June....How Fast Will It Go????

Hi there everyone. How you all doing?? My goodness it was warm today...in the 90's for the next couple of days. I don't do very well with 90 degree weather. If the weather could just stay in the 70's, I would be a happy camper. Guess there is no perfect place to live....except for Heaven, then it won't matter what the weather will be like, because we will be so concentrated on Jesus!!!!

Some flowers from my garden, above are my Allium's. I should get some more of these guys. I sure do like them. Below are my pretty pink/white tulips. As they begin to open, they almost look like roses. So pretty!!!

Below is a picture of a picnic bench at Erb Park. I have found my quiet place. I get 11 hours a week now to get away for "respite time". A caregiver comes to the house, giving me time away from taking care of JP. They will wash my dishes, floor, vacuum, give JP a shower and wash his hair. Fold towels, which there are many, cause I seem to be washing towels constantly. The towels end up on the bathroom floor a lot, because of JP's incontinence. They also will take him on the front porch for fresh air, just kind of filling in for me. 

I had a different lady yesterday. I was told she was a "powerhouse" and that she was, she did things I didn't even ask her to do, I was amazed. Probably out of the 3 caregivers.....she is the best. We are getting a new one this Monday. So that will be 4 ladies.

So, when I go to the park, I take a note book and pen, Bible, a Billy Graham devotional, and write away. I have stopped at Jacobs Meat Market for a hot lunch or Kwik Trip for 2 pieces of chicken/chips and and cold drink. Even though there are lots of people there, it is still very peaceful. God knows I need some peace.

I can only spend 1 hour there or less, cause then I need to rush to the store and get back by 4pm, so the caregiver could leave on her shift. This Monday and Wednesday I will get 8 hours and 3 hours on Thursday. I guess I got a raise in hours....lol! From 9 hours to 11 hours free time.....YAY!!!!!!

This is such a pretty park....we are going on 30 years in this town and we very seldom used the park....always too busy  guess. Now they let people walk their dogs through the park. When we had Hyko and Kylie...doggies were not allowed. We could only walk around the park on the street!!!!

See the cute card to the right? "If you're feeling blue....try painting yourself a different color". I did not make it....but, think I will try, I have the birdie, just would have to color it and write in the saying. Guess, when I get "a round tuit" I will try making it....lol!

Well JP had a Pet Scan and liver panel today, to see if he has cancer and if the cancer in his eye did or did not spread through his body. If that is the case, no cancer in his body, then our next appointment will be in Green Bay at St. Vincent's and he will have the surgery on his eye. 

JP is not doing all that good, all his health issues are getting him down, many times he say's he want's to quit. He is at a place where he may be put in an assisted living or nursing home and he will get 24/7 help. It is getting harder to care for him now. He does not get a lot of sleep and neither do I as I am up with him till sometimes 4 am. Sometimes his sleeping pill does not kick in cause he seems to fight it and gets a lot of arm pains that last 15-20 minutes. Yeah, it is tough to watch at times cause he will hit his arm 4-5 times and moan and groan, scream and shout!!!!

Well, I think I will close here for now, I want to go to YouTube and watch a few of my favorite YouTuber people with Chateaus in France, my get away places. So you all take care and keep looking up....I do believe....better days are coming!!! Cheers ~ Louise

Happy Birthday, Flowers, a Cake, Food and Captain Serious

Hi there everyone. Hope you are having a good Merry Month of May. My month has been VERY shaky, to say the least. I try to tell myself everyday the above Meme.....but I am only human, not perfect as yet. As much as I want to give up, I can't. JP is wanting to give up, as he is very tired of all these physical and mental health issues he faces daily.

JP's birthday was yesterday, 17th, he is now 74 yrs old....yep an old man now. He got a 3 birthday cards, a call from his brother in Hoffman Estates, and a few birthday wishes from the doctor's office. I bought him a new pair of slippers that look like street shoes, he can slip them on and off with very little effort. Never got a chance to make a card for him. Forgot the cheese cake in the freezer....tonight will be okay I guess.😍

This week-end was really a tough one. I had to call the fire dept. to help me pick JP up off the floor in the bathroom. We were doing a Cath. and over he fell, that was early Saturday morning. Then early Sunday morning, I had to call again (as per his nurse that comes weekly). This time he was transported to the ER. All his vitals are perfect, BUT he needs his meds changed, the Doctor in ER says he has dementia. There needs to be a follow-up with the regular doctor and the physiatrist.

Above is a picture of my pretty tulips that opened up like roses, they are so pretty in the sun light. 💓

To continue on with JP's problems and mine, (as I am the caregiver). JP has had 4 eye doctor appointments. All confirming he has Melanoma in his right eye. The next appointment will be in Green Bay at St. Vincent's Hospital. Do not know when that will be as yet. If you would please pray for JP. We are living day by day, I just can't go any farther then the next hour.🙏🙏🙏

This was a cute Valentine's cake I got for JP......sorry to say, he was really GOOD!!! He was devoured in a day!!!😊

So once I find out when the appointment is, Community Care will find a ride for us up to the Hospital in Green Bay and home again. (I hope). The last two trips to ThedaCare Hospital in Neenah, a car-pool picked us up.....really nice people, and they helped me get JP in the car too. So helpful (the first ride, the second ride, the caregiver and car driver both got JP in the car).

In these two pictures, is a meal I made for JP. He has to have soft food, so I thought stuffed peppers would be good on a sheet pan. It's just hamburger, rice, egg, bread crumbs and seasonings stuffed in green peppers. The asparagus has oil, salt and pepper then I cut up onion, covering the asparagus. Oh and those orange strips are sweet potatoes. So everything was soft, then I covered his food with gravy. The above picture is before it was baked, below after it was baked. Yummy meal. 👍👌😀

I guess I will be getting help to find a place for JP to live, where he will get 24/7 care. He is getting very hard for me to care for and I am losing sleep, staying up with him during the nights to make sure he does not do anything crazy, like fall. 

On Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's a caregiver comes to watch JP for 3 hours, while I can go to the store, or just get away for some free time. 

On Monday's a landscaper comes to cut our grass. (the neighbor took advantage of the situation (yesterday) and had the landscaper cut his grass also).👎I did not like that situation, but who am I???? My other neighbor did not think that was right either, because this neighbor is capable of doing it himself!!!!! Oh well, that is people for ya'!!! I asked the landscaper if this neighbor paid him and yes he did. I just did not want this neighbor getting a free grass cut on my dime....you know what I mean????👎💢😝

So now I guess we just wait to see what happens next. Tomorrow, I have an appointment at 11am to get my blood drawn for the A1C...it's been 6 months since the last one. At that time, the A1C was 6.3 which was good, I have a feeling it will be much higher with all that has been going on.....I hope not though. JP has an appointment at 10:30 with the doctor as a follow-up from his ER visit. Also the eye doctor wants JP's doctor to know what is going on. Sure glad they keep in contact....I have had to explain everything, cause JP can't remember anything.😢😭😩

Thursday, I have to take the car in for it's oil and grease job plus get some new tires for the front. JP says I do not need to do that, that they are fine. I am still going to have them checked. JP has not driven the car 5-6 months now. I do the driving. They will have the car for most of the day. Then call when it is ready and they will pick me up in the car, driving back to the service station, then I can have the car.

At 2pm I have a virtual meeting with our Insurance Co. to up-date  our insurance....hopefully there won't be a lot of changes and the price won't change much.

Friday the caregiver will come at 1pm, hopefully giving JP a shower and clean clothes and I can take off for a few hours. She also washes my dishes, if there are any (which there usually is), she vacuums, washes the floor, cause JP pees the bathroom floor a lot. She folds towels, doing little things in keeping this place clean. She is a real help.😌😌😌Much relief to me.

So this handsome hockey player is in need of prayer. 🙏🙏🙏He plays for the Chicago Blackhawks and he is the Captain of the team. He has been out of commission this whole season. He has been dealing with an illness that has not been diagnosed as yet. His complaint is that he is weak and lethargic and nothing else has been said. His name is Jonathon Toews. The Blackhawks did not make it to the Play-offs this season. Covid 19 messed things up for all the teams. Well, the next season starts in October and hopefully Covid 19 is just a passing thought.

Time to close here, if you are still with me, I hope you will pray 🙏🙏🙏 what the world needs most is prayer, never ending prayer!!!!

You all take care and keep looking up....better days are coming and when the trump sounds we are on our way to meet JESUS!!! 

Cheers ~ Louise

PS had lots of fun playing with the emojies today....you just may see them a lot more!!!💚💛💜💙💖

Random June Pictures

Hi there everyone. Two more days left in June....where oh where did this month go???? I have been busy with my gardens, pulling weeds, planting flowers and vegies. Even tonight I was planting while it drizzled here and there. Tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day though, so I may be planting a few more flowers. Eventually I will take some pictures of some of the things I have done.

So here are my cute Flamingos.....enjoying their little pond. I have had to move these guys a couple of times. I think they finally found their resting place. Which is here, for now.

A picture of JP on the ladder cleaning the gutter. This gutter is on the side of the house and has been over-flowing with water during the storms. The water was not going down the spout because it was so clogged up. Finally he went up there.

Yep....finally the water is flowing down the spout, look at that water running down and all that junk that was clogged up in the gutter. Such a relief when things are running right in our little house.

So here we are. The Flamingos had to move again and I had to take down my little bamboo fencing that camouflages the neighbors stuff in their backyard. See that green fencing??? The neighbor sold it and a man from Green Bay came to take it down. So, the neighbor said I had to move my fencing.  After waiting a week I decided to put my fence back up again leaving 5 inches between my fence and their green fence. Finally I could have my yard back in order again. The green fence is down now...I am glad I put up my fencing, I don't have to worry if Kylie decides to take a walk in the neighbors backyard.

Here is a picture of the side of our house.....Still working on this. Pulled weeds down at the end, planted a zucchini plant and a few flowers in the pots. I painted the stool white, it was an ugly green, time for an upgrade. This is a work in progress. More mulch is needed for the side of the house.

And Kylie....she just rests all day and lets me do the all the work. She is now on medication for her liver. Every morning she gets a pill an hour before she eats....we are on a new schedule. She might be around 12 years old now...so these pills will be something she may have to take for the rest of her life....$45 a month. Not including the liver panel every couple of months for $55 each time. Oh well, she is part of the family so we do what needs to be done to keep her around.

Time to close, hope you are having a good night. Keep looking up cause better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

On the Mend and Ready 2 Join the Human Race (?)

Hi there everyone. Thought I would write a short post tonight. Watching the Green Bay Packers play the Seahawks, oh gosh the Packers are losing 17-13. I shall update you as we go along. With one eye on the TV and one eye on my typing, mistakes not included....hahahahahah!

So as my title says, "on the mend and ready to join the human race".....I think. Saturday, JP and I went shopping, probably walked more Saturday then I had the last two weeks. Whew, was I ever tired when we got home, but it was a good outing. Spent lots of money on food and did not even buy meat, just things that we were running low on. Had not shopped for two weeks, so needless to say, we are now stocked up for another few weeks.

Mingling with people was interesting....as I was walking really slow through the store, people were whizzing by me, they probably thought, "boy that old lady sure is slow," if only they really knew. JP was impressed that I knew where everything was and by all that I bought and surprised that I knew how to compare prices....geez JP, that's what I do all the time!!!!

Oops....forgot to update; Seahawks 17 and Packers 16 with 10 minutes to go in the 4th.  OH YEAH!!! Packers just scored...I think they just might win this....sorry Seahawk fans.

In the above picture is a "Blue Footed Boobie" That's how I felt walking through the store, people were watching JP and I for some reason and smiling.....wonder why??? They must have known JP was a novice shopper....right??!!??

So yeah....every time I get my ducks in a row, something always happens and off they go. Oh well, such is life. Least I don't shoot them like I would have in my younger years....hahahaha!!!

So this week I have an appointment with Dr. Flanagan for a check-up to see how the hernia is doing. Hope things are healing well, cause I could never go through that again.....so very painful. I think I might try making some cards this week....as I am starting to feel a little bored and needing something to do besides lay around. Guess that is a sign I am healing.

Today, we were talking about taking a day off next Saturday...that's about all we can afford, (bills are starting to come in and we are looking at 40K and that is not including the Doctor bills) maybe we will go to Neenah and sit by Lake Winnebago with a lunch and soak up some sun. If it is a nice day.

Well, there is only 3 minutes left and the Packers are winning 24 to 17.....there could be another touchdown!!

Packers Win 27 to Seahawks 17

So you all have a great week and keep looking up! Cheers ~ Louise

Monday, Monday

Hi everyone....how is your Monday going so far??? Mine?? Okay, I am taking it easy today (hahaha) as I do every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc, etc through to the next Monday. Not really though, it's a beautiful day here in Wisconsin, at least this part of Wisconsin. Sunny and blue skies and the temprature is 62 degrees, perfect!!!

Well, we had a wonderful visit with family on Saturday. They were here for 6 short hours then headed back to Chicago. Original plans were that they would stay the night in a hotel...but it was Green Bay Packer weekend and there were no hotel rooms to be had in Appleton. So they left early in the morning to get here. Leaving at 6pm to get home.

JP and I have made trips like that also, leaving here early and going down to Chicago to visit then coming back the same day, it's about a 3 1/2 hour drive if you don't stop much....JP likes to drive, so it never bothered him. But, that was when we were in our younger years. Maybe now, not so much.

So we went to BJ Clancy's, it's a nice place that JP and I like to go to on our Birthdays...where one or the other gets a free steak meal. So we thought it would be fun to go there with the family. They seemed to like it, food and service was good. Sorry, no pictures.....gosh I didn't even get a family shot for some reason, what was I thinking????? I am a "picture kind of person" and what, I only took two pictures??????

It was raining all day....that was the crumby part, it was coming down in bucket fulls when we got to the restaurant.....and we all got wet!!! But we laughed it off. Now if they would have come yesterday, it was a beautiful day.......what a difference a day makes, but a perfect day for the Packers (oh Packers won, beating the Detroit Lyons 22-3).

So this week, I may have a 1 or 2 day garage sale, as long as things are still set up and maybe next week also. All depends on the weather though. According to my books I did the same thing last year, it was a little chilly, but I did sell a few things. The less I have to put away, the happier I will be.

Well, I think I shall close here, I am sort of wandering around, so you all have a great day and a great week and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

February~~What's on Your Calendar??

Does You Sink Anybodis Can Sees Meeee?

So I am sitting here, watching the Baltimore Ravens and San Fransisco 49er's. I really didn't care who win's.......but now I seem to be rooting for the Ravens.....mostly because the 49er's beat the Packers!! BUT, the lights went out and now the 49er's got 2 touch downs within minutes........Boooooooo!!! Gosh those 49'ers are so cocky!!! Well, I am still hoping for the Ravens. I will let you know who wins at the end of this blog. It just may take that long for me to finish. One thing is for sure, I am sure loving these commercials.....just saw the one for RAM....Paul Harvey speaking about "God Made a Farmer" that was a good one!!!! Go Ravens!!!!!!!

So, what's on your calendar this month??? My calendar is pretty much blank at this point, but for sure I have to get my taxes done this month. Gosh I hate that job of getting everything together to itemize. Once I get going and get organized I will be okay....it's just getting started that is the hardest.

Kylie has an appointment to get her "shower and shave" on the 7th, hope it is a nice day and no snow. I think we have had enough for a while, would be fine with me if it all melted. Well, it will be 2 months since we had Hyko put to sleep, I still have not gotten over it, and Kylie still looks for her friend. She does not like to be alone. I bought Kylie a little white doggie for Christmas and she really likes it. I think she needs a white doggie for downstairs to keep her company when we are gone. Maybe I will make a trip to Thrift store this week to find her a stuffed friend to keep her company. (oh oh 49ers just scored again!).

The second Tuesday of each month I usually go to Betty's for card making, $14 to make 4 cards. 9am is pretty early for me, especially when I go to bed at 2:30am in the mornings. Once I get rolling I am fine. I like going there, cause I get lots of good ideas and the fellowship is good too. I have some cards that I am working on....birthday cards for little kids. Once I get some done and under my belt, I shall post them here and in my Etsy store. I bought some punched out balloons in multi-colors to add to my "Kid Birthday Cards", looking forward to receiving them soon. Will be sending out my Valentine cards in a few days, certainly have alot made and some new ones in my Etsy store: www.cards4ubylouise.etsy.com

I guess one of the things that needs to be taken care of this month, is a Dr. appointment for me. Had my blood done on the 14th of Jan and tests came back that my blood was elevated. Dr. wanted me to come in to see him.....have not made an appointment as yet, why is that always hard to do. Not too anxious to see him, my blood pressure always goes up when I have to see him. We joke that it's the "white coat syndrome" but he usually does not wear a white coat. I think just the thought of seeing him, my body stresses!!! Hey did you know that "stressed" spelt  backwards is "desserts" maybe that is what I need to eat before I go into the Dr's office...a delicious dessert!!! Maybe not, my blood sugars would probably skyrocket!!!!

The score: Bal 34 ~ SF 31 in the 4th with 1.42 seconds to go....................Go Ravens!!!!! What an intense game....11 seconds to go....now 4sec. Looks like SF is praying really, really hard, such intense looks on the faces of the players........who's going to win?????? RAVENS WIN!!!!!!!!! NEXT YEAR'S WINNER'S IT'S THE GREEN BAY PACKERS!!!!!!! GO PACK!!!!

Time to close this blog for tonight and get it up for tomorrow. You all have a great week and a great month, hope it is not too stressed.....if so, have lots of DESSERTS to counter act the stress! So keep looking up for  your redemption draws nigh. Cheers ~ Louise