Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Just ordered Q3
Three quarters of the way finished with this year. I’m about two months late getting this one complete. I have a small laptop and it can be challenging to see the layouts sometimes. Time to start on the one for the last quarter, as well as the year long Project 365 shot of the day. Click on for a preview. http://www.blurb.com/books/
Just ordered Q3
Three quarters of the way finished with this year. I’m about two months late getting this one complete. I have a small laptop and it can be challenging to see the layouts sometimes. Time to start on the one for the last quarter, as well as the year long Project 365 shot of the day.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Gratitude

Another one this morning
It has only been 8 days since the last one. That is not good. It was pretty mild, less than 4 minutes and he came out of the post-ictal state pretty quickly. I just don’t know what triggered it. Perhaps tick bites-but he gets so many of them since we do not give him any flea/tick stuff (it impacts his seizures). There is a storm brewing but it is not a severe one so I wouldn’t think it would cause it (severe ones have set him off in the past) I will call the vet as soon as they open and take him in for a blood test to see where his phenobarb levels are. He has been pretty stable for the last 4 months. I’m thinking that he is starting to metabolize the phenobarb more quickly than he used to. He has been on it for 5 years. I will be increasing his dose tonight. But it may be time to either add a medication or change medication. If at all possible I’d like to increase his meds for the next two-three weeks and then change them over the holidays when I will be home to be with him. I also need to get more valium for him. His script is empty. We use it right after a seizure to calm down the brain activity. Right now he is laying at my feet, with his head down, although every time I move it pops up like a kona-in-a-box.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Week-end of November 25-29
I have a four day week-end and am hoping to get rest as well as do some of the christmas things that need to get done
bake pies
t-day dinner at my brothers
yoga
mani/pedi
hair appointment
massage
pay end of month bills
finish my photo book for Q3
start on making videos
start on making calender
make Christmas shopping list
redo mom’s durable power of attorney for healthcare
work on wills
review HR paperwork
read
nap
get gas in car
grocery store
make another good fall meal this weekend
work on CV
November 25th, Thanksgiving Day
One of our thanksgiving traditions is to go around the table before dinner and each person, from my 90 yo mom to my 7 yo nephew, shares what they are grateful for. My personal tradition is to start to cry, every year, without fail. Somehow I don’t think this year will be any different. Today I am grateful for
my precious husband
having a job
my sweet Kona
my noisy, but ever entertaining, Phoenix,
my bff and others who have touched my life
21 years, 7 months, and 7 days
Sunday, November 22, 2009
While this has always been a non-written goal
Its time to put it on virtual paper. My mom’s cognitive ability has declined rather dramatically in the last six months. I met with my brother and sil this morning to talk about what we need to do. This is so sad. There will be no happy ending here, it will only get worse. So here’s the plan:
1. Meet with mom’s doctor to discuss her memory lapses.Done
2. Take mom for blood tests Done
3. Take mom for memory test appointment on Dec 14th. Mom didn’t want to go to the first appointment we had
4. Talk to mom’s doctor after the memory assessment to determine how significant her cognitive deficits are. hopefully very soon after her test results are in
5. Determine what medical steps can or should be taken
6. Contact local senior center about area resources
7. Update Mom’s durable power of attorney for healthcare
8. Research care facilities in the area.
9. Figure out how to get my mom to stop driving without breaking her spirit.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
An 8 week interval
Kona made it to 8 weeks since his last seizure when he had one early in the morning on Thursday. That’s the longest he has gone since earlier this year when his episodes became more frequent. I was in LA so poor mrrad had to deal with it all on his own. It was about a 4-5 minutes event. He had a hard time coming out of it, and perhaps had a bit of temporary blindess since he would walk into a wall and try to keep going. He’s recovered pretty well, but I wonder if his brain got a little scrambled. He’s not quite as good at listening to commands now. It could be temporary or intentional. This poor doggie—he sure doesn’t deserve this.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Week-end of November 20th
T’was a rainy day today, I went to a rededication ceremony of our City Council Chambers. I am home this weekend and have things to catch up on. Next week is a long weekend.
Laundry
Pay last few bills this month
Mani/pedi
Coffee with J and A to discuss mom
Make vitamin packs
Work on photo book
Work on xmas card
work on CV
Yoga
Grocery store
Cook a really good fall meal
Read
November 20th
The rededication of our town’s
City Council Chambers in the historic
red church
pouring rain,
thru the window
watching the people, under umbrellas
look at the inscribed paving bricks.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
Nice light reading. Very predictable.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Silence
Saturday, November 14, 2009
November 13th
A Silent Retreat
At the Jesuit retreat house
near Chicago
Welcome
A week-end of quiet contemplation
Awaits you.
November 11th
The layout
for a firefighter
competetion
harnesses and ropes
love the pattern on the floor of the
courtyard
November 9th
Kona loves his
nanny
Must be right next to her
even when mom and dad come home
“Do you have something to feed me?”
Weekend of November 13th
I’m in Chicago at a silent retreat this weekend. I used to attend this “religiously” (pun intended)when I lived here. I think this is the third time I’ve been back. In the past I always came with an agenda of what I want to get out of this, usually some big spiritual awakening. Many times I had little spiritual awakenings. While that is what I would love to have, this year I’m not going to “work” so hard for it. I’m going to enjoy the quiet, listen to the retreat talks and quietly process things.
Take my camera on a walk around the grounds and photograph
Nap
Maybe post this weeks photos
Rest
Listen
Relax
Listen some more
Meditate if I’m so inclined
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Going on a silent retreat next weekend
I used to go to this retreat every year when I lived in chicago. I think I went 7 years straight. And since I’ve moved to California I’ve been back twice I think. But I’m flying out on Friday to go again this year. My bff and others I know will also be there.
I love this retreat. Silence is really golden. It is usually very restorative for me to go on these retreats. There is no talking from after dinner on Friday night until noon on Sunday. We all eat in the dining hall and there is no talking during meals. It amazing how much energy you can use trying to communicate with others. I always find this weekend to be one of taking stock of the year and focusing on what is important.
Friday, November 6, 2009
FTF Weekend of November 6th
How did it get to be November already? Time to jump back into this habit so my week-ends do not seem to float away with nothing to show for them. Vacation has been wonderful, but now the real world.
make travel arrangements for Monday
call Mom and check in on her
reschedule Mom’s appointment for cognitive testing
do vacation laundry
unpack and put things away
repack for next week
pay bills
meet with L
hair appointment
massage
yoga
develop new eating plan
shop for eating plan
clean Phoenix cage
water inside plants
mani/pedi?
order b-day gift for J
send b-day card to M
November 6th Today I am grateful for
a wonderful vacation that was relaxing and restorative
that Kona has remained seizure free for 49 days (but who’s counting)
a precious bff that came to stay with Kona while we were gone
time to spend with mrrad
rest and sleep.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Doing well
It has been six weeks since Kona’s last seizure and he seems to be doing well. We were gone on vacation and we had his “nanny” come stay with him at his house so his routine was not disrupted. I’m hoping that he’ll go for quite a while longer without another one. But this is the longest he has gone since they started happening more frequently.
At the Queen's Summons by Susan Wiggs
The last of the trilogy, another romance. Great reading for a vacation. Now back to some other things on my list.
The Maiden's Hand by Susan Wiggs
Second in the trilogy. Romance novel set in the reign of the Tudors. Again, not my usual fare, but one of the few things I could find to read on the island.
The Time Traveler's Wife
Difficult to follow if you’ve not read the book, which provides so much more depth.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
November 4th
Baby honu
(Hawaiian green turtles)
raised in the lobby
of the Mauna Lani
set free in the ocean
every year
little guy, just raising his head
Monday, November 2, 2009
Vacation

Sunday, November 1, 2009
November 1st
Moved to our favorite hotel today
Its been closed for two months
New attractions
Torchlighter
Looks like he’s dancing with fire.