I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything and I appreciate the concern many of you have shown me. It's been a very difficult time in my life, but the support of family and friends is what gets me through it all.

I spent from Dec. 14-Jan. 28 in the hospital recovering from a massive MRSA infection which started in one of the incisions from the bypass surgery in my leg. The infection quickly spread to the synthetic graph which had to be removed. As a result, I had two gaping wounds which meant all these weeks of over-the-top antibiotics and extensive wound care. I spent the first three weeks in a regular hospital then the next 3 weeks in an extended care setting. Then it was back to the other hospital to get the bypass redone.

During my recovery time from the second bypass (third surgery), my mother was admitted. We were about 100 yards from each other on the same floor, different wing. Mom's health had been deteriorating throughout my whole situation and she had been in and out of the hospital herself. I felt so bad about not being able to help out, but what a tremendous blessing I have in my sister! She had to deal with the both of us.

On Sunday, Jan. 27, surrounded by myself and my sister and her family, mom passed away. I was released, reluctantly, by my doctor on Monday. We had the rosary for mom on Wednesday and buried her on Thursday. I came home and, so far, have managed to stay here.

This is the past nearly 3 months of my life in a nutshell. As I can spend more time at the computer, I'll write more. I miss my mom terribly and wake up each day in shock when I again realize that she is really gone.

My leg is slowly on the mend, but at this point, I still don't know when I'll be able to drive or return to work. It's really frustrating and I'm running out of patience and am sick of TV.

Keep me in your prayers and keep in touch.

Bueno bye.

Just wanted to let you know that my lack of journal entries has not been due to any Prince Charming sweeping me off my feet, my winning the lottery and going on an around-the-world cruise, or even a sudden onset of of amnesia making me forget I ever HAD a journal. Unfortunately, I've been in the hospital.

What started out as a simple angioplasty to unclog an artery in my leg turned into bypass surgery a week later. Seems the arteries in my legs are too narrow for a stent to remain open, so they had to use a synthetic graph and replace the blocked artery. I had the angioplasty done the Monday before Thanksgiving and by Friday after Thanksgiving I was is so much pain that I went into the emergency room. (Yes, I DID get turkey and dressing… some things are just too important to miss). They did the bypass surgery this past Monday, and I finally got to come home yesterday (Thursday). I'm recuperating well, just dealing with a bit of surgical site pain and stiffness; thank you, darvoset.

It's been a rough month for me, healthwise. I had been to the emergency room a week before Thanksgiving with heart palpitations. Fortunately, nothing is wrong with my heart. I had a severe case of strep throat and my magnesium had dropped so low that it and the infection were causing my heart to race. It's just really weird for me since I am not one to rush off to the doctor, much less the emergency room, for any little thing. So finding myself there twice and in the hospital in three weeks' time is very unusual and a bit unsettling.

But, I'll be fine. The leg is already beginning to feel better and I hope that in a couple of weeks I can get back to work in time for the Christmas parties! To those of you prone to doing so, please keep me in your prayers. For everyone else, sorry… I'm not done here yet!

Bueno bye.

Okay, so this weekend is the "for real" fall back on the clocks weekend. The clock by my bed and my computers at work and home, silly things, all thought it was LAST weekend and dutifully fell back at the appointed hour. So I had to reset them last weekend, and now reset them this weekend. There's a feature now pointless.

I, for one, do not care for this "standard" time. The weather is now getting cool enough in the evenings that I actually enjoy getting out in my yard and doing some work. But now it gets dark around 6 p.m. and that gives me a little less than an hour if I get right to it as soon as I get home. Oh well, just another reason to look forward to retiring.

Went to the doctor yesterday and, for once, got a pretty decent report. My blood pressure was within the good range and my bad cholesterol had come down significantly. The best news was that since switching insulins, my A1C went from 7.9 to 6.3! Those of you familiar with diabetes will know the significance of those numbers. Switching insulins also appears to be helping with the swelling I was experiencing in my legs. Now, I am praying that the angioplasty that will be performed on my right leg on the 19th will greatly ease the pain in my leg and I'll be able to start some sort of exercise program.

Got my hair cut today and went quite a bit shorter than I'm used to. It's not super short, but it's above my shoulders and I haven't had it this short in several years. My hair is so fine so it's really hard for it to hold any kind of style except straight and stringy. Hopefully, with some of the length gone, I'll be able to do more with it.

My hair stylist's husband is in the Navy and just left for a 6-8 month stint in Bahrain. He calls her every morning from the ship and emails her at least twice a day. I think it's wonderful that military families can keep in such close contact now.

I watched "Young Frankenstein" last night and have had "Puttin' On the Ritz" stuck in my head all day. Mel Brooks… Damn you!

Bueno bye.

Halloween was pretty much a bust for me. I had turned my lantern on in the garage and positioned myself to hand out fistloads of candy and ended up with not many takers. It looked as though most houses on my street had opted out of giving out treats and as a result, our street was pretty dark. I know there were several "safe" things going on around town that I suppose parents took the kiddies to, and I don't guess I blame them much for wanting a safer alternative to trick-or-treating, but gosh darn, I do miss it.

I also thought it rather sad that several eating establishments, particularly fast food places, felt the need to post signs that basically read, "Please do not wear masks into this establishment." It just galls me to no end that people exist out there who's sole purpose in life seems to be the ruination of innocent fun.

The best thing about Halloween being over is that my next door neighbor has put away his graveyard for another year. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he dug those ghouls up from the local cemetery. Or do I know better? Hmmm… Just a little too freaky for me.

Every year I go on a rampage about how Christmas has encroached on Thanksgiving what with stores having their holiday displays up now in September. I went shopping for some new long-sleeved shirts the other day and ended up buying not one, but three Christmas gifts. I have succumbed, sold out, and surrendered. The only defense I have is that I was not out actually Christmas shopping. I just happened upon the perfect gifts for these particular people, and, well, you know…

In closing I say, "Fare thee well, Sir Lancelot. I shall miss ye."

Bueno bye.

I have no excuses for not updating this journal. Just plain, out and out laziness is all that it is. I've spent the majority of my evenings this past week just crapping out in front of the TV or reading. Little People Big World started up again and, I must say, I'm a little disappointed in it right now. They're on a family road trip in a rented RV and it seems that all they show is the family constantly bickering at each other. But, then, they have visited Yosemite, the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, and Death Valley all in a span of about 3 days. That much togetherness crammed into an RV I guess would make the best of friends snipe at each other. I'll be glad when they get back to the farm.

WE HAVE FALL!!!! The temps got down to the 50s in the evening and the lower 70s during the day. I actually put on a light jacket for work and felt like I was wearing something brand new. It'll get back into the 80s by the weekend and probably the 90s by next week, but it's good to know that we can start expecting some cool fronts to come our way for a few months. The sky was so crystal clear that the sun absolutely blinded me on the way into work. Even though I get to travel over the bay on the way to the office, unfortunately, I'm driving into the sun most of the way. I wear pretty dark sunglasses and even they didn't help much.

I have got to find some more upbeat books to read. I just finished "The Mermaids Singing" by Lisa Carey. It is very well written and a good read, but a bit of a downer. I'm starting "Pug Hill" by Alison Pace and am hoping that it will be a little more lighthearted. I want a good, sound story with well-developed characters, but I also enjoy a little humor. Maybe I'll stay away from Oprah's list for awhile. Any suggestions for future reading are greatly appreciated.

My heart goes out to all of those in California who have lost their homes or who have had to evacuate from the fires. Here, we lose homes to hurricanes but at least we have fair enough warning to pack up our valuables and important things before we have to head out. I just cannot imagine having to just get up and leave. I heard that one couple only had time enough to gather up their baby before they had to get out. I know that material things can be replaced, but it has to be devastating to lose years of accumulated memories and treasures. My prayers are with them.

My fondness for owning my own home was put to the test last week. I had to have my outside AC unit replaced. There's a couple of thou I hadn't planned on spending. Hopefully, with cooler nights and days coming, I'll be able to recoup some of that. It's put my plans for purchasing a new vehicle back at least two months.

My lawn people suddenly dropped off the face of the Earth and were nowhere to be found. My yard was beginning to look like our pasture. I was just waiting for the City to come put a notice on my door. I finally found someone who, of course, charged me double what I normally pay because they pretty much had to mow it twice. It's a good thing that I like beans and cornbread because after the AC unit and the yardwork, the bank account is looking pretty sad. Ah well, pass the jalapeños!

Bueno bye.

It's been a wicked couple of weeks here. Between an old relative out of town and a big to-do going down at work, I have been exhausted most of the past several days.

I have an great aunt (by marriage) who has never been a favorite person in our family. As well as I remember her, she's been mean, critical, and prideful ever since I've known her. After my uncle (my mother's uncle) passed nearly 10 years ago, mom has taken it upon herself to keep up with Gladys; calling her regularly and visiting when she can. Mom's sisters used to help but one is now in a nursing home herself and the other is not in a position to be of much use either. Well, a couple of weeks ago, the police came to Gladys' house and took her away to the hospital because she was supposedly yelling out the back door of her house and "seeing" people who weren't there. They called my cousin who lives about 45mins away and she went to see what was going on. They ended up putting her in a nursing home. I went down the next day to help my cousin straighten up some legal things since Adult Protective Services had been called in. My mom was waiting to receive a blood transfusion (more later) and couldn't go, so she sent me in her place.

My cousin and I got into it with APS, since they were basically accusing us of gross negligence. Here these people had only met this woman a couple of days back and they were making assumptions without even talking to us. She's refused help from any of us, has sent back money and gift cards sent to her on birthdays and Christmas (she doesn't accept charity), and has alienated every friend and relative she's ever had. Her house has gone to pot since she's hardly able to clean it anymore (did I mention that she's 86?). But she's brought the majority of her miseries on herself and I have a really hard time feeling sorry for her. In the end, she will be staying in the nursing home since DADS (Dept. for the Aging and Disabled…) and the doctor has determined that she can no longer live on her own. Now we have to deal with clearing out her house (she rents) and disposing of most of her possessions since most of them are in no shape to sell or give away. In the meantime, my mom is paying her rent and bills since her bank account has been frozen until the APS investigation is over. What a mess!

Mom went to the doctor for a routine checkup and it was found that her blood count was low, so the doctor ordered a transfusion. The trouble began when they couldn't find a match for her. She had to have so much blood transfused a couple of years ago between her surgery recovery and a bleeding episode that her blood has built up all these antibodies and it's hard to find blood that her system won't reject. They finally came up with it and she got filled up last week. The doctor tells us that this can happen occasionally, but not to be too alarmed unless her count goes down again in the next few weeks. Keeping up with my mother's health has given me more insights into medical conditions and terminology, I feel as though I could take the test and hang out my shingle!

Our district is going to have a big "State of the District" luncheon next Wednesday wherein our superintendent will expound upon the wonders of our school system. It's being hosted by the Education Foundation and is actually a fundraiser for that group. I've been putting together display signs, laminating and trimming 600 placemats, and trying to pull things together for table decorations. The placemat thing isn't so bad; they were created by our kindergartners who illustrated "What I Want to be When I Grow Up". There's nothing like looking at the artwork of 5 year olds to put a smile on your face. I'd love to keep some for myself. We have aspiring doctors, firefighters, police, ballerinas, artists, construction workers, NFL stars, veterinarians, singers, nurses, teachers, models, fashion designers, and cheerleaders. Several want to work at MacDonalds. I guess to a 5 year old, that can look pretty glamorous.

I'll leave my rambling now and save some for later. Pray for me…

Bueno bye.

I'm taking my mom to see her sister this weekend. My aunt has been incapacitated as a result of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, or rather, the medications she's had to take because of it, and has been in a nursing home for the past nearly two years. Two of her daughters are in the same city and they bring her to their house nearly every weekend. Now and then they do bring her down here since my uncle still lives at home in the same small town and house they've lived in for over 40 years. He suffers from some health issues himself, but is able to take care of himself with the assistance of a girl who comes in the mornings and some very wonderful neighbors. That's enough, I don't want to bore you with any more details.

My mom is going to have a blood transfusion tomorrow. After some routine bloodwork, they found that she is anemic and doesn't have enough. So they're going to fill her up tomorrow. She is none too happy about this development, let me tell you. She is also to have a biopsy on one of her lungs next week because of some nodules that showed up in a CT scan. We've known about these ever since her long stay in the hospital a couple of years ago, but… new doctor, new tests. The blood tests he had ordered did show some abnormalities so, if you would, keep your fingers crossed and your prayers upward.

One of my coworkers and I have been looking after a mama whipporwhill and her baby for the past week. We learned that they like to build their nests on flat things and we figured the nest must be on top of our building and this one just couldn't fly well enough to take off. So mama's been in the parking lot all week, protecting it as it learned to fly better and better every day. Baby B had the notion that it preferred the big middle of the parking lot to sit in, so my coworker and I took turns going out and coaxing it off to the side now and then. We had a tennis tourney one day with no less than six school buses going in and out. Plus we're right next to the high school parking lot. So Baby B kept Mama B and the two of us hopping all week. They are both gone now, hopefully doing well.

I had lunch with a good friend in our Community Art Center earlier this week. I love going there because it has a beautiful view of the bayfront AND you're surrounded by wonderful works of art while you dine. It's a very relaxing yet exhilarating way to spend a lunch hour.

I hope you have a very enjoyable vacation, Jeanie. I know it'll be hard for you to see your folks, but I also know you will take advantage of every day you can spend with them.

Until next week…
Bueno bye.

There are always at least two sides to every issue, and sometimes more. Each side is as important, and often, as valid to whomever is supporting it. Rational people can argue their points with the opposition and not necessarily care about "winning" the argument. Often, they only care that their side is heard and respected. So, "Hear! Hear! Jeanie!". And just so you know, in deference to the individual, I never use a person's name without getting permission first.

I'm spending the day tomorrow outside the office mostly, shooting photos at some of our satellite offices for our stock files. My youngest neice is on intercession from school and will be shadowing me on the excursion. She is an aspiring photographer and, all auntie prejudices aside, she is quite good. I'll treat her to soup and salad at Olive Garden and I suspect we'll have quite a grand day of it. Of the two neices, she and I are the most alike in manner and attitude. But as different as the two girls are, I wouldn't trade either of them for the universe. Someone has to take care of me in my old age, and I'm banking on these two.

My office building is right next door to one of our high schools so I get to hear the band practicing every morning when I get to work. What is it about hearing a marching band play that can lift my spirits and put me in a brighter mood for the whole day? Maybe I should start waking up to John Phillip Sousa every morning!

September is here which means we should have only about 2 months left of South Texas heat. I can hardly wait for the first cool spell. Now if we can just keep dodging those Category 5 storms, we'll be doing good.

Bueno bye.

It's been a very wet Labor Day weekend here and you would think I would have gotten a lot accomplished being pretty much holed up inside. Wrong. I've been quite lazy throughout it all and I've just decided I am not going to feel guilty about it. It's a long wait until the next holiday, which is Thanksgiving. I know that those of you who are not in the education field are used to going long stretches without a holiday, but I'll be the first to admit that I'm spoiled and I look forward to each and every one.

I have to comment on something I read a few days back as it spurred quite a lively discussion between myself and a few other friends. It concerned the dress style of some of our youth, particularly the boys and, specifically the "baggy, underwear-bearing, crotch-hugging pants" so popular with some of them. I have always considered myself pretty much a "live and let live" sort of person and remember that in my younger days my parents occasionally raised an eyebrow at what I was wearing. I agree that each generation has adopted its own dress style usually in an attempt to declare their independence from their parents' generation. That's fine. Nothing wrong with that.

However, this fashion of wearing the baggy pants, such as I mentioned above, goes further than just rebelling against the "establishment", here where I am anyway. Most of the boys (maybe not all, but most) sporting this trend are associated in one way or another with gang activity and have absolutely no work ethics whether it be in school or outside. Visit a middle or high school some day and you'll see that these people are disruptive, disrespectful, and arrogant, and the majority of them will end up living off the government if they are not in prison for assault, murder, theft, or selling drugs.

I'm sorry, but as a working, middle-class citizen trying to make ends meet all on my own, I resent any of my money going to support these worthless people in any manner. I don't begrudge people who truly need help and I regularly contribute to a couple of local agencies, including the food and clothing banks. Given half a chance there are many people who, down on their luck now, will take the help offered and work hard toward turning their lives around. I think that's great and I think it's a good thing to help them all we can. But, most of the time, you won't find these people sauntering up and down the streets with their pants practically down around their ankles. And, by the way, that underwear they are so proud of can also be a symbol of their gang association.

I intend no disrespect to the author of that piece. I consider her a good friend. But I think she's way off base here. If it were just a case of youthful rebellion, that would be one thing. But where I come from, it's much, much more than that. She mentions also the mode of dress for a lot of young women today. I totally and without hesitation agree with her on every point. The saying is, "you can't judge a book by its cover." Unfortunately, in many of these cases, you can.

Bueno bye.

Angiograms are not fun. They hurt like the dickens when they run the wire into your groin and through your legs and then you have to lie flat on your back for 4 hours. Thank God for the Demerol… at least I drifted in and out for most of that time. I do have some blockage in both legs and may need bypass surgery on the right leg. I'll find out more when I go to the doctor next week. I have to assume (yes, yes, I know…) that it isn't immediately life-threatening or surely there would be more of a sense of urgency on these medical folks' parts. I must say, the nurse and med assistant who took care of me were absolutely wonderful. Very patient, courteous, and professional. Qualities sometimes lacking in our workforce today.

Mom and I had to run an errand in a neighboring town around lunchtime today. A young man from this town lost his life recently while serving his country in Iraq. You may have heard on the news about the helicopter that went down there recently, killing 14 soldiers aboard. He was one of them. On our way back, the highway between there and where I live was lined with people holding American flags of all sizes, waiting for him to come home. We saw the hearse coming, preceded by police cars and a good number of his former motorcycle buddies. Many people, including us, pulled over to the shoulder and watched as the motorcade went by. I watched the people, standing in the rain, cheering and waving their flags. I gotta tell you, it was a big lump to swallow, and my heart filled with overwhelming pride to be a witness to this wonderful tribute. And I realized that regardless of how one feels about the conflict in the Middle East, this was one of our boys coming home for the final time, and he was brought home with dignity and respect and honor. And that, my friends, is what makes America great.

Bueno bye.