Getting Caught up with my BLOG!

I'm not sure that there's enough space and time to catch up on things since I was here last......LOL! Lots and lots of stuff has happened.

Myself and my family are doing well AND we are healthy. Thank God.

Work has been good. I still love my little job! I'm working more hours than originally planned. There are more residents now so it calls for more doctor appointment runs and more running around in general.

Recently I took them to a Padre Game. I didn't have to stay since I don't care for sports. I also took them to see the USS Midway. I didn't stay with them for that one either. Sometimes finding a place to park the bus can be a challenge......add that to downtown San Diego... If there isn't any parking, then I go farther away and find a spot to park. I stay close by and then wait for them to call when they're ready. I parked at Seaport Village and browsed the shops. ROUGH JOB....LOL!!! I did, however get to stay with them at Harrah's Casino. Plenty of parking there!! My friend Cathy is here from Texas. She came along with us. We didn't win anything but we stayed busy with the penny machines.

Speaking of Cathy being here. We have been able to spend a few days together in the last three weeks. We took a stamp class together at Cat's Craft Cupboard! We had a really good time. I'll post a picture of the chipboard book that we made with Debbie....another wonderful teacher. We managed time to swim, shop and visit. I'll be seeing her soon as John and I are getting ready to take a three week vacation ourselves.....stopping in Texas.

John had a little Toyota truck that he parked in front of our house. It got ran over one night. He had just bought a brand new truck so all was well except for the insurance run around. April and I took his truck out shopping one evening and I hit a brick wall with it.....ARGGHHH!!! I felt so bad. Just barely caught the left front quarter panel. Got the truck fixed back to brand new! I hadn't had a fender bender since I was sixteen. He got laid off from his job last month, but they called him Friday and want him back already. He starts back with them in the morning.

Jonathan now works for Julian Fire department. It's only part-time so he'll also be keeping his full-time EMT job. He works mostly seven days a week with a day off here and there. He doesn't have much of a social life right now, but he knows that it will all pay off later. We're so proud of him.

April just made it to five years, working for Michael's Craft store. She is the bookkeeper there. She was also working a second job for almost 4 years, but just recently quit. She's got a test and an interview with the City of Oceanside this coming Thursday. She wants to work a full-time job during the day and take classes at night. She wants to become an accountant.

My Dad is getting worse, but along with that, I have to say that he's doing well too. He's happy and doesn't know that he's going through what he's going through. Some days are harder for him than other's but the nice part is that he forgets. I have had to limit his stimulation. It causes him stress and a lot of confusion when he goes places outside of his current environment. For instance....when I take the Alzheimer residents on a bus ride, they are constantly looking out the window. Their eyes are "seeing" everything, but their brain isn't processing it at the same time they are seeing it. When they get back and everything is in stop mode, their brain is still going. It's sends my Dad into a downhill spiral and causes mass confusion for him.

A dear friend of mine, Martha, passed away last month from cancer. She gave so much encouragement (not only on my old blog, but when I saw her) for me while I was going through my treatments. She was born on the Fourth of July.....that explains the firecracker in her......she was also a big Padre fan. Her services were one of the most "fun" and "uplifting" that I have ever attended. The chapel was decorated in patriotic decor. People wore patriotic colors, shorts, jeans....whatever! Everyone knew that Martha would have been just fine with this. The pianist played "Take me out to the Ball Game" at the beginning and end of her service. I could go on and on. I feel blessed to have known her!

I'm going to stop here, but will add more as I think of it. Tomorrow, I go to my oncologist to find out my results from last weeks lab work.

Final Class with Johanna

What a HOOT this one was. Johanna is a very busy lady. She started her own line of justjohanna rubber stamps and quite frankly she's just too busy to teach any longer. She holds down a full time, plus job, is married AND has a two year old. THAT'S BUSY....LOL!!! I'm honored to have been able to take the classes that I've taken with her. She is a wonderful teacher!!! We made these great Poppets tm. This is a picture of my niece and myself. I need to finish it up with a caption. I'm open to suggestions.