Saturday, April 02, 2011
Back Home for Cake!
On April 2, my daughter Maria married Johnny Rasimas, to start a new life together.
This is a backward story of their wedding.
After the wedding on the beach we all came back to their beach house on Law St for wedding cake. There was actually two, one her friend Vickie had sent which is pictured here. It was Maria's favorite carrot cake. And another beautiful white wedding cake that Michelle Hinton, Johnny's sister, furnished. Both were delicious.
Feeding each other as man and wife.
Kelsi like the top of the white cake.
Great Aunt Linda holds Keira.
Krisit is having a baby daughter this month.
Meagan enjoys eating her cake while Keira gets passed around.
Canber and James share the cake.
Loving couple, Meagan and Matt.
Keira grabs Tanner's finger.
The carrot cake--so good.
Keira with a hat!
A farewell hug.
The Sunset Wedding
The Sunset Wedding
Beautiful setting in Pacific Beach at the end of Law Street.
The clouds had come in but this scattered the crowd. We had the beach to ourselves.
Mike read a poem.
Pulsiphers look on as Kelsi tends the Rose.
Masseys wed in 2007.
Masseys and the Cousins
Thee I Wed.
I Love You! Maria wrote the beautiful vows that James gave. It was very romantic.
It's a Commitment!
Maria, Camber, Linda
Maria, with sister-in-laws Michelle and Camber and sister Linda
Maria with mother-in-law and Mom
Maria with sons Mike and Matt
with Johnny's parents
Gathering for the Wedding
Kelsi
Maria and Meagan's baby Keira
Hardys, Stewarts, Pulsiphers, Hintons
Matt and friend Kara and daughter
Maria and Johnny ready for the big day...
Lea Hardy, Mike Valko
Camber and Jimmy Hardy
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Phone Again
My phone came yesterday (I had broken mine) and Gary programmed it, took it to Verizon to put in all my contacts and preceded to buy a blue tooth, car charger, and a very strong cover for my phone. I shouldn't have any breakage problems again. Linda and Gary have done so much for me, how can I ever repay them?
I have decided also the two people in my life who I can always call when I need a morale boost is Carole and Myrna. They are the best empathizers in the world. And they listen to me. I wish I had those kind of skills. I tend to try and solve people's problems with advice and no one likes that. I must try harder to be the kind of listeners and boosters that they are.
I have decided also the two people in my life who I can always call when I need a morale boost is Carole and Myrna. They are the best empathizers in the world. And they listen to me. I wish I had those kind of skills. I tend to try and solve people's problems with advice and no one likes that. I must try harder to be the kind of listeners and boosters that they are.
Something to Remember
I have realized yet again that people do not really want to have personal information emailed to them. They are happy to send an impersonal 'joke' or 'Get Well Soon' but please, not too much information.
So I have lots of time on my hands and write a few emails to friends about what is going on in my life. What do I get back? One liners or nothing! People do not want too much informtion, it is a burden I think that they might have to do something about. We all stay a 'distance' friendship. I wish I could find the article I just read about Facebook, that emphasizes that very thing. Email is the same way.
We are all supposed 'share each other burdens'. In reality, do we? From my experience, I don't think so. We are a "don't get involved" generation.
It would be lovely if people wanted to call and entertain me with a little conversation. I will have to remember to do that for someone else when they are recuperating...
So I have lots of time on my hands and write a few emails to friends about what is going on in my life. What do I get back? One liners or nothing! People do not want too much informtion, it is a burden I think that they might have to do something about. We all stay a 'distance' friendship. I wish I could find the article I just read about Facebook, that emphasizes that very thing. Email is the same way.
We are all supposed 'share each other burdens'. In reality, do we? From my experience, I don't think so. We are a "don't get involved" generation.
It would be lovely if people wanted to call and entertain me with a little conversation. I will have to remember to do that for someone else when they are recuperating...
The Nurses
My doctor had his once in a year Pheasant Shooting Retreat outside Gorham on Friday and Saturday so arranged for another ortho dr to monitor my release.
The substitute doctor's nurse came down and in addition to the pain medication she was ordering I asked her if she would order my flunisolide nasal solution. She said it was not a problem and glanced briefly at the bottle. I asked her if she had gotten that written down. She said, "Oh, I know that is the generic of Flonase". I commented that I did not know that.
When Linda brought the medicine back from Wal Mart I saw that it was Fluticasone Propionate 50 mcg. Gary said this sounded like a cortisone type spray. When I looked it up and then the Flunisolide I noticed the Fluticasone had a lot more serious warnings about it. I would not open it.
Now, I am not sure what the difference is, they are both cortisone type but definitely one is stronger than the other,
Wal Mart would not take the medicine back and it cost $48!! I left a message on the nurses's phone and she called back on Monday, all cheery. 'Well, we try', she says. 'I will order the other one' and asked me to read it to her. I reminded her that it had cost me $48. She said she would try and get the pharmacy to give me a credit.
Later, I called Wal Mart and yes, they had the new order and it was $43--no credit. So, yes, I am bummed out. And I think it is extremely dangerous to have a nurse who is so cavalier about prescription mistakes!!!
Carrie was also not a stellar nurse. I had told her to send the pain prescription to Wal Mart in Santee. She couldn't find the phone number but noticed I had last year had prescriptions sent to the Poway store so assumed I had made a mistake and sent it there!!!!
Now I would like to tell the Drs about their charming but inefficient nurses, but how?
When I had the mortgage company I had two rules I expected the processors to follow.
1--Never Assume
How dangerous in the financial business (and nursing) when someone 'assumes' something that is not true. So often people do not want to appear dumb so instead of getting the correct answer they 'assume' and this cannot only waste time but make costly mistakes.
2-Know What You Don't Know
Here again, instead of thinking you might appear dumb, say, "I don't know, but I will find out." or "Would you please let me write that down and read it back to you? I want to make sure I have it correct."
I hammered this over and over and when a mistake was made this way, I said, "I don't care whose fault it was, what are you going to do about it?" People are so quick to start with the, 'It was not my fault.' that they forget the bigger picture of 'solving the problem'.
I just watched the story of JFK and the PT boat accident and the reason he was a hero is that instead of 'blaming' or 'moaning' and 'complaining' he tried to solve the problem and saved everyone's life. Too often in life our thoughts and efforts are spent on the wrong things.
The substitute doctor's nurse came down and in addition to the pain medication she was ordering I asked her if she would order my flunisolide nasal solution. She said it was not a problem and glanced briefly at the bottle. I asked her if she had gotten that written down. She said, "Oh, I know that is the generic of Flonase". I commented that I did not know that.
When Linda brought the medicine back from Wal Mart I saw that it was Fluticasone Propionate 50 mcg. Gary said this sounded like a cortisone type spray. When I looked it up and then the Flunisolide I noticed the Fluticasone had a lot more serious warnings about it. I would not open it.
Now, I am not sure what the difference is, they are both cortisone type but definitely one is stronger than the other,
Wal Mart would not take the medicine back and it cost $48!! I left a message on the nurses's phone and she called back on Monday, all cheery. 'Well, we try', she says. 'I will order the other one' and asked me to read it to her. I reminded her that it had cost me $48. She said she would try and get the pharmacy to give me a credit.
Later, I called Wal Mart and yes, they had the new order and it was $43--no credit. So, yes, I am bummed out. And I think it is extremely dangerous to have a nurse who is so cavalier about prescription mistakes!!!
Carrie was also not a stellar nurse. I had told her to send the pain prescription to Wal Mart in Santee. She couldn't find the phone number but noticed I had last year had prescriptions sent to the Poway store so assumed I had made a mistake and sent it there!!!!
Now I would like to tell the Drs about their charming but inefficient nurses, but how?
When I had the mortgage company I had two rules I expected the processors to follow.
1--Never Assume
How dangerous in the financial business (and nursing) when someone 'assumes' something that is not true. So often people do not want to appear dumb so instead of getting the correct answer they 'assume' and this cannot only waste time but make costly mistakes.
2-Know What You Don't Know
Here again, instead of thinking you might appear dumb, say, "I don't know, but I will find out." or "Would you please let me write that down and read it back to you? I want to make sure I have it correct."
I hammered this over and over and when a mistake was made this way, I said, "I don't care whose fault it was, what are you going to do about it?" People are so quick to start with the, 'It was not my fault.' that they forget the bigger picture of 'solving the problem'.
I just watched the story of JFK and the PT boat accident and the reason he was a hero is that instead of 'blaming' or 'moaning' and 'complaining' he tried to solve the problem and saved everyone's life. Too often in life our thoughts and efforts are spent on the wrong things.
The Downside
The downside. Sunday morning I woke up with such terrible pain on my left side leg and I was frightened. I lay there for a long time and when Linda came down I asked her to stay home with me, I didn't want to be alone and I was frightened.
She did stay home and got me settled with some lovely music to listen to and and made sure I had my pain pill and I told her I wanted another blessing. She said Gary and the home teacher would do it when they came back from church. In the meantime she had also called James and he said he and Jacob were coming over.
Finally I realized what the pain was. Remember I had been having left backside and side leg hurt so much when I came back from Sacramento and I realized this pain was the arthritis--the pain in my legs from the nerve pressure was gone but this is the arthritis I had been treating from carrying too heavy of bags. He had warned me this problem will not be solved instantly by this operation as the pain in the legs but it would take longer as it had nothing to do with the pressure on the nerves. I had also read that but had forgotten. Anyway They had taken the antiinflammatory drugs away from me because of the possibility of bleeding and she said to wait a few days before I started it again. Well, that was the problem.
Linda called Gary and he said there was no reason I couldn't start taking that again by now. By the time James had arrived I was feeling much better and less frightened but I told him I needed a blessing of comfort and alleviating this fear I had. Gary wasn't home yet so Kelly asked if Matt (her fiance) could do the anointing. Gary walked in just as they were to start and Matt backed away but I asked him to do the anointing anyway. Kelly just beemed. James gave me the most beautiful blessing I think I have ever had. Really strengthened me and made me feel loved. He's a keeper.
My leg is miraculously much better and I feel ok again. Though I do think I was up too much yesterday.
Linda didn't mind staying home. She has had such a hard week. She's a keeper,too. and now I am going to take another nap. They are giving me a free phone, it is in the mail! Took a little persuasion.
Note: On Tuesday I called the Nurse Carrie--Asst to Dr. Thorne. She said the nurse upstairs should not have told me to stop taking the ibprofen, "another person said she had told her the same thing". She said the ibprofen actually helped more than the pain pill for the leg aches. She said, "I better tell those nurses up there." I think so. Fridays and weekends are not a good time to be at any hospital I have decided. It is all the "extra weekend" help.
She did stay home and got me settled with some lovely music to listen to and and made sure I had my pain pill and I told her I wanted another blessing. She said Gary and the home teacher would do it when they came back from church. In the meantime she had also called James and he said he and Jacob were coming over.
Finally I realized what the pain was. Remember I had been having left backside and side leg hurt so much when I came back from Sacramento and I realized this pain was the arthritis--the pain in my legs from the nerve pressure was gone but this is the arthritis I had been treating from carrying too heavy of bags. He had warned me this problem will not be solved instantly by this operation as the pain in the legs but it would take longer as it had nothing to do with the pressure on the nerves. I had also read that but had forgotten. Anyway They had taken the antiinflammatory drugs away from me because of the possibility of bleeding and she said to wait a few days before I started it again. Well, that was the problem.
Linda called Gary and he said there was no reason I couldn't start taking that again by now. By the time James had arrived I was feeling much better and less frightened but I told him I needed a blessing of comfort and alleviating this fear I had. Gary wasn't home yet so Kelly asked if Matt (her fiance) could do the anointing. Gary walked in just as they were to start and Matt backed away but I asked him to do the anointing anyway. Kelly just beemed. James gave me the most beautiful blessing I think I have ever had. Really strengthened me and made me feel loved. He's a keeper.
My leg is miraculously much better and I feel ok again. Though I do think I was up too much yesterday.
Linda didn't mind staying home. She has had such a hard week. She's a keeper,too. and now I am going to take another nap. They are giving me a free phone, it is in the mail! Took a little persuasion.
Note: On Tuesday I called the Nurse Carrie--Asst to Dr. Thorne. She said the nurse upstairs should not have told me to stop taking the ibprofen, "another person said she had told her the same thing". She said the ibprofen actually helped more than the pain pill for the leg aches. She said, "I better tell those nurses up there." I think so. Fridays and weekends are not a good time to be at any hospital I have decided. It is all the "extra weekend" help.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Red Quilt
Something funny, I always take my red flannel quilt traveling with me as I love to nap under it. I noticed that when I came back from Sacramento Kelly had it in her car and Sarah likes to come and get it to watch tv under, which is fine.
However, Tanner and I spent a little time Friday night teaching Bandido that this would now be his bed and he could not cry to get on my bed. Finally by 10 pm when I turned out the lights he was prone on the red quilt on the floor and seemed happy about it. (I can't lift anything over 5 lbs for the next 10 to 20 days)
When I woke up later to go to the bathroom, the red quilt had been stolen from underneath Bandido!
When he woke up later, he looked around very bewildered.
Note: I found out later Sarah and her friend had taken it as they were sleeping on the couch.
However, Tanner and I spent a little time Friday night teaching Bandido that this would now be his bed and he could not cry to get on my bed. Finally by 10 pm when I turned out the lights he was prone on the red quilt on the floor and seemed happy about it. (I can't lift anything over 5 lbs for the next 10 to 20 days)
When I woke up later to go to the bathroom, the red quilt had been stolen from underneath Bandido!
When he woke up later, he looked around very bewildered.
Note: I found out later Sarah and her friend had taken it as they were sleeping on the couch.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
So That Is What.s Wrong With Me
I remember Marjorie saying something about I should find out why my legs ached so much when I walked. I called her to ask he what she meant. She said that her mother-in-law had that problem and it turned out her inner leg artieries were completely clogged and filled with placque, etc.
Since I am very concerned I will not be able to do this job of traveling to the field for SBA because of my not being able to walk without pain and having difficulty manuevering in the airports because of my bad back I decided to call my heart doctor about the artery tests I had last year. The receptionist said the doctor was not available but his assistant Melinda could meet with me Friday morning.
Melinda is so thorough, she asked me so many questions and she had retrieved the tests. When she found out I was in so much pain on my backside, she told me she wanted me to see a back doctor before we did anymore about the legs. She said that may be my problem. I had not thought about that. She also said the tests from last April showed the clogging to be mild. She made an appointment for me with a Doctor Thorne.
I found out I need to have a lumbar laminectomy because arthritic calcium is pressing on the nerves and causing the leg pain!! Eureka!!!
Since I am very concerned I will not be able to do this job of traveling to the field for SBA because of my not being able to walk without pain and having difficulty manuevering in the airports because of my bad back I decided to call my heart doctor about the artery tests I had last year. The receptionist said the doctor was not available but his assistant Melinda could meet with me Friday morning.
Melinda is so thorough, she asked me so many questions and she had retrieved the tests. When she found out I was in so much pain on my backside, she told me she wanted me to see a back doctor before we did anymore about the legs. She said that may be my problem. I had not thought about that. She also said the tests from last April showed the clogging to be mild. She made an appointment for me with a Doctor Thorne.
I found out I need to have a lumbar laminectomy because arthritic calcium is pressing on the nerves and causing the leg pain!! Eureka!!!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
SBA Training
I flew to Sacramento on Feb 6 and a Robert W picked me up at the airport. Turns out he was the youngest person in the training (there were only 9 of us and 1 went home, so 8) and I was the oldest as usual. We stayed at the Homewood again and they gave me one of the rooms for the handicapped on the first floor. I love that because you don't have to climb in and out of a tub to shower, you have this really roomy shower room. In 2009 a lady had an accident in the tub, so I am sure they have learned to just put the old people in the showers for the handicapped. Works well for me!
The first day of training we all went to a Chinese lunch and we had bought fruit and such at Whole Foods the night before. I also bought some gluten free cookies but...they have a lot of artificial stuff in them. Something I ate really disagreed with me and I had an explosion just before I was to meet my ride in the morning. There was such a mess and I had to totally shower again and redress and left a big mess for the cleaning lady. That is so scary to me that certain food affects me like that. I was panicked the rest of the week and on the plane home.
The training was excellent and also included of day of Closing procedures--no more having special escrow people come out in the field, it will be the Customer Service Reps. They also gave us a jacket and two shirts and really act as if they will call us. Are they expecting more hurricanes this year? They say there has been a three year slowdown in disasters. Right now they have 284 workers and want to have 450,
Saturday I had my face threaded, which I love having done and my toes pedicured and met Melissa and her friend at the mall to eat (forgot my camera). My legs ached so much I had a hard time walking though.
I flew home on the 16th and James and Camber picked me up and I drove their car to their home as they were headed for the Bahamas on a trip they had won! My back was aching and I did not feel well at all.
The first day of training we all went to a Chinese lunch and we had bought fruit and such at Whole Foods the night before. I also bought some gluten free cookies but...they have a lot of artificial stuff in them. Something I ate really disagreed with me and I had an explosion just before I was to meet my ride in the morning. There was such a mess and I had to totally shower again and redress and left a big mess for the cleaning lady. That is so scary to me that certain food affects me like that. I was panicked the rest of the week and on the plane home.
The training was excellent and also included of day of Closing procedures--no more having special escrow people come out in the field, it will be the Customer Service Reps. They also gave us a jacket and two shirts and really act as if they will call us. Are they expecting more hurricanes this year? They say there has been a three year slowdown in disasters. Right now they have 284 workers and want to have 450,
Saturday I had my face threaded, which I love having done and my toes pedicured and met Melissa and her friend at the mall to eat (forgot my camera). My legs ached so much I had a hard time walking though.
I flew home on the 16th and James and Camber picked me up and I drove their car to their home as they were headed for the Bahamas on a trip they had won! My back was aching and I did not feel well at all.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Meagan and Matt's Baby
Picture sent by Sarah Chipps to Facebook.
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Hard Times
I have to remember because I always forget. I am very lonely when I come to San Diego. Last year I had Kelsi, this year I don't even have her. I should just stay home, yes, I am lonely there, but it is expected. I am alone. Somehow I always think it will be different down here.
Everybody has their life. Everybody lives so far a part. It costs me too much down here and unless I have money to spend for clothes, etc I am just stuck on the computer which I can do at home.
I thought I would be so focused and work on scanning, on finishing my quilt, on sewing. I don't want to do any of those things. I do much better at home just doing my own thing.
I thought I would get out and exercise and eat less. I still weigh the same as when I came down a month ago. So obviously nothing is working... I thought I would spend some time with Meagan in anticipation of the baby but not so.
My legs ache so much when I walk, I just can't get any good exercise. Bummer. Hard Life. Not happy anywhere anymore.
Everybody has their life. Everybody lives so far a part. It costs me too much down here and unless I have money to spend for clothes, etc I am just stuck on the computer which I can do at home.
I thought I would be so focused and work on scanning, on finishing my quilt, on sewing. I don't want to do any of those things. I do much better at home just doing my own thing.
I thought I would get out and exercise and eat less. I still weigh the same as when I came down a month ago. So obviously nothing is working... I thought I would spend some time with Meagan in anticipation of the baby but not so.
My legs ache so much when I walk, I just can't get any good exercise. Bummer. Hard Life. Not happy anywhere anymore.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Bad Day!!!
Today was a bad day for me! The restoration to my new computer from my on line back up was just 9 hours away from being complete when the new computer started freezing. After many attempts to get it up and running strong, I called Toshiba. We did a system restore with no loss to my data, however, still freezing up.
Three Toshiba reps later I was finally convinced we would have to do a system restore and lose all my data and programs I had put in the last two days. Ok, I was resigned to that.
However, I had bought Microsoft Office 2010 and installed it and now I can't find the key card!!! I called Microsoft because I do not have the receipt with me to run over to Walmart. Always helpful, they said if I faxed in the receipt tomorrow, they would replace it with a new disc, not just a card. Cost would be $23 plus $5 postage. Not bad, for a $200 loss!
First I will travel across town tomorrow to get my receipt--it is at Linda's house--and I am at Maria's house today, a loooong way a part. I wonder if the Walmart near Linda's house will help me or will I need to go to the Walmart near Maria's place, a loooong way back?
Not to mention all the work of having the restoration done. A friend suggested no lap top has enough memory to hold all of my pictures and maybe that is what caused the freeze. How will I know that until I have everything restored and it starts freezing again. So frustrating. I can say with all honesty that computers have been such a delight to my life for the last 25 years but they have also caused me more frustration than anything else in this world, with printers coming in a close second.
Three Toshiba reps later I was finally convinced we would have to do a system restore and lose all my data and programs I had put in the last two days. Ok, I was resigned to that.
However, I had bought Microsoft Office 2010 and installed it and now I can't find the key card!!! I called Microsoft because I do not have the receipt with me to run over to Walmart. Always helpful, they said if I faxed in the receipt tomorrow, they would replace it with a new disc, not just a card. Cost would be $23 plus $5 postage. Not bad, for a $200 loss!
First I will travel across town tomorrow to get my receipt--it is at Linda's house--and I am at Maria's house today, a loooong way a part. I wonder if the Walmart near Linda's house will help me or will I need to go to the Walmart near Maria's place, a loooong way back?
Not to mention all the work of having the restoration done. A friend suggested no lap top has enough memory to hold all of my pictures and maybe that is what caused the freeze. How will I know that until I have everything restored and it starts freezing again. So frustrating. I can say with all honesty that computers have been such a delight to my life for the last 25 years but they have also caused me more frustration than anything else in this world, with printers coming in a close second.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
The New Computer
- A couple of months ago Melissa observed my computer was probably due for a crash, from what I had told her about it.
- My friend Mary Anne told me about backing everything up with Carbonite (which I did).
- Last week I received a certificate from Walmart for 0 interest financing on a computer.
- Then the back of my computer broke.
- I did a survey on Microsoft to see what requirements I needed for a new computer, considering my activities.
- Mike and I went shopping for those specs and found some possibilities at a Walmart near his home.
- I reviewed the requirements I needed with possibilities Online.
- It takes too long Online...I need it before I leave on the 7th, all set up.
- Then I did a survey to see if any of the possibilities I wanted were in a local store. I zeroed it to two.
- One was in the Walmart store near Mike, One was in City of Industry in L A, all the rest were Online only.
- I bought the one at Walmart for 0 interest financing and Mike helped me set it up with cross over from my old computer and it is now restoring from Backup with Carbonite.
- Sounds like Destiny, doesn't it...or good planning and research...Which?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Kristi's Fun Bunch
Kate, Kristi, Ryan, and Mike Stewart
Kriti's Blog is a must to keep up on. This last week is especially charming about the Christmas in Wyoming. What a beautiful place and what a beautiful family, great pictures, Kristi, thanks for keeping us current with the Stewarts.
Melissa--Another Writer in the Family
Another interesting blog to read, my granddaughter Melissa. She has written quite a few insightful blogs and poems and recently did the 30 Day expose'. Very interesting, Melissa. And you should definitely keep writing and you should definitely take up dancing and go back to your acting, you were fabulous. We saw her in some high school plays and she was so good!
I wish all the grandchildren would keep up their writing because they really are all individuals with different kinds of talent and I, for one, like to hear about their lives. They may seem dull to them, but they are very intersting to me.
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