Getting old is not for sissies

Posted on February 27, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

My mom used to say that and I would laugh, little knowing how right she was. After getting a cortisone shot in my shoulder blade area yesterday for bursitis, I have a urology appointment tomorrow for what I’m starting to think isn’t actually ICS, but recurring UTI’s. (Sometimes Google is your friend. Not often, but sometimes)

About a week and a half later, I have an MRI scheduled for my back because the cortisone shots are not working in that area. (None of this will cost much, if anything, so pffffftttt to those who think the American medical system is so awful. Go to another country is we’re so bad)

Yes, I’m a touch cranky. Why, you ask? Because it feels like yet another recurring UTI is starting. Thankfully, I have the urologist tomorrow. Meanwhile, I smack myself upside the head and go, “Seriously???????????” I do not have time for this nonsense.

This is the last week of classes for me, I get two weeks off and then back for 7 weeks, during which I pray for classes to get me through the summer. I love teaching from my lawn swing, by the way. Maverick runs around outside while I teach, it’s a win – win situation

Maverick – he cracks me up as often as he drives me nuts. Last night I was taking some stuff out of the family room and he was way too nosy. So I pulled down the box we used in tricks class and told him to “get in the box!” He did, and jumped out. I told him, “Nope, get in the box and sit!” He did. While he was going in and out of the box, and I was cracking up, I got the stuff I wanted to get out of the family room, out! He’s a character!

In other news, a quilt that’s been in process for over a year may be finished tomorrow. Will be finished tomorrow. It has a big border that wouldn’t lay flat, so I had to take it apart and redo it twice, at which point I wadded it up and stuffed it in a bag and threw it into a spare bedroom. I’m on mission to complete projects, so out it came and I told it, “you go together or you go to the trash, you decide.” Apparently it understood, I have onlyl the binding to do. By the way, this is not actually a “quilt,” because it’s machine “quilted” and my mother would slap me for calling it anything other than a “comforter.” If it wasn’t hand quilted, it was not deserving of the title “quilt” in her eyes. Who am I to argue with her?

Posted in Maverick, my life, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

I don’t think so

Posted on February 22, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

Ever since my ER visit, I’ve been reading a lot about ICS and even though the doctor diagnosed that in 2019, I’m not so sure I have it. I’m seeing a urologist next week and I’ll get a definite diagnosis then. One of the things I’ve read is that you should do an elimination diet to see what your triggers are. I joined a support group – which I may leave soon because my symptoms are nothing compared to these people, I don’t know how they function. At any rate, it seems that pretty much anything can be a trigger and people are willing to give up coffee, spaghetti, chocolate, alchohol, any scented soap or detergent, and a myriad of other things.

What.

The

Actual

Flock?

I enjoy coffee. I like my beer. i NEED spaghetti on a regular basis. Chocolate is something I need in moderation, but I went two weeks without any and I was thinking, yep, worth the possible migraine, gimme an M&M or twelve.

After doing a lot of reading and a lot of research, I came to the conclusion last night that I can’t live like that. Is it living if you can’t do or have the things you enjoy? Asking me to give up coffee, sauce, an adult beverage, would be like telling me I could never read another book, never knit another stitch, never sew another doll dress. There would seriously be little point in living.

So I’m not gonna do it. I’m looking into alternatives – accupuncture was mentioned – and crystals – I firmly believe in the power of crystals. Tomorrow or Monday, I will find a store, since the place I used to use seems to have closed, and take my list and buy myself some crystals. I will discuss accupuncture with my urologist. And I will eat and drink what I like, even if I have to gobble Prelief tablets with every bite. I will not let this defeat me.

Bladder spasms are awful. They’re terribly painful. But they stop Eventually they stop I’m not going to tiptoe through my life in fear of them. I just don’t think so

Posted in home, my life, pain | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

I think it’s Monday

Posted on February 18, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

Today has been one of those *CFSS days. Maverick does not do weekends well. Therefore, I do not do weekends well. I’m sure it’s my fault, basically everything to do with Maverick is my fault. He goes to daycare 5 days a week and doesn’t understand why he has to be home 2 days. His routine is get up in the morning and get in the car, play all day, come home and snuggle a bit, play some games with Mommah and then repeat the same thing the next day. Saturdays and Sundays, Mommah wants to sleep past 8 am, and drink her coffee in peace.

What is this peace of which you speak? Maverick hasn’t a clue and doesn’t wish to catch one.

I was told that by the age of 2, dogs became more aware of their people and less focuses on themselves. 5 1/2 years later, I’m still waiting for that to happen. I was also told that he would calm down when he hit 2. Still waiting on that one, too.

So today was Sunday, aka “drag Mommah around the park’ day. Our walk wasn’t as bad as yesterday but it wasn’t good. My body hurts, from the cold, partly, and partly from 5 years of being beaten up by Maverick. When we got home, I had lunch, and watered my plants – and if you want plant advice, go visit my friend Kristi’s new blog Plants and Projects and she’ll tell you how to fix any problem you have, although “put it out of its misery” is probably not the best advice I’ve ever gotten. (Okay, I did tell her I hate the poinsettia and it hates me back) Anyway, she made me laugh today.

And i think I managed to figure out, after multiple attempts to fix the bloody thing, how to get my printer to print normally from my laptop. What a CFSS that’s been!

*cluster fuckin shit show

Posted in dogs, home, my life, pain, snow, training | 15 Comments

Oh yippee, it snowed

Posted on February 14, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

Yesterday was a cluster effin shit show. The storm apparently got drunk and couldn’t figure out where to land, so we were supposed to get nothing, then an inch, then 4 – 6. I think we ended up at 5. I got up at 4:30 to use the bathroom and it was pouring snow. Lovely. By 8, everything was covered.  I wasn’t about to attempt the driveway, so Maverick and I had breakfast together – I had coffee and Prelief, he cleaned up his snuffle mat. 

By 9:30 or so it had stopped and commenced melting. Seriously? Not that I mind, but geesh, why even bother coming down if you’re leaving so soon. I think the storm woke up, was hungover, and slunk away in shame.  Bear plowed the driveway and I loaded Maverick into the car and took him to daycare. Only one other dog showed up but it happened to be his best friend, so they got to romp in the snow a bit and blow off some steam. 

I had to teach at 2, Bear left for work early because that’s what happens when school is closed – and he made it quite clear he was NOT shoveling snow. (He works at the school, after two years of retirement it was find a job before your wife shoots the TV.) (And I wasn’t kidding) 

Getting a late start threw everything off kilter. I picked Maverick up at 6, we came straight home and managed to do some training – I decided to work on tricks for the next level title because we need a goal and most of the tricks look like things we can master.  Bear got home early because he went in early, again throwing the normal routine off kilter. 

I’m pretty sure today is wednesday.  At least I think so.  Class is done, office hour is done, I’m going to sew!

Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments

It’s most definitely Monday

Posted on February 13, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

Well, it’s better than last Monday, at any rate. LAST Monday night I ended up in the ER, so pretty much anything is better than that.

I got up at my normal time, took Maverick to daycare, did my morning journaling and then went to tell the Bear I was heading up to get a shower and get ready for class at 12:30, but first, what would he like for lunch?  He rejected tuna salad as “too squishy” so off I went to the little grocery store for cold cuts. Also known as “lunch meat” or “cold meat” depending on where you’re from. (The first time I said “cold cuts,” the Bear looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language) (That happened a lot) (Which leads me to the next thing)

(I may digress but there’s usually a reason)

Tormorrow is Fasnacht day.  And what, you may ask, is that? The first year I was here for Lent, Bear asked if I was going for Fasnachts and I asked if I needed a vaccination and if there was a cure. Yes, I’m a smartass. 

Fasnachts are amazing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasnacht_(doughnut)

While I was at the little grocery store getting cold cuts, I noticed the pile of freshly baked fasnachts and yep, 6 of those little cuties came home with me. I should not be trusted around things like that. 

I also got a carob, peanut butter bone for Maverick. Don’t tell him, he’s being a shit and not getting it till later. (Not eating real food, as usual0

And then the fun began. I had class, then the chiropractor, then a meeting. Faculty meetings are always fun but this one actually ended on time. Off to the vet to pick up a scrip for Maverick, then to Walmart to fill it, Petco for a meat roll so I can hide his meds inside the chunks, Hobby Lobby for fabric – caved and bought yarn for a sweater for the soon to arrive newest great grandson. Stopped at CVS, the library, and the beer store. (Snow is predicted, beer is necessary)

And then I went to get Maverick.

I think I’ve done enough for today but nope, I will be working on a training plan after supper and trying to practice “back up” and “circle left and right” with him if he ever manages to eat his darned supper. 

Someday maybe I’ll slow down. It won’t be today. Also, pray for the nasty shit to go North, I’m not really interested in snow tomorrow!

Posted in Uncategorized | 20 Comments

Interstitial Cystitis Syndrome

Posted on February 9, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

Oh lucky me, I get the condition that has no cure and a really weird name. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/interstitial-cystitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354357https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/interstitial-cystitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354357

Five years ago, I ended up in the ER in intense pain.  The diagnosis was ICS, which I was actually grateful for, one of my cousins died of bladder cancer that was diagnosed too late, so I was relieved it wasn’t that. Mostly I need to avoid acidic foods or drinks and all is well.  Till coffee

I love coffee. I drink a pot of coffee every day. I get cranky without my coffee, and then I get downright mean

Coffee is high in acid content.  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It’s been quite awhile since I had a flare, and this weekend made up for lost time. Monday night I eneded up in the Emergency Room because a kid can only take just so much pain before the tears get to the Bear and he hauls your ass to the car and drives to the hospital. At 1 am. We got home at 10;30 Tuesday morning. 

I’m still sore, and tired, and I still want my damned coffee. I’m taking something called Prelief, and it’s sort of working but seriously, I need my coffee.  A CT scan revealed nothing major wrong, but I’m seeing a urologist anyway and taking massive doses of antibiotics, and Azo for pain (which makes you pee bright orange – it’s one of the only amusing parts of this nonsense)

I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS NONSENSE!

I am a terrible patient, I do not do well on the disabled list.  Pray for Bear. 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 26 Comments

Food

Posted on February 1, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

I love to cook. I’m pretty good at it, although there a few things I can be guaranteed to mess up. Want a tough piece of chicken? Come see me, I got that covered.  But mostly, I’m pretty darned good. 

My mom taught me, without ever saying it out loud, that if you love someone, you feed them. Food is love, no one leaves my house hungry unless they choose to, and they probably won’t be invited back because, sorry, that’s just rude. 

If you won’t eat what I cook (other than chicken, I won’t subject anyone to that) then you’re saying you don’t love me.  I know, that isn’t the truth.  You could just be saying you’re not hungry, or that you just don’t like broccoli, or you’re just not feeling well.

My brain knows this.  My gut does not.  Reject food and you’re rejecting me. 

I live with a dog who doesn’t eat.  Okay, he does, but only when he has absolutely nothing better to do and suddenly realizes that oh, yeah, that weird feeling in my belly? Maybe I really AM hungry. It’s been a battle since he was a puppy. Most of the time I’m able to ignore it, I just put his food down and walk away.  (I was told to pick it up after 15 minutes, wait, try again. Maverick found that incredibly amusing) (I was also told there must be something wrong with him, all Golden Retrievers love food! Maverick laughed at that one too)

There are times, however, when frustration gets the best of me. Last night, he decided that the actual kibble in his Kong Wobbler was far more interesting than the same kibble that was in his bowl.  Apparently dry is better than mixed with tasty canned food and a few chopped up carrots.  (Broccoli was a big hit for a few months until he decided it was poison)  Okay, seriously? You prefer having to beat a toy around the house to get a couple bits of dry kibble to just walking to your bowl and chowing down? 

I can’t splain it, Lucy. 

Posted in dogs, Maverick | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

I hate Winter

Posted on January 21, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

I know, you already knew that.  It’s currently cold, stupid cold.  Like 4 degrees this morning cold.  Like, any uncovered body part will fall off in 15 minutes cold. Stupid cold

It snowed. Maybe 4 inches. Enough to keep Maverick home from daycare because the driveway from Hell was snowed in and as Bear was plowing it clear, it started snowing again. What the heck, Mother Nature!  So Maverick spent the day wanting to go outside and I spent the day making him come back in because, read above, stupid cold. Bear spent the day plowing and shoveling and using the snow blower. 

It’s meant to snow again – maybe – on Friday.  Another 1-3 inches.  Is it Spring yet? 

People get all kinds of weird about snow. When I was a kid, there was a lady weather forecaster on the local TV station – WNYT, channel 13, Albany, NY – named Betty. The weather report was about 5 minutes long, if that. She had a little white dog named Moo. It seems to me that Betty was always correct because she would simply walk to the window, Moo in her arms, and look outside. (I’ve searched for any existing video but it was before all that jazz) (I was a wee child) 

I miss the days of “it’s gonna rain, take an umbrella” and “it’s gonna snow, probably a few inches, drive carefully” and we’re done. I do not care about the temperature in Texas (I live in PA).  I was watching the “news” the other day and I think the weather segment was 15 minutes long. 

All of this seems to make people get weird. I went for gas today – because the car is on 1/4 tank and my Poppa taught me to never get it below that.  The gas station was already busy. I can understand if you have a truck and you want to fill up to be able to plow, but if it snows that much, where the heck are you going in your little Cavalier that doesn’t have snow tires? 

The people on the weather pages are especially weird. The call of the snow lovers appears to be “BRING IT!” And then the battles erupt! ”If you don’t like it, move! No, YOU move! NO, YOU MOVE!”  Meanwhile one page on Facebook, who happened to hit it right a few years ago when all the others predicted a few inches and we got 3 feet, is highly amusing to read because that went straight to their heads and they’ve become masters of hype ever since.  WE’RE GETTING A BLIZZARD! Ooops, delete that, where did we ever say we were getting a blizzard? The comments are hilarious. 

Tomorrow is my normal grocery day (Friday). If it’s snowing, I won’t go out. People here don’t know how to drive in snow and my driveway – well, I’ve already mentioned that it was designed by a drunken Irishman on a three week binge. (I’m Irish, I can say that kind of thing)  So I will probably get groceries today since we need very little but I don’t want to wait till the weekend.  The gas station is across the parking lot from the grocery store, so I checked out the parking lot. Yup, already nuts. 

So I will get my bread, milk and eggs and make French Toast tomorrow. :)  Maverick will be home from daycare and probably the Bear will also be home, or at least taking the good car to work so he can navigate the driveway when he comes home.  (I would prefer he stay home. Even though he’ll watch MASH all day, he’ll be safe) I’m planning my sewing projects, because Maverick will hang out in the craft room with me and not drive me nuts wanting to go for a walk. 

And it’s only 62 days till Spring. 

And after I wrote this, we got another four inches of snow, Bear went to work on Friday afternoon, didn’t like the look of the roads so came home and slid off the driveway.  He spent yesterday plowing again, and we called a friend to help pull the car up to the garage. No damage done to Bear or car, just a whole lot of stress and annoyance.  (He didn’t realize there was ice under the coating of snow we got AFTER he plowed three times) 

It’s still january and I’m ready for this crap to be over. One person tells me February is meant to be worse and I may just curl up in a ball and come out in April.

Posted in Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Is it Spring yet?

Posted on January 11, 2024 by suziecreamcheese

If you’ve followed along on my journey through the years, you know I hate snow. I don’t just hate snow. I despise snow with every fiber of my being.  I see no valid reason for it and no one will convince me that we “need” snow. 

So for a few months every year, I bitch and complain and piss and moan and am generally a pain in the ass.  Yeah, I am, I admit it. (More so than my usual bitchy self, if you can imagine that) (or maybe you’d rather not, could give nightmares) (I’m really very nice if you don’t piss me off)

And here we are in January. I hate January almost as much as I hate February, and March just needs to go away, it’s the month that promises Spring and then says “HA! Have a snowstorm!” 

All kidding aside (I was kidding? Who knew?) I have what’s known as “snow anxiety.” In other words, the mere mention of a snowstorm within the next week or so sends me frantically scouring weather sites for any information in the hopes that I’ll find one that says, “nope, all rain, fooled you weenies!”  (It happens)  Last weekend it snowed all day Saturday. I was surprisingly calm, perhaps due to my talking back to myself and reminding myself of how many snowstorms I’ve survived. (That’s not entirely due to age, I grew up in Upstate NY – the big part that’s attached to the The CIty – and went to college in Oswego, NY, where Spring is that one day between snowstorms and Summer is a fantasy. I’ve lived through blizzards both there and here in PA, an epic two in a row about 10 years ago. I know snow) It may sound silly but it worked to calm my nerves.

So here’s the thing. Maverick is a Golden Retriever. He freakin loves snow.  See the dilemma? I don’t drive in snow, not so much from fear of the snow as from fear of other drivers. People in PA do NOT know how to drive in snow. Basic rules – slow down, get off my ass, get your foot off the brake – are apparently never taught.  Yes, I’m that little old lady who is going 10 (or more) miles BELOW the speed limit when the roads are covered with snow, and is barely moving when there’s ice.  Sue me. 

Maverick does not like to poop at home. (TMI? Sorry, not sorry) This is a problem when Mommah is not going to take his little butt to the park on a Saturday. (Normally he goes at daycare, for which I apologize frequently but the owner knows I seriously don’t mean it.) He spent Saturday trying to convince me that I needed to take him to the park and I spent Saturday sewing, because he doesn’t enjoy the craft room – it puts him to sleep – and I dont enjoy the “Let me out so I can come back in every fifteen minutes” game.  (Eventually he gave in and managed to go in the yard)

I would dearly love to let him off leash and let him run in the snow, which disappeared the next day (thank you Sweet Baby Jesus). However, I’m not nearly as interesting as a deer and should one appear in his field of vision, that high prey drive would kick in and Lord only knows where we’d find him. While I sincerely believe that God is looking out for both of us, I try not to test His patience too much. 

We are now learning to work with a clicker. I have purchased a Clik StiK and we’re working on disappearing treats because someone is very much focused on my hand and not on what he should be doing.  https://a.co/d/dHj8LW9 (link to above mentioned Clik Stik) 

He seems to be catching on pretty quickly, although he thinks I spend too much time reading about clicker training and not enough time practicing. He’s very opinionated. I would like to try Rally classes in the Spring and we have a lot of work to do to be prepared for that.  Wish us luck! 

Posted in dogs, learning, Maverick, snow, training | Tagged , , | 26 Comments

We need a what?

Posted on December 28, 2023 by suziecreamcheese

A couple of weeks ago, I was merrily doing laundry – yes, laundry makes me happy – till I have to drag it upstairs to put it away, that is. There’s something very satisfying about taking a pile of dirty clothes and turning it into a neat stack of fresh and clean clothing. (Turning chaos into order is one of my super powers, by the way. ) (Creating chaos in the first place is also one of my super powers.) (I’m multi-talented) 

I digress.

While doing the above mentioned laundry, I noticed that the twahlette was gurgling. (We’re uppity round here, we called it the “twahlette” or sometimes just the “toidy.”) I thought it rather rude that it should gurgle at me and went merrily along with my day. 

Bear was home, with his seasonal bronchitis. He did not find said gurgle to be amusing. I looked out the craft room window, where I had gone to do some sewing while the clothes happily lost their patina of yuckiness, and saw him heading for the field. Concerned that the bronchitis had affected his brain, I watched from the safety of the jeep.* He stopped at the septic tank cover and then I stopped watching because, seriously, who wants to see that mess?

He came inside and informed me that said tank needed to be pumped out. Don’t look at me, Dear, I don’t do septic tanks. 

 

Paperwork was found (by me, that man never knows where things are filed), a phone call was made and the septic guys (oh, that sounds awful, they were very nice, not at all septic) came the next day. Apparently things like septic tanks need to be pumped out every so often – who knew? (Bear knew. I don’t keep him around just cuz he’s cute, you know, he’s very smart about stuff like this!) 

However. There’s apparently a pump thingie that makes this whole “flush the toidy and the stuff goes to the tank” or “do the laundry and the soapy water goes away” thing.  Who knew? (Again, Bear knew) Well. Our pump was 17 years old and had died a slow and lingering death. (Momentary pause to send thoughts and prayers, please)  The septic guys broke the news gently. They also broke the news that said pump was not something they carry in stock – leave it to us to have a “special” pump.  A new one was ordered and would be installed as soon as it came in. 

Meanwhile, don’t use any more water than necessary. Well, the laundry was done, so that was all good! A few days passed and the new pump arrived and was installed, and the cost of this little adventure? Well, we’re saying “Merry Christmas!” every time we flush and being grateful that while presents weren’t purchased (except for a few little things) we can pay for that sort of repair without flinching and also, we can flush! 

And somehow Christmas managed to be peaceful, and joyful, and filled with love – for each other and for our differences that make us crazy at times and yet able to work together and make a great team. 

On to next year. May it be better in every way than the one we’re about to call done. 

*”from the safety of the jeep” is a reference to an old TV show in which one man would go into the wild to film animals in their natural habitat while his partner would wait “from the safety of the jeep.” It’s been a running joke with my friends and family for years. 

Posted in Christmas, family, my life | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments