Such beautiful weather...

Monday was a really awesome day. I took off with Robby and we went all the way down to natural Bridges Beach, about 7 miles, and back. We went down through the wharf and through the boardwalk but had to come home because it was 3 PM, time for Robby and I to eat. Heather was here so she fed both of us and then we were on our way again cruising through the lagoon and back down to the wharf. There was a brown and white puppy running around all over and I was so afraid that he was going to get hit. He did come up and sniff Robby and a gentleman on a bike tried to grab him but he was just too timid and ran away. He had a collar on so I hope that somebody got him before he got run over. I saw a guy who was putting flowers at the memorial site for sky and Patrick and started talking to him. I asked him who the flowers were for and he sent for everyone but especially his son sky, I told him that Patrick was my cousin and we talked for a couple of minutes. I told him that my uncle showed me his yard and how beautiful all the flowers were, he keeps the flowers growing for Patrick and skies Memorial. He said they were like firk and Frak. I also ran into Robby’s veterinarian, Dr. Dave. I seem to run into him all over the place, he is such a neat guy. I ran into my neighbor clear down on Westcliff Drive and talk to him for a few minutes also, he is always so sweet and makes me smile. As I was cruising around the wharf I walked by a lady and she said “you are all over the place today” she didn’t look familiar but I’m sure I saw her somewhere along Westcliff. I wanted to make sure that Robby got plenty of exercise because tomorrow I’m going to be stuck in bed. Robby seems to be exhausted, I know my arms are exhausted but that’s good. I can’t wait until we can start running around like that all the time.

‎"If you can look at a dog and not feel vicarious excitement and affection, you must be a cat."
- Unknown

Tuesday’s and Thursdays are going to suck for a while, I have no morning caregiver until May 11th. When the weather is cold I don’t mind staying in bed all day but when the weather’s nice I would much rather be outside cruising around. I guess I should be grateful that I don’t have to try to find a new temporary caregiver, I’d almost rather stay in bed than go through that. There is a couple of really good movies on pay-per-view so that always makes the day go by faster. I do get to look forward to a nice dinner and a nice long hot bath. I was having a bad day when Heather showed up and made...pan fried tilapia with arugula and Parmesan stuffed tortellini with artichokes, asparagus and tomato basil pesto. It was AWESOME and I ate it all!! Teresa came by and gave me a really nice long hot bath and now I’m in bed watching Tangled and I feel so warm and cozy.

Wednesday looked like it was going to be a really good day and then it started raining. The sun will come out for a couple of minutes and then when I decided to take Robby for a cruise it would start raining, we did get in about an hour before Cassy came to take us shopping. We went grocery shopping at Safeway and then to the mall to look around for a while and get some plant pulleys for my hanging plants on the front and back porch. I came back and my mom was making banana avocado bread and my uncle was making chili. I didn’t get to try the chilly yet but avocado banana bread was awesome. We played cards last night with Lee and Claudia and my aunt and uncle and everybody enjoyed it. The last game we decided to play for two dollars and we got skunked so it cost me four dollars for one game BUT we had fun and it was good company.

Thursday I was stuck in bed again and of course it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. It looks like at least on Tuesdays I won’t be stuck in bed all day because treason is going to come and try to get me up, she has an hour and a half between classes. I think I would go crazy without her.

Friday I had an appointment at Seton in Daly city to find out why I’m having stomach problems. The doctor thumped on my belly a couple of times and said “yes you have a problem” he put me on an elimination diet and then I go back in June on Monday for an x-ray and then I have to take this weird little pill and then go back again on Friday to see where all the little particles in the pill are having problems getting through. the first thing I had to cut out is all dairy, that won’t be too hard for me because I don’t eat that much except cheese and butter. And then beans and peas and then fruit... it probably would have been a lot easier if you gave me a last what I CAN eat. If it works it will definitely be worth it. After the doctor’s appointment Teresa and I went to Olive Garden for lunch, it was awesome and we ate too much. I had the little pastries stuffed with cheese and herbs with beef and she had the same only with chicken. I also had sausage and potato soup that was Keller. I have been craving that place for a while and it didn’t let me down, I can’t wait until my next visit. I tried to find Dr. Crew, he was my wound care doctor in January 2010 and after my flap surgery he came to visit me every day in the hospital, he is so sweet. I’m really not sure that he would remember me but it still would be nice to see him, I’ll try again next time. Before we went to Daly city Robby and I got to take a cruise to the wharf and back and after we came back we went down to the boardwalk, down the reservoir to pet Smart and then back through town just in time for Cassy to put me to bed. Lee and Claudia, uncle Dick and aunt Kathy and my mom and I played cribbage. Not ready to talk about the outcome yet...

Saturday was a gorgeous day, it got up to 70°. I started my day off with a massage and then after I got up I went to our monthly support group. There were six people there and the guy who started the face of the page, Ricardo, showed everybody how to maneuver around face book, I thought I knew a lot about it but I really learned a lot. He changed the name and the people that you did it more than doubled. It’s getting to be pretty popular not only around here but also oversees. He changed the name to neuro disability newsfeed. I get more and more excited about the support group and everything that’s going on with it every month, the people are just amazing. When I came back from the support group Melissa was painting my windows for spring, we decided not to do Easter because then I can keep it up longer. I was supposed to start eating five meals a day today but it didn’t happen. I had a protein drink this morning and then forgot to eat again before Karen left, by the time I got back home it was almost 4 o’clock so we began after Cassy put me to bed. Tomorrow I swear I’m going to do better.

Sunday was another long, exhausting morning so I just decided to take a bath and go back to bed, I hope I’m not going to be sorry because it’s supposed to rain tomorrow. I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to eat five or six smaller meals every day. I think I’ve pretty much have it figured out, I hope it works. I was going to relax and watch a couple of movies but I fell asleep most of the day so now that I’m wide awake I’ll give the movies a try.

Nice weather and great family...

Monday was another bad day stuck in bed, I can’t wait for my doctors appointment on the 15th and I hope they can find out what is wrong with me... really tired of this. I called Hill wrong to see if they could come out and take a look at my bed, the function lights on the side rail keep locking up and sometimes they just don’t work. I had the guy come out once before and he showed me how to unlock it but it just keeps happening and now the only way I can get them all to unlock is to unplug it and plug it back in and now only works for a while. I kind of hope they don’t come out today because I would rather not be in my bed when they’re looking at it but I’m glad to see them whenever they get here.

‎"I have found that when you are deeply troubled there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source." 
--Doris Day

Tuesday was an absolutely beautiful day and it was so nice to be able to get up and get out. Teresa took Robby over to Westside animal Hospital to get a bath and I went over to him waves and curls in sunshine Villa to get my hair dyed, manicure and pedicure. Teresa and I went to try a new Chinese food place and it was pretty good. The Thai place we usually go to wasn’t open and it was right across the parking lot so we decided to give it a try. After we got back Teresa waxed my face and then she put me to bed, it was a really long day for her. While Robby and I were at the spa she washed the winter comforter and curtains in the spare bedroom and got out the summer set. Teresa is awesome, I really don’t know what I would do without her.

Wednesday started out to be a really good day. Robby and I took off for our regular cruise and the sun was shining. I got down to cost plus and found a couple more things that I needed for Easter. While I was there I ran into a gentleman whose wife was on the last stages of the interview to get a canine companion for independence dog, they had waited about a year and were very excited. I hope I run into them again after they get their dog. On the way out I ran into Foster, he founded an organization here in Santa Cruz called shared adventures. They are always doing something. Last year I met him at one of the concert on the beach and got to talk to him for a little bit before the concert, she is very sweet man. The next time I ran into him was almost literally, I was late for a movie and I needed to take my dog to relieve himself and I was just going to fast. I apologized and then hurried on my way. When I ran into him today at cost plus I talked to him for a little while and then came back home. Cassy came by and took Robby and I to the dog park in Scotts Valley. When we got there there was about 10 dogs there, Robby and I were so excited. Immediately this big brown boxer came over and kept trying to mount Robby. It was so annoying and the owner did nothing to control his dog, he looked like he thought he was a big macho guy and was probably proud of his dog... I should’ve told him that Robby was a guy? Finally it got to the point where Robby was growling and barked at him so we had to leave, Robby is not supposed to do that. I was so angry that we had to leave because of this one stupid guy and his dog, out of all the 10 dogs in the park Robby was the only one his dog was annoying. You just ruined the whole rest of my day. I came home and went to bed and had dinner. It’s amazing how just one thing like that can ruin your whole day. I kind of wish now that I would have said something but it look like the same group that was there probably every day, they all seem to know each other, and they probably would have just laughed at me anyway. Next time we are going to bring a squirt bottle.

Thursday turned out to be a really good day even though it was raining on and off. Teresa and I went to lunch at Ristorante Italiano, one of our very favorite places to go and we are never disappointed. We got fried calamari and fried shrimp, garlic bread and we both ordered spaghetti with seafood, I got scallops and Teresa got shrimp. Needless to say it was awesome. I Got a coupon from goupons. We went to the nursery to get a couple of Easter plans and ended up also getting a couple of parrots beak plants, I just love the way they look. I hope this time I can keep them alive, I just have to remember to have somebody warn them of a lot. We were going to go to Costco but we were afraid it would start pouring down rain as soon as we got out so we decided to go on Saturday instead, the weather is supposed to be nicer. We are both really tired and full, it was so good and we ate way too much. We just came home and Theresa put me to bed and we watched the dog whisperer for awhile. I watched the doctors TV show and last week they had a episode on knuckle replacement for arthritis. My uncle has arthritis really bad in his hands and he has tried everything so he was really thrilled when I showed him the episode, I really hope that it helps him.

Friday was a great day although the weather was not very nice. After I got up I started to take Robby for a cruise but when I got outside big chunks of ice were falling from the sky, not hard like hail but really soft chunks so we came back inside and waited for it to stop. After it stopped I met Teresa at the taco bar downtown and we had a couple of tacos and wait to see the new movie Arthur, it was really funny and we both enjoyed it but not nearly as funny as the original. We stopped in a couple of stores to look at shoes and then came home and Teresa put me to bed. Before we turned off my cell phone my niece Corinne text me and said that her and her dad are coming to visit tomorrow, hopefully we can go have Spam sushi.

"If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons." - James Thurber

Saturday was a beautiful day but it was really windy. Robby and I took off and we got about halfway down the wharf and the wind was getting colder so we decided not to go any further. We cruised through the boardwalk but it was so crowded it was really hard to get through so we turned around and came around the outside. We cruised along San Lorenzo reservoir to Ross and then back home through town. When we got back my brother Stanley, Janet and Corinne were here, they came down for the weekend. We went to have dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Robby and I met them up there. I had the Carnitas plate, usually enough food for at least two meals. We came back and after I got into bed we all played cards with my uncle and aunt, I actually won several games.

Sunday after I got up we all went out to breakfast and then Janet, Corinne and I went shopping at the Capitola Mall for a dress for Corinne’s dance. She found two really adorable dresses so her mother got them both for her, she looks so cute and both of them. We went to Ross and looked around for a while and Robby and I cruised home along the reservoir while they drove the van back. Teresa came to put me to bed and we had pizza, what a great day. My brother and my family went home and now I’m just sitting here trying to get warm.

It's beginning to feel a lot like summer...

Monday turned out to be a gorgeous day. I had a dentist appointment so Robby and I left early to go on an extra long cruise, it has been a while since we have been able to and it sure felt great. We took the long way home through San Lorenzo Park, and back through the boardwalk along the Levy. I forgot to start the odometer until I left the dentist office, it was almost 5 miles... that’s just one way.

Tuesday was also a gorgeous day. Robby and I cruised down Westcliff Drive to natural Bridges State Park, surprisingly there was not a lot of people but some really beautiful sites. I saw something in the water that I thought was a seal but I think now it was an otter. The caregiver that I have for Tuesdays and Thursdays told me today that it wasn’t really worth her coming all the way out here just to do care giving, she was giving me a massage on Thursdays and I think that’s really what she wants to do. She is also very busy because she works on a form. I will miss her but she still doing alterations on my clothing and making me some new camps to wear, I have to have elastic around the waist and no pockets so I will still get to see her every once in a while. My uncle, my aunt, Lee and Claudia, Lee’s sister and her kid and my mom and I played cribbage and ate cheese and crackers, I love to taste different cheeses. My uncle was my partner and we didn’t do very good, everybody was really tired but glad we did it.

Wednesday was another gorgeous day, just keep them coming. I took Robby for cruise over to the wharf, around the boardwalk and back. I knew that we were going to go and look at a couple of dog parks later so I didn’t want him to get too tired. The first one was in a nice area but there was no dogs around and it wasn’t very accessible, I would have to watch from the outside. It is the only one we could find in Santa Cruz that is enclosed so I think I will ask Dr. Owens if she wants to go and try it out. The next dog park that we checked out was in Scotts Valley, it was really really nice. I remember going there for the Woof to Woof dog festival last year, Robby and I did a demonstration for CCI. There was a one-year-old German shepherd puppy and a little brown yappy dog that wouldn’t stop biting Robby on the butt. Then a lady came in with a little black lab puppy and that was just what Robby was looking for. Robby was really nervous at first and wanted to play with the dogs but stayed in the middle of two chairs and then he ventured out. Since we were in Scotts Valley we stopped to get Robby some dog food, that is the closest place that carries his brand of food. When we got back Heather was cooking in the kitchen and it smelled wonderful, everything was still warm but I couldn’t eat yet because I had to do the standing frame first. I did the standing frame for a half an hour, went to bed and then ate a salad and some chicken.

My cousin is an awesome chef and she has her own website...http://snailsview.com/

Thursday was Kimberly’s last day to do personal care and massage, I really enjoy having her around but she is so very busy. She’s still going to be doing some alterations and sewing for me so I will still be able to see her once in awhile, not to mention face book. We had a really rough morning and I wasn’t feeling very well so I just stayed in bed, I did make an appointment to go back to Seton to see if I could find out what’s wrong with my stomach. Robby still looks like he’s exhausted from yesterday so I don’t feel too guilty. There are a couple of movies on pay-per-view that I would like to see and I have a couple of Netflix movies to keep me busy. Teresa came by and gave me a nice long hot bath and put me to bed, all snuggled in.

Friday was really nice in the morning and then it got HOT. Robby loves to help so much we decided to pose him with a big garbage cans so that it looks like he is pushing them out to the street, it turned out so cute. I started to take Robby on our morning cruise when I noticed that he was limping so I brought him back so Teresa could take a look at him, she found a little rock or something embedded in his pad and we went back out and he was fine. We went down to the wharf because the wind is cooler, down to the boardwalk and then back to the cooler wind on the wharf. When Cassy came I had her take us over to Toys “R” Us so I could get Robby a little pool for the yard to cool him down when it gets warm, I am really jealous because it is so cool. It has a cover over it and you can hook a garden hose to the top and it will spray downward like it’s raining. I can’t wait to see him play in it. I got to bed and got settled before the bed decided to break down, none of the functions on the side rails are working. The last time the technician was here for that problem he showed me how to reset it but it just keeps coming back on. Of course this happens on a Friday at 6 PM. Hopefully somebody will be around tomorrow and I can get somebody out to take a look at.

Saturday was another perfect day, not too hot. Robby and I went for an extra long cruise and did some shopping, is it still shopping you don’t buy anything? We looked around for a while in Ross, the world market and one of the stores that I like downtown. Cassy text me and asked me if I wanted some spam sushi, she has been telling me about it for a while now so I decided to try it. She gets it at a Hawaiian place and it was actually really good, I will definitely have it again. I got back and just as Cassy was ready to put me to bed her mom called and said that the dogs ran away, they have three. Her mom was on her way home from Valley medical center in Santa Clara and she got a call from a lady who found the dogs so Cassy went to go get them and luckily they were all safe. My uncle and aunt came over to play cribbage and my uncle and I actually double skunked my aunt and my mom, I think that was the first double skunk for me and it felt AWESOME.

Sunday was another draining long morning so I ended up staying in bed and of course it’s beautiful outside. I was going to go get a couple of tacos with Heather and then go to the movies with Heather and Cassy to see Paul, I’ve been wanting to see that for a while. I can’t wait until my doctors appointment next week so I can find out what is wrong with my digestive tract. Jess and Teresa took Robby over to the beach to run off some of his energy, Robby just loves the beach... luckily he gets a bath on Tuesday.