Scotch

Me: (I don't even know what I said.)
The Boy: I don't need your sass.

He's a character and a whopping six feet tall!

He is currently going through old entries of this blog saying, "I don't remember saying that." and chuckling.

I love him.

In sad news, our sweet boy, Scotch, has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The x-rays were horrible. The poor boy has been limping around on a broken femur head. The cancerous bone growth looks so bad. He is taking pain pills right now, but the doctor said we shouldn't let it go too far since toward the end it isn't pretty. We have an appointment next Tuesday. We are spoiling him rotten until then. Tears are being shed almost hourly, but we can tell he is in a lot of pain. He is still running around and playing from time to time, but he's not his normal goof-ball as much as he used to be.

We will miss you, sweet boy.

48 Answers About Me

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

I was named after my granny (Lala V) and my mom (Lala Ruth).

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

When I was down in Oklahoma a few weeks ago helping my mom get my dad into a skilled nursing facility.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

My cursive is not too shabby. My printing is less than spectacular.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Depends on the sandwich. Ham I guess. On a bagel with cream cheese.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

Two boys.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Damn skippy.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

One of my many talents.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

Yes, but they are drying up and falling out. Icky, I know.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Probably not, but I would skydive.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

Frosted Flakes with bananas. Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds is a close second.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

Yes, but only when they are new.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

Yes.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Braums Peppermint (or Pumpkin when in season).

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

I don't really know. Maybe their attitude?

15. RED OR PINK?

Red.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

My hips/thighs.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

Since we moved, I miss seeing my mom and dad.

18. WHAT IS THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?

I don't even know what this question is asking.

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

Bright white.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

Twix.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

A fan. And if I listen hard enough, some music from down the hall.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Green.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?

Bacon, freshed mowed grass, rain.

24. HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS TO YOU?

Not that important. Not enough to get into arguments about them.

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?

Mountain hideaway.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

Baseball.

27. HAIR COLOR?

Salt and pepper.

28. EYE COLOR?

Blue.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

No.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?

Meatloaf with mashed potatoes, green beans, and yeast rolls.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Happy.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

Purple

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Fall

35. FAVORITE DESSERT?

TGIFridays had this salted caramel cake thing that was awesome! Then they closed the restaurant closest to us. :(

36. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?

Cardio.

37. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?

Computer.

38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

The Accidental Mother by Rowan Coleman.

39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

It is black. Boring.

40. FAVORITE SOUND?

Rain.

41. FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?

I like pretty much anything except nasty rap and screamy music.

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

Germany.

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

I love to work with molten glass to make paperweights. I tried glass blowing, but I hurt my ear. Maybe that is the technique I need to improve on! I can also make a sound like a dripping faucet.

44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

California.

45. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?

Iowa.

46. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?

It is this weird yellowy-brownish color. Brick and siding.

47. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?

RED! Vroom, vroom!

48. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 48 QUESTIONS?

Sure.

Busy, but not so much

Busy. We make it look that way!

School is out for three of the four of us.

The oldest will be in Oklahoma all summer putting his civil engineering edumacation to work building bridges. He has only been at it this week, but seems to be really enjoying it. He hasn't made it out into the hot Oklahoma sun to physically work, so we'll see if his tune changes. He id djust get back from Air Assault school where he passed with (flying?) colors. It is one of the hardest schools the Army has and people get sent home for little things. We are so proud of him!

The youngest is busy with camps. He helped with a Cub Scout camp last weekend. This weekend he is going to go through his Ordeal to get into the Order of the Arrow. The OA is an honor society within the Boy Scouts. He was the only one of his Troop to get elected into it this year. Now if he can just keep quiet for 24 hours, he should be good to go! (They go to the Scout camp to clean it up for the summer camps, but the kids can't talk during the Ordeal. We wish him luck with that.) Next month he goes to church camp for a week, home a week, and then back to the Scout camp for a week. He also had his piano recital last Sunday and rocked it (of course). :)

The husband is busy being busy. He keeps the house in liveable shape while I'm at work. Dishes, laundry, yard work...now if I could only get him to cook! He's looking at running for a county superintendent position. That would be sweet. We just have to get a bunch of signatures to get him on the ballot.

I've just been doing what I do so well. Working, reading, and just being awesome.

The water heater sprang a leak last Wednesday and partially flooded the utility room. Sweet. We kept the leaky water mostly under control until we could get a new heater put in on Monday. So my nerves were shot over that.

So that's that.

Tomorrow is the day!

Tomorrow is the big day. Gall Bladder and I will be parting ways.

I've tried to make GB's last days fun. We've thrown a Frisbee, thrown a football (perfect spiral if I do say so myself), bought our favorite chocolate/banana swirl ice cream, went for a photography walk in the park, read some good books, and ate a bunch of bacon.

I'm not nervous, but am totally ready for this to happen. I trust the doctors and nurses and am confidant they will do their best.



I'll leave you with some photos to enjoy...

Scouts working on their Orienteering Badge

Photos around Cedar Park, Fairmont, MN

Sloppy Joes! (I tucked my shirt in for this photo.)

 

Popcorn Patrol reporting for duty!

Water...I need water...anyone? Anyone? If only I had thumbs!!

The Gall!

Well, I've seem to acquired an internal pouch of gall stones. How fun is that?

I've been having a dull ache in my abdomen for about a month and decided that it would probably be in my best interest to get it checked out.

(I can't imbed the video I wanted to put here, but it is of Ah-nuld saying, "It's not a toomah! It's not a toomah. At all.")

The nice lady did the ultrasound on my guts, but wouldn't print off a copy of my gall bladder to share with you. Boo to the nice lady!

I spoke with the doctor a couple of days later (both of us were on cell phones and I only had one bar of service so the conversation was a bit iffy) and I caught words like "Accute", "Multiple", "Stones", "Surgeon", and "Schedule".

I was thrilled it wasn't a toomah, but not too happy that the word "surgeon" was involved.

I dialed up the old intrawebs and searched my insurance site to make sure ye olde surgeon was in network. Aaaaaaaaand of course not. I called the insurance and the lady there searched and searched and sure enough, not in the network. I called my doctor's nurse to let her know and she sounded more shocked than I was. I am waiting to hear back from a friend of mine whose wife is a surgery nurse at the place that is in my network. I'm hoping she has a recommendation or two of who I could use since I don't know anything about the doctors in that facility.

So while I wait, I'm entertaining my gall bladder to the best of my ability. I took it to St. Paul, Minnesota this weekend for the Women's State Bowling Tournament. I let it enjoy a couple of Blood Orange Margaritas (Don Julio Blanco tequila, sweet blood orange puree and Cointreau; topped with sweet and sour) and a warm cheese sampler plate (Grilled baguette served with warmed brie, gorgonzola and goat cheese; paired with roasted garlic, basil oil and boozy cherries). Nothing but the best for my innards! We played a round of Yahtzee with six other ladies (I don't know how many other gall bladders were involved in the game).

I'll keep updating here to let you know what my gall bladder has been up to until it is time to part ways with it.


Total absence of humor renders life impossible. - Colette (1873 - 1954), Chance Acquaintances, 1952

The Hunger Games

Saw the Hunger Games this afternoon. From a video producer's perspective, I wanted to slap the person who that it would be good to let their six year old kid run the camera during the District 12 scenes at the beginning. I got a little sea sick. I know it was all supposed to be "artsy", but it was more annoying than anything. Thank goodness that nonsense stopped. I don't think I could have lasted the whole two hours and twenty-two minutes like that!

Barometer

Coffee of the Day: Butter Toffee

Mental Jukebox Selection: The Dandy Warhols -We Used To Be Friends

Reading:: Jennifer Lancaster - If You Were Here

Thinking: Hungry! Must eat!

Dreading: Cleaning the house today.

Looking: Switching between The Today Show and GMA

Wondering: If the ruffle in my blouse willl be pressed and if the wrinkles in my skirt will come out.

Needing: A million dollars.

Also needing: To shave these legs!