Daily Ponderings

I had a good workout today at pulmonary rehab! This is good, considering the last time I exercised was a week ago, and it didn't go too well. I walked on the treadmill at home, because it was freezing out. I barely made it to 6 minutes, and I felt so tired. I wasn't feel top notch, so I guess that was the reason I didn't walk better. Anyway, today's workout felt good, and I was happy I went! I kept debating whether I really wanted to, but it turned out to be a good choice in going! When I got home, I checked my mail. I had an envelope full of leaflets of a wide variety of products. Things like, bags to keep your produce fresh, an angel for your car's visor, balls to keep your laundry from pilling in the dryer, etc, etc. Lots of "Seen on TV" stuff! I went through all of them, and put aside items that seemed interesting, and I wanted to take a second look at them later on. One of the items was a pedal exerciser. My eyes widened at this one! It looks like a v...

I had planned on going out to some stores at the mall tomorrow after pulmonary rehab, but after I watched the news tonight, I decided to just venture out. Also, something had burned upstairs, and the smell was bothering my lungs! I needed to just get out anyway. So, I did! It was off to KB Toystore first, which is going out of business. I'm really sad about this. It's the first place I go to when I need to get a gift for a child, because they have some good items at decent prices I can afford. Other than Big Lots, which doesn't always have a lot of toy options, Target and Walmart are the two places left to buy toys in Niagara Falls. Toys R Us is out on the boulevard, and I'm not driving half an hour to shop at a toy store! Anyway, I found toys for the two kids who have upcoming birthdays that I will be celebrating with, and off I went to another section of the mall. I had to drive closer to that section, because it was quite a distance, and there was no way I was walkin...

It's hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone by now. I had a very nice day, though. I relaxed for most of the day, eating breakfast, chatting with friends, and opening gifts I had gotten from a couple of good friends. I got asparagus ready to cook when I arrived at Mandy's house, and put together the stuff I needed to bring over there, too. It was a very relaxing afternoon here, and then my parents and Joan picked me up around 4pm. Off to Mandy's we went! Celebrating Christmas at Mandy's house has been nice. We've done it the past 3 years, because it's easier on them than having to drag the kids and presents over to my parents' house. We finished getting things ready for dinner, then sat down to a food overload!! We had ham that was so good, scalloped potatoes that were quite tasty (due to my dad's perfectly sliced potatoes!), asparagus parmesan (which I made, and I do think I'll make that again for myself!), sweet potato casserole (I ate a ...

Ah, the Christmas Tree! How I love to put it up every year, and take my time decorating it with the lights and the ornaments I've gotten over the years. There's a reason why I insist putting it the day after Thanksgiving, so I can enjoy it for over a month!! Here is a view from the entrance of my living room. Hard to tell, but, I am not the only one enjoying the tree! Something lurks in the shadows, something big and fat, with a very weird taste for fake tree limbs! Aha! The Christmas Tree Stalker has been spotted!! This crazy creature comes from anywhere in the house, nibbling at the tree when he thinks Mommy isn't looking! The Christmas Tree Stalker then tries to hide behind the tree, thinking he will not be spotted. He is wrong! After taking this picture, Mommy sprays the Christmas Tree Stalker with water, and he runs away from the tree! Don't worry, he will try stalking again later when Mommy isn't paying attention!!

Today's weather has been downright nasty! I don't know this by experience. I did NOT go outside! The winds have been awful (it's almost midnight and they are still very strong), and whiteout conditions could be seen from my windows. I can't imagine what driving in that was like!! It's very cold also, with a -8 windchill. For people who have to be out there for whatever crazy reason, I feel very sorry for them!! Tomorrow will still be very frigid, so I won't be going out probably until Tuesday. Maybe. I can go to rehab, but the low temps on Monday overnight into Tuesday will be in the single digits, and I don't think it'll warm up quick by 10:30am! So we'll see. I feel like a weathergirl! lol I did a bunch of things today. I made egg salad, cleaned the dishrack to the best of my ability (it's stubborn!), made my pecan pie (must try not to eat a piece before Christmas!), and tried to finish working on a 6-strand black necklace I've been making...

These pictures don't do anything to justify how beautiful the bracelet I got from Cathy is, but I thought I'd post them anyway!! I wish the camera would have done a better job! You can at least see how skinny my wrist is, though!! LOL

So, the snow came yesterday. Started around 8am, I think, and sorta tapered off here after 4pm. The Niagara region got the most snow out of all of Western NY. Some areas saw a foot of the white stuff! If I had to guess, I would say there are at least 9 inches out there. I've never been good at judging how much snow is around. I would go out there with a yardstick if it wasn't so darn cold!! We're supposed to be getting another storm tomorrow, with a few more inches, but the winds are going to be really bad. I'll be staying warm again in the house!! Here are a few pics! This is the view outside my bathroom window. The tire tracks on the sidewalk are from a neighbor who lives a block over. He drives around in an ATV with a small plow, and drives around the area "shoveling" certain people's sidewalks. We've known him for years, and I am glad he comes down my sidewalk! A picture of part of my backyard and the house across the street. I took this from my ...

I reluctantly went to rehab today. I didn't really feel like it, but I had other errands to do afterward, so I just said "Let's get it over with!" I didn't go on Tuesday because it was a balmy 19 degrees out, but I did exercise on my treadmill. When I left this morning, it was 28, not windy, and that made the difference. My rehab stint was ok, not the greatest. The exercise bike really killed my upper legs for some reason today, so I didn't stay on it long. No sense in making them turn into jello! I finished exercising, and went to pick up a prescription. Then I got some stuff for Joan's boyfriend, since it is his birthday today. I have no idea if he reads my blog, so I don't want to post what it is I got him. lol After that, I went to the credit union. I gave Joan the thing for Rick, since I'm sure she'll see him sooner than I would. He's in FL. Ooooooh. Oh well! I also brought with me a 6-strand bronze-y necklace I had made a while back, ...

Today I had to go get my PT/INRs checked again, because two weeks ago they were a little whacked, and my doctor just wanted to make sure they were ok. So I got up, had breakfast, got myself ready to go, and left around 11am. I was happy that no one was waiting to be called to get paperwork done, and that hardly anyone was waiting for bloodwork to be drawn! I was out of there a little before noon, and I went to my parents' house to put up their computer. I got that all taken care of (I was nice and even dusted their computer stand before putting up the new tower!), for the most part, and was playing games on it when my mom came home. She had wanted me to wait until she did something with cords and put a faceplate on the wall before I put up the tower. Ooops. She made lunch, and after that, I unplugged everything, put the faceplate up, plugged things back in, and my mom vacuumed. I turned the computer back on, and was excited to see that I could get on the internet, when I couldn...

Well it's official: I'm ready for Christmas! I keep wondering if I'm forgetting anything??? I finished wrapping all the gifts yesterday, and everything I wrapped is surrounding my tree in the living room. It looks nice! I almost don't want to give them out! lol My cards have been sent, ecards are ready to go out (yes, some people are getting ecards because I ran out of stamps, and money to get more!), and the big box I need to mail to one of my friends with her Christmas items is all set to go. It feels sooo weird to be done, and yet sooo good. I'm not stressing over last minute gift ideas, or trying to find time to wrap stuff, or anything like that. YAY! Christmas dinner is going to be traditional this year, which will be nice! I was talking to Mandy today about anything I could make. I am definitely for surely sure, 100% making the pecan pie, because gosh darn it, we didn't have one during Thanksgiving!! But, that is dessert (or part of it, anyway)! We...

Today I declared it Pajama Day! I woke up a bit late, and just knew I wasn't going to rehab this morning. I didn't feel like it, plus it was a bit chilly. I've also been incredibly achy the past 2 days in my legs. Tuesday I was out out all day, and that was after I had gone to rehab! By the time I got home, my legs were killing me. Yesterday, my legs were ok until evening. Maybe it had something to do with sitting most of the day at my mom's house, and on her dining room chairs, but they really just hurt. So I decided no rehab today, BUT, I did walk on the treadmill for 12 minutes. Yay! After I took a shower, I put my pjs right back on! I haven't had a pajama day in quite some time, so I thought today would be a good day for it. The biggest thing I accomplished was getting 90% of my wrapping done. I don't mind wrapping at all. It's kinda relaxing, I play music and just figure out how much paper I need for what gift, etc. My biggest problem with wrapping, how...

I woke up to the sun shinely brightly in my bedroom today. It was a nice way to wake up, and the sun seemed so delightful. But that sun was very, very deceiving. Despite the fact it was peeking in and out of the clouds for much of the day, it was not warming whatsoever! Bad, deceitful sun!! This weekend has been so cold, and I haven't been out since Thursday afternoon. Tomorrow will still be in the 20s, but at least on Tuesday and Wednesday it'll be mini "heat wave." I'll be able to go to rehab on Tuesday, and maybe try to go for my xray and Walmart at some point on either day. Then, it'll be in the 20s for a couple days again! Winter has been hard for me the last couple years, because the weather seems to be more bitterly cold than snowy, like when I was a kid. We had huge snowstorms at least twice a season when I was growing up. It didn't seem like it was very cold when I was little, either. Lately, temperatures in the 20s and low teens seem to be occurr...

Irritatingly, I had to pick a new Medicare Part D plan, and I decided to make the phone calls today. I didn't want to, mostly because I knew it would take up a lot of minutes on my phone! But, I guess that's why I have 900 minutes?? Anyway, I was changing plans because the one I'm in now will have a premium for next year. Although it seems like a small premium to some people, at the end of most months, I'm surprised when I actually have money leftover. I don't want to be struggling to pay another bill every month, and my medicines are so important, so I need to change to a plan that had no premium!! The letter I got in the mail had about 8 other plans I could call to see if they A) covered all my meds, and B) worked with Accredo Pharmacy for the Tracleer and Revatio that I receive from them. I called 3 of the plans, two of which I got a live person right away. The first guy was sooo nice, I wanted to switch to that plan just because of him! He said they did not wor...

Most people know I make jewelry, but I also thought I'd mention that my sister, Mandy, has been making really really really beautiful glass pendants. I'm not just saying that because she is my sister! I am an addict of anything glass, and every time I go to her house, I want to look at her pendants because I JUST LOVE THEM. lol Anyway, she now has an Etsy store, the same site where I have mine. Please take the time to browse and perhaps purchase something!! She has quite a bit up, but I know she's still working to post more. So save the site! hehe www.glowingglassstudio.etsy.com And by the way, here's my site again, just because! www.fromtheheartjewels.etsy.com Thanks for looking!! :)

Today marks the 8th anniversary of getting a furry little kitty cat as a Christmas gift from one of my best friends. He went from this: to this: All in a matter of 8 years!!! How on earth did I ever live without him in my life??? I just don't know! Mittens has been such a joy to me, and has been here for me the entire time I've had to quit my job. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he makes me angry, but I'm sure if I had a human child, I'd feel all those emotions, too. I've told him all day today that it's been 8 years since I've been his Mommy, but of course, I don't think it means anything to him. It was just an ordinary day! He did, however, curl up under the blanket with me on my bed to take a nap. We haven't done that in so long (he's usually sleeping in his huge box I can't get rid of), so it was rather nice! I am really hoping to have my little man, as I like to call him, for at least another 8 years!!

It's no secret to anyone that I've been shopping for Christmas since June. I start saving money for the holidays in January, because if I didn't do that, I would never be able to afford Christmas. Over the summer, I started finding deals and items that I thought would make great gifts, especially for the many friends I buy for. So why wait for November/December to buy them? I've been able to pay for 90% of what I've bought with cash, and for the stuff I've used my credit card for, I've put the money right in my bank account to pay it off on the card. So, it works for me, and I have no stress right now because of it! I finished my shopping on Thursday night/early Friday morning from the comforts of my own bedroom! Gotta love the internet!!! Today, I went out and bought 3 boxes of Christmas cards and 2 rolls of wrapping paper at the dollar store. So, I can start slowly wrapping stuff, and getting the cards out in the mail. I feel so gosh darn prepared. I'...