2017 is almost gone

It's been a busy year - and I'm thankful to have had it.  Several milestones:

• Celebrated my 10 year anniversary of being a breast cancer survivor.
• Celebrated another birthday 😊😊
• Survived pneumonia (it seemed to take forever though)
• Got to see all four of my children and several of my grandchildren.
• One grandson who had been living with me while he finished college, graduated and moved away.
• I think I've adjusted to living alone.
• Koda (my little dog) turned 2 and is doing much better with going outside.  He thinks he's a big watchdog and he takes his job very seriously.

I know that's not nearly all, but it's what I can think of at the moment.

I've been blessed in so many ways and God has certainly taken care of me.  If you're reading this, I pray you have a blessed and happy 2018.

Update, update -

Not me - though I could use updating - what I've been doing is a much needed update to my website and online shop.  Several things forced me to do this.  The online shop crashed and it was almost easier to start from scratch than try and fix it. 

One thing led to another and the website had to be redone and then I decided I need to create my "brand" (I've been listening to my grandson with his new degree in marketing way too much). 

Anyway, I'm almost finished and needed a break so thought I'd add my new logo here.  The cross stitch chart covers had been updated when I started selling them wholesale so everything really needed to reflect them.  They are a bit 'quieter' than the logo (just couldn't resist the yellow) so here you go.  I'd ask for opinions, but I'm not changing now so if you don't like it - don't tell me 😊

Good News update

I should have already posted this - but don't post nearly often enough (think I've said that before - I should get better.

Anyway, briefly, I'm fine.  Pulmonologist did a fairly comprehensive breathing test - checked ALL the CT scans and declared me fine.  I do NOT have COPD (didn't think I did).  I did have some major sinus drainage and most of that has cleared up - or will if cold weather ever gets here.

Thank you, Lord!!!

Terrified Dog

Not sure what's happened to my sweet little dog.  He's been socialized since I got him when he was 7 weeks old.  He's always been a "mama's boy" and loves to be right next to me, but he's developed a phobia to any really loud noise.  He's always been a bit fearful - but it is escalating to a serious level.  I hate for him to be so very frightened - makes me feel like a bad mama!

He goes to work with me 2 or 3 days a week (has since the beginning).  The shop is on a busy road that gets a lot of BIG trucks going by and they are seriously noisy - but that's not a new thing. 

I've invested in a new Thunder Shirt and the last couple of days have been it's first trial run.  It helped a little.  Maybe a bit more the second day.  He looks adorable in it, and while I'm glad he looks so cute, I need it to calm him down.  I understand it works with some dogs and not necessarily all.  We'll try it for a couple of weeks and see.  Have also ordered some holistic drops to try and help him.

The only thing new and different is the new car wash across the side street from the shop.  They apparently use some sort of compressor to power wash the cars and it is noisy.  We have to take his "bathroom breaks" on the only grass around - just across that same side street. 

Hopefully between the new vest and the drops I'll see improvement. 

Angels are around

Three posts in one month - WOW.  That's definitely a record for me.

Anyway, I am feeling better, but still tire really easily.  And, I'm working full time last week and this week 😢  I'm definitely too old for this.  Unfortunately my boss is out from some surgery so it's just me.  Thank God it's an easy job where I can sit down a lot.

So, back to the update.  I had an x-ray and CT scan and they showed "COPD" 😡 and a few other really annoying things.  I've never smoked or worked around asbestos.  Yes, I have an aggravating cough and a few other symptoms, but I do not believe this diaagnosis.  Appointment next week with Pulmonologist so we'll see what he thinks.

I fell yesterday; tripped over Koda (my little dog who sticks to me like velcro).  Not his fault, I obviously wasn't paying attention like I should.  Basically landed on left side, so have a few bruises.  Worse thing was a "rug burn" on my left arm - about 2" long and it pulled all the skin off.  My skin is so thin anyway.  I thought I'd never get it to stop bleeding - and it even bled more during the night.  Think I've finally got it stopped now.  I'm here to tell you that peroxide on a 3/4" x 2" place with no skin - BURNS 🔥 like the very dickens!!!   If there was a germ there and it survived it's a lot stronger than I am.

So that's it.  I'm paranoid about falling anyway.  Way too easy to break something at my age...

so those angels that  "catch me in their hand" (Ps 91) did their job quite well - thank you!  

So, I'm here to tell you pneumonia is not any fun - at my age or any age I guess.  I had it once many years ago, but don't remember it taking this long to recover from.

I'm currently seeing a "Nurse Practitioner" as my regular GP and I really, really like her.  Much more thorough than my regular MD.  So, to make a long story shorter - she heard something not explainable and I've had several tests and now have a couple of specialist referrals.

Don't really have time for all this and am extremely tired of being tired, and unable to breathe as well as I'd like😩😩

I did have two of my grown sons visit from far away while I was sick, one DIL and one granddaughter.  They tried to take care of me 😉 and my DIL fed me the whole time while sons did all sorts of chores.  Enjoyed their visit but still tired 😒

I hate complainers too, so my rant is now officially over.  I'm seriously trying to post more frequently here, if only for myself and I promise I'll try to make my next post a more cheery one.

Just can't keep up

I love reading other blogs, and I have really good intentions (you know what's paved with those), but... here I am a year later writing my next blog post.  One doesn't keep followers that way 😊

Anyway, as a brief followup to my last several posts with the floor painting.  IF you choose to do this do plan to wait a LOOOOOONG time for the floor to dry (my son tells me it's "cure").  At any rate, apparently it takes a long time and you shouldn't put furniture on it before it's ready.  Well, obviously I was considerably more ready than my floor was.  It has MANY spots where the paint has pulled up.  Most anything heavy sitting on it that's been moved has removed the paint.

Very, very annoying... but it is what it is.  I did follow directions and read what other people had done... but I didn't ask the person who absolutely knew - my son (who is a Plant Manager in a paint company).

Why would I have thought of asking him? 😕

So, live and learn.  The floor is still a lovely painted aqua and it's still better than the carpet, thank you very much!