Just sitting here with a cup of coffee.....

.....and thought I'd get a post off before I go to the grocery store. Not much going on but this is the first of my two days off and I'm thankful to be home. We have a cold snap again and will be in the 30's for the next three nights and then a warm up. That is a cold snap for Florida and we as well as the rest of the country are ready for spring!

Mandy is doing well. She seems a tad calmer, loves to lie on her back and get her tummy rubbed and is such a joy! I have to fix up my tiny bathroom for her while I go to work. The other night, I forgot to remove the toilet paper roll from her reach. It was almost a full roll and you can guess where it was when I returned. She had a wonderful time! It took me 15 minutes to clean the bathroom from the newspaper and toilet paper shreds. Ah well!

Mom is doing well. I have to keep reminding her to keep up with her water intake and with the change in med, her blood pressure is doing well. I will be so relieved to be home with her full time.

I've been getting a hint of Disney fever lately. The Epcot Flower & Garden Festival begins next month and it is always so lovely there at that time. I have a friend at work who wants to go so we may go for the day and perhaps one night if we can get some decent Florida resident hotel prices. My days of Disney vacations like I used to do are pretty much history for now. They were fun but at times I wish I had the money I spent on them. I could quit work tomorrow! Ha..Ha.

I've been talking to my daughter in Oklahoma a few times this week and she is reporting record snow dumps and low temps. Her area hit a state record for a low temp the other night with -28 degrees. I can't even imagine that kind of cold! I'm sure it did that in upstate NY while I was growing up but I wasn't aware of it.

Well, I guess I'll get going. Wishing everyone a safe and warm weekend. Cheer up - spring has got to come eventually. I try to remind myself at this time of year that in a few months, I'll be complaining about the heat. Take care..

Back to work and life goes on.

Life seems to be back pretty much to normal. Mom is doing better. I take her blood pressure each morning, make sure she's drinking her water etc. I feel like I'm pretty much a nurse at home and at work.

I finally am getting some better pictures of Mandy - at least some to show her sweet face. My older son says she looks like an Ewok from Star Wars. I tend to agree. Her little ears which were always down and flat to her head are now standing up most of the time like a Silky's does. She is the most energetic, rambunctious thing I've ever run across. I knew that having a puppy would be a challenge but I just didn't bank on this much energy! I'm enrolling her in puppy classes next month at our local Pet Smart. I can use all the help I can get! Potty training is moving along and she is getting better at it as long as I take her out right after she eats. Of course, when I have to put her in the bathroom for the length of time I'm at work, it's a mess to clean up but I comfort myself with the fact that it is only temporary.

Here she is with Purple Kitty - one of her favorite toys. She also loves an empty water bottle!

I know some of my friends up north will roll their eyes, but I'm ready for spring and warmer temps. Low 40s is pretty chilly for us down here in Florida. I can't imagine stepping outside my home to the kind of temps that some of you have been experiencing. I think we all will welcome spring with open arms this year.

Not much else going on right now so I guess I'll close and visit some of you all. Hope you're having a safe, warm day. Take care until later...

Lots going on....

It's been a very interesting and stress filled week. Saturday, Mom woke up very dizzy and it progressively got worse throughout the day. She couldn't walk without a lot of support and vomited and was in bed all day. Sunday she was really no better so I took her to a walk in clinic. They gave her some antibiotics, treating her for a possible inner ear infection. Monday, there was slight improvement but I took her to see her own doctor. One antibiotic injection and chest xray later, we were back home. Now, each day, she is improving a little bit. She is at least now walking better (with my help) and eating. I've not gone to work all week to stay home with her.

This week has been a foretaste of what retirement will be like - maybe not so much the doctor visits but the time of being home and having a routine. Mandy is doing well with me being home. We're on a feeding and potty schedule which helps matter tremendously. She is getting cuter every day. Her little ears which used to lay close to her head are now beginning to stand up. She's very energetic but also does well in her crates when she needs some rest or "time out".

This situation with Mom has solidified my decision to quit work a few months short of retirement. Right now my last day of work is July 1. It's interesting how this timing is working out. In God's timing in the Old Testament, 7 was significant for rest. Every 7th day was the Sabbath when you were to rest from your labors. Every 7th year, God commanded to not plant but let the ground rest for a year. 7 years x 7 is 49 years. On the 50th year, it was the Year of Jubilee when debts were forgiven and things that you lost were restored to you. It was also a celebration of rest. So, July being the 7th month - I will finally have my rest (at least from outside employment!)

Mandy's favorite past time.


Her favorite chew toy.

I'm sure some of you are still digging out from the winter storm that came through. My daughter and family in OK were inundated and I know some of you dear friends are in the same spot. Stay warm and safe, my friends.

Until later...