Repeal the 16th & 17the Amendment.

I read a wonderful article that basically tells the only way to save our country at this point. If your worried about whats been happening and whats going on right now check out this article by J. B. Williams. We also need to replace almost everyone in congress and put back people that have our best interest at hearts again. These special interest groups have been working hard to take our country from us, we have to take it back. Our terrorists are in the White House.

http://www.michnews.com/JB_Williams/jbw7709.shtml

Can you see me now? And surgery

I was messing with my camera and took this shot. Can you see me now? You might have to click on to view it larger. Gee another new picture of me. 2 in one decade. LOL.

Today I saw the shoulder doc. Have to say this once more. What a nice looking young man. Yummy. Oh to be young again, whoops, that's not what this post is about, grin.

Anyway. I complained about his work comp nurse. I really never do this and it was hard to do but she really ticked me off. And he said he was sorry I was made to feel that way. Accepted. Not anything he had done anyway but I was mad about the entire phone call and was ticked she implied I wasn't doing everything I could do.

So with that out of the way we discussed my shoulder. And I voiced my frustration with my lack of improvement. I told him I was still having acute pain when I moved the shoulder a certain way. Usually when I was not consciously thinking about how to move my shoulder so it wouldn't hurt. Like pulling the sheet over my shoulder in bed. Oh that really hurts sometimes. And the fact they are starting to grumble about me being on restrictions at work all these months. And who can blame my co-workers. They have enough to do without doing all my lifting. They have been great but...... It would be getting to me also. I really would not want to lose my job. And he agrees.

He said I have done everything and anything possible to avoid surgery. I remember when I walked into his office many months ago practically the first thing I said was, " please help me avoid surgery. I do not want another surgery". But it is not getting better. And I hurt all the time. All the time! So now the surgery is the next step. Fortunately it will be a scope surgery so not as invasive. Well, invasive but not as bad as if they opened it up with an incision.


Now its just waiting for work comp to approve and then schedule a date for surgery. So wimpy me now I am thinking about the reality of having surgery again. For the 3rd time this year. Man oh man. But. Finally there may be an end to this pain. Not in the near future but in the future. Now to tell my boss. I did talk to her last week and updated her on my lack of improvement and asked about my job security. Hopefully it will be OK for now. At least now I will be able to get back to lifting and doing my full job.

So then after the appointment we went shopping. I got some water resistance weights for doing water exercises in the pool. I am really getting into doing my exercises in the water. I always loved water aerobics and now I can control how much chlorine is in the water. We looked at larger pools today also. Maybe next year. Depending on the economy. And everything. And I got a new purse. On sale.

I finished Kevin's book and am reading another book called The River Road by Tricia Currans-Sheehan. A fiction book. I have to take a break and just read fiction once in awhile and just not think about what is going on in the country. Not ignore it, just not think about it for awhile. So far the book is really good.

Well. Enough prattling on. I am going to look up how they do the surgery. May end up scaring myself. But. Knowledge is power, right.

Obama's first Six Months.

Putting it down in facts and numbers really shows in the stark reality of how Obama's first 6 months have impacted us. Can we really afford any more. Just think what will happen if he finishes his term! Anyway read the figures. And please stop by Bungalow Bill's and send him best wishes as he undergoes some tests.

The weekend is over and many of you are headed back to work. Too bad. Not me though, grin. I still have a few days to go. And the weather has been wonderful. More like early spring days or early fall days.

We went for a bike ride the other day. It was a nice ride. Only did about 5.5 miles as my asthma kicks up earlier and earlier lately. I wonder if it is the chlorine in the little pool? It isn't near as strong as in the pool at the gym but maybe enough to have kicked my asthma up some. But. Love that little pool and I have been in it everyday doing my water exercises.

The pool is deep enough that you can actually do several of the exercises we did at the gym. Those were done in shallow water. I don't have the weights here that I did at the pool but it still works out and it is relaxing. Can I say again how happy I am that I live out in the boondocks so I can sit around in the pool without being self-conscious. because I would be. Here I can just relax secure in the knowledge I have no neighbors that can see me. Life is good.

We are enjoying this pool so much we might get the larger size and give this one to our son. And level an area in the back so it sits better. I am hoping to pick one up on sale this year so we can use it next year. We shall see.

Now for the pictures. I thought it was interesting the contrast between this large old barn sitting there in all its old glory and in the back one of those big new blocky homes slowly creeping forward taking over its territory. I decided to make it all back except the new house to show the old being taken over by the new. click on the photos to see them larger.


We went to Palisades state Park the other day and of course I had my camera and took shots. I love this path going down to the river and the light was perfect that day.


Then we saw these two large rock formations that people from all over come to practice their rock climbing on. They were maybe 3 or 4 stories high at the most. Here these young men were busy tying on robes and getting ready to climb down. Looks like quite the distance.



But when you zoom in on the top of the rock there sits their dog. Wagging his tail and waiting for them. Probably took it about 2 minutes to scramble up the sides. Probably take him about 2 minutes to scramble down. I thought it was funny.


Our steak dinner was wonderful the other night. The kids dropped by so we fed them all and had a merry time. I feel so much better after a few days off and am grateful I get several off in a roll to help me get my head back on straight. Work has been just so stressful. Again it isn't the patients, its the politics. I hope things settle down. Everybody is on edge.

Today we are going to just run some errands and I have been slowly reading Kevin's book. Usually I will sit and just read a book in one sitting but I have been too busy to do that so have been just reading a few chapters before bed. Its a good book. He backs up all his arguments with facts. Democrats are even more racist then I knew. It was the Republican's that voted in almost every single civil rights acts on the boards today. Repeatedly. I don't belong to one party but know for sure that I could not vote strictly democratic.. Now I am pretty sure I could not vote for any of them. But who to vote for. That is the question.

Delightfully relaxed.

The day off was just what I needed. We floated in the pool for a few hours. The weather was hot, in the 90's so the water felt great. The pool is big enough you can float on 2 floats easily and it was heaven. I slathered on the sun screen and didn't burn but Rick, stubborn man that he is is burnt this morning. Can we say I told you so.





After we did the pool all day we went to the meat market and bought a slab of meat for steaks. Yummy. Supper today. I think it will be a grill and pool day today. The pool is big enough I can do some water aerobics in also so I exercised my wrist and it feels better. Still swollen but the tendon pain has improved.


We then went out and had some Mexican food and a strawberry Margaretta. That is probably spelled wrong by the way but it was so good. And then I had a early night to play catchup on the week. I hadn't been sleeping good due to the stress at work. I slept 12 hours.
I never sleep that long. My body was telling me I needed to catch up though and I did. I feel rested this morning.


Here are some more shots from that day we went out for a shoot. I gave Rick one camera and I took one. We ended up with several hundred shots, LOL. Love digital. I think we got some real keepers. Love the gray of the rocks from the spray of the water on them and the metal is rusting away.


I captured this shot of Rick taking a shot of me. Silly man. Don't take my picture. He looks so serious.


So today I want a repeat of yesterday minus the margarita. They have like 500 calories. No wonder they taste so good. We are going to hit the farmers market and get some fresh corn and potatoes. I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. Tuesday I see the doc about my shoulder. I am going to complain about their work comp lady also. That left such a bad taste in my mouth. I sure hope I never leave a bad taste in any of my patients mouths. Ta all.

Boo Hoo

Isn't that a beautiful looking tomato? That was from last week. My mouth was watering thinking about BLT's and fresh tomatoes. This week. Yikes. My tomatoes, my lovely lovely tomatoes have blight and end blossom rot.

They are not sure what causes it, many different theories but I tend to lean toward the too much moisture and humidity. We have had a rainy rainy week. SOB.

My cherry tomatoes are the ones most affected by the blight. Being so tired and working all week I didn't pay much attention to the plants until it was too late. Almost all the leaves are yellow. I pulled off all I could see and the plant looks pretty pathetic. I don't know if any of the tomatoes will survive which is terrible as the plant was loaded loaded loaded. I am so sad. And my lovely big tomatoes. Will the bottom rot off everyone? Sigh.


So onward. Thank goodness for farmers markets. I need organic though. Fresh mouth watering organic vine ripen tomatoes. Yummy.

I am off work. And it is a good thing because I messed up the wrist I had surgery on. Did I mention my cyst came back? Well now the tendon they released is hurting. I hope it is temporary. All that surgery. All that money. Down the tubes? I have my brace on and am taking ibuprofen. I hope I just sprained it.



Work was stressful this week due to the politics of the place, not the patients. I had some lovely wonderful patients. Just a pleasure to take care of. I had this elderly man who was pleasantly confused I just had fun pampering all weekend and he was so sweet. I tell you he sparkled when I left he was so cleaned up. It is nice being able to have the time to do that.


We are getting ready to go out for pizza tonight. I am so ready to relax. We got a raise this week so I find out tomorrow what it is. Should pay for the pizza tonight. Not on the diet but definitely on the mental health diet. Sometimes you just have to feed the soul. A full Julie is a happy Julie.



I have included more of my waterfall shots from our trip last week. There are so many points of interest you can just stand in one place and slowly turn around and get a new shot. Smelled great because of the flowers also.







So Rick is patiently waiting and I think a beer is just what the doctor ordered today. Made it another work week. Life is good.

Last day of my long stretch

And it has been a looooonnnnngggggg stretch this week. Tense and busy. My boss came in and instead of her usual friendly hello bit our heads off. Thing is I can't get mad at her. She is under a huge amount of pressure and stress right now. But. So is her staff.

Anyway. Glad it will be my last day. It probably won't though. Looking at the schedule I know I will probably be working at least one day. One of our nurses if off for an unexpected surgery and she does charge. But, I want a couple of days off.

I just heard this today. Did you know there are no private insurance companies that cover flood insurance anymore? Our government took that part over. Underbid them so to speak. And as a result they are billions of dollars in debt. No real surprise there, but I guess I didn't know this little tidbit. So if you have property that might flood you may consider moving to higher ground. Now I know why so many towns in Iowa have had no help during the terrible flood of last year. Maybe we should all be moving to higher ground. The government is just incapable of running anything, and they want to run our health insurance!