We got 5 eggs last week and then none over the weekend. I guess the layers wanted some days off of work too. We got one more egg yesterday and then two today. Today we have a dark brown egg as usual and then a really really light tan egg. And, my chicken of questionable sex is female! She laid the egg yesterday. I saw sitting in the nesting box and about 15 minutes later, when I checked again, we had an egg. I think I have at least two layers, maybe three now. My chickens tend to lay in the afternoon, sometime after lunch. I can tell that I have an egg somewhere as all the chickens run up to the fence, clucking like crazy...like they are so proud of what they just did. Too funny.
Sammy is in big boy underwear! He wears them all day long and we get through the day with only 1 or 2 accidents. I finally made the decision to push him a little on the potty training. We've been doing pretty well. We started last Thursday with this and have been in underwear almost the whole time. Hopefully we will stay with it. He still wears a diaper at night, but that's okay. He's still pretty little.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The fruit of my labor
Why is it when a chicken lays an egg I feel so accomplished? Yes, I ordered the chicks and have cared for them, fed them, kept the coop clean and dry, gave them fresh water, and protected them from harm...but nothing I did really produced the eggs. As long as they survived to an egg-laying age, the hens would make eggs. That's what they do. Doesn't matter...I am pleased as punch for the four eggs in four days that we have gotten. They tend to appear in the afternoon, and today's egg was actually in the nesting box! It's a big deal as the first one was just inside the coop, second on the ground under the coop, third on the ground next to the waterer... I was concerned that we would just keep moving farther and farther away from the coop. I have no clue who is laying or even how many are laying...but I think that it is just one hen right now.
I had a rough evening tonight and I am feeling sorta gloomy. I did manage to get part of the basement painted. I hope to do a second coat tomorrow sometime so that the furniture can be moved and the other half can be painted. I plan to scrapbook tomorrow evening so I will have to do it during the day.
I need to go to sleep as I am tired and dozing while typing.
I had a rough evening tonight and I am feeling sorta gloomy. I did manage to get part of the basement painted. I hope to do a second coat tomorrow sometime so that the furniture can be moved and the other half can be painted. I plan to scrapbook tomorrow evening so I will have to do it during the day.
I need to go to sleep as I am tired and dozing while typing.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A rainy Thursday
I don't really have much to say, but just wanted to share a few things.
I got my stitches out on Tuesday morning. My scar has calmed down a bit and is just an ugly pink scar that should fade within a year or so. I still don't have a lot of strength in my hand if I try to put weight on it, like pushing up from the floor, etc. This was caused by the nature of the surgery and I just have to build everything back up. But I am happy to report that I am pretty much pain free for the first time in 5 years! I still have a tiny bit of tingling in my middle finger, but the dr said that should go away within the next month or so...if it is going to go away at all. I could have a little bit of nerve damage because I waited so long to do the surgery. However, this tingling is so slight, I can certainly deal easily with it. Previously, the smallest tasks caused tingling and minor pain (tasks like brushing teeth or eating) while bigger tasks like painting a room or riding a bike would end up causing really bad pain. My whole arm would hurt sometimes. I just dealt the best I could, but I am certainly wishing I would have done this long ago. It is so nice!
The new tile floor in the entryway and the replacement tile in the bathroom was ready to be grouted on Monday evening. Jay didn't do it. He watched tv instead. Okay. Tuesday, Jay took Joe to cub scouts and then returned home to watch tv. Not okay. We don't have a toilet in the full bath and have to climb over the wall in the entry without touching the landing in order to get in or out of the house. Yesterday morning, while Tom was at preschool, I grouted the floor. (Pain free!) It turned out really nice and I finished the job today with the grout sealer. As a side note, the grout sealer is called "One Step Grout Sealer". There are 5 steps listed on the application instructions. Even if you just pretend that the only step is to spray it on, you still have to do two coats before it is done.
My kids tend to use superlatives incorrectly so we've been trying to work on it a bit. We've been working on the word "best" this week. Joe asked who was the best kid. I explained that each kid was the best at something different. He wanted examples. This is what I came up with on the fly.
Joe- The best helper of projects
Tom- The best eater
Sam- The best toy picker upper
I think my three boys are all the best, but it was kinda hard to come up with something that each one was the best at in our house. Competition isn't really my thing.
I got my stitches out on Tuesday morning. My scar has calmed down a bit and is just an ugly pink scar that should fade within a year or so. I still don't have a lot of strength in my hand if I try to put weight on it, like pushing up from the floor, etc. This was caused by the nature of the surgery and I just have to build everything back up. But I am happy to report that I am pretty much pain free for the first time in 5 years! I still have a tiny bit of tingling in my middle finger, but the dr said that should go away within the next month or so...if it is going to go away at all. I could have a little bit of nerve damage because I waited so long to do the surgery. However, this tingling is so slight, I can certainly deal easily with it. Previously, the smallest tasks caused tingling and minor pain (tasks like brushing teeth or eating) while bigger tasks like painting a room or riding a bike would end up causing really bad pain. My whole arm would hurt sometimes. I just dealt the best I could, but I am certainly wishing I would have done this long ago. It is so nice!
The new tile floor in the entryway and the replacement tile in the bathroom was ready to be grouted on Monday evening. Jay didn't do it. He watched tv instead. Okay. Tuesday, Jay took Joe to cub scouts and then returned home to watch tv. Not okay. We don't have a toilet in the full bath and have to climb over the wall in the entry without touching the landing in order to get in or out of the house. Yesterday morning, while Tom was at preschool, I grouted the floor. (Pain free!) It turned out really nice and I finished the job today with the grout sealer. As a side note, the grout sealer is called "One Step Grout Sealer". There are 5 steps listed on the application instructions. Even if you just pretend that the only step is to spray it on, you still have to do two coats before it is done.
My kids tend to use superlatives incorrectly so we've been trying to work on it a bit. We've been working on the word "best" this week. Joe asked who was the best kid. I explained that each kid was the best at something different. He wanted examples. This is what I came up with on the fly.
Joe- The best helper of projects
Tom- The best eater
Sam- The best toy picker upper
I think my three boys are all the best, but it was kinda hard to come up with something that each one was the best at in our house. Competition isn't really my thing.
Friday, October 9, 2009
This and that
So for the past few weeks, I haven't posted any updates on Jay's trip to Australia as it as been changing daily. Plans seem to have settled down and are penciled in. Nothing is firm yet so it could change again next week when the VP's go to Australia for a meeting. The current plan is that he will be heading out around November 13 and returning about Dec 15. Jay had been saying that he would be gone a couple of weeks, but now it looks more like a month. Jay is going to miss Joe's b-day, Thanksgiving, and my birthday. Kind of a bummer. I had been planning a weekend away for Jay and I during my birthday weekend. We aren't going to get much time to ourselves once we move since we won't have any sort of babysitters. I really wanted some time to ourselves.
Of course, I have already reserved and paid for my weekend away in November to scrapbook with some friends. Now I will have to try to find a babysitter for the boys.
Other recent news: Little Bit (one of our cats) had been doing better with her litter box, but then about 2 months ago, she peed and pooped on the rug upstairs. I got frustrated and put both cats downstairs so that they could be closer to the litter box. That worked for about a week, but for the last 6 weeks or so, Little Bit just keeps using the little box less and less. Totally gross! We have taken her to the vet and tried everything the vet has suggested. Her health seems to be declining in general. Finally, this week, I had had enough. Little Bit and Mash are now outdoor kitties. We fixed them up a very nice area outside and they seem to be starting to adjust, though the first few days were very stressful on them.
Of course, I have already reserved and paid for my weekend away in November to scrapbook with some friends. Now I will have to try to find a babysitter for the boys.
Other recent news: Little Bit (one of our cats) had been doing better with her litter box, but then about 2 months ago, she peed and pooped on the rug upstairs. I got frustrated and put both cats downstairs so that they could be closer to the litter box. That worked for about a week, but for the last 6 weeks or so, Little Bit just keeps using the little box less and less. Totally gross! We have taken her to the vet and tried everything the vet has suggested. Her health seems to be declining in general. Finally, this week, I had had enough. Little Bit and Mash are now outdoor kitties. We fixed them up a very nice area outside and they seem to be starting to adjust, though the first few days were very stressful on them.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
All went well, I guess...
So I can only guess that all went well during my surgery on Friday. I was told to dress in clothes appropriate for my surgery so I wore a short sleeve shirt. It didn't really matter as I had to remove all clothing (undergarments too!), even my socks and wear a hospital gown and the hospital socks (their socks have non-skid things on them). The doctor came in briefly while the nurses were doing my pre-op stuff and that is the only time I remember seeing him. I wasn't nervous at all about the surgery, until the nurses and everyone start going over the risks of the medications. You know, mild risks like headache, nausea and severe risks like stroke and major risks like death. Nice. I just kept telling myself that everything was going to go just fine. The anesthesiologist came in and explained her part to me. She said she would watch my breathing and if I started having any problems, she would put a mask on me. If I stopped breathing, she said she would be the one to put a tube down my throat.
Once I was wheeled into the OR, the nurses and assistants started prepping me and the tools. They attached some monitors for my heart and blood pressure and lungs. The anesthesiologist gave me the meds in my IV and said it would help me relax. They laid the bed back all the way and I remember listening to my heart rate on the monitor and that's it. The next thing I remember is lying in the bed as I am pushed down the hall to the second recovery room and being told to get dressed. A male nurse was going to help me get dressed, but a female nurse peeked in and asked if they could switch patients. I was really out of it still but I managed to get dressed. Now, this is when I finally noticed that I had an oxygen tube in my nose. It wasn't there before and they hadn't said it was going to be there unless I had problems. Does that mean I had problems?
In the recovery area, I was finally given my discharge instructions. The doctor had previously been fairly vague, only saying that I had to have supervision for 24 hours after surgery and to wear an ace bandage until the stitches come out and a brace at night after that. What he failed to tell me:
1) To rest and do nothing for 4 days
2) No driving for 10 days (WTF!)
3) Ace bandage can be rewrapped if too tight, but I am not to remove or change the bandage/dressing underneath. This will be removed when I have my stitches removed in 10-14 days. (Do you know how dirty this is going to get?) I have to wear a bag over my arm whenever I bathe or shower or doing anything involving water.
4) Swelling can be extreme and the hand could tingle for up to months after the surgery. I had the tingling and pain before the surgery. That's why I had the surgery. Now you're telling me I could not know for months afterwards if it worked or not?
Jay drove me home where my mom was watching the kids and my dad was working on the entryway floor. Except, my parents took the boys out to lunch and no one was there when we got there. They didn't leave any sort of note about where they were going so there was the moment of panic that something had happened to one of the boys.
They were home shortly after we were.
I was really tired and just wanted a nap. Jay started helping my dad and Sam does what he always does after being away from me. Climb all over me. He does fine being away from me, but once I am back, he can't leave me alone. As I am trying to sleep, my announces she is going to go have her nails done about the same time that Jay and my dad announce they are going to Home Depot. Ummmm, that's not going to work. Mom stayed here. She did her own nails while Sammy watched. Mom was going with a fellow teacher to a gala in Baltimore on Friday night so she wanted to look good. I finally went to my room and crashed. While I was sleeping, Tammy Sames brought me flowers, chocolate and a card. She is such a sweetie. I woke up just after Joe got back from school.
I helped pack up Jay and the big boys things for the weekend. It is the weekend of the cub scout pack's family campout. Jay, Joe and Tom went. While I was packing, my mom was doing her hair and makeup and was showing Sammy how to do everything. She left the bathroom for about 1 minute to say something to my dad. Jay happened to walk past the bathroom as Sam was dumping the nailpolish remover on the floor. He was trying to put it on the same cotton things my mom did when she did her nails. Thankfully, Sam didn't get any in his eyes or mouth, but he got it all over his clothes and the rug.
Jay and the big boys left and my mom left. Dad, Sam and I ate dinner and then Dad and I watched season 1, disc 1 of NCIS while we waited for mom to get back. I went to bed at 10:30 and mom still wasn't back yet. She finally showed up after 11:30 or so. It was a long drive for them to get home to Cambridge after I left, but they did make it safely.
I was fairly out of it when I got ready for bed last night due to the pain meds. I removed my bra and put on pjs and went to sleep. When mom showed up, I did wake up and move around a bit. That's when I noticed something poking me in my breast. It was one of the little monitor things. How did I wear it for 12 hours and not notice it?
When I woke up this morning, I was in a lot of pain since it had been about 8 hours since my last pain pill. It was really really hard to get the bottle open by myself, but I did manage it finally. When I got dressed this morning, I noticed a scratch on my thigh. It starts on the top on my thigh, mid way down and runs all the way around to the back of my thigh. It wasn't there Friday morning. I didn't see it in the dark Friday night but I don't think it happened it bed. I think it happened during my surgery. But how?
Without the Vicodin, I am in severe pain. With the Vicodin, I am really really sleepy and nauseous. The swelling is much much better today and the tingling is less. It took me very very long to type this since I am doing it one handed. If I wasn't bored, I wouldn't have done it I guess.
Once I was wheeled into the OR, the nurses and assistants started prepping me and the tools. They attached some monitors for my heart and blood pressure and lungs. The anesthesiologist gave me the meds in my IV and said it would help me relax. They laid the bed back all the way and I remember listening to my heart rate on the monitor and that's it. The next thing I remember is lying in the bed as I am pushed down the hall to the second recovery room and being told to get dressed. A male nurse was going to help me get dressed, but a female nurse peeked in and asked if they could switch patients. I was really out of it still but I managed to get dressed. Now, this is when I finally noticed that I had an oxygen tube in my nose. It wasn't there before and they hadn't said it was going to be there unless I had problems. Does that mean I had problems?
In the recovery area, I was finally given my discharge instructions. The doctor had previously been fairly vague, only saying that I had to have supervision for 24 hours after surgery and to wear an ace bandage until the stitches come out and a brace at night after that. What he failed to tell me:
1) To rest and do nothing for 4 days
2) No driving for 10 days (WTF!)
3) Ace bandage can be rewrapped if too tight, but I am not to remove or change the bandage/dressing underneath. This will be removed when I have my stitches removed in 10-14 days. (Do you know how dirty this is going to get?) I have to wear a bag over my arm whenever I bathe or shower or doing anything involving water.
4) Swelling can be extreme and the hand could tingle for up to months after the surgery. I had the tingling and pain before the surgery. That's why I had the surgery. Now you're telling me I could not know for months afterwards if it worked or not?
Jay drove me home where my mom was watching the kids and my dad was working on the entryway floor. Except, my parents took the boys out to lunch and no one was there when we got there. They didn't leave any sort of note about where they were going so there was the moment of panic that something had happened to one of the boys.
They were home shortly after we were.
I was really tired and just wanted a nap. Jay started helping my dad and Sam does what he always does after being away from me. Climb all over me. He does fine being away from me, but once I am back, he can't leave me alone. As I am trying to sleep, my announces she is going to go have her nails done about the same time that Jay and my dad announce they are going to Home Depot. Ummmm, that's not going to work. Mom stayed here. She did her own nails while Sammy watched. Mom was going with a fellow teacher to a gala in Baltimore on Friday night so she wanted to look good. I finally went to my room and crashed. While I was sleeping, Tammy Sames brought me flowers, chocolate and a card. She is such a sweetie. I woke up just after Joe got back from school.
I helped pack up Jay and the big boys things for the weekend. It is the weekend of the cub scout pack's family campout. Jay, Joe and Tom went. While I was packing, my mom was doing her hair and makeup and was showing Sammy how to do everything. She left the bathroom for about 1 minute to say something to my dad. Jay happened to walk past the bathroom as Sam was dumping the nailpolish remover on the floor. He was trying to put it on the same cotton things my mom did when she did her nails. Thankfully, Sam didn't get any in his eyes or mouth, but he got it all over his clothes and the rug.
Jay and the big boys left and my mom left. Dad, Sam and I ate dinner and then Dad and I watched season 1, disc 1 of NCIS while we waited for mom to get back. I went to bed at 10:30 and mom still wasn't back yet. She finally showed up after 11:30 or so. It was a long drive for them to get home to Cambridge after I left, but they did make it safely.
I was fairly out of it when I got ready for bed last night due to the pain meds. I removed my bra and put on pjs and went to sleep. When mom showed up, I did wake up and move around a bit. That's when I noticed something poking me in my breast. It was one of the little monitor things. How did I wear it for 12 hours and not notice it?
When I woke up this morning, I was in a lot of pain since it had been about 8 hours since my last pain pill. It was really really hard to get the bottle open by myself, but I did manage it finally. When I got dressed this morning, I noticed a scratch on my thigh. It starts on the top on my thigh, mid way down and runs all the way around to the back of my thigh. It wasn't there Friday morning. I didn't see it in the dark Friday night but I don't think it happened it bed. I think it happened during my surgery. But how?
Without the Vicodin, I am in severe pain. With the Vicodin, I am really really sleepy and nauseous. The swelling is much much better today and the tingling is less. It took me very very long to type this since I am doing it one handed. If I wasn't bored, I wouldn't have done it I guess.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Surgery, etc.
I go in tomorrow for my carpal tunnel surgery. It should be a quick proceedure, only about 15 minutes, but I have to be at the hospital for 2 hours before and at least an hour after. My parents will be hanging with the kids and Jay will be with me.
Of course, I have spent the last 4-5 days really stressing out my hand. Lots of painting is really hard on it. I rode my bike on Monday with Joe and Sam and that is hard on it too. I can't wait for it to feel better. I have almost forgotten what it feels like for my hand not to hurt. My doctor said there is a small risk that since I waited so long for surgery that I could have some permanate nerve damage. I really hope that is not the case. I tried lots of therapies before resorting to surgery. It's been about 5 years now. Of course, if it all works well, I will kick myself for suffering for so long before doing anything.
I probably won't be posting much for several days. I have to keep my hand wrapped until the stitches come out. I also don't want to overwork it any so that it heals correctly.
I started back on Weight Watchers 2 weeks ago and I have lost almost 8 pounds! Hopefully, I will stay with it this time. I am not going to the meetings yet. I am just doing it online. It is cheaper to do it online than to do it with the meetings. Less than 1/2 as much.
My sister-in-law is showing up this evening to crash on the couch. She has to catch a flight early in the morning so she has to get up at 4 am.
Jay is playing poker tonight so he will be out late. This game has been planned for almost a month. One of the guys who used to play moved to Ohio and he is back this week. He knew he was coming so they planned ahead.
We have some relocation people coming to our house in the next week or two to estimate storage, shipping and moving costs. I am a little nervous now. It is getting so close! Jay is going to Australia in November. I asked when in November and he said probably around Thanksgiving. Well, that's not so cool because the weekend before Thanksgiving I am going away with some friends for a scrapbooking weekend. I have already paid my full fee and book my hotel room. I really really want to go. I don't know what I will do for a sitter though if Jay is gone. Jay thinks he will be gone for Thanksgiving. Of course, we just planned last week to have Thanksgiving with his family this year. His uncle will be in town for a few weeks from Cambodia so Jay's aunt Janet is planning a Thanksgiving feast at some point. They don't know if it will be on Thanksgiving or not yet.
Of course, I have spent the last 4-5 days really stressing out my hand. Lots of painting is really hard on it. I rode my bike on Monday with Joe and Sam and that is hard on it too. I can't wait for it to feel better. I have almost forgotten what it feels like for my hand not to hurt. My doctor said there is a small risk that since I waited so long for surgery that I could have some permanate nerve damage. I really hope that is not the case. I tried lots of therapies before resorting to surgery. It's been about 5 years now. Of course, if it all works well, I will kick myself for suffering for so long before doing anything.
I probably won't be posting much for several days. I have to keep my hand wrapped until the stitches come out. I also don't want to overwork it any so that it heals correctly.
I started back on Weight Watchers 2 weeks ago and I have lost almost 8 pounds! Hopefully, I will stay with it this time. I am not going to the meetings yet. I am just doing it online. It is cheaper to do it online than to do it with the meetings. Less than 1/2 as much.
My sister-in-law is showing up this evening to crash on the couch. She has to catch a flight early in the morning so she has to get up at 4 am.
Jay is playing poker tonight so he will be out late. This game has been planned for almost a month. One of the guys who used to play moved to Ohio and he is back this week. He knew he was coming so they planned ahead.
We have some relocation people coming to our house in the next week or two to estimate storage, shipping and moving costs. I am a little nervous now. It is getting so close! Jay is going to Australia in November. I asked when in November and he said probably around Thanksgiving. Well, that's not so cool because the weekend before Thanksgiving I am going away with some friends for a scrapbooking weekend. I have already paid my full fee and book my hotel room. I really really want to go. I don't know what I will do for a sitter though if Jay is gone. Jay thinks he will be gone for Thanksgiving. Of course, we just planned last week to have Thanksgiving with his family this year. His uncle will be in town for a few weeks from Cambodia so Jay's aunt Janet is planning a Thanksgiving feast at some point. They don't know if it will be on Thanksgiving or not yet.
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