What I've Been Listening To In the Car
No, this is not another entry on NPR.
Recently I got a gift certificate to use on Amazon. I decided to use the windfall on something that I may not normally purchase and bought
Los Lonely Boys' Sacred CD. It has now become my in-car staple for music listening.
I had heard good things about this group. The boys are Garza brothers JoJo, Ringo and Henry. And, yes, Ringo is the drummer--and it is his real name. The group is from Texas and you can hear in their music latin, blues and roots rock influences.
My favorite tune is the accordian-driven "Texican Style". Other favorites include "One More Day", "My Way", "Orale", and "Home".
You can get more information by visiting their website at
www.loslonelyboys.org.
Post Op
I had surgery this past Tuesday. The surgery required the use of general anesthesia. Something I met with some trepidation. The last time I got knocked out with general anesthesia was 21 years ago. It made me sick for days afterward. I still remember it.
Despite medicine and the patch behind my ear, the same thing happened this time. But, I did get anti-nausea medicine which helped a lot. I was able to keep food down and the splitting headache went away.
I always look for the amusing or goofy things in these situations. The lack of drama is what amused me. I had to arrive at the hospital at 5AM (surgery was scheduled for 7:30) so they could do bloodwork to make sure I was okay to operate on. Spent most of my time sitting in a LaZBoy chair.
Then I was taken to to the pre-op room via wheelchair. It's basically a large staging area for prepping people for the OR. There were curtained stalls along one side with gurneys and a small section with rocking chairs on the other. I was seated in a rocking chair.
My sister was with me and we visited while other people slowly filled the room. Then I saw my doctor walk in with his scrubs on. It was odd for me as I've seen him alot this past year--but, never in scrubs, just business clothes and a lab coat. He waived "hi" and said he'd be back in a bit.
After my doctor reviewed my lab results, he came over and said I was ready to go and he'd see me in the OR. Soon after, a nurse came and led me to the OR. No wheelchair this time.
We walked down a hallway, made a few turns, entered some doors, and there I was in the OR. I saw my doctor sitting off to the side visiting with the anesthesiologist. I said, "Is this it?" He laughed and said, "Yes, it is." The room was big with a table in the center. The nurse anesthesiologist pointed me to the table and told me where my head was to go. So, I hopped up on the table and laid down. (This was the anticlimactic part.)
The last thing I remember was her putting the IV in my hand and me talking about my landscaping and fall planting project.
Inspiring Words from Today's Horoscope
I'm sure this can apply to people who are not Leos as well.
"There are some stressful areas of your life that you're choosing to hold onto -- why? Today, if you can let go of the past, you'll finally be able to move on. The thing that's holding you back could be an argument, a missed opportunity or just an unpleasant blind date. Whatever it is, it's not the end of you! And it certainly holds no great importance in the grand scheme of your life, so why are you letting it have control over you? Kiss it good-bye!"
Energy Audit Update
Back in May I wrote about having a home energy audit. Based on recommendations from the audit, I had additional insulation put in my attic and basement. Actually what I had in the attic and basement before had such a low R value that I should say I put in insulation instead of adding it.
Based on some calculation from the audit, I was told this would pay for itself in 2-1/2 years. I think they must have been talking about if I had paid the full $726 instead of the $236 it cost after the $500 rebate. Why? Because I have already saved $80 since the insulation was installed in June. At this rate, I'll break even in less than 12 months.
As I said in May, if you haven't had an energy audit, why not get one?
Garden Klutz
Bad knees = Balance issues
This I know from personal experience. It's one of the reasons I questioned moving back to the Midwest with it's icy/snowy winters. I don't like falling on ice.
Today I was digging up Hostas with a garden fork. I was turning up a large clump that were tangled in some Vinca when the Vinca finally let go. The result sent me reeling backward, I then went forward to right myself and landed face down in the Vinca.
The neighbor couple from two houses down happened to be walking by and caught the whole thing. When I turned over, they were walking up my driveway to see if I was okay. I could tell by the looks on their faces that I had to say, "It's okay to laugh, I'm not hurt." I wish this one had been caught on video so I could have seen it.
My Flight IS Booked
I just booked the flight for my trip to Atlanta on November 2-9. I got a great rate from Midwest Airlines for $208 ($246 total with applicable "fees"). The flight will connect in Milwaukee at Mitchell International. The last time I flew through Milwaukee was when I was a child. I'm sure a lot has changed since then when it was called Mitchell Field.
I'm always glad when I don't have to connect through O'Hare and Minneapolis. The odds have not been in my favor with these airports. More often than not I have encountered delays. The most disappointing one was through Mnpls several years ago when delays caused me to miss my nephew's wedding rehearsal dinner.
So, now that the flight is set (and it cost me only half of what I had budgeted) excitement has set in.
One of the things I wanted to do when I lived in Georgia was go up into the mountains. This trip will take me to Clayton, Georgia for the weekend at a mountain retreat. Clayton is in the Northeast corner of the state.
I fly into Atlanta on Thursday and will head up to Clayton the next day and come back Sunday. Then I'll spend a couple days kicking around Atlanta before I fly back to Iowa. My friend Caroline will be putting me up at her house while I'm in Atlanta.
My list of things I really want to do while I am there include:
- Seeing my friends
- Visiting the Atlanta Botanical Gardens
- Visiting the CNN headquarters
- Eating at Vortex, R. Thomas, and the Flying Bisquit
- Visiting the Carter Center area (I love that part of the City)
- Whatever else I can fit in
One thing I hope to avoid when I am in Atlanta--traffic! I'll have to schedule my days and routes accordingly. ;-)
