Snippets UPDATED

Why am I off today? Because I have to work tomorrow morning. I was half tempted to go into the office anyway, to get ready for Monday and make it a paper day, but then reason returned and I decided to actually take advantage of a day off and take. the. day. off!

So I've run errands. This morning I wore my new flannel pajamas to drop D off at school. They are men's gray with white stripes. StW calls them my Auschwitz pajamas, and suggested perhaps I shouldn't be driving around in them, especially with a donut on the car and a flat in the trunk, in case I hit a pothole and need to call AAA or maybe he was afraid the fashion police would stop me. Me, I figured what the heck, I'm long past getting someone to change my flat through batting of lashes.

I have spent the last couple of week-day days off working on my dad's health care issues. Yesterday, via fax, I received a copy of his most recent labs and the MRI of his brain. Then I spent time on the phone with my brother, strategizing. Today I have spent considerable time on the phones with doctors and medical offices, trying to get an appointment for Dad with an Endocrinologist (unbelievably hard to find there) and when I finally lined up a few to call, they were either booking out into the next decade, or didn't accept his insurance.

Finally, some poor MD who happened to answer his own office phone because he was there doing paperwork on a day the office was closed, was held prisoner on the phone as I told my tale of woe. Much to his further misfortune, when he asked how I got his name, I was honestly able to answer that I was a nurse and we'd once had mutual patients, and he responded by taking my name, my dad's name, and asking me to call his office on Monday to "see what we can do." Trying to book a doctor's appointment, where I live, during the week of Holy Thursday and Good Friday would be no problem at all, just avoid Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, but in the Catskill Mountains of NY, it seems Easter week is a short work week. All this from this same doctor who suggested the following week might be more convenient. ("Sorry, I already have flights booked.")

Let's just keep our fingers crossed.

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I love the 2 back to back episodes of LOST on Thursdays. The first is really last week's episode (for those of us with attention span issues) but the bonus is the pop up crib sheets on the bottom of the screen. They give hints, refresh one's memory, and pay homage to -mostly- scientists whose names have been assigned to characters (just in case this escaped our notice). This week I also have a new dilemma: the end of the show left me almost liking Ben. One must not like Ben!! But for awhile now I've noticed his acting ability, and yesterday he actually brought a little *tiny* smile, much to my chagrin!

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The big news this week, for any football fan, has got to be the retirement of Brett Favre. 17 years. Green Bay must be in mourning. Everyone else likely wishes they had had him as quarterback all these years. The Bears had something like 23 quarterbacks during that time! Green Bay is our arch enemy, (the only good thing about our past season was that we beat Green Bay both games) but who doesn't love this future Hall of Famer, who STARTED EVERY SINGLE GAME FOR 17 YEARS?! If I had the opportunity I would thank Brett Favre for 17 years of excellent football.

Brian Griese went to the Buccaneers, Rex Grossman got a 3 million dollar, one year contract. (S H O O T me now.) Booker is coming back to Chicago, a few other changes were made, I'll spare you, but the second biggest news OF NOTE, was that StW does not have nfl.com bookmarked on HIS computer! Imagine! (I know he thinks I'm nuts.)

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Guitar Hero III is likely going to be the straw that breaks my fragile back. It isn't even the music, as anyone who has a kid playing this knows, it's the manic tapping sounds on the guitar itself. Who would have thought that could possibly be more annoying than hearing the kid try to beat the Devil on Expert for the gazillionth time? (Which he's done now, BTW.)

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GROUP was exceptionally great this week, raucously funny, (picture both therapists knowing all the lyrics to HAIR, then going from repeating every other verse to actually breaking into song together and singing the whole thing) and out loud laughter is always such good medicine, to very serious when we were down to business, to supportive and helpful. Every week I think I want to resign, every week I know it's one of the few really good things I do for myself. (There's a waiting list to get into Groups.)

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Today is cold and snowy and sunny all at once. I've already packed my coat away. It's March, the month of Spring. I am refusing to wear a coat. Most days I just look like an idjit now though, but whatever!

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Have I mentioned that D's post secondary school has contacted us and in spite of himself he is ready for admission as his background check, driver's license check, and high school transcripts, showing a stellar GPA of 1.95 have all passed muster (or been ignored) so the loan application is in the mail, so to speak.



Have a great weekend!

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PS: Dad's got the car and has been "missing" all day.

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Dad is home and was very happy to speak to me. We talked for about 10 minutes. StW noted afterwards that he LOVES hearing me talk to my Dad. The flip side of that is the deja vu of the old mother / daughter issues creeping in. I hate that there has to be a downside to this newfound and however-long-it-is-it won't-be-long-enough time with my Dad.

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NEWSFLASH!

D asked me if I'd like some oatmeal. Not really, but I said sure because I don't think HE'S ever offered to make ME anything, EVER. So he asked if I'd like it hot or cold. (Hot) Milk or water. (Milk) What flavor. (Not blueberry and no mixed ones.) So he made me some peach (instant) oatmeal, brought it to me, then made me taste his (mixed flavors in cold milk, gross.) It was so sweet though. The best part? He didn't want anything! He actually sat and chatted a few minutes, and, get this, asked me personal questions. I mean, not PERSONAL questions, just questions about things normal people would talk about. I know my excitement sounds crazy to some of you, but it was HUGE to me. In turn, I watched him play guitar hero for awhile. In fact, even StW joined us for a bit. D loves an audience.

Sometimes the littlest things make it a great day.