We Made it Through

We made it through the wrath of Frankenstorm Sandy. The worst part of the entire storm was that we lost power for about 5 hours overnight.  So I just went to bed!

Dad and ESM ventured back to their house to see what they would find.  It was fine!  No flooding or damage.  We were very, very lucky and I am so thankful for that!

After checking out the pictures from around the web and friends, we were SO lucky!

AZ's parents have a mobile home in Lower Delaware and shared pictures of water up to the doorway.  SCARY!  Especially since they are currently in Florida for the winter. Fortunately, they have good friends who are checking things out for them and hopefully they won't have to make a trip north to handle things here.

I am praying for all the people who were not as lucky as my family was and I hope the clean up moves quickly to get everything back to the "new" normal.

Checking in

We are all battened down and tucked in for the hurricane. By all predictions sandy will be making a left into south jersey. Yes, you can make a left in south jersey, just have to watch out for the cows.

If we were in north Jersey sandy couldn't make a left. She'd have to take the jug handle. Thanks for the giggle @blogmamaandrea and @cyclinpapa!

I had a good week of getting blogs scheduled but didn't get a chance to catch up with yours. I was flat on my back with positional vertigo. I don't know if the treatment or the problem is worse. Dr prescribed antihistamines and rest. The meds put me to sleep and I was still dizzy when I was up. Without the meds I was/am still dizzy. It hasn't been a fun couple of days for me.

I think my biggest complaint about this illness is I haven't been able to read. Dr ordered be rest and tracking across the page makes.me.sick. booo hoo.

I hope to catch up with you guys this coming week provided we have electricity.

For those in the path of this frankenstorm I pray for your safety. Be safe!

Velata Fun

I'm a Chocoholic. I admit it.  If there is a support group, please do NOT direct me.  I don't want help for my addiction. 

I do LOVE that Velata has helped out my addiction with their Fondue Warmers.  I have three that we use regularly.  A Blue Razz, a Maraschino cherry, and a black liquorish.



Blue Razz
Looks like fun just sitting there!

They are so easy to set up.  Just plug it in and turn it on!  To get the chocolate started, you just have to put the bag into the microwave for a minute or so, then pour the chocolate into the fondue dish.  I've been known to suck the remaining chocolate out of the bag.  There's no sense in wasting chocolate.



The Chocolate Packets

And the clean up is just as easy as the set up.  When you're done dipping, just toss the dish into the dishwasher.  It can't get any easier!

There are also dishes to go with the warmers.  You can display your dipping food all around the warmer.

 

Velata Dishes

This weekend, I made lots of cute dipping things. I got the ideas from Velata's website and Pinterest Pages.  The first one, Peanut Butter Pretzels were SO yummy!  AZ was my taster and he said he could eat them like chips and dip.  I had to hide the ones that I was making for work so he wouldn't eat them all! 



Before their swim in chocolate!



If you want the recipe, let me know!  I'll email it right over. 

If you want a Velata warmer and chocolate, email me and I'll get you set up!

After their swim in the chocolate.
Some dove all the way in, while the others were more cautious and just waded in halfway

I also took the white chocolate, melted it and colored it orange.  I dipped the pretzels in and topped them off with a green M&M. 

 

How cute are they? 
And SO easy to make with the Velata Chocolate and Warmer



Now, I know I've talked ya'll into getting a Velata Warmer and chocolate.  Remember, all the wonderful holiday parties you are planning and you know this will be a wonderful addition to your spread.  Plug it in, warm up the chocolate and lay out some fruits and other dipping stuff.  Easy set up, easy clean up.

Contact me and we'll get you all set up in time for your holiday parties!

Thunder Shirts for Dogs

There is a product designed for dogs and cats to help with anxiety in the animal.  Its called a Thundershirt.

Fortunately, Jaxon doesn't seem to have separation anxiety.  He does have an aversion to loud noises like fireworks.  We made our own version of a thunder shirt for Jaxon.

Jaxon has a monkey on his back.

Jaxon loves playing with stuffed animals, especially ones with long arms and legs.  They are easy to tie around him.

He fell asleep with the monkey on his back.

Jaxon was able to untie the monkey when he got up.

He puts up with a lot from us. 

But he still loves us.

Driving All Over - WW



Me and Octy the Octopus spent Monday driving all over South / Central Jersey for work.
Jacob gave me Octy years ago and he keeps me company on long car rides



It was a beautiful day to take in the Fall Colors



Lovely back roads with green fields contrasted with the fall colors

 



New Family Member

We have a new addition to the family.

This is Oscar.
Dad and ESM adopted him this weekend.

Not to be mistaken for Jaxon

This is Jaxon

Oscar is a 2 year old Jack Russell who is very loving and a happy pup.

Oscar and Daddy

We are looking forward to getting to know Oscar and getting the boys together to play.

Oscar is by the door.  Jaxon is behind him.
They look so much alike they could be brothers!

We are going to have so much fun with the new addition.  Welcome to the family, Oscar!

New Phone

It was time for an upgrade for my cell. I've had an iPhone and have loved it. But I have friends who have Android phones.

They tell me there are so many more free apps for the Android system.

So I got me a galaxy 2 s. I love it!  The screen is bigger than the old phone. The apps are great!  There is even an app for blogger that works completely, without any compatibility issues.

In fact, I'm using the app right now!   If your in the market for a new cell phone, I highly recommend the galaxy 2 s.

These opinions are all my own and I haven't been paid for them. Of course if Samsung wants to toss a great cover my way, it'd be mighty appreciated!

Friday Fragments

Let's just put this out there.  I hate Comcast.  Or xfinity or what ever they are calling themselves today.  They just SUCK.  Big Time.

With AZ being out of work right now, we are working to reduce expenses as much as possible. I called to cancel the TV portion of the cable and they have since messed up the Internet part.  We've been without Internet for over a week now and they can't seem to fix it.  Technician #2 will be at the house tomorrow.  If they can't get it fixed, they'd better be ready to face the wrath of ME.  AZ has been dealing with them so far and he's a LOT nicer than I will be. 

I do want to thank the neighbor who has left their network unsecured.  I promise I'm not looking up porn or anything.

AZ, JR and I are going out to dinner with AZ's parents on Saturday.  They are going to FL for the winter season.  They love it there.  Its going to be a good evening!



Tonight, I'm going to a Slumber Party.  Wine, chocolate and sex toys!  Sounds like a pretty interesting evening!


Dad's wired for sound.  His heart doctor wanted to follow up on the A-fib of his heart.  He has to wear a heart monitor for a month.  Then they will look at the results and see what needs to be done, if anything.


It looks like its going to be a lovely weekend.  Jakes is scheduled to work at the horse farm on Saturday morning.  Sunday I think I am going to draft him into helping to make chocolate covered pretzels for a meeting I have Monday evening.  yum

Dirty Pants

Jakes worked hard at the farm this weekend and Ms. Jill rewarded them with a long trail ride.  I took some videos to share with the grandparents.

Here's the result of riding bareback.....



Shhhhh!  don't tell him I took this picture!



Halloween and Decorating

It was lovely fall weather this weekend.  After Jakes was done at the farm, he cut the grass and we decorated.  It was a family project because I'm short and needed the tall men in my life to help.

A free pattern for the bats, a couple strings of lights and
I have a spooky bay window.



A twin bedsheet from Dad's stint in the Navy 40 years ago.
Some old newspapers and string
makes a passel of ghosts for the tree



White yarn, a couple of tent stakes and lots of patience.
Now we have a HUGE spider web.



Who's got some bugs to keep my spider happy?

 

Check out websites like Country Living and Better Homes and Gardens for free ideas and patterns to help you decorate your home for Halloween!



Playing Ostrich

I've been avoiding Blogging because there are things in my life that I would normally share with all you but that I don't want to share with some people in my Real Life. So because I don't want to put things out to real people, I've avoided my feelings and the problems in my life.

But in my hormonal state last week, I let loose!  The hormones wouldn't allow my filters to protect the people in my life that I care about.  I shouldn't have shared SO much, especially the parts that are not just mine to share.  I knew it was wrong to share so much and I also know it will come back to bite me in the ass.  No matter how much I'm assured that it won't, its gonna.  Someday, its gonna.

Things between AZ and I are not going as well as I would like.  There are health problems that are interfering with a happy ending.  There are feelings (from me) of dislike toward JR.  I thought I was doing well at handling ALL these feelings but then once a month, I get hormonal and loose it.  I have no patience and no filters on my mouth or temper.

AZ has back problems and depression.  With back problems comes pain, with pain comes pain medication. Pain medication has its own side effects on a person and the relationships that person has.  And depression brings a ton of its own problems and issues.

There are so many things about my life that I hate right now.  I hate going home from work in the evenings and watching TV listening to AZ snore.  He doesn't sleep like a normal person, 6-8 hours at a time, he just kinda "naps."  I don't know if its because he can't get comfortable from the pain or if its from the pain medication or both.  But I HATE watching TV basically by myself.

I hate sleeping in the bed alone.  AZ doesn't come to bed because he just naps, all day and all night.  He doesn't come to bed because he doesn't want to disturb my sleep. I appreciate that but a BIG insecurity I have is from when my ex wouldn't come to bed either.  My ex wouldn't come to bed when he was cheating on me.  So sharing a bed is a big thing to me, it helps to reinforce to me the stability of our relationship.

I hate that I just spent much of the weekend cleaning the house and doing laundry.  AZ did help with the laundry a little bit but other than that, he was on the couch.  As I was finishing up with the dusting, he asked if I wanted to watch a TV show.  But it was late and I was SO tired, all  I wanted to do was go to bed.  So one night when he's actually awake, I'm too tired to spend time with him.

I leave the house every weekday to work, to support the household, AZ and JR and I STILL have to clean the house on the weekends.  I thought partners would pitch in where needed.  I thought that AZ would SEE that dusting or vacuuming need to be done.  Or know that the bathroom needs to be cleaned.  Hell, seeing the hamper full of clothes should be a big smack in the face that it needs to be done.

I miss sex.  I thought when AZ and I became a "couple" we would enjoy each other that way.  But with back pain and pain medication, there isn't much happening in the bedroom.

On another day, I will talk about my distrust and dislike of JR and his role in the household.

So right now there is a LOT of resentment from me in this relationship.  And I don't think AZ sees it.  And I am too pissed off about things to address AZ in a calm and rational way, right now.

Come and Play with ME - WW

Jaxon was begging his G-parents to come and play with him on Sunday....

And they did!

Feeling a Little Crabby

Daddy celebrated his b-day this weekend with ESM in Ocean City, MD.  They took the RV down and enjoyed riding the boards.

At the Inlet, there is a jewlery store they always check out because it has lovely, unique crab jewlery.  Invariably, ESM comes home with a new crab.  This year she came home with two!

This was in a junk shop along the boards.
But it is LOVELY.
ESM loves sparkly stuff.

This is the newest piece of jewlery from the Inlet Store.
Its beautiful!

ESM felt bad that she was the one getting presents on Daddy's B-day but he said his best B-day present was seeing her happy with her crabbys. 

My b-day present to Daddy was to make lasanga and homemade bread.  He was so happy to come over and eat and see Jaxon.  And me and AZ too, I think.  It was a good meal with lots of great conversations. 

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

where have i been?

Living life is the only answer I can give.  There are things going on that I can't put out here because they are not just mine to share.  I am fine and we are fine.

Choir is going wonderfully.  So far, there isn't ONE song that I do not like. Its going to be a fun concert!  I missed two weeks of singing because of Dad's heart struggles but got right back into choir last week.

Then, on my way home, AZ texted that he was in ER.  sigh......  He has high BP that is usually controlled by meds.  But when he's stressed and/or depressed, it spikes to extremely high levels.  That's what happened last week.  scary. 

We were in ER for HOURS!  The Dr "eventually" came to see him and it still took a long time to get the meds and scans completed to ensure AZ was ok.  When his BP came down enough, they sent us home.  At 3 am and I had to get up at 7 to go to work.  I couldn't take the day off because I have applications due.  sigh......

AZ will be following up with his Dr for the BP as well as for the stress and depression.  In the meantime, we are monitoring his BP and I am encouraging him to get off the couch, even for little things.  I told him Jaxon would LOVE to go for a walk up the to river, which will be good for both of them.  I also offered to let him do my housework.  giggle!

Time will tell how things go for him, for us.  Its all just life.