08~08~08... (8/7 was a GREAT Day)!

 

So, yesterday started out a bit ominous for me...
hehehe
You would see this as nasty too, wouldn't you?
The numbers above, from my Yahoo 360 Blog...

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Good Morning Everyone!
From what I have heard though, the *8*8*8* combination should be a very good one...
Methinks we should all enjoy the heck out of it, (since we won't be around to see the next one)!

Yesterdays ONLY questionable part was the '666' from above.

Casey stopped in on her way to Pulaski; as she had to babysit for a little while. (The baby only one day younger than Big Sam)...

Speaking of Big Sam...

Marie called (after dropping Roberta off at work).
Would I be home for a few hours?
'But of course' !

There are many many times that words cannot describe a picture-
(Or simply even offer a bit of gratitude)-

Suffice to say that Marie is "earning her wings" in grand style...

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Then to turn the camera, as Master Gabriel and I fed Samuel!

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Not sure about Master Gabriel...
Big brother Lawrence would do the same thing with his mouth.

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A bit of fun with my old cap...

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They had to leave to pick Berta up from her job. Then on to another doctor appointment for Sam.
(As of his last appointment, he was 6 pounds, 6 ounces)!

Getting big in a quick hurry!     (AttaBoy)!
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After they left, it was time to take a little walk about the place.

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Fried Green Tomatoes anyone?

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~And I was off with the dogs!
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Mr. Miller was the 2nd down the hill in the woods.
Milly the first,
but she'd disappeared LONG before we'd gotten there.
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Miller really is here,
between the trees overlooking the ledge.

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Punk, (same place)-
Trying to decide should she go down,
...or keep her eyes on me?

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She did go down of course.

And accidentally fell in the river too!     

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Kelli called my cellphone while we were still in the woods.
And home MUCH earlier than I'd expected too.
Where are you??
Oops. We were halfway down the hill! (I made record time to get the two dogs UP the hill, and get them back to the house).

From there, on to Kelli's to cut the backyard...

While Mr. Miller watched me ever so closely...

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And while Miss Kelli fixed the enclosure in the paddock...

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Methinks Breeze and May are having too good of a time kicking it out.
(This is not the first time she has had to fix those boards)!

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She has a semi~permanent barn building set up to hold the hay...
As I mowed on the side of it, I damn near jumped straight off the rider.
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"Whoa, UGLY!"

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We wrapped up early.
I didn't finish last night, but will do so today...
Tim had to be up for 3AM for work; and Miss Kelli has an infection in her eye that has swollen up her whole face. Not feeling too well to say the least...
All because Jack, (one of her cats) sneezed right in her eye one night.
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Getting home from her place, Miss Milly was waiting patiently for me.
Where she goes to is anybodys guess. The picture above (with all three dogs in the field), is the last I saw of her 'til then!

Time for me to fly...
Have more than a few things to do today- and the weather will be perfect for anything outside!

Love to all! Hope you are all having a fantabulous Friday!

XOXO
Anne

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Originally posted to my Y! 360, Friday August 8, 2008 - 09:30am (CDT)

FYI~ Pancreatitis ~What Casey has dealt with...

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Thank You Sweet Crystal for sending me this info!

XOXO
Anne

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Stolen from here:
http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/digestive-problems/pancreatitis-nutrients-offer-relief-00255.html
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There are two types of pancreatitis: acute and chronic. Acute cases usually occur suddenly and only last for a short period of time. Chronic pancreatitis can last for years, causing sufferers to experience symptoms on and off. These nutrients can offer much-needed relief from acute and chronic pancreatitis...

Pancreatitis is a condition that involves inflammation of the pancreas a large gland that lies behind your stomach. It is an essential organ that produces the hormone insulin, which is responsible for regulating your blood sugar levels. If your pancreas stops working properly, as in the case of pancreatitis, your risk of developing diabetes increases.

Another important function that your pancreas carries out is the secretion of several digestive enzymes into your small intestine, through a tube called the pancreatic duct. Normally these enzymes do not become active until they reach your small intestine where they begin digesting fats, proteins and carbohydrates from the foods you eat. However, in sufferers of pancreatitis, these enzymes become prematurely active inside the pancreas and actually start digesting the pancreas itself.

There are two types of pancreatitis: acute and chronic. Acute cases usually occur suddenly and only last for a short period of time. They normally resolve on their own following a period of rest, increased fluid intake, and the avoidance of alcohol and rich fatty meals.

Chronic pancreatitis can last for years, causing sufferers to experience symptoms on and off. After your pancreas has been subjected to repeat attacks it can soon become sluggish and lose its effectiveness, as pancreatic tissue is destroyed and scarring occurs. In addition, further complications can develop, including low blood pressure with dizziness and fainting, heart or kidney failure, diabetes and abscesses inside your pancreas.

In chronic cases the patient may need to be admitted to hospital for intravenous fluids, antibiotics, strong painkillers such as pethidine or morphine, and other specialist treatment.

What causes your digestive enzymes to turn on your pancreas?

Pancreatitis can occur as a result of gallstones, excess alcohol, a sluggish immune system, or an infection - viruses like hepatitis and rubella can trigger the condition (Med Clin North Am 1993 Sep; 77(5): 1037-56).

Certain conventional drugs are also implicated in causing the condition, these include steroids, water tablets, anti-inflammatory tablets (such as diclofenac), and the antibiotic tetracycline. Fortunately, stopping the offending drug normally clears the problem up.

Acute pancreatitis is normally a result of drinking too much alcohol or gallstones. A gallstone can block the pancreatic duct, trapping digestive enzymes in the pancreas where they can become active.

Chronic cases most commonly result from many years of serious alcohol abuse but can also be triggered by just one acute attack especially if the pancreatic ducts are damaged. The damaged ducts cause the pancreas to become inflamed, tissue to be destroyed, and scar tissue to develop.

These nutrients can offer much-needed relief from acute and chronic pancreatitis

Nutrients that are able to reduce inflammation have been found to be effective for alleviating both acute and chronic cases of pancreatitis. Evening primrose oil is a well-known anti-inflammatory that has been found to be beneficial. It also acts as a preventative, helping to ward off attacks. The recommended dosage for evening primrose oil is 3,000mg a day.

Aloe vera has a double benefit when it comes to treating the condition it not only helps to reduce inflammation within the pancreas but also rebalances digestive juices in the bowel. The recommended dosage is half a cup of aloe vera juice twice a day.

Another nutrient used in the treatment of pancreatitis is Betain: it nourishes the pancreas and helps put a stop to diarrhoea a common symptom (J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1993, 8(1):60-62). It is available in capsule form and can be taken once or twice a day.

Repeat attacks of pancreatitis can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency, which increases the risk of anaemia (Glasbrenner B et al. Klin Wochenschr 1001. 69(4):168-172). For this reason, it is wise to take vitamin B12 in supplement form as a precaution, particularly for those suffering from chronic pancreatitis. The recommended dosage is 100mcg a day.

Supplementing with enzymes gives your digestive system a helping hand

Chronic pancreatitis causes indigestion and insufficient absorption of nutrients from your bowel. Fortunately natural enzymes like bromelain and papain (pineapple extracts) can help. They are able to digest protein inside your bowel and also have the added bonus of reducing inflammation both inside the pancreas and the bowel. The recommended dosage is 1,000mg taken three times a day.

Another supplement that provides substitute enzymes is Creon. It contains protease (an enzyme that helps facilitate the breakdown of proteins), lipase (which helps digest fats), and amylase (which breaks down certain types of carbohydrates, such as starch).

This preparation was found to be useful in improving digestion, reducing nausea and diarrhoea, and improving the overall well-being of patients with chronic pancreatitis (Orv Hetil 1990, 131(5):241-244). Creon is currently available on prescription only, as the dosage is dependent on the severity of your condition and must be determined by a doctor.

Recognise The Warning Signs That Can Signal Pancreatitis

Common symptoms to watch out for include:

Severe pain and swelling in the upper part of your abdomen
Excessive sweating, nausea or vomiting
Fever, mild jaundice and rapid pulse
Diarrhoea, containing undigested fats (called steatorrhoea). In chronic pancreatitis this may result in malnutrition and weight loss.

It is important to consult your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. A diagnosis is made based on presenting symptoms and following blood tests. In some cases an abdominal ultrasound may be carried out to check for gallstones and a CAT (computerised axial tomography) scan to detect inflammation or destruction of the pancreas.

Weeds ~n~ Flowers! (Mostly Weeds).

Please feel free to throw in a name, description or variety for me.
(Just NOT of the weeds though)...
hehehe
XOXO
Me

PS
The cover photo is the very 1st photo I ever took with my very 1st digital camera!

And so...

A fly on the dumpster.
Please know that the lettering on the side is 2" high
Darn fine thing garbage gets picked up today!

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Hi All;
Just a short note to say hello to you, and to let you know we are alright.
Casey has decided to try acupuncture.
Have any of you tried this for anything?
Having not ever tried it myself, my own feelings are mixed on it...
Please let us know.

In searching for a 'provider', Casey called me and asked if I knew a man... Turns out he is my old doctor, (and by old I mean 'ex' doctor)... He retired from his field and went into acupuncture believing he still had much to offer the medical community.
He was a wonderful doctor to me when I had him.

Not too much other news.  Or is there?...
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Casey and I have been working on getting the shed organized to at least OPEN it up for our sale...

Given that, the yard is quite a mess.

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But ...
the backyard is sort of a nice place to be at the end of the day~
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It's been hot for us up nort'... Throw in the humidity and it gets downright frustrating to try to work while the sweat rolls in your eyes... (And yes, I have a cap on)!!!
I filled up the pool for Mr. Miller the other night. He's got a few hot spots and needs to stay halfway cool...
So does Punk. (After all, it is HER pool)
hehehe
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Punk likes the pool fine, but HATES when it's filling.

Maybe she thinks the hose is a snake, ?? ~but she has to wrestle with it and then lie on it while it fills.

 

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Having filled it during the breezy evening, it was not long before she realized how darn cold my year~round~42~degree water really is!
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I laughed myself silly at her!
Maybe she thought I was trying to kill her!

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The news about Brett is both saddening and sickening...

At this point, that is all I should write,
except to say I am very proud to be a Packers fan.
And that I will always be.

Being a fan however, does NOT mean I agree with ANY of managements decisions on this matter.
Nor does it mean I don't want Thompson tossed out of town.
"Mafia Ted" must go!!!
Isn't there a mob, (of course by that I mean 'team'), in Communist China that needs him?

I'd better close and try to find my yard- Plenty of stuff to get through in the next day!

Love to all!

XOXO
Anne

PS
After you comment, (you DO have something to say, don't you)?, please check out the new pictures of our Big Sam!

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR SAM'S ALBUM.

Thank You Chuck and Marie, from the bottom of my heart!

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Originally posted to my Y! 360, Wednesday August 6, 2008 - 09:22am (CDT)

Good Grrrrrief!

 

Casey's bed tag...
"Endoscopic UltraSound"
Not sure what the final "E" was for...
Maybe to tag her as an 'experiment'?

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A misnomer, this sign...

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Good Morning Everyone!
We are home from Mayo once again.
Sadly, no wiser than we left.

And I have been battling a migraine since our return.
Not fun at all.

****IMPORTANT:
If any of you received text messages from CaseyFace on Friday, please know that she was more than 'under the influence' after her procedure.
(Mad as hell, and very much misunderstanding what the doctor had told her)...

We left on Thursday...
... and during another new attack for her...
Knowing Mayo would do her blood work and let us know what was going on with her amylase and lipase counts.
She has not had any pain pills in a few weeks now, and has put herself through hell with that too.
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She slept for the most part after we finally found a hotel ~as did Punk.
(I say 'finally' ~because the fair was "happening" in Rochester, and there were no rooms anywhere).

Oh wait, yes there were... AND, we even had a choice!

Either we paid an ungodly amount to leave Punk in the car, or at another place, to sleep in one bed.
(A twin bed at that)!
hehehe
That's not going to work...

So on the phone with Casey's wonderful man. Greg googled everything for us, and found us a room at Stewartville. (Just a hop, skip and a jump down the road from Rochester).
I'd much rather be out of town anyway, so this was definitely not a problem.
I called there.
The people (Eastern Indian) were extremely difficult to understand on the phone.
But upon our arrival, were the most decent people I have ever dealt with in any hotel.

After getting settled in, (in our pristine and perfect room), we ordered from one of the town menus.
One pizza place offered Homemade Chicken Pot Pie.
Casey cannot eat pizza since her pancreas has gone haywire; so we both ordered a serving of their pie.
Casey was even bold enough to add some BBQ wings to go along with hers.
To say that these pies rivaled my own would be true. hehehe
OMG, but they were SO good!!!
Casey also had remarked that her wings were also the best she has ever ordered anywhere.
(She'd eaten about 4 bites of her pie before her pancreas violently objected to it, ~ so she was 'stuck' eating those wings)...

Punk simply drooled...
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They both slept until I woke them at 10:30AM. We had to be out of the room by 11; which worked out perfectly to get to Mayo for Casey's appointment at noon.
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The nurses were quite kind...
Mayo had a visiting doctor, (Clain), from USC who specializes in gastrointestinal stuff; a leading doctor on the pancreas.
He was also quite rude, not allowing Casey to say a word. When she did ask a question, he replied that she did not want to be telling him how to do his job.
WHAT?!?
All she did was ask a question of him!!!

So let's just get this over and done with.
First to sign a paper that authorized them to to 'use' her as a study patient.
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They had found her interesting enough to place her within this group.
blah blah blah.
For Pete's sakes, who the heck cares about all of this?
Just please fix her already???
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Whenever one gets poked in the pancreas, it sets off an attack. This has always been her reaction to her EUS procedures, or the ERCP's she has had.
Any probing really p*sses off her pancreas.
Friday was no different.
She returned to the recovery room in pain.
They gave her Demerol, (25 mgs.), which did not even touch her pain.
Then finally gave her a hypo of Dilaudid.
That worked, and we would be able to keep our appointment for her results across the street for 4:30.

We used the skywalk...
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At this appointment, her doctor, (Kisiel), tried to explain to her the possible scenario of nerve damage from Froedtert's surgeries; and the possible inability they would have to control her pain. At some point, the dilaudid really kicked in... and she got everything a little mixed up.
Reflect back to my note about her text msgs... At no point did he say she was an addict. Good grief, she has gone many months at times with no relief at all.
This is a very touchy subject for us both, especially given what July had thrown our way.

Back to Dr. Kisiel.
Her EUS was unremarkable. No calcium deposits etc. (I know too, that the good Dr Clain had made up his mind about her pancreas even before he went in and looked around).
One gets to 'peg' these certain personalities after these many years of watching, ~listening to the nurses and doctors; seeing/reading their body language (that may/may not betray their words).

And so, like I said before, we know nothing more than what we did before we left home.

She is still in pain, with no good explanations, or help, or relief offered to her.
I for one, would LOVE to be a fly on the wall if her doctor here would ever be in the same room with this Dr. Clain. After all his work with her here, and to have his lab results simply dismissed by Mayo.
They also threw out her bloodwork from the hospitals here because it wasn't on their scale.

We drove home that night.
I didn't mean to, as I had been up since 4 AM.
But again, there were no rooms within a couple hundred mile radius of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, because of the EAA Convention. (CLICK for info).

I was dog tired, and my head was just starting to act up. I dropped Casey off at her place. Punk and I came home to a hot stuffy house.

We will know more once she speaks with her doctor here, and has him all filled in. I promise to keep you all informed.

For now, it will be back to my quiet dark bedroom... Maybe a nap?

I hope you are all having a grand weekend!

XOXO
Anne

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Originally posted to my Y!360, Sunday August 3, 2008 - 09:22am (CDT)

Radio, Computer Broadcast. WEIRD Wisconsin

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/shadowsinthedark/2008/08/04/100th-Show-Celebration-Badger-State-Weirdness

Have fun...


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Tune in tonight at 8:30 pm...
I have not listened to their casts yet, only Toni's and Jennifers,
But I think it will be fun to hear what may be said about Wisconsin too.
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Celebrating their 100th show tonight...
"During the first hour Linday Godfrey will be joining us to talk about her research into the strange and weird. She has authored and co-authored such books as Weird Wisconsin, Weird Michigan and Strange Wisconsin. During the 2nd hour we will celebrating our 100th with giveaways and more."


XOXO
Me

I See It...

Good Morning Everyone;

Time is at a premium right now, so I will keep this short...

After a terribly painful trip for herself, Casey is sound asleep- and when we get to Mayo, they will knock her out for her EUS.
Hopefully we can get results right away.


I was going through a few pics on my Flickr account and I found these two...
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I have no problem seeing a resemblance.
Don't you see it too?

XOXO
Me

~

http://thyroid.about.com/b/2008/07/30/thyroid-alzheimers.htm
Have you had your thyroid checked lately?
Cancer or Alzheimers... Which do you prefer???

XOXO
Me

Women's Thyroid Levels Linked to Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

Wednesday July 30, 2008

Women with low or high levels of the hormone thyrotropin (also known as Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, or TSH) have an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Find out more about the issue, including what levels of TSH are considered "high" and "low," in this article about the connection between Alzheimers disease and thyroid problems in women.

Wednesday ~Notes From Wisconsin!

 

I took this at a rest stop along highway 41

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Good Morning All;
My thoughts keep going back to "Ten Thought Tuesday", but now I'm a day behind.
(Courtesy of that narfy tomato).
hehehe

I have a(nother) doctor appointment this afternoon for my back. Wish it would go away soon.
The ride to/from Rochester did nothing good for it either...
Nor did mowing my lawns, twice over, to get rid of my somewhat jungled and abandoned look.
(I think I might also have gotten rid of a few varmints)... oops
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On this special topic,
I have been (ahem), characteristically silent...

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.......But no more...
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As many of you already know, I have already grown quite tired of politicking this year.
Ted Thompson apparently has not.
(I can't quite figure out his silly~@ss thought process either)...
Nor have I been able to figure out exactly what it is that he is so afraid of? (Feel free to clue me in).

Mama always said:
"If you can't be right, be wrong at the top of your voice."
Mama sure was smart.

When applied to Ted Thompson, this seems to be exactly what he has been doing.
In my little book, he IS an unmitigated @sshole.

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And so, I have proudly added my name to this list.


(CLICK HERE to add your own name and support)


Seems the old boy thinks he has a year or two left in him. And since he has been the face of this organization for almost 20 years, he should have another season, and open arms. He already knows he has mine.


I had a prescription to pick up yesterday at CVS.
An uneventful little trip; (um, until I was driving home)...

A bit of background for you...

1st stop, CVS Pharmacy.
(They even handed out a big treat~bone for Punk)!

I object; that's just not fair to me at all. My own tummy is growling, so on to Mickey Dee's for a sandwich.
(Punk gets two treats at the 'pay' window)!! Big ones too!

Knowing that another trip to Mayo will put me over the 3000 mile mark, I stopped to have my oil changed. I spent the whole time (PLUS extra), talking to the nicest man who had seen Casey on TV, and even remembered her!
(This man just kept feeding Punk treats, I have no clue how many she got)...

After that, I had stopped at the Shell Station on the highway to fill 'er up.
And then to go back home...
Kinda boring huh?

Wait for it now...

As I merged onto the highway, there was barely any traffic. There was one pickup truck that must have thought he owned the road. He did not budge from his lane to allow me access. Dork. Naturally I had to slow and let him pass.

As I got up to speed again, he hit his brakes.
WTH?

I see through his rear window that he is flipping me off.
WT"effing"H?!?!?

As he was slowed, I pulled out to pass him; grabbing my camera in the process. (This, for me, is now a completely involuntary action).

As I pass him, he is literally screaming profanities out his window at me.
Punk wastes no time letting him know he was being a dickhead.
And just so you know, I have never seen her snarl and growl before.
(Must have been all those treats)!!!

I called her down. She obeyed, quite begrudgingly-
(But hey, I just had to snap a picture)...
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Awwww...
Isn't he the attractive little dink?
I just smiled, (and real big) at him.
(As his wife turns her head out the side window).
Yes, he was still screaming too!

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It occurs to me that not everybody in Suamico is as nice as I am.


Home again, safe and sound; with a cold burger.
(And a still~paranoid dog too).

Thanking the Lord for my microwave, I ate quickly; and then had to go pull a few weeds.
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Nope, not that weed...

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But I have so many weeds around I don't know where to begin with this all.
So I just pulled the tallest and most obnoxious ones.
hehehe
(Besides, my back will not allow for me to dig out the shorter ones).
Oh well.
'Til it's all healed, there is nothing I can do about that.

When we got back home from Mayo last week, I found the prettiest surprises just waiting for us...
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Please ignore silly toes...

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Flowers EVERYWHERE!!!!
(Please don't be looking at my weeds ???) !

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Hope you are all having a 'wunnaful' Wednesday!
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Love to all!

XOXO
Anne

Free Site Counter

Originally posted to my Y! 360, Wednesday July 30, 2008 - 11:52am (CDT)

Stupid quote of the day...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080729/ts_nm/olympics_dc;_ylt=AqJEQanLSyM2cCclZsc53Yt34T0D
Beijing haze recedes but rights concerns remain -

Du Shaozhong, deputy chief of the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, said the haze, which reduces visibility to a few blocks, did not mean air quality was bad.

"We do not approve of the use of pictures to pass judgment on air quality ..."
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Oh really?!?
I always thought it was a pretty damned good indicator... (Especially when one cannot see even a few blocks)?!?

XOXO
Me

Oops

Been a tired and trying few days here...
Am feeling a bit under the weather ~and with respect to CaseyFace as well.
I see she has written, er 'composed' a new blog for you all.
CLICK HERE to read it...

As for me, I have been online much too long.
I have my days and nights all mixed up.
And it seems I must have also eaten a bad tomato...
(Therein lies the darned title)...


Love to all.

XOXO
Anne