Sharing Shoes with Maxine

Yesterday was just the kind of day I was needing.  The only true event of the day turned out to be walking out to the Chicken Hotel and finding more than 4 eggs.

If you’d been walking in my shoes over the past couple of weeks - you would soooo get that!  And you’d enjoy a really nice - “ sigh….. ! “

Every time I claim to be in Hell - I end up in another place that shows me - “ We’re not there, yet! “

I’m about ready to keep my mouth shut - pack up - and just run and hide in Florida somewhere - for about  a month or so.

It’s either - that - or drinkin’.

All I know is - something’s gotta change.  And it’s gotta be good news - like - where to find the front door to get away from all this crap these doctors are beginning to find.  Ya’ know?

I will be finding out quite a bit on December 13th - when I go for my follow-up with the Pulminary specialist.

Let me tell you something about that one.  If you ever have to go see that one for the first time - learn how to knit - crochet - paint - something!  Actually - painting would prolly be the best.  When all else fails - you can just throw that paint onto a canvas to get all that frustration safely - expressed.

I don’t recommend any project like - painting the house.  You’ll be looking up 6 months later - gandering at your efforts and wondering - “ Where in Hell was my brain when I chose that color? “

I do feel compelled to give myself some credit.  Throughout all this mess - I have managed to shoot some photos - all be it with that same mindset as Madame Maxine.

Almost as bad as tromping out onto the porch - pushing a button to turn on the camera - holding it up and - click - without even looking.  The free hand resting on a hip.

Maxine would say - “ So - I have moments when I just feel the need to surprise myself - as well. “

Ta!

If for no other reason - worth preserving the gorgeous color that was enhanced after we had one heck of a storm last week - followed by the sunshine that won in the end that day!

But I must say - I can see how hard these Bradford Pears are working at trying to con me into allowing them to stay.

They’re so loaded with berries this year - all the branches are sagging!

Still - not gonna happen.  Come next spring - they’re outta here!  One of our neighbors just had two go down during that storm the other day - and both slid down the side of her house after snapping.

She’s lucky they weren’t any taller!

So Ready for a Weekend

I should be asleep right now.  I’m supposed to wake up in about 3.5 hours.

Between nerves - and all the indigestion - I guess my bio clock is screwed up.

Remember this?

Uh-huh.  It became one of those - “ I told you so… “ situations.

Jen tried going back to work on Wednesday.  I got a phone call Thursday afternoon.  Her BF was having to take her up to the clinic for antibiotics and prescription-strength Ibuprofen.  She ran 101* temp the previous night - awake all night with chills - and just feeling like pure crap.

Moral of the story - “ Mouth muscles get an abusive work-out when you work at a daycare.  All Dental work requires respectful healing. “

But Jen’s not the only one learning lessons the hard way.  I hope others will take time to learn easily from my own experience over the past few days.

“ Never allow allergy tests to be scheduled back-to-back with Upper G.I. procedures. “

I won’t find out all the final results until December 22nd - unless we can schedule the follow-up sooner.  BUT - there were obvious signs from the abuse inflicted by the ‘ Mean Back Scratchers ‘ that there will be issues to contend with - as far as word from the Pulminary specialist - already.  He wants to get the results from the 4 vials of blood sucked outta me to see what they all say - first.

Dwayne took a look at my back after I made it home.  Not sure he was prepared for what he saw. “ It looks like you’ve got train tracks running all over your back - with splotches everywhere! “

The worst part came at bedtime.  I needed to take some Benedryl - desperately - and could not.

Preparations for the Upper G.I. included use of certain meds to be forbidden.  And of course…. Yeah.  The story of my life!

I did get to make up for lost sleep while the Gastrointestinal specialist had his fun.  Afterward - he spent time with Dwayne - showing him scanned photos taken of things he found and an area where he felt a biopsy was needed.

I barely remember the ride home.  In fact - I barely remember anything prior to waking up in my bed around 2pm.

Next on the agenda - the Pulminary specialist has me coming in for a Methacholine Challenge.  That would be a breathing test - in which they include some sort of medicine to provoke an asthma attack for measuring??  Doesn’t sound like a party to me - as well.

Remember this?

Got that phone call from Daughter #2 - and enjoyed the biggest kick out of hearing a tiny voice thanking me for her presents!  I just love - love - love hearing her cute little voice!  I must say - tiny 3-year-old Grand-Girl speaks so clearly with quite a healthy vocabulary!  I think she’s gonna be a wonderful Big Sister!

It’s safe now - I can share what choices I made for her birthday gifts.

Leap Frog’s Text and Learn  - because it includes various games that teach about the alphabet and vocabulary.

Toy Story 3’s “ Record-A-Story “ book - because Grand-Girl will be able to hear Meemaw Treesie reading a story to her - even though she lives so far away.

Melissa and Doug Band-In-A-Box Beginner Set - because she’ll have lots of fun with it - and - because this is how I dish paybacks anytime a kid doesn’t call me when I ask!

“ Mama always wins! “

Just When You Thought The Storm Had Passed...

Looking out toward Townsend and the vicinity of Cades Cove in The Great Smoky Mountains.

Enough to give one the impression that the storm had passed and was headed on to the east.

Looking back toward the south - Madisonville - Sweetwater, TN vicinities.

This is looking toward Lenoir City from the backside of our property.

Looking toward Dayton vicinity.  It was as if everything developed as it came over the Plateau.

Looking back toward Knoxville.  Gave me goosebumps just to imagine what was forming on the other side of that wall of trees.

Each time I'd look back toward Chattanooga and the Dayton areas - things became worse - bringing more concern for the Knoxville areas.

And then to look back toward Knoxville each time - even that seemed to build up even worse.

Just when we all began seeing blue skies and sunshine this afternoon in East Tennessee...  it was as if Mother Nature had become embroiled in some kind of serious quarrel with Earth.

We can only hope the sounds continuing into the night will be much more subtle in behavior and action.

Bite Me, Jen ... Ohh... Happy Birthday, Grand-Girl!

Most would not understand - but - I find this view shocking.

Our ‘ yard varmint ‘ - Miss Jennifer - this morning - less than 24 hours after having a wisdom tooth removed - while awake.  Of course - there’s a pain pill somewhere in this mix of her with Spinner and Carlie.

Still - she makes me wanna just - smack ‘er!

Moi' lost 3 days of my life after having all of my wisdom teeth removed.  Something about waking up to take another Darvocet - is about all I remember.  And then there were the 9-plus weeks of suffering lock-jaw from dirty tools used at the hospital where my dentist forced me to have the surgery.  But that’s another memory for later - maybe.

Unfortunately - we have 3 more rounds of this.  Not like going around the corner - considering at least one - or both - of us ( Dwayne and me ) are driving from Loudon to Maryville and bringing her way out here until she’s able to head back to work and carry on with life.

The Dentist refuses to do them all at the same time - which makes us all wanna just - smack ‘eem!

I woke up and made scrambled eggs for her this morning.  Love spoiling her - ( every once in a while ) - as much as she loves being spoiled.  Hey - just being honest!

Later - while preparing Tuna Salad for her lunch…

I came across this!  A Double-Yolker outta one of my Girls!  Nevermind the others.  I really suck at peeling fresh eggs.

Tomorrow is another day of driving to Lenoir City for vampires - and mean back scratchers.  My Pulminary doctor has set me up for bloodwork and scratch-screenings to test for allergies.  I’m not happy.

Neither is Dwayne.  He gets to babysit the chickens - feed them - and the dogs - collect those eggs… all that good stuff.

( Miss Trinity - aka 'Grand-Girl' on her brand new tricycle we bought her last year for her 2nd Birthday! )

Today is Grand-Girl’s 3rd Birthday!

I last spoke with her Mommy this past Saturday - I think it was.  She was out of town - so I told her to call me that following Monday.

She didn’t have Grand-Girl with her at that time - and I wanted to ask Grand-Girl what she wanted for her Birthday!

Well - Monday came - and went - without that phone call from Grand-Girl’s Mommy.

Sooooo - that left ' Meemaw Treesie ' with no other choice - but to make her own guesses.

Something tells me that Mommy never forgets to call when I tell her to do so - ever again!

Open Letter for All Medical Office Personnel

Yesterday was a perfect example for a small amount of Hell that I go through in my life - all for the sake of somebody else’s dignity - and - somebody else’s Creative Job Security that just simply coaxes a self-centered-seeking response of - “ But it looks good - doesn’t it! “

Don’t go crazy here.  I’m not laughing or attempting to be humorous - not even in the slightest.

I had two appointments on the same day - at two entirely different places in town - with two medical doctors I have never seen before.

The one thing I can say is - I was lucky that my husband did not come with me.

For all you Medical Office personnel out there:

There is a VALID REASON why the health insurance companies give us Insurance cards.

There is a VALID REASON why every state in this country requires a VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE and/or VALID IDENTIFICATION CARD.

There is a VALID REASON why your office has a COPY MACHINE located within its confines.

However -

There is NO VALID REASON for patients needing to fill out THE VERY SAME information on THE SAME PIECE OF PAPER - not once - not twice - and especially not even THREE TIMES.

There is NO VALID REASON for patients needing to transpose information that has been ALREADY IMPRINTED ON THE PATIENT’S INSURANCE CARD.  ( That’s what YOU GET PAID to do. )

Our health insurance card - my Driver’s License - and VERBAL ANSWERS for verifying my husband’s identity are ALL YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED.

All other information is ALREADY made available on record with our Insurance Company.  ( YOU GET PAID to ask our insurance company and transpose at your office. )

Had my husband come to my appointments with me yesterday -

You would have DEMANDED his social security number.  You would have REFUSED to let me see the doctor until you got that information.

The situation would have become all about YOU and HIM and INFORMATION ALREADY AVAILABLE IN THE LOOP - if YOU WOULD JUST DO YOUR DAMN JOB.

BOTH - you and my husband - would totally forget the purpose for the situation being all about ME being ill - and - ME needing to see a damn Doctor.

As for ANYONE ELSE SITTING INSIDE A DAMN WAITING ROOM -

If you witness somebody pulling feathers out of their butt while they’re having to fill out all that ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS REPITIVENESS - just so Medical Office Personnel can think their job is secure - do that person a favor…

Stand up - take a look at that person’s paperwork for them.

If they have the crap filled out once - already….

Take their paperwork and their cards to the window FOR THEM.

And TELL THE MORON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WINDOW that they HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED.

If they claim to need all that same information completed on the same sheet of paper - tell them TO GET OFF THEIR LAZY ASS - DO THE JOB THEY’RE GETTING PAID TO DO AND - PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE INSURANCE COMPANY, THEMSELVES!

Two-Fer Today

With as crazy as things are in this country and around this world right now - seems like the only genuine sanity savers rest within rare moments of shared beauty from Mother Nature.

Anytime you get the chance - seems like you better grab hold and chew on it for a while - for much needed medicine - just to help you get through recent Hell that seems to have begun breeding like rabbits.

And such was our day today!  The weather was absolutely glorious!  And everybody around our place had fun getting outside and soaking up some wonderful sun!

Dwayne decided to get out and plane some of the old barn wood so he could stack it in the shed for safe keeping.

Apparently - he’s already decided on a project for that wood.  And I'm being told it's something I’m not allowed to know.  “ Hmmm…. “

Okay… I followed advice from Susan at QueenAcres and placed golf balls back into the nesting boxes again.  It had become obvious that I had only one hen beginning to lay eggs.  She kept laying them in the same spot - on the floor beside the hanging feeder.

It’s been a bit strange - since placing the golf balls.  Wells being dug into the shavings - golf balls moved - golf balls on the floor - two golf balls instead of only one…. It’s just been - weird.

Until this morning!

And it gets even better!  I noticed another hen perching below her and watching.  Later in the day - I went back in to check on their water - and found ANOTHER egg in one of the other nesting boxes!

THANKS A WHOLE BUNCH, SUSAN!

Today was the first day the boys and girls have enjoyed their yard since they were confined and treated for Coccidiosis.  I planted Rye grass a few weeks ago - which they had no trouble getting busy eating!

Things are going extremely well - so much better - with only two Roos in the flock.  There’s no more fighting - no more stress - and everyone seems to be enjoying their meals a lot more.

This handsome boy has been given a name - “ Boss Hoss “ - which fits him very well!  Ohhhh - he loves to crow!  Mr. Attitude has also assumed that he gets 6 out of 9 hens.  And so far - he’s the only one that crows.

Is it possible to have an Alpha and an Omega in the Rooster world?

This guy is so sweet!  He’s a lot more leaner built than Boss Hoss.  He has become much more quiet and friendly.  He was constantly mounting hens all over the place - until those two Roos left.  He hasn’t crowed since they left, as well.  But he seems to be content with the 3 hens that tend to hang with him.  I’m just waiting to see if he’s needing to develop into the situation a little more.

The pups even had a full day playing outside today!  They always have to make their usual pit stop to come say “ Hello! “ to the boys and girls whenever they’re outside.

Carlie ( above ) is really good with the chickens.  But I've already seen enough to know that Zucker ( seen here ) is gonna need some training.  I’m figuring that will come next spring.

For now - I’m looking forward to the next few days that we’ve been told are expected to be strangely pleasant!

Wonder how many eggs I’ll find tomorrow...

Cold Temps Warmed by Little Surprises

( First pocket of blue sky seen mid-afternoon, yesterday, during winter system that brought hail and sleet to our place. )


We are back on our day shift.  The pups seem to be having the better challenge in the adjustment.  But they’re doing better than some would - I can say.

I LOVE waking up at 4am!  I get to prep the coffee pot for auto-start before going to bed on the previous night - and have that wonderful aroma of java bean gently wake me up!  And for whatever reason - I manage to get a lot more accomplished in a day.

Perhaps it could be due to getting more sleep?  Once again - I’m able to get housework done while he’s at work - rather than having to do it at night - so he can sleep during the day.

I managed to come out lucky on this mess of a calendar full of appointments - lined up through the first week of January now.  The Pulminary specialist and the Gastro-Intestinal specialist have offices next door to each other.  One cancelled the other day - and we managed to reschedule for the same day as the other.  I’ll get a break between the two - which will allow grabbing a bite for lunch.

Dwayne will be home on a day off - and has already informed me that he’ll have to decide on a project to do while I’m in Lenoir City all day long.  ( I think I’d rather trade places with him. )

Granted - the appointments are only consultations - this time.  But that means there will be more appointments - that won’t be so easy - or - comfortable.  And Dwayne will be going with me to those appointments.

Come November 15th I will be spending the day helping daughter, Jen, as she goes through surgery to have all four wisdom teeth pulled.  I’ll be bringing her back to our home to recuperate until she’s fit for going back to work.

I am crossing everything possible on my body for everything to go fairly smooth after her surgery.  I ended up having to be sent to our family physician after my surgery ( many moons ago ).  And I got to throw one hefty “ I told you so! “ at my Dentist - after being forced to have the surgery at Danforth Hospital in Texas City - despite my protest.

I was told by my family doctor - “ Teresa, I don’t know any other way to say this - other than to say one of two things have happened here.  Either - you had a very rough Dentist - or - dirty tools were used.”

I ended up with Lock-jaw for over 9 weeks.  And my Dentist had never been rough with me - ever.  Thank God - that Hospital no longer exists.

I only hope Jen has a really easy go with healing.  I have no doubt - she’ll be absolutely thrilled to have the beasts removed from her jaws!

I found the second egg this morning!

At this rate - the addition of a third egg will equate the same yield as one of those Jumbo’s resting beside them!  Ha!

I only wish I knew which hen is leaving the presents.  I need to have a little “ chit-chat “ with her.  Apparently - she is totally unknowing to the reason why Dwayne constructed 18 nesting boxes.

I found the second egg in the very spot where I found the first - on the floor - beside the hanging feeder.  I’m not so sure golf balls will help in this situation - considering the eggs are - brown.

Instead - I think I’ll sacrifice the next one - should I find it on the floor and in the same spot, as well.  Perhaps they’ll all get the message if I try leaving an egg in one of the nesting boxes for a day - time enough for all to catch a glimpse when they jump up to roost.

Fortunately - our temps are down in the low 40’s - high 30’s during the day at the moment.   I’m keeping the coop heated at an average of 55-60* at the very most.  From what I understand - that should keep the egg temperature safe for handling.

I had to remove the ad I placed on Craigslist to find a new home for the second of two Roosters I needed to part with.  As handsome as he was - I figured it wouldn’t take long to find him a new home.  Didn’t even take a whole day!

We are now down to a comfortable count that seems to be going extremely well inside the Chicken Hotel here at our place!

The other two Roos get along quite amicably - each keeping to their own fair and equal distances.  I’ve seen no signs of any fussing over hens.  Nor have I witnessed any hens settling off to the side from the bunch on any consistent basis of time, as well.

I think it’s safe to say there’s a peaceful flock abounding with readiness for the arrival of eggs each week.

“ Bring ‘em on, Ladies! “

He - Him - His - GONE!

It’s a Miracle!!!

Actually - I found that on the floor inside our chicken hotel during the usual “ evening meeting “ with the boys and girls.

Our very first egg!!!  And we weren’t even expecting any until next spring!

Check this out…

It’s sitting in a teaspoon - next to a Jumbo brown egg.

I hear it’s pretty common for the first eggs to show up fairly small  - with eggs increasing in size as they come along with the progress.

On another note - one of our neighbors picked up one of the 4 Roosters yesterday morning.  The boys have achieved - ahem - puberty.

The hormones have made their way to the scene.  The attitudes and dominance have begun to rear their ugly heads.  And well - we all know how men react to other men hitting on their women - right?!

I’ve decided to attempt keeping two Roosters.  Both seem to get along very well - minus the other two.

As for the second of the two that will be leaving - I placed an ad in Craigslist today.

I prefer to say that HE made that decision - considering the fact that the last two mornings have resulted in a trip out to the coop in the morning and finding everybody perched on the roosts - except HIM and his chosen hens.  He was pacing while HIS women were eating at the feeder.

I no sooner grabbed HIS butt up to carry HIM out to the chicken tractor - when squawks and thumps filled the coop as everybody else began jumping down to eat and drink.

I have no choice but to bring HIM back inside the coop at night until we find someone to take HIM.  We have a winter storm pushing it’s ugly head into our area throughout tonight.

I’ve always been the kind of woman to feel that - even the worst of assholes - don’t deserve to be left out in the cold temps that can kill.