Sunday, February 28, 2010

Happy March!

Hello Everyone! Things are great with me! I'm actually enjoying all these snow days...it's so nice to be called in the morning and told to go back to bed! Ha! I'll live in the moment and enjoy the free time when I can get it.

School is good. I'm really looking forward to our new school. I took a tour last week and it's really coming along...and So Big! We're hoping it will be ready in May for our Honor's Night but we'll see.

I'll be taking two classes this summer towards my Master's. Other than that, nothing else exciting is going on.

Ted...thanks for the math puzzle! It was an easy one but I just might use it in 2012 when Leap Year comes back around. The answer? If the year is divisible by 4, then it is a Leap Year. Let me know if there's a faster way!

And finally...Happy Birthday to Scott on Monday!

Hugs to All!
Sherri

Saturday, February 27, 2010

I am not sure if anyone is reading this or not....but I will keep posting news about mom as I get it. As a result of her previous symptoms, she had a echo-cardiogram run a week ago. Ted talked with Jim this week and he felt that everything was normal for a 93 year old person. There is a little 'mild' valve leakage but he felt it was nothing to be concerned with. He said he would like to send the results on to mom's cardiologist and have him take a look at them. On Thursday of this week, we went in to see a cardiologist. He agreed with Jim and said that mom is doing great for her age. No problems. He conferred that her water retention was very mild and she appears to be responding to the water pill. He checked her and said that her ankles and legs were not swollen at the time we were in there.
She asked him why her legs are so shaky and why she has no ambition....his response was the same as Jim's....you are 93 years old.
She is also having trouble with her vision, but that is a result of the macular degeneration. I think she is coping pretty well with all of these things, but I think when she sits and dwells on them it gets her down a little.
She also had a visit with her gyenecologist. She has been wearing a 'pessory' for years to help with dropped bladder and whatever else drops at her age. She has to have it removed and cleaned about every three months. The doctor found a small irritation behind it and decided to leave the pessory out for a while to give the irritation time to clear up. Hopefully she won't have any trouble while this device is out. It can be such a nuisance.
That is about all for now. Can't wait for spring around here. So much to look forward to.....
sun.....warmth.....sun.....blue sky.....did I say sun?

Julie and Corey are getting ready to work on their new house. How exciting! Perhaps we can post some pictures soon.

When you get time, let us know what is going on with each of you.....and if you get a minute,
give mom a call or drop her a line.

bj

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Mom's follow up.....and...Snow

Hi, Everybody,

I took mom back to Dr. Schneider today for her follow up check up.
This morning, she said that her left arm started hurting her last evening and it was quite sore. Amy has been a great 'on-call' nurse for mom but because of the symptoms that she has been experiencing, we decided to take her back in for her follow up visit rather than wait till later in the week. Dr. Schneider (Jim) was pleased with her progress. She had lost 4# since last week's visit, her 'shortness of breathe' had improved and the vein in her neck no longer appeared distended. He did not know what was causing the pain in her arm, but felt certain after a thorough examination that it was not heart related. He sent us to have her blood work and x-rays redone so that he could compare them with the ones we had done last week. He also ordered an echo-cardiogram which we will have done tomorrow.
Overall I would say that she is feeling better than last week, and I think the medication he has her on will help to keep her from retaining fluids.
I think all of this has made her a little tired, but other than that I think she is doing quite well.

I will use this blog to keep you posted on her -(among other things). Checkback often to keep up with her progress.

The snow is beautiful. Yesterday I felt like I was stuck inside a snow globe and someone was shaking it constantly. Hope you all are able to enjoy it, though. We have been enjoying watching the neighborhood kids sled ride and snow board in the back yard. Kim and Amy and the kids were over one day last week, and we really enjoyed watching all of them! They have had a perfect year for it. Some of the kids built a snow ramp yesterday (probably from watching too much olympics) , but can't seem to get it all perfected yet. I heard tonight on the news that we will perhaps have more on Sunday......ssshhhh! don't tell Kim.

We talked briefly with Todd this afternoon. I hope he will be able to post some pictures of what it looks like in Washington. He said he had a 15 foot pyramid in his side yard. It is where the city has 'dumped' a lot of the snow that they have scrapped from his street. All is well with him and Ken is continuing to slowly improve. That is of course always good to hear.

Linda, I was not able to find a picture of the bird you were talking about. We have a plethera of starlings or grackles or whatever you call them. They are driving us nuts!!
I have had a yellow bellied sap sucker who has been visiting regularly. He/she is not particularly beautiful, but I just love to say....."yellow bellied sap sucker". Try it....it's fun!

Larry, I am still looking forward to something from you and Trenda. I know your hours are crazy right now, but perhaps soon.......

That's it for now. Stay warm and be careful when you venture out in the snow. bj

Monday, February 15, 2010

Snow.....Snow....Snow.....Everywhere


Let it snow........let it snow......let it snow???????
Who said that???????


Well, here we are again. The third major snow storm in 10 days.....and Todd has had more than we have...I thought everyone might enjoy these pictures.

You can view an enlargement of these by clicking on the photo. More.....




I think we may have found the cause of all this.......it may be the new deck furniture we bought...see below with the snow covered screens........




We hope everyone can enjoy the moment......and that this may be the last snow this year. Enjoy and be careful

Friday, February 12, 2010


Larry there is a photo in the tool bar just above the box you use to compose your posting. If you move the sursor on it ,it says,add image. The above photo I added was taken from "MY Documents" file in subfolder, "my Pictures".
Above photo from Wednesday when everyone came over to sledride.
Good Morning Everyone!!
Hope this finds you all well and happy on this beautiful Friday. I thought I'd let all of you that feed the birds to be on the watch for a Yellow-Rumped Warbler. We have one that showed up on Wednesday and has stayed here all day every day since. He is eating just on the suet feeder, and seems a little shy, so the other birds keep him on the move quite a bit. He's very pretty and I got a good picture to show you all when we next get together. Look in your bird books to see a picture of him. Mine is a young one, but can see the yellow spot on his head starting to develope. I also had a Rufous-sided Towhee eating right on my feeder. He's very pretty also, and the first time he has gotten on the feeder. Usually eat on the ground. We had a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker on our pear tree. He came for a couple days, but has not returned. Also got a picture of him. You can see all the holes he drills around the tree. I've also had a Cooper's Hawk that flew down and killed a female Cardinal right in front of me. I wish they would stay in the woods where I don't have to see this. Scared the warjeebies outta me!!
Well, that's about all for the wild life around here. Haven't seen any deer or turkey this year at all. Do miss watching the deer. Watch for the different birds you may get at your feeders. I get so excited and spend a lot of time with camera in hand trying to get a picture of them all. Such fun and a real good excuse for not getting anything done!!
Take care and let me know if you spot anything in your yard that is "new" to your neighborhood.
Love, Linda

Thursday, February 11, 2010

First Attempt

Hi everyone!!
This is my first attempt on the family blog, so I am going to keep it short. Just wanted to know a couple of things.
1. The messages from you all comes to my regular e-mail at ltdue@insightbb.com, and when I signed up from the invitation, it required me to have a google e-mail address, which I already have. Which account do I use to post blogs?
2. How do I post pictures?
3. Let me know if you all got this.

Love,

Larry and Trenda

Monday, February 1, 2010

I will be trying Linda's recipe for pork tenderloin this week. It sounds really good. Linda has also inspired me to dig out my cross stitch and work on an old project. I forgot how much I enjoyed it.

I just finished a book that I really enjoyed, so I thought I'd pass it on. The name of it is
"The Help". It is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's. It is about the relationship between 'southern ladies' and their black housekeepers/nannies. It is really good. Try it. Now I need another good one....any suggestions from anyone?

The sunshine over the past few days has given me new energy to face some of the many
jobs and chores around here. Can't wait for spring. Kim was walking in her yard a little today and discovered that her crocus are starting to poke through the ground. Won't be much longer now; although we are probably due for another snow fall or two.

I talked with Gail Mark this week. She is very excited to have a family reunion.
I guess we are the only family she has outside of her kids and grandkids.
She would like to have all of us over to Susan's house sometime in late April or May.
Susan lives in Mason, Ohio which is up beyond TriCounty Mall.
I offered that perhaps they could all come to Mom's birthday as I was pretty sure that we would all be together then and we could have a nice visit here on this side of the river.
She will be in touch to make further plans. I'll keep you all posted.