family

Please keep up the contact. All are doing a good job and we, all of us need any word that can give a jump start to spirits.

Friday

Thanks, Di, for posting for Tracy. I haven't blogged because I am so absorbed in Tracy's situation and several crises at work. I plan to go back to Freeland Saturday morning for the weekend just to help out and to be close. I'm sure Tracy needs some "mom" hugs by now. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers. This has been a real sticky wicket.

Friday Update

I got an e-mail from Tracy this morning and she said it was OK to post the following to the Blog; she's a bit tired.



Scott's liver biopsy was supposed to be first thing this morning but it hadn't happened as of 7:15. They won't have the results for awhile - maybe Monday (you know how it is in a hospital over a weekend.) She expects they hope to receive some test results today that will confirm or exclude possible causes / infections.

Tracy said his fever is still present so he won't be going home today.

For Tracy

Those of us who have switched to gmail couldn't access Tracy's link because the Twin Blog didn't recognize the new e-mail. I figured you wouldn't want to add to her distress so I have cut and pasted her post below.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Some reassurances
Well, we have some answers. I won't go into the gory details here, because trust me, there are a lot of them, but the short version is we are getting closer to a diagnosis that all three doctors agree on (and a course of action) and Scott is getting some relief for his discomfort. We will stay put for now.We're waiting on the results of a few tests, have another biggie scheduled for tomorrow that will tell us what infection we're dealing with exactly (liver biopsy), and from there, we'll take it day by day. We feel comfortable with the doctors now that we've all laid it on the table. I no longer feel like they aren't looking closely enough at Scott's case, and based on the labs from today, his condition isn't worsening, which in their eyes, is an improvement. So, we continue to wait, but we are getting there.

Some reassurances

Don't feel like retyping. Click here to read what I put on our other blog.

Update - Scott

Well, family. I don't have much of an update. While my spirits were high yesterday, today I'm feeling a bit low. I'm frustrated that Scott's condition seems to be worsening and there seem to be no answers in sight. Tests and more tests, but no answers. I truly am not trying to be dramatic, but every day something new pops up. I only post this because it is a private, family blog, so please don't share this information with anybody outside the family...not that any of you would. I haven't shared all of this anywhere.

From the top down, Scott has bloodshot (to the Nth degree) eyes that the doctor claims is jaundice (isn't jaundice yellow???), headaches, extreme (and I mean EXTREME) dry mouth, fever, what appears to be strep but tests negative for strep, a bad cough, shortness of breath, etc...etc...his kidneys, liver and lungs all seem to not be working properly. He is extremely fatigued and achy all over, like with the flu. He has no appetite, and cannot rest for very long due to all the things I've mentioned here. We are both prone to anxiety over his condition, which only hinders his ability to rest. I will tell you, Scott is not one for exageration. If he feels awful, he feels awful. And he feels awful. Every day it seems something new happens...something progresses. And every day we get three conflicting stories from three different doctors regarding what they *think* it might be. We are consulting with our primary care physician, a GI specialist and an infectious disease specialist. Every day they do more tests but do NOTHING to treat him. I'm just increasingly scared that things are progressing out of their control. This morning I am going to ask his doctor if I should move him to another hospital, one better suited to this kind of issue.

I'm trying to be strong for Scott, but I am scared beyond words. I miss my happy, loving babies, though I know they are in good hands. We have been so blessed, that I can't help but wonder if our time is up. I know that sounds awful, but that's just where I'm at right now.

Please continue the prayers. It does mean a lot knowing that all of you are out there thinking of us.

Suey update

Sorry I didn't make it to the NL this month but I have been checking the blog.  I got a job as a waitress at the beginning of July at a restaurant called "Raw Bar" which is in the heart of Wrigleyville.  That said, we do have a lot of foot traffic before and after Cubs games so the tips are pretty decent (better after the games of course since everyone's pretty much drunk).  We also had 3 concerts last week @ Wrigley- 2 Elton John/Billy Joel shows and 1 Rascal Flatts show. The Elton/Billy shows were absolute madness.  The entire restaurant (105 capacity) filled up at 5 PM and of course everybody had to leave by 7 PM to make it to the show, so it wasn't very fun.  The end of the night was fun though when it came time to count our tips :)  I have heard word about Kurtis, I'm just not 100% on WHEN I'll be going back.  And when that happens, chances are I'll have to quit the restaurant b/c my manager won't let us work weekends only, and we close at 2 AM every night.  The money isn't worth it to become a total zombie, I'd rather focus on what I'm meant to do.  Last weekend I got the chance to go on the annual camping trip with my friends to Mancelona, MI.  It was a blast as always, even though it rained 2 out of the 3 days we were there.  Still got to swim in the lake, and tube down the Jordan River, so no complaints.  Jimbo didn't come camping this year, he decided on going to St. Louis to visit his friends and said he had a wonderful time going to a Cardinals (YUCK) game and touring the Budweiser brewery.  I'm happy we both got a mini-vacation, for we've been working very hard with all these Cubs games.  On Aug 8, Vanessa and I are heading back to MI to attend our friends' bachelorette party and then back for the wedding on Aug 28th (which we're both bridesmaids, and have never been BM before) so we're definitely looking forward to that.  Hope everyones doing OK besides the health scares, I'll keep you all in my prayers.  

Update on Scott

Really, no update.

We've had tests and more tests. It's like an episode of "House". Scott has had blood draws, urinalysis, ultrasounds, throat and sinus swabs, etc., etc., ad nauseum. We've seen a GI specialist and an infectious disease specialist. They've had some theories, a couple of them quite scary, which they've then debunked. So, we wait.

As far as his pain and discomfort, they have been managing it with Tylenol and pretty strong pain meds, so he's resting a little more comfortably than a few days ago, but his fever is still high and his color is still yellow-ish.

The babies are doing well - as of last night Rowan's fever had broken, and my Mom did a great job keeping them from being too shaken up by our absence. Let's hope Scott's mom has the same success.

I'm hanging in there. Last night Scott slept well, which meant I did, too. I'm getting home mid-day to shower and love on the babies a bit before I head back to the hospital for the afternoon rounds of doctors.

I'll update as we have news. Please keep the prayers coming.

Update on Scott

We're in wait mode. The virus we all caught had him down, and something in his body took advantage and started releasing bacteria into his blood stream. They've got a few clues, and have him in for a liver and kidney ultrasound now. The doctors, including several specialists, should be by this morning to help us figure out what is happening.

The frustrating part is he's in a lot of pain and discomfort and they're doing little to treat him since they don't exactly know what they're treating. Hopefully he'll get some rest soon.

Mom is home with Evan and Rowan (who is still fighting her fever) and Dianne (Scott's mom) is driving over from the DC area today to help as well.

I'll keep all posted.

More on the Millers

Now the doctors aren't sure what is causing Scott's problems. They are putting him through a battery of tests by noon tomorrow and there will be three doctors, two of them specialists, consulting on the cause and cure. Right now, he's on IV antibiotics but his fever continues.

Scott's mom, Dianne, was planning to come up from WVa on Friday but is leaving tomorrow morning instead. She will be here late tomorrow. Tracy is spending the night at the hospital with Scott and I'm staying at their house with the babies. Rowan is pretty sick with a fever, too, and while Evan just rolled with the punches last week, Rowan gets downright mad! Baby motrin and tylenol seems to be helping with the fever and lots of rocking helps with the other.

I came straight to Freeland after leaving Wolverine so I've had to do some laundry for clean clothes and I MUST get a shower before bed. I smell like a smoked ham! It's a wonder the kids didn't cry when I got here!!! I'll keep you informed about any news on Scott et al.

Miller family

Scott was admitted to a hospital late this afternoon with septic(sp) infection. He caught what the babies have/had and only worsened. Until we know more, keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Monday

I saw the vascular surgeon today. As long as my insurance covers it, I'm having both legs treated for varicose veins. Endovenous laser treatment is, supposedly, the latest and greatest. No anesthesia, no fasting, I can go to work right after - we'll see. The right leg is scheduled for 9/8 and the left for 9/14.

NL

Kathy, Leave it to mom to send a NL to the wrong place, (giggle, giggle).
Di and Suzanne are trying to teach me how to post a picture on the blog or FB---it isn't working. However, a new set of instructions came this afternoon and I will try again soon. I have a couple other things to get caught up before I can play with that.

Furlough Friday

Yes as Sandy mentioned today is the 3rd furlough day for Michigan state employees. Heavy sigh. 3 more to go. Pigeons Farmer Festival started yesterday so I actually had some stuff I could do close to home.

We're hopeful that the closing on the brown road house will take place in the next week. Jim found out that the mortgage company they are going through has had problems in the past so all their paperwork has to be gone through with a fine tooth comb so that's why it's taken so long. We tried to tell them to go through Thumb National Bank but no one seems to listen to their elders anymore.

Also Friday

I'm babysitting tonight (YAY!) and leaving from Scott and Tracy's tomorrow morning for RNR. Ray has been there since Monday and I'm not real sure how much longer he will stay. I have Monday off so will have an extended "weekend". (I even get paid for it, Kathy!) (She's on furlough day today, if you are from out-of-state.)So, I will be out of touch (mostly) for the next three days. Have fun and stay safe.

Friday

Mom and Dad: Glad youo're home safe and sound and enjoyed a bit of your trip. My ultrasound went as expected except the tech found a lot more "trouble" veins than the ones obviously showing. I have an appointment with the surgeon on Monday and I'll make sure he only does the ones covered by insurance because they are painful. They use a laser now so it's not really surgery and the instructions are to do your normal daily activities immediately (except for strenuous exercise and lifting.)

I'm going shopping at my favorite store today: Belk's. They're having a big sale. It's a bit of a drive (in Port Richey) but it's the closest one. I'll miss having Joni as my sounding board.

2nd day home

Yes, we are home OK and unpacked and ready for the world. Our trip was fun and we enjoyed each other but the best layed plans went down the tube. Oh well, could be much worse.
We're going for an I&R blood test for Dad/G'pa today to check his coumadin level. I'm trying to get caught up with laundry, mail and food shopping.

Rainy day

Evan has kicked his fever, and aside from runny noses that he and Rowan both seem to be "enjoying", we seem to be in the clear. For now.

We were supposed to go to a picnic for Dow Corning employees this afternoon, but we may be rained out. We'll see. And tomorrow we're supposed to attend an outdoor wedding. I'm sure they have a contingency plan, so I'm sure we'll have fun in spite of any rain storms that may linger.

car

I have taken the plunge and bought a used 2004 Grand Prix. It was out by Beck Road when I took a different route from Jxn to FH. It's my official Florida car, white, with tinted windows. Am keeping the 2001 GP for now as well. Getting ready to head west to Montana with Doug on Sunday, stopping at Glacial National Park and Yellowstone. Very happy about seeing more of the U.S.

Friends

For all you "Friends" fans: there is a free 20-minute download from iTunes where the stars talk about the show, their favorite parts, etc... I liked it, but I'm a fan.

Ultrasound is this morning on my leg to see what's causing the varicose vein and determine the best course of treatment. I meet with Dr. on Monday.

the hunt is on...

Well we finally decided, enough is enough with our living situation. We HATE living next to a disgusting hospital, with delivery trucks and dumpster pickups at all hours of the night. We're seeing more and more unfriendly roaches. Not to mention that our place is falling apart, and will soon fall into the alley. The back stairs are unsafe, and I'm sick of climbing up them.

Our hope is to find a smaller, cheaper apartment in the same neighborhood and save save save for a place to call our own. Since our lease is month to month on our current location, it gives us some freedom to find a nice place. I've started searching craigslist for rentals, but if that doesn't work out, I may just go to a rental agency and see what they have to offer. Stay tuned for the on going saga of....where will the o'connors live next??

I am finally here. We got home from WA yesterday morning but are having trouble with the AC in the truck. The truck is going over to the shop tomorrow morning to get fixed. This 'old lady' can't be without the AC. It was 113 in OR & 104 in ID when we came across saturday. Our new truck is working well otherwise. We love it. When I figure out how to post a picture, I'll put one up for all to see. Otherwise, we are doing good.

whassup

Things are going good and bad for me. Not sure I'll make it to the NL this month, so just briefly: Yes, I signed onto the blog. Want to keep track of Diana's pictures and my kids' entries. Was told by hand surgeon I have osteoarthritis at the base of my left thumb, and my typing days (for a living) are done. My left knee has bone spurs, which only get worse, and a cortisone shot has helped ease that pain for the time being. Did receive settlement of my lawsuit. Hooray! Life is good.

Happy birthday, Brent!!!

Hope it's a great one!

Tuesday

I've had 3 PT appointments; yesterday the PT said it may just be a pinched nerve in my neck and he worked it over. It does feel better today. I hope he's right; this is a much better problem than rotator cuff, I think.

Facebook

I'm so bad at updating over here, but if any of ya'll are on Facebook, you know we're battling our first virus. Poor Evan has had a fever since Sunday morning, doctor says his throat is likely sore, and he's got lots of congestion today. We're keeping the temp down with Tylenol and Motrin, and that seems to help. Until his fever is down entirely, he's contagious, so we're somewhat sequestered. We're not sharing binkies or spoons, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Rowan came down with it here shortly. She will not be as good-natured about it as Evan, I suspect. On the other hand, she's broke her first tooth with hardly a fuss, so maybe she's got my tolerance for discomfort and not her daddy's.

In the meantime, I'll keep babying my baby.

My friend Susan and her family arrive tomorrow, but I don't know when we'll get to see them outside of her brother-in-law's wedding Friday night. She has two kids under the age of 3, and I doubt she wants to expose them to what my kid(s) have. We'll see.

Scott has a work dinner tonight, and I have golf tomorrow night, so we're like two child care providers passing in the night.

Gus is status quo.

trip

We are near West Point Lake in Alabama. Our cabin was to rustic and Dad didn't want to stay there. We've traveled on and don't know where we will be tomorrow. Have to write the NL.
Yesterday there was no internet available at Valley Inn Resort room and if we had stayed at the cabin I would have had to go 1 mile to get on WiFi and I wasn't keen on that.

Michigan Map

Order a free Michigan state map at this link:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-9622---,00.html

i figured it out...woohoo

wow--that was pretty ez actually--mebbe i shouldnt brag...lol...i am glad to hear g'ma and g'pa takin a seat of the pants vacation--have fun!! wish i had a little extra cash we'd come see y'all--been to columbus several times when ii hauled hogs--very beautiful country. also glad to hear g'pa gettin round better. we are doin alright in ky. i reckon-is a beautiful day so guna go do something(prolly goo fishin---sshhh)lol. love y'all. enjoy yourselves g'pa and g'ma.

update

We are atCamille, GA tonight. Drove thru horrific rain storm today but we are fine. Western Motel had a handicap room with frig and micro, plus internet and I snatched it up.
We stopped for ice cream this afternoon so supper will be in the room tonight.
Expect to get past Columbus Saturday but nothing is planned.We've enjoyed today and Dad isn't quite as tired.

trip

SURPRISE! You're never too old to act spontaniously. We are having a great time not knowing what we will do next for this weekend. We stopped last night at Crystal River, Fl. on route 19. Found a hometown restaurant, Mama Sally's, and had a 2 for 1 supper and ate including tip for $15.00. You wonder what we had????????Roast port over homade dressing and gravy with soup and salad. We ate the meat, a little dressing(wanted lots more but sent it back) and we felt good.
Dad got more tired than he realized and I think today we will travel at a relaxed pace and maybe get to Florida border.
It is 8a.m. now and I've been up about one hour, Dad still sleeping. Time for me to continue my routine and get Dad some coffee from the office.
Stay tuned for the next surprise. Mom and Gram

Big News

Our parents just stopped here with their car full of stuff. They have rented a cabin in the woods near Pine Mountain, GA, for a week starting Monday. Dad was walking around pretty good and they were both having a good time already. I saw a picture of the cabin; it looks great. Mom said it is just 30 feet from the river. They took their computer so I'm sure they will be in touch.

NL

OK. I still like the idea of posting the NL here, but I'm not doing it this month because our letter is too long and I inserted a modified photo with text that wouldn't look the same. So you'll just have to wait until Jim sends it out.

Geese

Ray wanted me to show you our "Canada" visitors. These are only part of them.

Westphal NL

My daughter isn't the original rebel - she learned it from somewhere. Sounds like a good idea so I'm posting our NL, too. Enjoy!

Hello all,
First, thank you to all of you for acknowledging Ray’s and my birthdays and our anniversary. Your cards and e-mails and phone calls were very much appreciated. Those two weeks are jam packed with celebrating with the 4th thrown in for good measure. We are always somewhat glad when it is over. This year at the neighborhood party, during the fireworks show, one of the fireworks ignited on the wagon they were using to shoot them off and got Stacy’s (McConnell) husband in the face. He had some burns and a small laceration and ultimately a black eye. He was lucky that was all that happened. There’s a reason those things are ignited by professionals!

I’ve finished a month of physical therapy to relieve back and neck pain. It was wildly successful and took away almost all of my headache pain as well. I haven’t had any pain pills for three weeks. I wasn’t too certain they could do anything as I’ve lived with the pain for a number of years, but they certainly proved me wrong. I can actually cook dinner standing up now. That’s very BIG!!!

Ray has had a couple of trailers to deliver the past month and he’s taking one out tomorrow (for the second time – manufacturer’s error). He wants to spend a couple weeks at the RNR fixing some minor things and just enjoying being there. Paul may go up while he’s there and Ray has a couple of friends who have talked about meeting him to go fishing. That will be a unique experience for him – fishing with friends.

To all who have posted old photos on the blog and on Facebook, a great big THANK YOU! I love seeing the pictures even if I can’t remember the occasion when it was taken. You are motivating me to go through my own pictures (although I’m not quite there yet – just thinking about it).

Ray has increased his poultry farm to five chickens, two ducks and one goose. The goose is getting pretty old and can’t walk very well. Lately, we’ve had 20 – 30 Canada geese from across the road at the lake come over in the morning and they swim around in the pond with our goose. It’s funny to see all those geese in our little pond. Hopefully, they will clean it up a little.

I’ve had plenty of chances to see Tracy, Scott and the kids this month. I get to babysit often and the babies change daily. I even heard from Cody this month – he and his girlfriend are living and working in West Palm Beach. They aren’t very stable and move around a lot so I always appreciate it when he contacts us.

Guess that’s it for July. Enjoy the summer and do something you’ve never done before just for the hell of it.

Love you all - Ray and Sandy

Miller monthly NL

For giggles, I'm posting our newsletter contribution here. Not sure if this is what we'll do in the future, but just thought I'd "put it out there." I also emailed to Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jim - fyi. (If others want to do the same, you can copy/paste by using the "Edit Html" tab in the blog post entry window.)

Hi all,

I haven't written in a couple months, and don't remember what I've shared where (anybody reading my blog or the McQueen blog??) so forgive me if I leave stuff out or blather on about stuff you already know.

We've had a good summer so far. It's been very nice to get out and about, especially after being cooped up during pregnancy and then over the winter with newborn twins. We go on almost daily excursions, to the mall, to lunch with friends, to swim lessons, for walks, shopping, etc...etc. We've also had a lot of company, with Scott's mom making a visit in early June and the Pitts' in late June. We journeyed to Arkansas via car to visit Scott's family and the kids did wonderfully on the trip; all had a great time while we were there. Upcoming plans include a visit from my friend Susan and her family from California (they'll stay with her in laws in Bay City - Susan is E&R's godmother), another visit from Dianne, a wedding, and a girl's weekend to Alabama. Yes, that's right, I'll be leaving Evan and Rowan in Scott's capable plans for THREE FULL DAYS. I'm both excited and anxious about this...not that they won't be fine, but oh, how I will miss them! Anyway, it's needed and my mother-in-law will be there so if I really need to talk endlessly about the babies for a bit, there will be at least one person who will happily humor me.

Scott's job is going well, albeit busy. He was happy to have the vacation, but is now paying for it with catch-up. One of his salesmen retired this past month, so we went to a retirement party at the Dow Diamond corporate suite (home of the Great Lakes Loons) and had a great time. It was a beautiful night for baseball and it was fun to talk to some of his coworkers (and drink and eat for free.) His job appears to be secure, though there was a rash of layoffs a few months ago that effected at least one of our good friends. Outside of work, Scott hasn't had much time for anything else since he rushes home to spend time with us.

Evan and Rowan are growing like crazy...they're both still in the 90-95th percentile for height and weight, and are babbling nonstop. They are both crawling, and seem to be ready to start pulling up. They both eat (a lot of finger foods, even) and sleep well. Evan likes to walk assisted, and Rowan doesn't mind standing. Evan's MO is to just plow headfirst into new activities, while Rowan sits back and watches and then once she starts, she has very little learning curve. Little smarty. Anyway, they're very fun to be around; just ask them. They crack each other up constantly, and love playing together. If I take a toy away from them, there's hell to pay, but if their sibling does it, it's HILARIOUS!!! We're having a lot of fun.

I'm doing great. I've been able to carve time out each day to work out, am golfing once per week, see my friends a couple times for lunches during the weekdays, and really enjoy weekend time when Scott can join us. I really like being home with the kids. The only thing that has me a tad anxious is the constant cleaning I've had to do for all of the house showings we've had (14 to date.) But who am I kidding? I'm obsessive and like a clean house, so it's really just forcing me to do something I'd probably do anyway. I've had to see a foot doctor this past month for a callous on the bottom of my foot and a skewed toe. I've stretched out some ligaments along the way and there's nothing that can be done except wear some inserts in my shoe to take the pressure off the ball of my foot in one area. Oh well. All a part of aging, right?

Plans are in the works for the twins 1st birthday party on September 20th. I'm sending out invitations to friends and family that I think will be able to make it due to proximity, but if you are going to be in the area or would really, really, like to make the trip, all are welcome!!! Just let me know so I can plan accordingly for food, etc. We rented a pavilion at a park (with swings, etc...fun for kids!) since we didn't know where we'd be at that point, and it won't be a long party due to 1-year old's very short attention span, but it should be fun.

Well, that's it from our end. Things are well, and we are healthy and happy in spite of still owning two pieces of property.

Hope this finds you all healthy and happy as well.
Love from the Millers

PT

Had my 2nd PT yesterday. The evaluation indicated inflamation around the rotator cuff and I scheduled 4 appointments. They gave me home exercises to do.

update

Well, that man of mine improves everyday. He just got back with the mail,using the cart for the first time in 2 months. He is getting up and down good and walking daily. Miracles happen.
Luv Mom/Gram/G'G'ma

Hello from Toledo!

My manager contacted me on Friday afternoon to ask if I'd fill in as a second trainer for the Sears Road Show in Toledo. It's a two day event with six 45 minute trainings each day which is way too much for one person to handle - as a matter of fact, it's even a lot for two people! It's only the end of the first day and my voice is already "squeaky" from all the talking! I decided the best way to rest my vocal cords tonight is to make sure I don't talk, so I'm staying in and I've ordered room service.

Hopefully I'll have enough voice to finish tomorrow's training! :)

Super Sunday

Had a great birthday! Thanks to all for the cards and good wishes for both Ray and me for our birthdays and anniversary. With the 4th of July thrown in the mix, we've been celebrating for awhile! Today it's back to shopping and laundry. Yech!

Got to play (aka. babysit) with Rowan and Evan yesterday. Ray went with me and was a big hit with the kids. They couldn't quite figure him out (but then again, can any of us? :-) )

Enjoy my petunias with me! They are beautiful this year and really somewhat of a miracle since I've been known to kill a pot of petunias within a week.

Saturday Fun

Today's fun time along the Pigeon River was spent cutting down & cleaning up 6 large, overgrown pine trees. 4 to the north & 2 to the south.

We also admired our mulberry bush & carpathian walnut trees. Did not admire the numerous mosquitoes that enjoyed landing on me.

I also picked a couple handfuls of raspberries. They'll be more plentiful by next weekend.

Birthday wishes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR DESERVING GAMMA SANDY.
Goodness this should have been at the other end of the day but Mom couldn't resist sending you a bouquet of LOVE, Have a great weekend and give those babies a hug and kiss from G'G'ma. I miss all of you so much.

TGIF!

I'm quite proud of my twosome today...Evan has gone for 90 minutes now without pulling his aids out. I haven't put a cap on him yet! Rowan only made it 30 minutes or so, but it's a start. I think it's because they've gotten interested in so many other things as they've gotten more mobile. Rowan is now distracted by trying to pull her toy box over...she's been at it for 15 minutes. Evan has torn our playmat apart and is chewing on the edge of one of the tiles. So easy to amuse...

By the way, in case you missed it, Evan has a new tooth (now has two on both the top and bottom) and Rowan has one on the bottom. They're changing every day. I'm going to post a funny video of them on my other blog during naptime.

Scott and I are having a date-afternoon tomorrow courtesy of mom and Ray's babysitting services. We plan to have lunch and then golf 9-holes. He's been talking trash about his golf "skills" (hah!) so I'm going to have to take him down a notch or two. Can't wait...should be a fun afternoon and sorely needed.

Tuesday I finally have an appointment with a podiatrist about a dislocated toe and subsequent callous. It feels like I'm stepping on a rock with every step I take. Painful. I say I have nanoo-nanoo toes (think Mork from Ork) so hopefully they can discuss surgery options. I'm not ready for orthotics, which was another word the FIRST podiatrist mentioned to me. Only time in my life I've gone for a second opinion.

Have a good weekend all.

Follow-up

Vascular Doc wants an ultrasound of my icky vein - it's scheduled for the 23rd. Then I see him on the 24th for results. He said most treatment is by laser now and done as outpatient in the office. Yay for that.

I also meant to mention I learned that it is EASY to get rid of hard water stains with plain, cheap, white vinegar. I sprayed it on my bathtub, let it sit for about a minute and wiped it with a dry rag. It was really bad so I had to do it twice, but OMG - I couldn't believe it. Had to share the miracle.

Back to Hot & Sticky

Guess you all figured out we got home OK. We were told weather was the problem in Atlanta. A lot of people were in the airport there because they missed their connection. It was a madhouse; fun to people-watch. I saw a Physical Therapist on Wednesday for a sore shoulder that's bothered me for a few months. He poked and prodded until it was really sore then said something wasn't right. I have 4 appointments with him the next 2 weeks to see if he can help before referring to a surgeon. I'm seeing a vascular surgeon today about a varicose vein in my right leg that bothers me after jogging.

No plans for the weekend. I still have laundry to do from vacation!

Catch up

We haven't written for awhile but in our quiet world there's less to report.
Dad/G'pa did have his 6 week post surgery app. this week and surprised the doctor with his healing and ability to walk without a walking aid.
These last 2 weeks have been a revelation in strength gain and ability. We go shopping together and he wears me out.
I'm doing good as my CT scan came back with nothing found to report. No antibiotics at the moment and life is good.
Our rain has been slight this week but the heat has melted us down.

Home sweet home...

We got back from our Arkansas trip yesterday morning after driving straight through the night. It was a test in endurance for all of us, but Evan and Rowan did a wonderful job even if they didn't sleep the entire time as we had hoped. We were all tired yesterday, but managed to get unpacked and nap, as well as get an awesome night's sleep last night. The above picture was taken at a neighborhood kid's parade on the 4th. I think it was more for the adults than the kids, at least at R&E's age. It was fun, but hot. More details on our blog...email me if you haven't received an invitation to read that one. It's also private.

Today, laundry and grocery shopping. Yay.

I do get to have some fun tonight, though, since my golf league scramble was rained out last week. I didn't miss anything after all (I had scheduled a sub for last week.)

We have nothing planned until my friend Susan and her husband arrive from Los Angeles with their two kids on the 22nd. Then I'm sure we'll be spending as much time as possible visiting them during their stay with her inlaws in Bay City.

Wednesday

I'm glad to hear the Pitts made it home safely. Hope you enjoyed your vacation - you sure packed a lot in. Our weekend was quite lovely although our neighbor who was lighting the fireworks for the neighborhood party was injured. One of the 'crackers exploded on the wagon they were working from and caught him in the face. He has burns on his cheek, a bruise along the whole side of his face, and a small cut below his eye. All in all, he was darned lucky. Stick to sparklers, folks. They're a whole lot safer.

Ray and I went out twice for our anniversary and he is still incredulous that we've made it 18 years - not that I had any doubt. It just sounds like a long time! I still have the family picture taken that day on my wall. I think it is the last one taken with everyone there. Wow!

Leaving Ohio

We're in the airport in Dayton getting ready to board our flight. Vacation is at an end. Jason is picking us up at TIA. We're supposed to arrive at 7:39.

holiday weekend!

Hope everyone had a great 4th holiday!!  We opt to get out of the city to a far northern suburb called, Crystal Lake.  Our Aunt Sandee and the rest of the Giffels love having Flynn up there.  Her kids are between 7 and 13, and all three of them play with Flynn so well!  Saturday we went to a carnival and won some silly toys.  Sunday morning, Patrick, Uncle Dave, and I rented a boat at a nearby state park and got some fishing in.  I caught 2 pretty good size bass, Patrick caught 1, and Uncle Dave will have better luck next time.  The picture is my fish, but I was so shocked I got something so big, and not really prepared to grab it for the photo.  Pat's fish is about the same size.  After fishing, we attended a lovely parade then headed back to the city.  It was a great weekend!!  

Monday

One more day of vacation. Joni took today off work so we're going to a movie a bit later and then, maybe, some shopping. It is working it's way up to 83 today, but it sure is nice outside. We played "Baggo" or "Corn Hole" yesterday. It is a must to learn in Ohio. We forgot how great it is to put our feet in the grass - no fire ants, sand spurs, or other icks. Mozart wore himself out running around in the yard. We thought he'd chase the bean bags, but he was content with chewing and chasing his ball.

Eric & Mozart

They were playing hide & seek.

Guilty of Too Much Fun

We have been playing games. It was a wet 4th, but we had sparklers. See the pictures.

Pitts Update

Hello family! Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend. The rain put a crimp in our plans to see fireworks but we soldiered on in our festivities! :) We ordered pizza instead of grilling and we enjoyed a few libations while playing euchre. Then we went outside around 10:30 and lit up our sparklers. I think Diana is going to post some pics...don't try this at home - lol.

This morning, Mom and I went to the store and bought all the ingredients for a pot roast for tonight's dinner. Since Eric works a double tomorrow, this is our last family meal before they leave on Tuesday.

Today's plans include more fun and games. I used my birthday money to buy "Bagg-O" (a.k.a. "Corn Hole") and we plan on breaking it out in the yard this afternoon. And I'm sure there will be more adult beverages and cards to be played.

cow info

I thought I knew most cow facts, but here's one I learned at Fair Oaks: Cows have a great nose; they can smell things up to 6 miles away.

Added to Inquiring Minds

How about needing medical attention?Three weekends in a row Dad could have used OUR doctor but not ER........
What happened with the water system J&K?
Where are the Pitts and blogging>

Inquiring Minds Want To Know.......

why something with your house goes wrong on a weekend/holiday. Yesterday we woke up to no water. Boo. Hiss. Yes our plumber was able to arrive within 30 min. of calling him (the good thing about living in a small town) but still...............a holiday weekend. Heavy sigh.

Happy 4th of July

We don't have any plans beyond the neighborhood picnic across the road at the lake. It's usually a pretty big affair and ends with fireworks at dark. We can even see Farwell's firework show from the lake so it's pretty cool. I have my grape salad and peanut butter cake all made and nothing much else to do. Take care and be safe, everyone!

our vaca

I'm a bit late with this one, but hey...   Our camping trip vacation went great!  We arrived late Friday night in Pokagon State Park (IND).  Set up camp, and went to the store just as a downpour arrived.  Luckily, it had past by our return, and we all kept dry.  The state park had riding stables, a nice bike path, beach, and 3 different lakes joined together.  We rented a fishing boat early Monday morning and caught some fish!  I caught a bass!!  

We spent the night in Covenington KY, just across the Ohio from Cinci.  Enjoyed much pool time and an early bed time in a super comfy bed.  Then we were off to Carter Caves State Park in Olive Hill KY, about 170 miles east of 75.  

There wasn't as much there as the internet said, no beach or bike paths.  There was a pool, but you had to pay for it....boooo.  We drove to a beach one day.  The park has 6 caves I think, but 4 were closed due to some weird bat illness.  We managed to take a flashlight tour of the X cave, and it was a blast!  Flynn did great, and made the 6 and 7 year olds who were scared look like sissys.  There was a great little river that went through the park that you could walk in.  Flynn liked playing with the rocks the best!  

We ended up heading back to MI on Thursday due to the passing of Patrick's Grandpa.  He was 92, and died in his sleep.  We were able to make it back in time to pay our respects and see his whole family for lunch in Marshall where Grandpa was buried.  After that, we spent time with Pat's sister who came up from FL for the services.  My cousin had a grad party on Saturday, so we got to see all the Johns' too.  It was a great week of family, and fun!  Going back to work was difficult, but its still summer....many more adventures to come!!  

Ohio

We made it safely back to Ohio. Leaving Chicago wasn't as crazy, driving-wise, as our arrival. We would definitely recommend the Hampton as a place to stay; right in the middle of everything. We went out to Carrabba's (sp?) last night for dinner. Eric & Joni are working today; I'm doing some laundry and we are resting up from our adventures.

Leaving Chicago

We met O'Connors and Suzi at the Navy Pier last night for dinner & fireworks. We have had so much fun here. The last 2 days have been drizzly and cool, but didn't interfere. Here's some pictures of the kids at the Pier last night and Jerry & I at Maggiano's on Tuesday night.

We're headed for Fair Oaks Farms this morning - the one Mom sent the video about - then back to Dayton.

Wednesday

Another cloudy, cool day in Michigan. Di and Jerry, you took our sun away just by leaving! Ray is on the road in PA delivering a trailer and should be home tonight. Tomorrow he has to go to IN to pick up parts for Paul's company. Busy guy! Saturday is our annual neighborhood party across the road at the lake. Good times! Talked on the phone with Ray, Mom, and Tracy (twice) this morning already. It doesn't get much better than that!