seems harsh.  My whole life,  thrown into chaos,  with no notice and no good options.   Life just sucks sometimes.  On the flip side - what are you going to do???   it is what it is and I have always felt that Worry is a waste of time and emotion.  Accept what is, or act to change it.   I have written a letter (below)  and sent it to as many top folks at Fresenius that I could find.  Only time will tell if it does any good.  Until then,  you will find me on the Morning shift T, TH and EVERY FREAKING SATURDAY!!!   until otherwise notified.  :(

the letter:  

April 29, 2014

Dear Fresenius: 

What is happening to us is not OK.  I am writing to you,  while sitting in a Fresenius chair, hooked up to a Fresenius machine, in a Fresenius center.    I was informed, after I was hooked up, that my Nocturnal shift (that I have been on for about 6 years) is closing.   Not going to close, not might close, not will close in a few weeks,  nope  CLOSED as of the next treatment.   This is not my job,  I cannot simply walk away if I no longer like the terms,  this is my LIFE.  I spend 24 hours a week hooked to this machine.  A machine, without which, I would die.  This is my LIFE.   

I am told, by my clinic (2002) director, that this is a staffing issue and Fresenius needs to know every shift is safe.  OK,  so we shut down until someone can be hired…  NO,  it is closed for good.   There are several people on this shift.   Six of us are 8 hours,  true nocturnal.  The rest are really evening patients that come to our shift because the MWF evening shift is too  full to accommodate them; as are the MWF morning and afternoon shifts.   Too full.   So why are we closing a well-populated shift?  

Nocturnal dialysis is a growing industry.   Studies (see the November 2007 issue of aakp RENALIFE) have shown that the slower eight hour shift provides numerous health benefits to patients and allows them to function a lot closer to “normal.”   I have witnessed these results for myself.   I no longer get jittery and my lab work has improved significantly compared to my results on a four hour shift.   The atmosphere on nocturnal is also much quieter and calmer which has helped with my anxieties.   I can sleep on the shift and return home to sleep a couple more hours, then function as near to healthy as possible;  this is important as I have a home-schooled child waiting for me.    To be shutting down the nocturnal program here in Augusta, Maine is foolish and against the idea of progress.  It feels like a budget choice, not a decision made in the best interest of the patients relying on said shift.

Fresenius made about 1.1 BILLION dollars last year.  ONE POINT ONE B I L L I O N dollars.  It is clear to me,  and to the others on my (former) Nocturnal shift that the real answer here is that we are not worth what it would take to hire a nurse for our shift.   A nurse,  one nurse.   It would seem to me that our director was left without options,  without any support from this so called wonderful company.  Your motto used to be about Excellence…   I see that less and less now, and I can see why.  Excellence is about treating your patients well, understanding that they already have many challenges in their lives.  Not shutting down a much needed shift and rearranging them like meaningless puzzle pieces, without value.

Ultimately,  I am but a hostage and the decision is completely out of my hands.  As is the decision to give us all absolutely no notice.  Our lives have been thrown into complete chaos and we can do nothing about it.  My health, home and happiness apparently means very little in light of corporate decisions and the almighty dollar.  

As you are also the only company offering dialysis within any reasonable distance,  I will have to make peace with whatever decisions are made for me.

Cindy Dunham
Clinic 2002
Augusta, MAINE

Until next time  Write on!

Godspell!

Godspell was amazing.   Great cast, great show, great fun!

The production of Godspell at Cumston Hall went wonderfully and I think audiences were very pleased.  The songs were lively and fun and we had a great time doing the show.

Jeff/Jesus has an amazing voice and was a great leader for the rest of us to follow.  This was my first musical and I am very happy to be a part of such a talented group of singers/actors.  Colleen was a patient musical director and helped me to find a place in each of the songs (even if I faked it a little.)  

I struggled most with the order of events in this production.  I was never quite sure what came next, which parable or routine but I think it added a bit of authenticity to my clueless citizen act.   We knew them all,  just the order seemed to be the last thing to come.  By opening night we had nailed it and the shows went very well.

Write-on!

Inspiration wanted:

It feels like my brain has run out of words to write.  I sit and stare at the page... I know I want to write,  I know what I want to happen in the story... but no words will come to my head as I sit there... looking at the white screen.     I really need to sit and write non-sense for an hour or so EVERYDAY!!!  This is what I need to do to get creative juices flowing....   I just never make myself do it.   PLEASE:  I would like everyone who reads this post to comment with a writing prompt...  a sentence, and incomplete sentence, a word, idea,  etc.  for me to use in writing exercises over the next few weeks.  I may even share some of them if I feel so inclined...   :)   Blogger tells me how many page hits I get,  so I will totally know if you guys are reading this and not leaving me any ideas!   Now...  without over thinking it,  INSPIRE ME!!!!!

Doctors - Does it take 6 years to learn that attitude?

Doctors!  Arg.  I have a few doctors with all my medical problems.  I see a nephrologist at dialysis.  I am SUPPOSED to see the doctor on duty once a week.  I am on the nocturnal shift at dialysis.  I get on around 8pm.  I will admit I am not the most prompt patient.  Sometimes life gets in the way and I am late for my shift.  (I figure I am on dialysis TO LIVE - so I might as well enjoy life)   No one gets on directly after me and the staff is not horribly busy at my time, so the only one affected by my lateness is me.   The one exception is when the Dr. is there to see me.  I get it, he doesn't want to wait all evening to see when I show up.  I really do get it.  He only needs to let me know what night he is getting there and I will make it a point to be on time.  
Our visits usually go like this -
      Dr.: "Your labs look good,  you need anything?"
      Me:  "Nope."

That is the extent of our visit...  no listening to my heart,  no quick check up,  nothing...  if I need a prescription filled (maybe once every other month)  we do that.  That is it.

The doctor on duty shows up for the nocturnal shift randomly and seldom waits for me to get there.  He then calls me to make an appointment at his office.  His office in the opposite direction and about an hour out of my way.  Just so I can say "nope."  I don't think so!

Now I get wanting me to be on time - just tell me when you're coming!   But I DO NOT get refusing to work with me and insisting I make arrangements to come into your office.  Aren't you the one getting paid????  My hours aren't billable, yours are.  YOU MAKE arrangements to come to see me!   I will at least tell you when to expect me.   GEESH.


UPDATE:  His secretary called to let me know he would be there this Thursday... finally- progress!

What? I just blogged all over myself....

So...some how June turned into July and July into August and so on and so on...  until 2013 turned into 2014!     I was determined not to make a resolution about blogging AGAIN this year.  So I have waited the respectable 2 weeks since the turn of the year... now I can begin to blog... and ultimately fail to keep up with it,  without the cliche resolution failure.  It will just count as everyday run of the mill failure.  

Too bad I have absolutely nothing interesting to say  :)  yup...  I got nothing.    I still struggle with the discipline to write daily.  I know I need to,  I know I want to,  but then I frig about on FB for so long that I no longer have the time to write anything.    I have a novel that is mostly written.  It needs a whole lot of editing and rewriting, but it is mostly written.  I should probably be doing that now.  I have one or two other things that have been half written and then mostly forgotten...  I could be working on any number of them... but I decided to resurrect this blog for the...  what?  8th time?  Yeah,  we'll go with 8th time.  Anyway,  while it lasts...  WRITE ON! 

GRRRR

So frustrated and sick of feeling completely disregarded at dialysis!  Our new televisions came at the cost of all our usual programming and TV guide.  Our old systems had regular channels on the Direct TV guide.  The channels matched what I had at home.  There were, of course, no movie channels or premium paid channels,  but we got the basic channels, locals, all the major cable channels,  about 70 or so.  With the new TVs, somehow we lost most of these.  There is no longer a guide, so you can't tell what is on anyway, and now all the channels are mixed up and in crazy order.  For example:  USA is channel 24 and Channel 13 is 27.  Makes no sense, it is still Direct TV that provides the channels but now they are few and screwed up.  At first we were given a certain set of channels...  someone must have complained about a favorite going away,  cause Allen decided to switch up what we get (not get back what we had!)  So they got rid of one of the ONLY channels that has anything on after 11 PM.... Nick At Nite.    I have watched Nick At Nite for the last 30 years and love having silly sitcoms on in the middle of the night when I can't sleep.  It has been replaced with the Outdoor channel, cause that is a friggen essential channel!  Also we now haw have 4 ESPN channels, NESN AND GOLF....   Outdoor, Food Network, Weather Channel, Discovery and more channels that are ALL geared towards OLD PEOPLE and MEN and more specifically OLD MEN.  Now I realize there are a lot of old men at dialysis, however not all of us are and it would be nice to be acknowledged now and again.

Until next time... write on!

Kittery!

So, I tried really hard to sleep at dialysis Sunday night in anticipation of going to Kittery with friends on today.   Friends of friends from Connecticut and Rhode Island met us in Kittery for a day of shopping and gabbing...   At first I questioned if I should even be going, I haven't felt great lately and I have been having bouts of dizziness and numbness in my hand and feet.  Nobody is quite sure why this is happening to me, but it comes and goes.   I got up, debating if I should go, but Linda and Teresa showed up on my door step with Dt. Dr. Pepper and egg sandwiches...  so I pulled it together and we left...  late, but we were on the road buy 9:30AM.  

We got to Kittery around 11:30 after going around the turn about in Kittery a few extra turns for good measure,  did I mention I hate the exit to Kittery?   Any way,  we got there and located Anne and Maggie in the Children's Place.   Debi and Addy got there around the same time after dropping the teens off at Funtown and doing a little shopping else where.   Linda and I watched the others shop for their little ones in the Children's Place, fun, but not really missing having the little ones...  other people's little ones are entertaining enough.

Next stop was Dress Barn Woman to look at the bargains and poke fun at some of the styles...  we all tried on a few things and had a great time trying to get each other to spend money...  a few purchases were made,  Not really sure what Debi did with herself during this time  :)   I then ran into Brookstone outlet, one of my favorite places to look around...    I ended up buying myself a leather (read -brown vinyl) I-Pad case with a blue tooth Keyboard....  I have wanted a keyboard case for along time, but kept seeing them at around 80bucks...  with a coupon, I got one for 28 dollars...  I was very pleased...  even if I get nothing else -the trip was worth it!

The next debate was about lunch...  surprising the outlet area of Kittery has very few choices when it comes to eateries.  Without leaving the main strip...  there is Weathervane (sea food focused and expensive and slow)  Burger King, McDonalds, and a Crab Shack.  There is also a Subway with no real area to sit down....  We decided that we did not want to sit down to a meal for over an hour,  so Weathervane was out, (yeah, I DO NOT do sea food!)   and none of us wanted Burger King or McDonalds...so we settled on grabbing stuff at Subway and finding a place to land to eat it...  we ended up mainly on benches outside of Dexter Shoes... I laid on the lawn... the shade was lovely and it felt great to lie down and relax for a bit.

After lunch we all went into a few of the shops in the small mall were at... Rue 21, Cold Water Creek, Hanes, and a couple of shoe stores...  We managed to wander over to the Corelle store eventually and I bought a few replacement plates in my pattern and some smaller plates with the deep dish design (LOVE these for the sloppier meals!)  I also managed to get a couple oven mitts in my Corelle pattern...  still found no lasagna pan in the desired dimensions...   I also went into Pro Cook and got a couple more trivets...

We landed back over at the original mall, to look in the other Hanes store, and few others we missed the first time around...  we said our goodbyes to Teresa, who left with Anne and Maggie as they headed back to RI and CT.   Debi left with Addy to go back to find the Teens at Funtown...   Just before we said our goodbyes, it started to pour...  really pour!  Along with some thunder and lightening, she had to go and rescue the teens, getting soaked in Saco.   Linda and I checked out a few more stores after the other departed...  specifically Wilson's Leather...  another favorite of mine to at least check out...  nothing called to me today though....  all too pricey, but you never know, I have found treasure there in the past.

We hit the road around 5PM and decided to drop into Portland on our way home.  I needed to run into Target for dog food and we treated ourselves to supper at the Home town Buffet...  (decent, cheap and quick)  It was a nice time to sit and relax after a long day or driving and running around shopping.  :)   We got back to town near 8PM...  A good day, considering I wasn't sure I was up to going at all....

Until next time...  write on!

Girl Scouts' End of Year

Interesting day today, we had the end of year party for our Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts.  We took them to the YMCA for swimming and then had a pizza party and awards.  It was lots of fun.  Kendra, Doris and I met at the YMCA and we were given the party room off the family pool.  It was about 100 degrees and humid in there.  The window had a sign that stated it was climate controlled room and the window could not be opened....  we almost died.   The girls could not have cared less...  they all were excited and headed into the pool.  We had two lifeguards and the kids swam and played for the first hour.   It was strange, the YMCA closed at 2pm and we had the whole place to ourselves, and the front doors were locked, I had to let parents in after 2.    Ken and I headed out at 2:30 to pick up pizza from Al's pizza.  We decided, because of the horrible climate of the party room, to hold the second half of our party outside by the playground.  So we had pizza, chips and juice by the playground.  The girls ran around and climbed, swang and slid all over the place and had a great time.  We called them all together and handed out the year end awards and patches and pins as well as had our new Juniors walk across the playground bridge and slide into their role as Juniors.  Our Juniors stood at the bottom of the slide and received them...  it wasn't fancy, but it worked and the girls all had a great time.   :)

Me and My fishes...

Craft night tonight was a lot of fun....    I decided to completely unplug after spending recent craft nights on the computer writing, or trying to write.  I haven't really done a craft in months so I made it a priority to find something to do this month.  I found some color by numbers at AC Moore recently, though I am always on the look out for more and better ones.  I find them fun, but get annoyed when the lines can be seen through the color on the end product.  I bought a salt water fish design and a whales design.   I also found two sketch by number kits, which I have yet to open...  the look interesting though.   I decided to work on the salt water fish...  It has some brightly colored fish and looked interesting.  I get annoyed too, when the picture I have to color, with lines and numbers, does not match what is on the front of the package.  The front of the package is beautiful and I want mine to look that way when complete.   Unfortunately, the lines are so different,  even if I complete it flawlessly, it will not match the picture,  oh well, it kept me busy Friday night.

We actually called it a night early for us, cause most of us had plans for the next day, but it was a fun night.  I enjoyed relaxing and coloring and gabbing...  I need to remember to unplug more often and find other things to do besides write and read smut.  (that is read smut, I write stuff that isn't smut, most of the time)  I am really looking forward to continuing to work on my project next month when we meet again.  I am hoping everyone will show up again next month and the weather will allow us to enjoy our evening and not melt in the fellowship hall at the church.

Until next time... write on!

Now You See Me! (no spoilers)

I wasn't sure what to expect when my daughter wanted to go see "Now You See Me" in theaters.  I had not really seen much about it, other than some fairly vague ads indicating they did a heist during a magic show;(not a spoiler all the ads show that)  I was pleasantly surprised.  We ended up going to Lewiston because the showtimes in Augusta were not to our liking.  Lewiston is cheaper anyway.  It reminded me a bit of the Ocean's movies.  It had a similar style, showing us what we think we see and then going back and breaking down what actually happened.  It was very interesting and though somewhat predictable, had some interesting twists that kept you wondering until the end.  It was enjoyable and had a nice blend of magic, action and romance.  Ashleigh then got to drive us home from Lewiston at midnight, so she had a good time too!  

Memorial Day

Memorial Day  -  After a rainy yucky Saturday and Sunday, we got lucky and Memorial day itself was quite nice.  I got home from dialysis at the usual 5 am and instead of going straight to sleep (makes too much sense) I had to watch an old episode of NCIS LA...  so I slept from about 6 until 8:30.   I reluctantly got up and got ready for the parade.  Tay was overnight at Ang's and Ashleigh was overnight at Debi's so it was a quiet house as we got ready.  I sent Scott to get Taylor and then I took her to the meeting site.  I was the first adult from our Girl Scout Troop there.  There were about 5 girls there when I arrived.  My other adult volunteers showed up within minutes and I left Doris with about 8 girls and headed down to get a spot on Main St. for the parade.

I was really surprised that it was as easy as it was to get a prime spot in front of the businesses on Main St.  In past years these spots would have been taken early...  but not this year.  I walked across the street to the spot my husband had found and sat in our lawn chairs on the side of the road in front of his car.   There was no crowd at all.  As it got closer to 10AM (parade start time) a few more people meandered about.   They made introductions from the stage and slowly the parade could be heard coming down the hill.   Most years the Scouts are right behind the Legion in the beginning of the parade, this year the band somehow ended up in front of the Scouts.  This made it more difficult for the Scouts to be in position as the speeches began.

Every year, for the past few,  the Girl Scouts have read Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance speech from the forties.  This year Sam and Stephanie (fourth and fifth grade) read the speech for the town.  They were introduced and stood on stage behind the podium.  Unfortunately, both girls are quite short and could not exactly be seen because of the podium.  They could be heard though, thanks to the speakers and microphones.  They both did a very nice job.  The speech is a two person explanation of the Pledge of Allegiance -  the first speaker basically says the pledge and the second speaker explains each part.  I like the speech, but I really wish we could do something different each year,  or a rotation of different speeches.  We have done this exact same speech every year since 2006

 They were then asked to bring the wireless microphone over to the cemetery for the bugle and drum to be heard.  Note to self...   turn OFF mic before sending little girls a half mile down the road with said Mic.   Needless to say, the mic had to be unhooked from the speaker system as the girls skipped down the road with it, oblivious to the LOUD hideous noises it was creating...  but it was all good...  the mic was re hooked in for the bugle and drums to play their tributes and the girls returned in good spirits.

The speeches were good,  hard to hear and too long for the audience to stand through, but interesting, for those of us paying any attention.  Eventually the parade continued to Norcross Point and the chaos of locating the kids and their parents was fun as usual.

 Overall it was a success,  the girls who marched had a good time and the girls that spoke did a wonderful job...

Until next time...  write on!

Epic!

So Ashleigh and I went to see Epic tonight.  We went to a 3D showing because we wanted to go to the latest possible show.  It ended up being a private showing.  Apparently we were the only people who wanted to see a 3D child's movie at 9:40 at night.

The previews were fun...  lots of cool things coming out in the near future...  including Despicable Me 2 -  it looks as cute as the first.  Smurf 2 - um...  I love Smurfs, but too smurfin much smurf and I just want to Smurf all over everything - but Neil Patrick Harris might pull it off.     Monster University - again, this looks ALMOST as good as the first; not quite as cute, but maybe funnier.  Rio 2 - beautiful animation, never saw the first one, probably won't see this one, but I really admire the scenery.  Finally the strangest offering...  about a snail that wants to be a race car.  Turbo.  It looks really weird and I am sure little boys and some little girls will love it, but seriously, a SNAIL that wants to be a race car?

Finally the movie started...  it was.... well...  Epic.   I liked the movie more than I expected to.  I wanted to see it, but really knew very little about it.  The animation was lovely.  The 3D effect was cool, but I think the movie would have been just as good, though maybe not quite as beautiful, in 2D.   The action was good and there was a touch of romance.  This could have easily been a movie done with real people and a lot of CGI and would probably be getting a lot more blockbuster fanfare,  but it is instead an animated movie and written off by most as a kid's movie.

This movie combines the battle of good vs. evil,  the struggles of the environment, an estranged father/daughter relationship, young love, true love, and lots of funny moments.  It is obviously kid friendly, but also interesting and held my attention as well.  Not sure the very young wouldn't be a little overwhelmed by the battles between the guardians of the forest and the evil army that are out to destroy it, but they will love the silly dog and the beautiful flower people and talking bugs....

Until next time... write on!

SO Hard!!!!

Writing....   why is it so hard to find something to say????   I am an opinionated individual,  I have my own soap box and find myself up on it every now and again, but when it comes to writing a blog....  crickets.

My goal is to write every couple of days...  unfortunately, a week goes by before it occurs to me that I haven't written anything.  Is there something folks out there in cyber space would like me to write about?  I called this a boring blog so expectations would be low, and so far it has lived up to its name.  I write about things I do, things I see,  but lately I haven't gone anywhere or seen anything.  B O R I N G!   :)   Guess this blog has found its purpose.   Think of it as a sleep aid.   Read my blog late at night with the lights down low and in no time at all...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...........

Until next time....  TRY to write on!