Migraine #2

I woke up this morning with a migraine.  After posting yesterday about the one last week.  What in the world??  I have no idea what caused it.  We had new friends coming over to swim today so instead of starting my investigating, I put on dark sunglasses, crept to a lawn chair, and apologized for not cleaning up the back yard before they got here.  You see, after a migraine I can't bend.  Or move my eyes.  Or my head. 

After they'd gone and I had fixed a light dinner, I started trying to figure it out.  I can't have canned broth or bouillon cubes so I use a soup base I get at Sam's.  I wondered if that had suddenly started causing it.  MSG is only an addictive flavor enhancer that makes you want more of whatever it's in.  There are some substitutes for it that haven't caused reactions in me...but might be now. 

I am about to drive myself crazy worrying about it.  So I'm going to bed just giving up and deciding it was a fluke. 

I really really really hope it's a fluke.  Two migraines in a week is two too many.

Migraines

Last Wednesday we left tumbling at 7 with no idea what I was going to fix for dinner.  Tumbling at 6 throws my meal planning for a loop.  I either need to put something in the Crock Pot, or just plead ignorance and ask to go out.  McKinley couldn't stand the indecision and said she'd buy dinner at our local BBQ place. 

I love their chopped brisket sandwiches and okra.  I used to love their fries also but had a reaction over a year ago after eating them.  Not a migraine, but I started getting really hot and my heart raced after eating a few of them.  Shortly after that I went to dinner with a group of girls and the wife of the owner of the BBQ place.  I asked her if she knew if they'd changed the seasoning salt on their fries.  That's usually the culprit.  She said they hadn't made any changes.  Still, I didn't eat them the next several times we went there.  After all, the sandwich, okra, and fries are a bit of a calorie load.  (Haven't we just been talking about my inability to lose weight??  Hmmm...) But on that Wednesday night I couldn't help myself.  Reagan had asked for okra but was given fries instead.  While she was waiting for her okra the fries were staring at me.  How can you turn down fries that are begging to be eaten?  I had some and had no reaction so I had some more. 

Wouldn't you know it?  I had a migraine Thursday.  My usual fix of oil pulling beat it but I still took it easy the rest of the day.  So now I'm typing this all out and sending it out to the blogger universe so that I'll remember not to eat those fries again! 

Such a shame though...they're really good fries.

But nothing tastes as good as being migraine free feels.

Maybe I should write that down somewhere.....

Amazing Friends

We spent Friday night and Saturday with my wonderful friend Debbie and her girls Amanda and Emily.  The girls are on their towns YMCA triathlon team and our little town had an event Saturday morning. 

I know I've run two half marathons but there's no way I would ever do a triathlon.  Mainly because I can't move my right arm in a circle to swim correctly.  I bet the other competitors would laugh at me if I was dog paddling. 

But these girls have started young and accomplished amazing things.

My girls and I went out Saturday morning to watch them.  They swam in our community pool (I guess it's not a good idea to have young children doing open water swims), road their bikes around the neighborhood, and ran laps around a local park.  I.was.amazed.  There were children of all ages.  My girls were also amazed and I even heard a few comments of how they'd like to do it.  And then a teenage girl crossed the finish line and threw up.  No one said anything after that.

Still, we had a wonderful time with Debbie and her girls and we're so proud of them! 

Now we need them to come back and just spend the day floating with us in the pool.  I'm worn out from watching them:c)

I Guess It Was Time

My 20th high school reunion is less than a month away.

I need to lose 50 pounds in about 3 1/2 weeks.

If I don't lose 50 pounds I at least need to get a tan so the extra weight will look better.

I'm getting my hair highlighted and plan on getting a pedicure.

I'll still searching for the perfect dress for the Friday night event.

And today I did something I didn't think I'd ever do.

I bought a serum.

Yep, I'm officially old.

But I'm going to fight it to the bitter end.

Blood Work

I've been struggling with weight loss and have just about decided I'll always be stuck at this weight.  After all I've trained for and run two half marathons in the last 2 1/2 years and I use a calorie counter on my phone to keep myself accountable.  Yet I've lost and gained the same 10 pounds that whole time.  A friend mentioned she'd had her hormones tested and suggested I do the same. 

I called my doctor and told the nurse what I wanted and she assured me they did that.  So when I went in earlier in the week and was pretty ticked to find out I paid $25 for him to tell me he didn't do that type of blood work but could give me a weight loss drug if I wanted one.  Um...no thanks.  He did ask me about my eating habits and soft drink usage.  Still $25 and an hour of my life and I got nothing.  Well, I kept my blood.  I really do like my blood.

So I went across the hall and made an appointment with the doctor who does do it.  A week later I went to see him and found out the blood work had to be done between 8 and 9 in the morning.  So I'd spent another $25 and still had no answers.  But he did agree that it was probably my hormones since it sounded like I was doing everything right.  Always good to hear:)  And I still had my blood.

But today was the day.  I went in at 8:25 and had to talk to two of the rudest employees before having enough blood drawn for the clinic to start their very own Stefunk.  And got an appointment for July 12th to come back and hear the results.

So my fast fix for weight loss keeps dragging on.  Guess that's how it is with weight loss.  There's no easy fix.

Ugh.

I Heart Craigslist

Do you all Craigslist?  I've bought and sold on there several times in the last several years.  I won't bore you what I've bought and sold, but I'll share with you my most recent sale.

This sat at the moving sale for 2 days and only a few people asked about it.  It was crying out to be taken home and put back to work.

But after I put it on Craigslist??  Two days later I had $20!

Anyone know what it is??

Moving Sale

As I mentioned a few posts ago we had a moving sale at my Grandma's house.  It has been bittersweet.  It's the last house my Grandpa lived in.  It's the house my Mom died in.   It's the house I ate almost every Sunday brunch in when I was growing up.  It's where we celebrated Christmas and Easter. 

It's full of memories. 

And that's the reason Grandma is leaving.  For her the memories of grandpa are too strong.  And as she's getting older and wasn't driving as much.  And our local private college owns an assisted living place just a few blocks away. 

My aunt Pat spent weeks at the house after Grandma moved out organizing what was left and getting ready for the sale.  Then several other family members dumped their stuff off and messed up her wonderful organization.  Sorry!  But we stayed and helped for the two day sale so I think we're forgiven:)

I could tell you about the heat...or the lack of people...or the $52 worth of drinks the girls bought to resell to make pool paint money...or the amount of people that asked how much I'd sell the Eos for.  One guy even asked me to put the top up and down for him.  He was so cute.  About 70 and wearing his overalls.  I love old men:c) 

But instead I'll just show you two pictures that I took that are so simple, but mean so much.

I don't know if I ever heard this album played, but the cover was so cute I had to take a picture.  The memory it brought back was the stereo console that always sat in front of the window in the living room.  I can remember playing records on it or coming in and hearing the radio on.  Even after it wasn't used anymore, it was still a fixture in the living room.

And then there's this.  I cried.  I'm crying now.  Grandpa wore hats all the time.  He always wore the old guy 'snaps in the back to tighten' hats.  But this one, this one is special.  There's a local restaurant that had commercials with a guy named Earnest that always talked to 'Vern'.  Earnest went on to make movies.  But I'll always remember him from the commercials.  I don't know where Grandpa got the hat, but it's so perfect for Vernon.  

I put this photo on Facebook and a few people shared memories of my sweet Grandpa.  So I basically cried....off and on all day. 

So even though the house hasn't sold yet, Grandma has moved into her apartment and all the stuff is gone. 

But my memories will be with me forever.

Staging Adventures

While I was left alone for the week I had one day that I had to work.  Is it really considered work when your boss is such a good friend?  Well, in the Oklahoma heat it is.  After all, a house we staged a year ago was finally selling.  Apparently it was perfect in every way except for the one car garage.  Until a single mom saw it.  For her it was just right. 

Since Shawn and the girls had taken the Expedition to camp I couldn't be of much help with a house full of furniture.  So Lisa swapped her 4Runner for her husband's truck and we crossed our fingers. 

The first load was filled to the brim.

We had the back seat full as well.  And we still had more to do.

As if we weren't hot enough from loading it, we had to unload everything at the storage unit.  The pretty full storage unit.  That we had to organize as quickly as possible.  Quick is good in productivity, but bad in heat. 

After a trip to Goodwill we went back to the house to hope we could get everything else in a second load.  I stayed downstairs while Lisa went up.  I loaded what was there and went up to find her like this.

Really?  Must I do all the work??

The Surface of the Sun

Last year when we were deciding what week Shawn and the girls should go to camp we decided on the first week in June because it should be the coolest.  After all, in Oklahoma it only gets hotter the longer the summer goes.  Also since most Texas schools aren't out yet, the camp numbers are lower.  We did the same thing this year and I was pleased to hear the camp count was around 80.  The next week they expected 200. 

But on the weather...

we didn't have a chance.

Thanks the dear Lord we have a pool! 

And lots and lots of sunscreen.

Well Hail

Tuesday night we were all relaxing in the den when we heard something.  Being Okies we raced to the windows.  And saw a perfectly sunny sky...with hail falling out of it. 

So of course, being Okies, we ran out into it to grab some to photograph and upload to Facebook and Twitter. We had to share it with our friends! And let me say, just a few blocks away from us there was completely looking hail. Or none at all. Oklahoma never fails to impress.

It's actually pretty, isn't it.

Unless you've recently bought a third car and now have one sitting outside taking the hits.

I felt so guilty and sorry for the Taurus.  After the hail had stopped we went out to survey the damage and saw our neighbor doing the same.  To our car.  You know what?  It wasn't as bad as we'd thought it would be.  After all, we'd seen it bouncing off the car for at least 5 minutes.  When we asked our neighbor where his car was he said he'd put it in the garage of the vacant house across the street.  (It's okay.  He has been maintaining the yard and we all know the family.)  He also mentioned that there was more hail in the forecast.  And then he asked if we wanted to put the Taurus in with his van.  It's a two car garage...that had a storage room built into one side of it.  So it was about a 1 3/4 car garage now.  The Taurus went in fine...but there wasn't a lot of room for a 6'4" guy to open the door and get out.

No worries.  That's where the sunroof comes in. 

Never a dull moment around here!

Camp Meal

Besides getting Shawn and my girlies home I also get these.

And I'm pretty sure all those calories I sweat out cleaning the pool house.

Sooooo worth it.

My Favorite Plant

Hee hee hee:c)

They're Home!!

And apparently worn slick out.

Work Day #3 & #4

I saved the biggest project for last.  Because I really didn't want to do it at all.  But it was the most needed. 

The cleaning of the pool house.

Moans were just heard around the world.  From people who have had to walk into it.

I could make excuses...and maybe lie a bit...or just show you the befores and afters. 

And let them speak for themselves.

It took me two straight days.  A whole day was spent just getting all of Shawn's shoes out:c)  And if I didn't lose at least 10 pounds from sweating, it wasn't worth it at all.

Work Day #2

A few years ago I was in Texas helping Carrie organize her mom's house.  I came across this frame in the dining room.  I fell in love.  I could see pictures in it hanging somewhere in my house.  But, it wasn't up for grabs.  But Carrie remembered how much I loved it when she was moving her mom into assisted living.  It stayed in my patio for almost a year while I tried to decide what to do with it. 

It was definately showing its age and with the different sized openings it was going to be hard to get pictures in it. 

Still not sure what to do with it I decided it needed paint.  It was pretty damaged and I thought that would be a good way to camoflauge that. 

Of course it had to be sanded first.  You know how I love my sanding blocks:)

After a light sanding I primed it and painted it black.  I heart spray paint.

But then what?  It finally hit me when I was in the pool house.  Chicken wire.  I'd kept some that was given to me for my garage sale a year ago hoping to find a project to use it in.  So I chickened wired.  For hours.  Uncurl, staple down, cut, and twist the raw edges down with needlenose pliers.  My arms were cut up and scratched but it was so worth it.

But with it being all black it lost something.  The beautiful detail was gone.   

So I used some silver Rub 'n Buff and had all the pretty detail back.

After spray painting some mini clothespins Green Apple it was ready to hang in my hallway.

What do you think??

I'm Going to Camp!

Because I couldn't go a whole week without seeing my family Shawn and I chose today as the day I'd spend with them.

I was so excited to drive the Eos down there because the gas mileage was amazing!!  I didn't feel guilty at all for making the drive. 

I met Shawn at the road leading to camp and we went to find the girls.  The Eos handled every road we took it on quite well.  And some of them were pretty bad!  We found Kennedy and Reagan at horsemanship training and sat on a wasp infested patio while they identified the parts of a horse.  I started breathing heavy right away.  My two inches shorter right arm and my cracked pelvis are still terrified of those death traps.  Soon they were off to their next adventure and we went to find McKinley. 

Here's where we found her.

On top of a death trap.

I almost passed out.  As soon as the horses were tied up she came over to talk to me.  First thing out of her mouth?  "I'm the only girl in my cabin!"  Now, I of course knew she was attending a Christian camp.  After all, the YMCA is an amazing organization.  But for a split second I thought, "WHAT???"  She quickly explained that there were no other campers in her cabin.  Just the counselors and the CIT's.  (Counselors in Training)  So basically it was all about McKinley.  She's waited her whole life for that.

We went to lunch with the campers but decided we'd make a trip into town to find something a bit more appetizing.  I just don't like camp food.  We put the top down and drove into the happening town of Davis to try a BBQ place that came highly recommended.  But after getting there and smelling the wonderful scents coming out of the smoker my mouth was watering.  And then we discovered they were closed on Wednesday.  Wednesday???  Oh come on.  Of all the dumb days.  Why not Monday?  Extend your weekend.  What good is the middle of the week?

So we looked up BBQ restaurants on my phone, picked one, and drove to the big town of Sulphur.  Since I'm familiar with the town I didn't really pay attention to the navigation.  After all, it was on the major highway and before the turn.  How hard could it be?  Yep, we missed it.  We turned around and paid more attention.  We ended up at a gas station.  Nope, no BBQ.  So we had chicken.  After all, two strikes was enough for us.  And we were hungry!

When we got back to camp it was AquaFest time!  When we go to camp in September with the 5th graders from school I always wish I was there in summer to see the lake being used.  There's a tower to jump off of and a two story slide.  But we are in Oklahoma....and the lake level was low. 

See that black line?  They haven't seen it in years.

So AquaFest started by just playing on the docks. 

Shawn and I settled down at the base of the slide stairs and watched the girls have fun.  There was music blaring from the lodge so the dance moves were everywhere and highly entertaining. 

About every 30 minutes a whistle would blow and it was 'Buddy Check' time.  As a nervous mother I really liked that.  Everyone got out of the water and had to hold hands with their buddy until everyone had been checked.  Even though there were about 15 lifeguards that was still comforting.

At this point I was really wishing I was in the water.  I ventured down by the water just once and quickly headed back to the only available shade.  The base of the slide.

But Shawn had another idea.  Why not go to the top of the slide?  He found the guy with the key and soon we had a new view.

Just in time for Kennedy and Reagan to go off the tower.  The top story was closed because of the low water but they still got quite a ride.

I so badly want to go back next year with my swimsuit and do this slide.  Hopefully they'll have enough water and I won't scar my children for life.

Shawn had gone down to ask the girls to go off the tower for me and soon enough he couldn't handle watching anymore and had to do it.  He lasted longer than I thought he would!

Love him!

Too soon I was leaving them behind and heading home.  With a few sniffles...I'm not going to lie.  But I had an entire list of projects to do.  So off I went. 

Stay tuned for more evidence of why my body ended up many different colors:c)

Work Day #1

When we recently had a moving sale for my grandmother's things that didn't go to her new assisted living apartment I found something I've been looking for for quite a while.  A big old bakers rack.  Nothing fancy.  Great for storage.

You see, I've had a dream.

A dream to organize the pool house a tad bit more.  Anything would be better than what we have now...complete chaos. 

The bakers rack was originally brass but it appeared to have been painted and then someone had started to strip it. Basically it was a mess. So I went spray paint shopping. A can of primer and two cans of Key Lime and I was ready to go.

I have an obsession, it's sanding blocks.  Know what those are?  If not, take a trip to Home Depot and buy some.  You'll want to sand everything in site.  That's how I am. 

I wanted to sand some of the loose paint off.  About 30 minutes in I was about to scream.  There's a lot of connections.  Several different sizes of rods.  And just too much to do.  Since it was going to be in the pool house loaded down with pool needs, it was time to move on.

I didn't look back, I just primed away. 

Then it was time to see the lucious Key Lime.  Except it looked nothing like the lid.  Instead of a nice green it was like a neon green.  But I was committed.  And like I said, it was just going to be in the pool house.

So here it is.  The color grew on me.  And if you don't look too closely, you don't see the still peeling paint. 

Right??

And everything that has never had a place to reside, now has a home.

Day #1.  Done!