4 day weeks

So I heard on the radio that schools are starting to go to 4 day weeks, deciding to remain closed on Mondays. The normal school day will be extended by 1 hour for the days that school is in session. They hope that this will save on transportation, heating/cooling and other operational costs. My question is can't businesses do this? How much would it help employee morale for long weekends? I took Friday off and had Monday off for Labor Day and the extra time was really needed and refreshing. As Americans we work so hard and don't have long vacations or shorter work days, that I think its time companies seriously start considering this...



The long weekend was great! I got to meet Sugar, my Dad and Mary's new puppy. She's nuts and ALL puppy! Cute and fun, but a little much too handle, especially for Lupe. Speaking of Lupe, I realized that yesterday was the 12 year anniversary of her coming into my life. We have had quite the 12 years together and I truly cherish every day that I have with her.

Hope you all had a relaxing weekend and are settling back into the grind...

Say hello to Sugar

So, my phone rings at midnight, of course I'm sleeping, its my Dad so I answer it. He starts babbling about me having to check my computer (email) because he sent me something but won't tell me what it is. I should have told him to call me in the morning but I didn't. I turn on my modem and computer (I don't leave them on) and wait for it to boot up. I finally ask him what type of dog he got and he seems surprised that I know what he is calling about. Meet Sugar, a 12-week old Maltese puppy that my Dad and Mary bought yesterday. She should be ready to come home on Friday after she receives her last shots.

Yeah, she's cute and she will probably make them both very happy, but I'm just concerned because they really don't understand the whole training thing and that a puppy needs boundries and consistency. I'm hoping for the best with this one...welcome to the family Sugar.

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.

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...

Quick Update

Dad is doing well. I was with him every day since last Thursday and I came back home yesterday afternoon. He has a very long road ahead of him, but he needs to make some changes in his lifestyle and I can only hope he will (and provide as much encouragement as possible). It really upset me to leave him yesterday. But my brother is there now and will spend the weekend with him.

Back to work and trying to dig myself out of the emails and things on my plate...oh joy...

Surgery, surgery and now more surgery

So, update on my shoulder. Surgery went well. Loved the "happy juice" they gave me. Was off of work Tuesday through Friday last week so today was my first day back, man was I buried. Went for my follow up appointment today and that went well. I am out of the sling and the mega bandage, although they found out that I am very sensitive to the tape used during and after surgery. Sounds like my mom. :) I can now move and really don't have restrictions unless it hurts. Will be going to PT as well to make sure it doesn't freeze. So far, so good. And Steve was wonderful and so helpful...I'm so thankful for him.

Surgery #2 belongs to my dad. He went in for an angioplasty today b/c they found blockages during his stress test last week. This leads to...

Surgery #3 also belongs to my dad. He is looking at quadruple bypass surgery Thursday or Friday. I'm really nervous and scared for him and obviously he is as well. My mom, Poppi, and uncle all went through it and did well. I'm hopeful that he will do the same.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers...

Sunday Night, blah

I hate Sunday nights. Always have, probably b/c its the end of the weekend and Monday morning is just a few short hours away. Although this is a super short week b/c my shoulder surgery is Tuesday morning so I'm only working on Monday.

Not the greatest weekend for me, but not the worst either. Dad & Mary were supposed to come visit on Saturday but they ended up in Vermont and not New York. I did get the apartment cleaned and ran a bunch of errands. And did I mention the knitting I got done?! :)

Today I went to Steve's house to check on Zippy-Cat. Zippy is doing well, very lonely. Its hard to be in the house, let's just leave it at that. Afterwards I went to CB's and went to get pumpkins with her wonderful family. Alex and I fed the animals (goats, sheep, a donkey, calf) which was SO much fun!!! Caught up on my bills and am now trying to get some dinner in my stomach...its only 8:05 pm and I haven't eaten since breakfast. Not that I'm hungry, but I must eat.