Cool morning..

This morning it is only 57 out now although it is still going to get up to the 90's. I'm wearing a new skirt that is layered since it won't get hot until later on and it isn't suppose to get real humid today.  I thought I'd write a quick blog before started work. I have to say I hate that I am not to do my regular exercise routines!  I sure do hope it won't be real hard for me to do after 10 days of not doing it.  And the walk I took on Monday evening hurt my stitches but I took it regardless. I guess the walking on the pavement movement was enough to make them pull with each step. I'm going to take one tonight too but since it has been two more days I am hoping it doesn't hurt much if at all by this point. Today is day 5 with stitches.

Hey I forgot to mention that we WON THE LOTTERY from last Saturday!  Woo hoo!!  But I can't quit my job yet as it was only $8.00.   At least I can say we won something!

We were perhaps going to get some severe storms that were stretching down from Dallas last evening, but we just got about 20 minutes of rain and that's it. Just enough to wet the grass but I'll take that over severe weather anytime.

Well off to work!

Tornado Alley becoming Tornado Moving Parking Lot?

Just last evening we were watching a show about doomsday preppers where a woman was spending $150,000 for a bunker to escape to should a nuclear power plant have a melt down.  It was a ton of money for something that I don't know she could even get to, should a tragedy like that occur. The only real solution was to just move into the bunker and already 'be' there. It just seemed really extreme to me although I understood the woman's yearning to have a place to survive for a year should a nuclear disaster hit.  But what happens after that year. What if there is nothing left when you come out?  No food, no vegetation?  And who knows how long nuclear fall out can cause illness/death?  Would it just be delaying the inevitable?  Who knows.

With all the tornadoes that are hitting the US, especially Oklahoma yesterday and today, I wonder if we all shouldn't just look into earth homes (homes built totally underground) with just a door/hatch that has a window that you can look out of, in order to get at least a little natural light!  The devastation that they show on the television to rows and rows of stick built homes is horrifying.  And that is just the structure destruction.  What is worse is the loss of life. 

There used to be Tornado Alley but with the tornadoes of late they spread all across the US anymore, not just mainly in Tornado Alley. It has become more like a Tornado parking lot in motion.  There was even a tornado in Massachusetts last year!  I don't know if it is due to global warming or what, but it does make me wonder if the conventional 'house' should be reconsidered.  I've heard about container houses that are those old metal containers no longer used and seems like those would be very sturdy.  I suppose they could be decorated on the inside well enough to not care how industrial and yucky they can be on the outside. 
 
Just some food for thought. The wave of the future may be an entirely different home!  We may be looking for flag poles sticking out of the ground with house numbers and last names on them to find our friends and family!

Warning - Graphic

Thought I'd share a photo of my procedure yesterday that removed a basal cell carcinoma area. It wasn't a few stitches after all but actually 6 on the outside anyway.  Wasn't real comfortable sleeping last night as I kept trying to not roll over to fast or hard but I roll a lot at night, just the way I am.  And just to let you know, my actual 'spot' was only a little larger than a pencil eraser, not as big as this looks like but they have to take the area around it to make sure only leave all healthy tissue.

Good news is that it is done and there should not be any more basal cell carcinoma at least not there anymore.  Sure wish I hadn't worshipped the sun so much as a teen! 

I am working (my desk job) this weekend which is just as well. Can't do anything strenuous so not doing any cleaning this weekend or replanting aloe plants either that are way overgrown and need to be split. Great excuse to take it easy on my body! :)  We haven't put the A/C on yet but it is suppose to get up to the 90's today so will probably put it on later, maybe even the system upstairs.  Oh I see it is 93 degrees now already.  Well, back to work.

Lunch Break..

I'm on my lunch break and thought I'd pop in to say I survived my procedure this morning.  What I don't like is that I got a call yesterday saying my procedure costs would be due at time of services (and I thought insurance would cover it). Apparently because it is a medical procedure and not a doctor's appointment it will only go toward my deductible. Luckily I had the $345.06 to cover it!  They should mention these things before they even schedule the procedures.  At least the nurse gave me 5 adhesive pads today to use after she told me to keep band aids on it when I retorted that I don't have any big enough (this is wider than a regular band-aid size).

The gauze bandage that was put on this morning is getting a little itchy but I'm trying to not bother it.  And it was more than a few stitches too. Probably more like 5 or 6, although I didn't ask.  The doctor (lady) is very nice and she was pleasant and chatty as was her nurse throughout the procedure, so that kept me at ease. One time though I heard scissors and asked her if she was using them and she said yes for the outer layer of skin.  I told her that I could do THAT!  LOL.  Anyway, it is done at least. Now more bandage and Vaseline applications for another 10 days. Oh I can't exercise either (my aerobics) as they do have some stitches inside as well and I don't want to pull/tear them.  So that will be really weird not doing my tapes for 10 days.  I can still walk (they said) so I'll do that but to this exercise addict it will be weird not doing my routine!

We didn't with the Power Ball the other day although no one did.  We didn't get more than 1 number right. But we are certainly going to play it tomorrow. Can't win if you don't play right? 

Short one..

Not going to be a long post because I'm tired!  Tomorrow morning I have an appointment to get that basal cell carcinoma on my chest removed. Wish me luck! :)

It is suppose to be a fairly quick, simple procedure. I've eaten half of the chocolate strawberries so far.  Had some loud thunderstorms last night but I won't complain. Some areas around Dallas had tornadoes! :(

Okay, nite!

Not Mother's Day but who CARES

Okay it is no longer Mother's Day per se but I just got a yummy gift from my oldest daughter and her fiance'!  I had two already and they are good!  And hubby doesn't like chocolate covered strawberries so I get them all for me!  YIPPEE!

Remember the plant that we left out all winter on the balcony covered with a black garbage bag?  That looked pretty much dead?  Well it is coming back !  See pics below!!

Here it is with dead leaves...

Here I have removed some of the leaves...

And LOOK!! New growth where I removed some of the dead leaves! Woo hoo!  It's definitely ALIVE!

Here's some more pictures of the zucchini that I started a few weeks ago too. Coming up very nicely!

Another Mother's Day

I love Mother's Day.  Why?  Because I know that on that day I will hear from both my girls, in one form or another.  And that makes my Mother's Day!  That reminder from them that they are aware how they even came to be....is nice!  Let's face it! Without us our kids would not even exist.  So here's to us MOMS!  :)))  

I also always go and visit my mother who is 86 now and I am not sure how many more Mother's Days I will have to celebrate with her. She is very thin and getting up there in years.  My dad has to make all the meals and such as she doesn't want to lift anything heavy and her back hurts if stands for very long.  But I am grateful that she had me.  I like my life, heck I love it most of the time.  And I love having two wonderful grown kids!..

------
Now that my youngest has graduated from college I am waiting to see if she will return home when her lease is up in a few months.  If she gets a teaching job elsewhere and doesn't come back to live that will be the end of my Empty Nester Countdown.  I will likely keep my blog and just rename it. It is fun to write about everyday life.  I feel proud of myself that I kept up this blog for the last 4 years.  Hope some others enjoyed following my story too.