Pain progress/ home front news

I thought it was time for an update on the home front.

It's been nearly two weeks since the rhizotomy and I do see improvement. My pain levels are greatly reduced (2-4 rather than 7-9) and I am able to work in the kitchen longer, fold laundry, and even take the steps easier than before the procedure. Now I just need to work on my stamina because my back still gets tired and achy but not painful.

As for home, the window replacement men were here yesterday and replaced 11 windows in less than 8 hours without messing with the trim work. I was amazed at how they did this. The new windows are so pretty and clear - now I can set to work on some other decorating revisions in the near future.

We're headed off the OC for a few days next week, so everybody stay cool!

Not so fast...

Today has been a major disappointment. First I was supposed to start my water aerobics class but when I checked before leaving, I found it had been rescheduled and doesn't start now until September 12th. Major bummer. I was really ready to cool off in the pool but it's closed for maintenance.

Next, I don't understand...if we have an entirely new AC unit installed why is it freezing up like the old one? Why is it making a strange vibration noise? And why, oh why does it have to do these things when I want to sleep in cool temperatures? I have been waiting to sleep in my nice cool 68˚ and have yet to have that pleasure. I don't sleep well in warmer climes so I haven't had a good night sleep in nearly a week. Last night, maybe 2 hrs. which only made me so tired I slept most of the day away.

Is there a patron saint of weather or AC?

Too bad, so sad

Well, one of the main reasons why I went to all the trouble to get those shots in my back, was so that I could feel better and would be able to participate in some activities with others.

I had been looking forward to a golf tournament with my golf group with guests (my SIL and Niece) . I was so excited that they were both taking off work and we were going to hit the course together. Unfortunately, last week the shots started to wear off, and today when the event was played, again I was sitting on the sidelines literally. The weather which had been my biggest worry - would it be too hot? - turned out to be perfect and my foursome (without me) did manage to grab first place (YEAH!) but I just wish I could have joined in other than just riding around in the cart and keeping score.

I have my appointment to go back to pain management but dang...why couldn't it have held out a little longer?

Maybe my luck is changing.

Yesterday a friend I had lent money to several years ago sent me a check - just out of the blue - I never thought I'd see that money again.

Yesterday, my husband Tim and I went to visit friends in Sheperdstown and while the boys played in a charity golf tournament, the girls went to the baby store where I got the cutest things for all my grandchildren. Then after returning to my friends house, another of our friends arrived with her Daughter-in-law and her new grandson - all of 7 weeks old. When he got fussy I was able to just rock him and sing to him and calm him down. It was a very peaceful time. Wish I could do it for my grandchildren. Then we went to dinner, meeting the boys who won 2nd place in the golf tournament, and I won the 50/50 drawing of $640. I thought the charity should have most of the money so I gave them back $370 and I kept $270.

I can spend it all on books! My Nook is going to get a big chunk of that!

Cheli becomes water baby!

Well, the time has come for me to admit that I can't handle regular old exercise anymore. My back is degenerating at the pace where walking and biking are too painful, and the spine specialist says that it's time to hit the water. So, I signed up for the arthritic water aerobics (twice a week) at the Olney Swim center.

Yesterday was my first session, and when I got home after a 1¼ hour session at the pool, I was POOPED! I spent more time continually on my feet in that one session than I had in three months (maybe not that long, but close) and I can see where the water is going to be helpful. Many of the exercises in the pool mimic those that the therapist had me doing in PT. The instructor says that she works with rehabbing soldiers and I can see her as a drill sergeant very easily.

So twice a week for the next 13 weeks, Cheli is a water baby on Mondays and Wednesdays. I think I'm the youngest member of the class but I could be wrong. Hopefully, this will get me in better shape for village construction, due to start in a few weeks.

Blogiversary passed by and I didn't notice!

Well, two weeks ago was the anniversary of this blog and somehow or other I was so busy that it just slipped right by me. I set up this blog to let my friends and family keep track of what I was doing and what was keeping me busy. So, I've decided that an update is in order.

Since I originally started out, I have made a design change and I hope everyone likes the look. So on to the update.

1) My diet has been placed on hold. (I joke about having given it up for Lent) I'm having a bit of stress related issues (will explain later on) and I need either comfort food or I'll have to go back to smoking. I figure comfort food is better.

2) My freelance job for Tim's office has been put on hold so I'm watching my pennies again. Hopefully, they will realize how valuable my services were and get me back on the payroll.

3) My golf skills have not improved (maybe because my back has flared up again and so I'm back in Physical Therapy). I still meet with the Ladies 9 holers (in fact, I was elected secretary for the group as well as the coordinator of the lady 9 holers invitationals), so I have to make sure that I get enough ladies to play at the other golf courses on the event days. This year we are hosting an Invitational, and as the event chairperson, I am delegating decoration design and goodie bag development while I handle invitations, name tags, place cards, and menu. So even though I'm not playing golf on a regular basis, I'm still involved with the group and having a great time!

4) Tim and I are still working diligently to get the Montgomery Country Club Bridge Group growing. With the new members that we recruited last year and additional members that we are finding along the way, we are now playing twice month. When the Club has events and no room for us we play at our house.

5) On the home front, last October a "friend" who had lost his job over a year ago and his home in September moved in for what was supposed to be a short period of time. However, as of this writing he is still here and driving me CRAZY! It seems that our hospitality is being stretched to the max. So here in lies my STRESS! The doctor told me that I need to have him move out, and I asked him for a prescription for that! He laughed, I was serious.

6) I'm currently in the middle of the demolition of Derry town. Tim rushed me last year and I didn't get the inventory updated so now I'm updating the photographs and inventory listing. Since that was delayed last year I put off the home inventory which I'm hoping to get done this summer working room to room updating the info on the rest of the house. Eventually I would like to burn a CD of that listing with pictures and give it to State Farm for safekeeping.While I’m working on the home inventory, I will also be working on making my will current (the last one was 15 years ago) so if anyone has something they would like to be heir to, let me know. If that’s not enough I also have the 5000+ photographs from the Bill Derry’s that I agreed to scan into my computer and burn CDs for everyone. (I haven’t forgotten.)

7) I would also like to get some work done on the two books that I am writing. The first is a novel that I started in 1993 and would like to eventually finish. The second is a children’s book that I am writing for my “grandson” Jackson. (Those that know me, also know that having had no children, it would be hard for me to have a grandson. However, when our nephew Christopher and his beautiful bride, Melanie, were expecting, Ellen (Christopher’s Mom – my sister-in-law) and Melanie’s Mom, Gloria, said that I could be Nonna – the Italian grandmother – they are sharing their grandson with me and I feel so blessed by their generosity. ) Hopefully, I will make some progress on both of these projects soon.

8) We were part of the "fortunate" area of the country that received the double blizzard in February - all tolled in less than a week we received nearly 40" of snow. Tim even had to stay home from work one day - can you believe it!

9) For my relaxation time, I have been reading and stitching. As of this day, I have read 38 books in 2010 and my goal is 120 books for the entire year. (2009 I read 162.) I have joined LIBRARYTHING (LT for short) and I have met so many nice people who share my love of reading. I have joined into a number of challenges/groups which drive the need to read those 120 books.

a) the Main Challenge is the 101020Challenge. Here each person chooses 10 categories and 10 books in each category = 100 books but I added a bonus category of 20 books for overflow.

b) Chunskter Challenge is to read 6 books of over 450 pages - this one I've already finished!

c) Supplement to the 101020 Challenge are the 75 and BOYS (Books off your Shelves) Challenges which are basically the same books.

d) The last challenge is the one that Tina (my sister) and I devised together. The US Presidents’ Challenge is to read the Biographies of all 43 Presidents before the end of the term of our current President. That gives us at least 4 years and possibly 8 to get this reading done. So far, (I’m reading in order) I finished Washington through Tyler in 2009 and I'm up to James Buchanan so far this year. (They say he's the worst but I haven't gotten that far yet.) I’ve been reading background books as well – Gold Rush, Mexican War - those kind of things so that I can get a feel for the time in history that these men occupied. Thanks to all my new friends at LT I have found so many new interests in books. I have been stretching my normal areas of reading to include history, biographies, (these are what led to the Presidents Challenge), Award Winning books/Authors (these are probably books I never would have read), non-fiction, and Classics. That doesn’t mean that I’ve given up on the old standards because I am still reading oodles of mysteries (I currently have 50 series that I follow) and I even made time for some romances this year.

10) I also have my Cross Stitch projects to do. (Molly , our niece and her husband Bryan are expecting in October and as "Nonna" I am doing the birth announcement as well as special Christmas stocking for Jackson. Lastly, I am still spending time travelling to Baltimore to visit with my Mom (she’s doing great) and I need to get working with my sister, Mary-Ruth, trying to finish up the cataloging of my Dad’s stamp collection.

So, Chèli’s Cozy Corner is very busy, but never too busy for the love of her life, TIM. This year we will be celebrating our 36th wedding anniversary and I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without this man who treats me like a princess and always, always, makes me feel loved beyond belief.

So, come in and sit down, anytime you’d like in my cozy little corner of the world. I don't post everyday, but hopefully, my postings are fun! Love to you all!

Rush of Parties

It was quiet at home today. After attending and hosting 3 Christmas parties this weekend, I needed the quiet.

Friday, Tim's office had their annual Christmas party and I had to spend the day at the office typing name tags for the expected guests. Saturday, we woke to snow falling. we got about 4 inches but that didn't stop us from hosting our Bridge group's Christmas dinner/party. If that wasn't enough, Sunday morning (after a very late night) I got up to make a Pumpkin praline cheesecake to take to the Christmas party for my ladies golf group.

I really needed a quiet day.

Busy weekend!

Tim and I had a very busy weekend.

First on Saturday, we got together at his sister's (Mary-ellen) house for a barbecue/crab feast. All the members of Tim's Maryland Terrapin tailgate group were there to kickoff the new season. We ate and drank and enjoyed each others' tales of their summer and what was in the offing. After the tailgaters left, the Derrys planned for our October trip to Myrtle Beach.

Sunday, I met Mary-ellen, John and Ellen at the Country Club for breakfast. Tim, of course, was playing golf. Later, Tim, Mary-ellen , and I played bridge at the club with 4 other couples. A busy weekend, but great fun!