Too darn hot!

It was 88 degrees when I got home from the grocery store last night at 11:30. It was 81 degrees at 2 am when we got back from trying to see the meteor showrer at Shenandoah National Park. We have a slight breeze today, but it is still too humid and hot for me. 88 degrees so far with a high of 94 expected. Ugh!

It's been an exciting summer so far.

After I broke my ankle, we were still planning on going on our 3 week, drive across the country to Seattle, go down the west coast, and then drive home trip. I can't drive, so my parents were going to come with us and help hubby drive. It all hit the fan on July 12th. My leg had been aching every evening for a few days. I thought I had been doing too much, not elevating it as much as I should. I woke up that morning and felt a little off. I tried to get up out of the recliner and collapsed. My night owl 16 yr old son heard me fall and came to try to get me off the floor. I could not get up, as My right arm and leg were not working. Hubby and my sons carried me to the car and rushed me to our local hospital, where they determined I probably had a stroke. They sent me by ambulance to the regional medical center. MRI testing showed I did have a stroke. We guess I had a DVT in my broken leg, which traveled from my leg, through the small hole I have in my heart between the left and right sides and then to my brain.

After missing 1 day of work for my broken leg and 3 days in the hospital, plus recovery time, I am feeling back to normal. I used too much vacation time to take a long trip, so we took the youngest 4 to the beach last weekend. It was too hot to actually go to the beach, but the kids enjoyed the pool at the KOA campground Virginia Beach and seeing a few movies in the heat of the day, plus the Maritime museum in Newport News.

Fourth of July fun

We went camping in NY state, about 20 minutes from my aunts house, where we were scheduled to attend a 4th of July party. Early Monday morning, I woke up and decided to go take a shower before the kids got up. I stepped wrong on the muddy grass on the hill in front of our site and slid several feet, breaking my right ankle as I hit the small drainage ditch by the road. Hubby drove me to the local ER, where they x-rayed my ankle and put on a splint. We got to the party 3 hours late, as hubby and the kids had to pack up everything before we left for the party. I have a real hard cast, can not walk on or drive with my foot. My Mom and Dad will come with us on our 3 week camping trip in a few weeks, to help hubby drive. :)

Poor Yoshi my 13 yr old dog.

He has been very lethargic the last few weeks. Last evening, he was barking and running in the yard with the kids when he started wheezing. We rushed him to the animal hospital 20 miles from here. He had congestive heart failure. The vet was amazed that he was 13. She said 90 pound dogs usually live only 10 to 12 years. As all the medicines they tried were not helping, we had to make the difficult choice of letting him go. I really don't like pets, as they are a lot of money and work for the parents. He loved the kids and they are really upset. Rest in peace Yoyo.
We will miss you.

Strep, UGH!

Winter, kids, and illnesses seem to go together, at least in my house. It seems like at least one of my youngest 6 children still in school has been sick since the second week of school. We have had multiple colds, stomach bugs and now strep. #10 is such a generous child. She shared her strep with me. I hope I was not contageous when I was at work last Wednesday. On the days I go to work, I bring my laptop in, and use the keyboard and mouse from a co-workers computer. He works nights.

It must be monday!

Hubby went into a routine doctor visit and was admitted to the hospital for the next 3 days due to some health issues. I'm trying to get all the laundry and dishes done and pack for a camping trip next weekend. And I probably have to go to work tomorrow instead of working from home. Argh!

I must be crazy?

I volunteered to work overtime this week, from 6 am to 6pm each day. It's nice to have a little extra money, but I would only do this because I work at home. If I have to drive to the office, 150 miles round trip, I would be too tired after more than a day or 2 of 12 hour days. See you on Saturday?

Today is free slurpee day

On 7-11, the 7-11 stores give out free small slurpees until they run out of small cups. I should see if the kids are away and take them during my lunch break?

Very quiet here recently. Other than replacing the pimp motor on both washers and the door latch on one, I have not done much other than the usual dishes and laundry. This evening I am renting a steam cleaner, to clean the cars and upholstered furniture. The kids rarely make their beds, then complain the mattresses smell like the dogs, as they let the dogs sleep with them. ;)

Express Scripts IS A RIPOFF.

I hate our new mail order pharmacy!
They told me recently that any medications that are taken long term have to be filled by their mail order pharmacy or they are not covered. So Hubby's dr faxed in prescriptions for his heart meds to them. We receive a shipment and open it to find out the medicine is full price, almost $800 for a 3 month supply. When I called them and asked why, they stated we had not met our deductible yet. I sent the medicine back, as they have in our file that they are not to fill any prescriptions for over $100 without calling us and getting our permission. They still want us to pay for the the meds, as they did not authorize me to return them. They stated they can ship them back to me, but I have to pay for them regardless. I call BS. I need to get the benefits manager for Hubby's company's contact info? Maybe there is an office in the state government that can help?

We are truly blessed

I grumble about the small stuff, like bills, common childhood illnesses and house work. A good friends house burnt down this week, a total loss. Mom, dad and youngest daughter were home when the fire started. They were able to save themselves and most of their pets. That was it. Mom is recovering from smoke inhalation in the hospital. They live 3 hours away. I wish there is something concrete I could do to assist them.

My cell phone is possesed?

I picked it up last night to make sure my alarms were set for this morning. All 3 alarms said alarm 1, alarm 2 and alarm 3, not the names I had given them previously. They were off and the time was not selected. It just seems odd, but I reset the alarms and went to bed. This morning, a few of the kids have sore throats, so I grabbed my cell phone and went to call the doctor. All my contacts are gone. Also, I noticed all my text messages have disappeared. Thankfully all my photos are still there, waiting for me to save them all to my removable micro sd card and move them to my pc.

I still have no idea what happened. #3 had my phone Saturday, as his was being recharged when he left for work. I don't think he deliberately changed anything.

Christmas was crazy

I decided to get my hernia repaired a few days before Christmas, as my oldest daughter was here to help while I recovered. Hubby insisted I had to follow the dr orders, no lifting and rest. I was bored! We drove up to NY a few days after my surgery to see my parents. It was not boring there. Between my family and the grandkids who live with them, we had 15 people in their house for a few days. I left 2 kids home, one as he gets really car sick, another as he had to work. #1 has to go back to the Seattle area tomorrow. We're going to miss her! I forgot how much fun she is to have around.

My poor car!

The insurance company decided it was a total loss. The obvious damages were $600 less than the NADA value of the car. I hate shopping for a car. I wish little brother's best friend lived closer. He has been a mechanic for 25+ years and could look over the choices before I decided what to buy. I'm probably getting another 2006 Camry, as I know they are built well. Mine was totalled when I was driving 65 mph and a deer jumped in front of my car. The 2 children with me and I were not injured.

Score deer 1, Camry 0

I hit a deer on my way back from NY state last night. I do NOT recommend hitting a large deer while driving highway speeds.

The oven works!

I was right, it was the oven temperature sensor. $17+ dollars with a 2 week wait for the part to come into the local appliance store and 5 minutes to put the new part in. YAY.

To celebrate, I made 5 apple and 2 pumpkin pies for dinner Sunday. :)

FALL!

Finally! The weather in this area of Virginia has been wonderful the last week or so. Not too hot, not too cold, perfect fall weather. I like it when it does not get above 80 during the day and stays above freezing at night. Of course, as soon as I remove the air conditioners, it will probably get warm again...

Stink bugs!

http://njaes.rutgers.edu/images/photos/stinkbug/adult-female-full.jpg

They are everywhere this year. My kids rooms (on the second floor of the house), the ceilings have many stink bugs. They have found their way into my home office/ hubby's workshop. I have killed a dozen today and there are still more in my office. ARGH!

Both washers are working

It took me 4+ hours to reassemble the old washer with the new parts last evening. I have 2 working washers, but only one dryer hooked up. I need a separate service panel for the laundry room to hook up both electric dryers. Not enough room in the breaker box to add another breaker for the dryer.

Woohoo! I saved $500+ by doing the work myself. However, both shoulders and my back are reminding me this morning that they really did not like me bending and moving heavy objects last evening...

Sears repair service SUCKS!

Now they says that if I want a refund for the part they overcharged me $145 plus tax, I have uninstall it from my washer, return it and in 3 weeks or so, I should see a credit on my credit card. Then If I want to, I can order the part from their parts site for the $258. I CALL BS! I'll return the part and order the new one from

https://www.facebook.com/RepairClinic where it is $211 plus shipping and taxes.

http://www.repairclinic.com/vwo1/PartDetail/Motor-Control-Board/8183196/1257029?modelNumber=WFW9400SZ04
Not only are these new parts, but they are almost half the price that Sears is charging me for the re-manufactured one their tech ordered for me.

One washer is fixed!

I replaced the motor control module on my 2 yr old whirlpool washer. The parts to fix my 11 yr old kenmore were just delivered today. I know what I am doing after dinner tonight. :)