Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Quick post as I leave work for the long holiday weekend. I want to wish everyone a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. Take the time to look around you over the weekend and be thankful for all that you have and all that got you to where you are. If you aren't happy where you are, be thankful you can do something to change that...and then go do it!!!

Also, quick birthday shout out to my BF Courtney who will 30+ a few tomorrow! Love you so much and can never thank you for all that you do for me and others. I'll be thinking how extra special Thanksgiving is this year cuz' its the day to celebrate you!!!

Happy Thanksgiving all!!!

Vacation for me!!!

I just booked my flights to go to visit my cousin (and her family) and aunt in Florida from December 11 - 15! I am SO excited! I haven't take a vacation by myself in a long time...well, if you count visiting cousin and her family in NH for a long weekend a vacation, then that would be July...

I found a wicked cheap airfare and I just had to do it...now I just have to focus until then...good luck with that!!! :)

Drive By Update

Dad was released from the hospital yesterday and is home!!! YEAH!!! Not 100% sure what was wrong with him, but maybe I'll find out this weekend.

Going to MA after work and get to see my brother! YEAH!!!

Thanks for all the good vibes for my Dad...looks like he may be turning a corner, do I dare say that?! :)

Murphy's Law...

We all know this one, "If anything can go wrong, it will."

I must have tempted fate with my last post. Saturday, Dad was released from the hospital and sent to a rehab center which is quite close to his house. Its actually where Mom was almost 9 years ago after she had her big toe amputated. She didn't stay their long b/c she developed an infection and was sent back to the hopsital in Boston. I spent virtually every night that she was there sleeping in a chair in the corner of her room.

Anyways, it was the weekend so it was pretty quiet there, I think he was going a little stir crazy. Monday they started him with rehab and physical therapy. It wasn't easy, he had problems lifting 1 lb. weights, but its a first step. Well, I got a call yesterday that he had been sent back to the hospital b/c he was having tightness in his chest. The ambulance he was in was diverted to another hospital and he was eventually transferred to the first hospital he was supposed to go to anyways.

He is not in good spirits. They don't know why he is having pain but suspect it may be more fluid build up around his heart. He is back on lasix and waiting for results of some tests they ran yesterday and seeing if he has more tests to be run today. My brother is coming up tomorrow after work and I'm going to head in as well. I think Dad could use a good dose of the two of us to help get him through this tough time.

What's getting me through? Honestly, I don't know. I can tell you its not rest b/c I haven't had a good night sleep since all of this started almost a month ago. I'm just hoping that at some point my body just has enough and allows itself to rest and sleep. Until then, I keep going...that's all I can do.

Good news, finally!

I found out yesterday that my darling cousin has been told that she is done with her treatment for breast cancer! I am completely elated that she is done and gotten through the last year and few months! She can now focus on being a mom, wife and herself again and is no longer a "cancer patient"...WOW!

Could this be the beginning of a spell of good news?! *Crosses fingers*

Friends...

I've come to the realization that there are those people in your life that no matter what are there for you. Your friends. Friends can be family members, friends can be co-workers, friends can be people you grew up with, friends can be random people who have been thrown into your life at some point. Now we all have those more casual friends that are fun but that's not who I'm talking about.

I'm talking about the people who tell you things that they share with few people in life. The people who tell you things they may know because they care about you. The people that you don't see every day but when you get in touch with them it was like you never spent time apart. The people who laugh at the good and stupid and who cry at the sad and hurtful. The ones that would tell you had a piece of food in your teeth or your fly was down. The people that share happy memories with you which make you both smile.

I know I have a bunch of people like this in my life and for that I am truly blessed and greatful. If you are reading this and understand what I mean and maybe why I writing this, then you are most likely one of those people in my life. So I thank you for being you and one of my "people".

Actually, this is pretty accurate

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Marilyn!

You are a Marilyn -- "I am affectionate and skeptical."

Marilyns are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Be direct and clear


• * Listen to me carefully


• * Don't judge me for my anxiety


• * Work things through with me


• * Reassure me that everything is OK between us


• * Laugh and make jokes with me


• * Gently push me toward new experiences


• * Try not to overreact to my overreacting.

What I Like About Being a Marilyn

• * being committed and faithful to family and friends


• * being responsible and hardworking


• * being compassionate toward others


• * having intellect and wit


• * being a nonconformist


• * confronting danger bravely


• * being direct and assertive

What's Hard About Being a Marilyn

• * the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind


• * procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself


• * fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of


• * exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger


• * wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right


• * being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations

Marilyns as Children Often

• * are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn


• * are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger


• * form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent


• * look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel


• * are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent

Marilyns as Parents

• * are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty


• * are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence


• * worry more than most that their children will get hurt


• * sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Not a good weekend...

Yesterday was truly one of those horrible days. A few bright spots, but all and all horrible...

Dad is having problems with one of his lungs. They don't know the full story or reason, but it seems like there is still a lot of fluid in there. We are waiting to hear the results of a CT scan. He was also on the wrong dosage of one of his medications and has had a few tough moments with dealing with things. They have also told him that his kidney function is not where they would want it to be and that he may have to go on dialysis.

Found out that his father (my Poppi) has been in the hospital down in Florida since Thursday. They discovered some polps and one of them was sent for testing. He should be released today or tomorrow and we will wait for the test results.

Finally, my Dad's dog, Chelsea, passed away yesterday. Mary found her and Jay took care of her. She will be creamated tomorrow. Chelsea was a VERY small maltese that my Mom and Dad got back in December 1994. She was absolutely adored by my father. This dog wanted for nothing and was a very happy dog. She barked a lot and wasn't the type of dog I would have owned, but she was a good dog and made both of my parents very happy. She had been fading over the last few months and they were preparing to put her down, but she decided it was her time to go.

When it rains, its seriously floods in my life...