Contortionist in training

Just call me a contortionist in training. I went to the doctor yesterday about my back and she asked me to bend this way and that way, put my foot up, bend my knee, turn, etc. When does it hurt? Well all the time, that's why I am here. So she said go off to x-ray and we'll take a picture and see what's going on.

Well, it wasn't one picture it was seven - three of the lower back and four of the upper (or maybe it was three of the upper and four of the lower - I'm confused but that could be chemo brain). Anyway, first it was easy, lie on your back and don't move. But watch the breathing. Sometimes they said 'hold your breath', sometimes they said 'breathe in, exhale, hold it', and sometimes they said 'stop breathing'. Then, they made it more complicated, bend your legs up, or lie on your side with your hands in front of you.

But my favorite was lie on your side with the arm on top straight down at your side and the arm on the bottom straight up over your head. I asked why and was told this is done to make your collarbone move out of the way of the picture of the upper vertebrae. Now all this was done while they would push and prod me to the right position. It was more fun than I needed to have. I felt all contorted by the end of that visit. I get to call today to find out the results but maybe a back doctor will be my next visit. To further enjoy myself, I went to the mall and finished my holiday shopping. That was fun (except the crowds, my back hurting, and needing lunch).

Today, I am going to the gym before the big snow storm arrives and then I am going to get my nails done and drive home in a snow storm. What fun, can't wait. But I will have nice shiny nails. Maybe bright pink?

However today I am also confused. They are messing with time and this whole leap second vs. the atomic clock business is way too complicated. Either we have leap seconds periodically, randomly. Or we switch to this atomic time which will make noon occur at night in future generations. Is GMT obsolete? Do we really care? The clock tells us important things like when its lunch time, if its too early for the cat to have dinner still, and if we are late for work. Do we really care about leap seconds? Anyway, just remember at the countdown for 2009, to add an extra second in there - I guess that means 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, pause, Happy New Year! See how confusing this is? Every one stop for one second.

Anyway, Happy New Year! See you next year!

Sound effects

The cat and all his sound effects have been returned to our house (after a very fur filled car ride). He goes click-click, click-click, click-click when he walks (so much for sneaking up on the mousies) because his claws need trimming. Then there is the snoring. He snores like a buzz saw. He very thoughtfully sticks his nose in my ear while sleeping and snores away. It is most restful (not). We also have the purring issue. It can be difficult to watch TV with him purring loudly but he is showing us how much he likes being home with us. Last, he makes a weird little grumbling noise to protest things. If he is sleeping on you and you need to move, he will stay there but grumble a bit. So much for peace and quiet.

Today I am off to the doctor. (How fun.) I have my list for the new doctor to fill her in on my 'brief' medical history. I also have a book, today's paper (because I overslept and didn't have a chance to read it), a bottle of water, and my shopping list for the mall (that is temporarily in a 'safe' place). I was hoping for a three month doctor break but it is only six weeks due to my back. Grrr... But then maybe I won't have any appointments in January. (That is looking a bit doubtful because if they want to do any tests or follow up, I assume it will be in January because there really isn't that much December left). Grr, grr, grr.

After the doctor, because I have not punished myself enough, I get to go to the mall. I need a few last Christmas things - family Christmas will be celebrated Thursday - and I need to return a couple of things and see if CPR can be performed on my cell phone. When I come home, I am sure I will be a in a peachy keen mood and will need to go for a walk to recover.

Yesterday I did go for a walk and pretended to clean the house. Today I will also have to do better at house cleaning. I am sure that will improve my mood as well.

Thoughts on air travel

After spending two fun filled days as part of the flying public, I do have a few thoughts on air travel and other travelers (of course I have to have an opinion.

- If you don't bring something to read or do while flying, please do not expect the 'lucky' people who are sitting next to you to chat for the entire flight.

- If you do manage to take a nap while flying, please don't snore.

- If you are traveling with a small child, why did you let them cry for the duration of TWO flights?

- You need to get some food in the airport before getting on the plane if you plan on eating more than a tiny bag of peanuts.

- If they tell you the policy is credit or debit cards only for your drink purchase on the plane, don't expect them to take cash from you. They won't. You won't get your drink.

- Please brush your teeth and use deodorant before flying. The other passengers will like you better.

- Yes all suitcases really do look a like. Label yours, look at the name on the baggage claim. If its not your name, put it back on the belt.

- Passengers do not really feel safe when the pilots tell them they deice planes and take off in raging snow storms all the time. It doesn't really make us feel better.

Yes, air travel is wonderful. I can't wait to do it again. In the meantime, before my next flight (in the unscheduled future), we have now done all the laundry, but not yet put it away. (Hey, we are most of the way there.)

All of a sudden I realized I was going to make treats baskets for Christmas and we are having a delayed celebration on Thursday here so perhaps it is time to start cooking. Unfortunately, Walter is still on California time and stayed up late. I went to bed early so I woke up early and decided it was time to get started on my cooking. However, cooking by the smoke alarm is not conducive to sleeping late. (And when you stick the smoke detector back up on the ceiling, if you don't do it right, it will fall on the floor.)

Anyway, today we return to our normally scheduled programming. I am going for a walk when I am done cooking by smoke detector. Then I will attempt to clean the house (maybe, maybe not). We will also retrieve the cat from his vacation home (my parents house) and endure four fun filled miles of meowing and shedding.

We've returned

We are safely home from CA with a pile of laundry, a million pictures to down load, and possibly a little jetlag. We'll just say that when we paid at the parking garage at the airport it was after 1am. Why I am awake is a mystery but I woke up and was accused of being 'perky'. So I did a little unpacking (removed the dirty laundry from one suitcase) and made coffee. Oh, and watered the plants.

All in all, we had a successful trip. We left in a snowstorm and the majority of it has nicely melted away while we were gone. We also enjoyed spending time with Walter's family. We did some local adventures in Sacramento and then went up to Placerville, in the foothills (halfway to Tahoe), and also spent a day at the wineries in Napa. We went to Mumm, Chandon, and Hess and sampled some quite yummy wine. We also had a nice Christmas day and dinner.

The travel portion of our trip was somewhat eventful. The snowstorm on the way out made us get one of the only flights in or out that day - and waiting for deicing always adds to the excitement. The return flight featured one of the longest, bumpiest approaches into an airport in a rainstorm/fog bank/clouds and hardest landings in a long time (BAM - we were there!) We did arrive only an hour late.

Today to compensate, I will be tired and crabby and take a nap at some point. I have had probably 5 hours of sleep but am not good at this sleeping late business.

Merry Christmas from California

We are having a nice vacation. We flew out through a snow storm (drove at 30 mph on the highway to get to the airport) but took off only about 45 minutes late - most other flights were canceled. Then we ran around the Las Vegas airport looking for our connection, which we thought we missed but it was delayed so we made it.

The weather here is warm. There are palm trees. There is snow in the mountains but rain here. Today we are having a big Christmas dinner. Tomorrow we go to Napa for the day - and its even supposed to stop raining. I am taking pictures and will post some when I get back.

We are in Rancho Cordova CA - where a house blew up yesterday in a gas explosion. We heard lots of sirens. Then we saw and heard the helicopter. We were fine. It was just the other side of the highway from our hotel. (Mental note to self: If you smell gas, get out of the house.)

I did break down and call the doctor for an appointment for my back. Why wait until I get home to see if she can fit me in so I decided to call this week from here? That was great logic but she has lots of appointments this week but is unavailable next week so I will see someone else. But I will see a doctor and maybe find out a reason for this so I can stop living on advil. So much for my three month doctor vacation. Its two back to back six week vacations instead.

Anyway, merry Christmas to all!

Christmas vacation

Yesterday we celebrated and early Christmas and opened our gifts to each other. This t-shirt is proof that my husband really does understand me. He also got me cashmere sweaters. (It is impossible to own too many cashmere sweaters.)

Today we are heading off to California for Christmas with Walter's family. Then when we come back, we will have yet another Christmas with my family. This sounds like a good idea - travel for Christmas and you get to have three holidays instead of one? Well, sure, no problem. Unless there is a snow storm due for the day you are trying to fly out. This is the weather forecast for today:

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WARNING COVERS WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE.

STORM TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED BY THIS EVENING.

And the winds are supposed to gust to 40-50 mph. We are leaving for the airport early because it is already snowing, bringing the newspaper, and planning on having lunch there. We may have more meals there depending on how long we get delayed.

Yesterday Walter shoveled snow and I supervised. I also made a pot of 'use up everything left in the refrigerator soup'. It has leeks, cabbage, onions, garlic, and pasta in it. I then froze it so it will be waiting for us when we get back.

In addition to being on vacation from the cat, we will be on vacation from the computer so I may not be updating for a few days. But I will post again once we return. Probably with lots of pictures as well.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Old fartism

This is a sign I have now reached old fartism. I had to break down and get a new one. I used to have a little pill box. Then all my pills and vitamins didn't fit so I got another one that was bigger. Now my pills don't fit again so I had to get another pill box. I am officially turning into an old fart. (When I start talking to myself with real conversations not just occasional muttering it will be time to worry.)

This morning I am contemplating all the snow that is outside. That I can't shovel. Bummer. I am so upset I can't go shovel snow. I will just stay inside where it is warm and sit at my computer. It is a problem though. Tomorrow another storm is due in the morning and we have a 1 pm plane from an air port that is an hour away. The storm is due to start around 8 am. I think we will get up early and leave when the storm starts. Then we will get to sit around the airport for an extended period of time I am sure.

Anyway today I think is a good time to pack for our trip. I haven't started yet. We have a party to go to this afternoon so I should pack before then. I will consider this.

Yesterday, kitty survived his big trip. As I carried him out of the house, the trash truck was going by which scared him even more. (He is such a wienie.) He shed all the way there. And then was fine instantly upon arrival. We also got to go out to lunch with my parents before the storm hit.

Otherwise, we are having our Christmas presents this morning with a special breakfast. I hope to get to the gym as well. Perhaps I can walk outside but it is snowy.