September 2018

This month is mostly going to be about getting ready for Julie (aka: DeDe) and Kevin's (aka:Gramps) visit on the 15th for 2 weeks.  For those of you who don't know Julie is my sister's youngest daughter and more than just a niece to me.  We are only 9 years apart (my sister and I are (were) 13 1/2 years apart.  Julie came to live with us when she was around 22 and Alissa was just 18 months old.  We became best of friends.  Alissa couldn't pronounce Julie and it came out DeDe.  The name has stuck.  She has her grandkids call her DeDe instead of Grandma.   My sister liked the idea and had her great-grandkids call her GG, for Great Grandmother.  

After they were married they moved back to Ohio to be close to family.  A sad day for me, but understandable.  Kevin is from Buffalo and it made more sense for them to be close to both families.  Anyway.  When DeDe and Kevin both retired they started coming out here for a visit every year.  This is their 3rd visit.  We look forward to it every year.   Since Bruce hates to travel, it's the perfect vacation for us. 

One of the biggest difference between Bruce and myself is that he is a neat freak and I'm... well it's hard to be neat when you have sewing and crafting projects going on ALL the time.  And with my sewing room in the living room, the first room you see when you come into the house, it's been a major problem for him.  Bless his heart, he doesn't complain, but I know it really gets to him.  

At last, I've come up with a great solution.  I emptied two plastic bins recently and now have them on my cutting table.  I was just working on something and when I finished, I put the pieces parts in the bins.  Table is clear, yet my project is right at hand.   Let's just hope I can keep putting things away daily! 

I may have made an error in judgement.  I love cleaning things that are really dirty.  Love to see them shine.  It has bugged me for years that the brass handles on the roll top are all tarnished.  Dad (Bailey) had bought some super polish for his brass coffee table and had told me once he was going to do the handles on the roll top, but never got around to it.  Bruce said he likes the tarnished look.  But I couldn't resist the urge to clean the handles.  I did the one side and now am questioning my decision.  The good news is that they will tarnish again.  The bad news is that the left side ones have tarnished over a 100 years.   What do you think?  Should I do the left ones so they match or just wait  till the right ones tarnish?

Facing the Clock

View from Mirror

Bruce has finally had time to work on his clock for the hall bathroom.   He found a picture he liked and Alissa blew it up and reversed the image.  He then took a clock mechanism and reversed it so it rounds backwards.   Built a frame for the picture/clock, painted it and hung it over the toilet.  When you look at it (picture on the left) you can see it's backwards.  Now look at the picture on the right.  It looks normal.  That's because you're looking at the reflection in the mirror.   He's been talking about doing this for years.  Finally had time to work on it.   Can't wait to find out the reaction when we have guests looking at it for the first time.  :)

My RA doctor decided to put me on Enbrel last month.  Filled out the paper work at my August appointment.  Finally  on Sept. 5th I got the prescription from the  CVS specialty pharmacy.  Trouble is it's just the medicine cartridges and not the device for the injection.  Many, many calls and I still don't have it (Sept 12th).   Had an appointment with the doctor next week and blood work to see how I'm doing on the new medicine.  I moved the appointment to October 4th... hoping I'll get the device soon.    One of the precautions for the medicine is that I can't go to the Ohio Valley.  There's some type of fungus back there.  The Enbrel will shut down my immune system.  The Rheumatoid Arthritis causes your immune system to attack your organs.  So it has to be suppressed.  Being on the Enbrel is also suppose to get me off the Prednisone, which I've been on since March.  Way too long.  

Got so dehydrated from the colonoscopy prep my blood pressure was down to 59/51.  I was ready to pass out.  Bruce took me in an hour early so they could give me an IV to get my blood pressure up.  

All that plus other unidentified health issues that took me to the ER at 4am, have made for a very stressful month.  Guess it's a good thing we don't have any projects going on right now.  Though I really want to feel better for DeDe and Kevin's visit.  Just 3 more days!!!

October 17th
Well guess I didn't get this posted at the end of September!!  

Had a great visit with Julie (aka) and Kevin.  They took 5 days and rented a car to go visit old friends up north.  Spent several days soaking up sunshine at the beach.  Found new places to eat.  Just hung out and visited.  They're so easy to be around; wish we lived closer.  Nick and Alissa had us all over for dinner and a good visit.  The kids just love Kevin; think they feel he's one of them!  Even being as tall as he is!!  I'd post more pictures but I can't get them off my tablet.  

Hopefully I'll be better getting October in at the end of the month!!