Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has never been a good day for me in the past, I've either been single on the day, or I was even dumped on the day once, many years ago. So I sort of make it a point to not even try and recognize the day. But now I have Phil, and the day isn't as bad as it used to be.

For him, I bought him a fishing pole this year, and yes, as silly of a Valentine's Day present as it seems, it is what he really wanted. The funny thing was trying to roll around Wal-Mart with this fishing pole, which I was able to pull apart, but it was still tall, and having all my co-workers laughing at me, making jokes about my "big catch". That day was also extremely windy and stormy, so trying to make it home across the parking lot, in 20mph winds, holding onto a fishing pole for dear life, was quite a sight too.

Phil got me a big box of chocolate's, the one thing about Valentine's Day I love, because I love the chocolate assortment, and he got me a beautiful card. He went to work that morning, I went to work at night, but my real present was when I got home, for he had cooked me a big dinner, and it was so good! It was nice to be pampered like that, especially after a long night at work.

Now I am enjoying two days off, after working five days in a row, and I am definitely needing the relaxation. I was able to finish the book, Twilight, and I have to say I am totally hooked, and can't wait to start in on the next book in the series. I can't believe it has taken me this long to finally get to reading these books, and now I am looking forward to seeing the movie, which I am sure Mindy and I will end up going, because I don't see it as Phil's type of movie, and she is in love with it too, and has already seen it like two or three times. I am sure I can convince her to see it one more! Haha

Today is President's Day, and something strange I found out, is that Obama is going to be visiting my old high school on Wednesday, Dobson High. As my friend Tori says, he just wants to close to where Kimbo has been Hahaha!!

Well, nothing else to really report. We were thinking of heading out to the park tomorrow and letting Brandi run around and explore, and have a picnic, but rain is coming in again tonight, so I think we'll just spend another quiet day at home together before our work week begins again.

20 yrs of Walmart and Bobo

I went to work last night and noticed we had a new greeter, which at first took me by surprise because they have been cutting hours and have put a freeze on hiring, but it turns out she is a transfer from the store in Albuquerque. I am going to say that she is probably in her 80's, very sweet women with a soft southern accent. She told me that as of June she will be with Walmart for 20 years! I think my jaw hit the floor when she said that, and she said that in all that time she has never been late, and has never missed a day, she is just totally dedicated her to job. I just can't imagine working there for 20 years! Yes, I am grateful in these hard times to have a job, but we are talking about a company that has a blantant disregard for it's associates and where people just thinking they can enforce new rules all the time, no matter how silly. Plus, just dealing with some of these customers, getting yelled at for silly things like not being able to take an electric cart outside, is tiresome and feels not worth it for the minimum wage your being paid. On the 25th I'll be there for 5 months, and already I am sick of the place....can you imagine 20 yrs!! Geesh!!

Speaking of which, I guess it is getting about that time for me start getting ready for work myself. Phil is out right now doing a measurement on a security door for my friend and fellow greeter Lela. She was looking for someone to install one for her and I offered Phil's services. He is so happy to be able to do some carpentry again. He really misses it and went off happily with all his tools.

Oh..and on a cute Brandi dog note...last night after work I was getting the birdies some food and Brandi some of her wet dog food she likes, when I came across a Valentine's Day Bobo (for those that don't know, those dog toys called Loofah Dogs, they are long and squeak, we call them her BoBo), and it is red and it is holding a pink heart that says, "I Wuff You". How could I resist that!!?? He thought I was silly, but her halloween bobo that looks like Frankenstein has about had its day. And she has been loving on it ever since, in fact she just brought it to me to play. $4 toy and your dog loves you forever, how could I pass that up!

Rawr!

So it turns out the guy at work didn't get laid off due to economic reasons, he was laid off because he was tardy 11 times during his 90-day probation. A lot of people were really angry at him because he went around saying it was due to the economy and frankly, with how bad things are, you hear that and it does put fear in people. Not to say they aren't doing layoff's right now, I believe it has been 6 people that have been let go so far, but they are doing it to basically the dead weight, people who aren't doing their job rights, people who they can tell just don't appreciate having a job in the first place by their attitude. So was I worried, damn right! Anything can happen. But if they are going to lay people off based on job performance, then I know I am ok because I do the best job I can, and my manager has even given me compliments on how I do my job, which is a big thing. And we do need greeters, it really is a job no one wants, so they would be stupid to get rid of someone who actually does the job and does it well.

In other news, I've been really frustrated with Brandi lately because she won't poop for me. I know, this sounds silly, but she used to wake up in the morning and I could take her out after Phil left for school and she'd go and things would be fine. The past two weeks though, I've been taking her out, and she sniffs everything, plays in the grass, everything but do what she is supposed to. Of course, take her home, and 5 mins later she is whining and pawing to go back out. It would be like an all day production to get her to poop, and then he'd get home and take her out and she'd do it right away. So this morning when we all work up I said "Ok Brandi, today we are going to poop and that's final". Maybe she understood because she went right away! Yes, it is silly to get frustrated with a dog not pooping, but when you have places to go and things to do, it is just annoying to take her out for her to just play. Plus, I was also worried something might be wrong because she wasn't going. But I think the culprit was that she was getting way too many treats at my parents house, and not eating her dinner at night. So I've cut her back from that, so maybe that has helped.

Speaking of Brandi, she is laying on my bed under the covers and keeps looking at me like, "Are you coming to take a nap with me Mom?". We've been up since 6a, and we didn't go to bed until really late, so I think a little nap before I have to get up and get ready for work sounds really nice right now.

I think my dog is racist

This is something I think I have always known for awhile, but it is time to come out with it....

Brandi is racist...

When we first adopted her and brought her home, we started noticing that she would bark and growl nonstop at any of our India neighbors. At the time we lived near Intel in Chandler, AZ, so there was many families living in the complex who were from India, and she would just get this bark and growl like she wanted to eat one.

Now that we are in our new apartment, she's taken to barking and growling every time she sees someone who is Mexican or who is Black. She will sit at the living room window and will just be relentless in her barking and growling.

A white guy just walked by though, and she just stopped and looked at him, and her tail started wagging.

I'm so ashamed....

Anywho..hahaha...tonight after work I am meeting up with Mindy for dinner and I swear I haven't seen her since July! It has been a long time since I have been able to go out on a Friday night, even though I have to work it is just for four hours until 7p tonight, so I can actually enjoy myself for once and go out at night!

Another new job for Phil, Brandi, and Surgery for Me

As I mentioned in a previous blog, Phil was offered a job working as a Maintenance Tech for an apartment complex. He was supposed to hear on Monday as to where he needed to go for his drug testing, then start taking his certification classes on Tuesday. Well, Monday morning he never heard, so he called and they said they were working on where to send him for the drug testing, and that the room he was supposed to be doing his classes was flooded due to the huge storms that came through here this past weekend. He called again yesterday morning, and they are still giving him the run around. So as we were leaving yesterday morning to take Brandi to get groomed, he gets a call from a guy who I had sent in his resume to a few weeks ago. Turns out, they had a job for him they wanted him to start right away, and come in for an interview that afternoon. The job...working for Intel, which is where he was working when I first met him. At the time he was building the Intel, and he has many certifications from his time working there. This job will be working in their Clean Room, which is where they make the Intel chips and processors, and a Clean Room means that you are working in a zero dust environment and when you have to be certified to know how to work in there, and where the whole suit and booties needed to make sure you don't bring any dust in. Lucky for him, he has all that certifications, and has worked in there before putting in all the machines and testing them He went to the interview yesterday afternoon and the pay is the same as the apartment job, and he signed a two-year contract with them, so this is a permanent position and he will be working there for the next two years, and on August 1st he will be able to start receiving full medical benefits.

So he started work today, he has two days of orientation on site, then Friday he will start working. Seeing as he has worked for Intel before, and this job is right up his alley and he has all the certifications, plus seeing as the apartment people still have not called him, he is taking this job. This is a great job for him, and a great opportunity for us to start making some good money.

Brandi was groomed yesterday, and looks so cute in her two little bows behind her ears. We dropped her off at 11am and at 4pm I still hadn't heard to see if she was done, since her pick-up time said 3:30. We were over on the other side of town, he was doing his interview so I was waiting for him in the truck, and I called to check on her, and they said that Brandi had gotten scared of the hair dryer, because it does get loud, and she pooped when they first turned in on her because she was so scared. So they towel dried her and put her in the kennel where there are dryers and the basically air-dried. So when I called she was just about dry and getting ready for her haircut. Poor thing! When we finally got back here, we picked her up and she was done and looking so pretty! As always, we take her into the store and let her pick out a treat, well I guess from all the excitement of the day, plus who knows when she last when potty, she pooped in the store! So being a good doggy mom, I went over to their pet cleaning area and cleaned it up. We got her treats and took her home, where she was so tired she just slept all night.

I also got the call I had been waiting for from my arthritis doctor. He said that the hardware in my elbow has healed well, but that there is significant deterioration to the joint and that he does suggest the elbow replacement, it is just up to me when I go get it done. So I am going to get a copy of the x-ray from the x-ray place, then call the orthopedic surgeon who did the original surgery and see if he will do the surgery for me. If not, then I will get some referrals and do a consults with other docs until I find one I feel comfortable with. So I know I need to get it done, and this really is the time to do it since I will have people here 24 hours a day to help me if I need it. Now its just a matter of finding all my worker's comp paperwork and deal with them to get my claim re-opened since they are required to cover any procedures needed for the rest of my life that has to do with my elbow.

On top of all these, I have to get oral surgery done again. I had 4 teeth removed in Nov. of 2006. and now I have two more broken teeth and a broken wisdom tooth. So I am going to have them remove the broken teeth, and the rest of my wisdom teeth, just to get it out of the way. Of course, I have a huge fear of dentists, the whole having someone I don't know put their hands in my mouth. But as long as I am under sedation, I can do it.

Well, I guess I better head off, seeing as Brandi has now climbed up on the bed behind me, put her two front paws on the arm rest of my chair, and is licking my face and pawing my arms. She's got her ball and I guess she's ready to play...how can I deny that!

Happy 4th of July!

I hope all you blog friends out there had a very happy and safe 4th of July!

My 4th of July started off with a mid-morning trip to Wal-Mart, to get what we needed for dinner that night. Phil and I headed off, and couldn't believe how crowded and busy the place was. With this new Wal-Mart opening, it hasn't been super busy, even on the weekends, because there is another Wal-Mart about 20 minutes away. So people on one side of the town can go to that one, and everyone over here can go to the new one. So we ventured in and I swear, almost everyone there had a watermelon in their cart, including us. I never realized just what a 4th of July staple watermelon is. People were buying them so much, that while we were there, we saw four guys bringing out palettes of watermelon and refilling the bins, while people just stood around them in anxious anticipation, wanting to get their hands on the fattest melon.

We finally got home and unloaded all the groceries, and then it was time for mom and I to start preparing food. We made our homemade potato salad, and then we also cut up the watermelon into pieces for dessert. So mom is cutting up the melon, and she is giving me the rinds that have fruit still left on them, so I am munching away, and this watermelon was juicy! My shirt was all wet and I was sticky and with all the water in the melon, I got full fast! She finishes cutting up the rest of the melon and when she was done, she took her cutting board to throw away all the seeds on it, and I hear her say "Help me, Help me!", but too late, watermelon just flew off the cutting board and onto the floor. We were just laughing as we picked up the melon, and while she went to wash her hands, I decided to move the trash can out of the way, only to knock it over, so there goes more watermelon all over the kitchen floor! It was so comical! So I go get Phil and tell him I need him to take the trash out, not letting him in on the fact that I have now created a huge mess, so he walks in the kitchen and just shakes his head, because he knows me, and he knows I make a mess!

So after the watermelon fiasco, we make the potato salad and rest a bit before starting the hamburgers (turkey burgers for me). Out our kitchen window we can see that there are huge storm clouds brewing, so we tune into the Weather Channel to find there is a severe thunderstorm warning, and the storm seems to be heading this way. This storm looked huge, and since we all love storms, we were getting excited that perhaps this was finally going to be the first big monsoon storm of the summer. So we waited...and waited....and waited...the sky got darker, the wind kicked up a bit....but nothing! Once again, the storm just moved right past us!

The good thing about not getting a storm, however, was that Phil and I were able to go outside and see fireworks. About three miles from us is a farm called Schnepf Farms, they are famous for their peaches in the spring, and there is a lot of activities for kids and families there. Every year they have a 4th of July celebration, with fireworks going off at 9:15pm. The weather was nice and cool, about 87 degrees with a breeze, and lightening out in the distance from the storm that passed us by, so we decided to head down to the clubhouse. We live on a golf course and at the clubhouse you have a perfect spot to watch the fireworks, without paying the $10 a carload to get into event at the farm. We took Brandi, who had never seen fireworks before, and to make sure she was calm and wouldn't be scared by the fireworks and the loud noise, we walked her all the way there. And let me tell you, this was one happy pup! She loves walks anyway, but with it being so hot, she only gets short walks because the heat wears her out. But last night, with it being so cool, she was loving the long walk and fresh air. We got to the clubhouse and I poured some water into her bowl we brought along, and she took some big drinks and just sat next to me, watching the fireworks and the people who had also come down there to see the show. She didn't get scared by the noise at all, which I was so glad to see.

Once the show was over, we took Brandi back home, and she was out for the rest of the night, and in fact right now she is laying next to me on the bed, with her head on my pillow, sleeping away. She had a big night! And so did I, when we got home from seeing the fireworks we were watching a movie and I fell asleep, I was pooped! So today, and hopefully tomorrow, will just be a nice, relaxing weekend, and hopefully storms won't pass us by!

Flare Time

Last night I had a really terrible arthritis flare, one like I haven't had in a long time.

Phil and I had plans to go fishing last night for catfish at the lake, but about two hours before we were supposed to go I started not feeling well. I told him to go on without me though, because there was nothing he could do to help me and my mom was here if I needed anything, and I was starting to feel better, but just thought it was best to rest.

About ten minutes after he left, I was in the kitchen helping my mom finish dinner, when my knees started to swell up and throb, and the pain went up my leg. And it go to the point where during dinner, the rest of my body started swelling up and getting very stiff and sore, and I could barely feed myself dinner because my hands and arms hurt so bad.

After dinner I decided to lay down in my bed, and took my anti-inflammatory pill and my muscle relaxer that I normally use for back pain. I laid down in bed and started getting the chills, which I knew right then that I was having an arthritis flare up. My temperature gets high and I get the chills because my body is fighting off the flare. I found some Advil as I was out of the Tylenol I normally take, and was able to get a few hours sleep, and when I woke up, I was drenched in sweat, which is what I wanted because then I knew my fever broke and I would start feeling better soon.

I was finally able to get to sleep around midnight and Phil came home from fishing around 6am and was so sad to hear what I had gone through during the night, but I was actually glad that I was by myself because when I get that sick like that, I really just want to be left alone and ride it out because I just like to be miserable by myself. That's why I didn't let him know I was going through such a hard time, plus my mom was here if I did need anything.

When I woke up this morning, my body was feeling so much better. Most of the time, by the next morning, I am feeling back to normal. But the index finger on my right hand was very swollen and tight feeling, and it has not changed all day. I have been putting ice on it to see if I could get the swelling to go down, and it hasn't. So if it is still the same way tomorrow, then I am going to call my arthritis doctor and let him know and see if he has any suggestions as to how to fix it, or see if he needs to see me. Phil is really worried about my finger being like this, as is my mom, and they don't want to see this finger turn into anything worse, but I really just feel like it is the last of my flare and keeping ice on it until I go to bed tonight will help the swelling go down in the night.

Brandi was such a good dog last night though. I really think she can sense that I wasn't feeling well. Her and I have gotten really close, I think mainly because I have really been working with her, training her on behavior and walking on the leash without pulling, and during the day when Phil is working it is just me and her hanging out, because with the weather above 100 degrees, I no longer keep her outside after noon. But last night she sat either right at my feet or up toward my head, sleeping with me and making sure I was OK, and sometimes just staring at me and putting a paw on me to let me know she was there. Even now, as I write this, she is laying on the pillow I have my laptop on just starting at me, I suppose to let me know she is here in case she needs me. I really lucked out in finding her at the Humane Society, she has really turned out to be an amazing dog, and companion.

Puppy Loves

When the chips are down, your struggling through life, your down on your luck, and all you want to do is curl up in bed, there is nothing better and nothing that will brighten your day and make everything your going through worthwhile then seeing the happy wag of a puppy tail as she comes over for loves.

2007: A Year in Review

Happy New Years' Eve! I first want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and if you are going out tonight, make sure to be careful on the roads and if you plan on drinking, make sure to use a designated driver.

This is always the time of year when you sit back and reflect on the year that is coming to an end, and see just how far you have come, and just how good and bad things have been. It is also a time to be grateful that we made it through another year, and are lucky to be able to see another one.

For me, 2007 turned out to be a year of surprises, and full of things I didn't expect. At the first of the year, I was out on the dating scene, meeting a few nice people, but unfortunately, a lot of unsavory fellows. I had truly gotten to the point where I did not think there was any good men out there and figured I would just spend my days being alone. But that all changed on May 9th, when I met a man who in an instant changed my life in so many ways, and that was Phil. Our romance was definitely whirlwind, on our first date we both knew we were meant to be together and fell in love with each other, and exactly a week after our first date, he asked me to marry him, to which I said yes. I know that many thought we were crazy and that our relationship would fizzle out, but next Sunday we will have been together for 8 months and we're still going strong.

2007 also saw me finally being able to move out on my own, as I never had the ability to live on my own financially. Phil and I moved into a small, but cozy apartment that we have made our home, and as much as I miss being able to spend everyday with my parents, especially my mom, since her and I are so close, it is nice to be able to finally start my life and have a home of my own, one where I can decorate how I want and can take care of.

Unfortunately, despite all the good things that have happened this year, there have been some bad. Besides some financial hardships we have encountered, I have dealt with a few medical problems that have put me in the hospital twice. I developed a kidney infection in November and while in the hospital, I had a miscarriage at 7 weeks. It was devastating and it is still something that we are getting over, but everything happens for a reason. Then a month later, the infection came back and I was back in the hospital. For now I am feeling good, and I have a doctor appointment this week to get checked out to make sure the infection is gone or is going away, and hopefully 2008 will be a better one medical wise, and no more hospital visits.

We also welcomed a new addition into the family, our 8 month old Australian Shepard Mix puppy, Brandi. She is definitely a bundle, but she is so adorable and she really is a good puppy.

I hope that on this New Years' Eve, as you reflect about the year that has passed you, that you have had more good times then bad, and that 2008 will be a good year for all of us. For me, I am looking forward to getting married and having a good new year with my family and friends.

Happy New Year blog friends!!!

Video Blog: Brandi and Xmas Decorations

Video Blog: Introducing Brandi

Our newest addition

First off, sorry I haven't blogged in a bit. Phil got home Tuesday night and it was so great to see him. Even though he had only been gone for 8 days, it still seemed like longer. He came home with a dozen red roses for me, so sweet.





Other then that, things have been pretty busy around here, we've been out and about running errands and the past two days I have been feeling pretty sicky, so I have been in bed a lot, resting and trying to feel better. Right now Phil is up in Show Low, about 4 hours north of here, camping with his dad, I told him to get even though I didn't feel good because all I am doing it resting and napping and he might as well see his dad, who he hasn't seen in months.





But, during our busy week we did get a new addition to our family...introducing...Brandi....








We adopted her from the Arizona Humane Society. She is a 6 month old Australian Shephard mix, and it also looks like she has some collie in her. When I saw her, all the other dogs in the kennels were barking and she just sat there staring at me. We went around a few times, but we kept getting drawn to her, so we just had to get her. She already knows some basic commands like sit and stay and lay down, and even though they told us she was partially housebroken, she seems completely housebroken to us, hasn't messed in the house once and will go get her leash and bring it to us or scratch at the front door when she needs to go out. Very quiet dog, and very smart, and so sweet. She loves to give us kisses and she really is no trouble at all, at night she will lay at the foot of the bed on the floor, but with Phil being out of town, she slept last night on the bed with me. And she is a heavy sleeper, anytime I moved or got up to go to the bathroom, she never moved, she was dead asleep. Only thing that bugs me is that she will wait forever before going number 2, especially when it is cold outside at night and I am ready for bed. She is a great addition to the family and it is nice to have the company actually. Phil has been wanting a puppy and frankly, while he is at work during the day or if he goes out of town again, it is nice to have her. I planned on doing a video blog of her, but seeing as I have been feeling pretty crappy the since yesterday and have spent most of the weekend sleeping, I will video blog her when I am feeling better.