A Post a Day APAD Day 28 Living in 2 houses

I feel like a bag lady. In fact I do have a BAG…. Einstein calls it my Moo bag because of the print. I call it my MOVE bag because I’m always moving stuff from one house to the other.

Living in two houses can be challenging

The biggest challenge for me is remembering to bring things from one house to the other. Thankfully, I have a laptop that is pretty portable, but when I am working on a big project, the laptop doesn’t cut it. I have a desktop computer at both houses, with multiple screens. Maybe hoarding is hereditary? I am still wary of using the cloud for storage, so up until a week ago, I was carrying a portable hard drive back and forth between houses. I think I am going to start using google drive or one drive for not private stuff.

The dogs usually go where I go, so I’ve also had to purchase a separate set of bowls and food for each house. I say I have had to purchase, that’s not really being fair. Einstein purchases most of the things that stay at his house, but for the things I don’t want to carry back and forth (like their 48″ kennels) I buy a second set.

For the last couple years I have bought all the groceries for both houses. So much wasted food, so I gave up and let my refrigerator look like a bachelor’s. I think going forward though, if I am splitting the time between houses more, I will buy the groceries for my house and he can buy what we use there? Who knows it’s always a work in progress.

As far as yard work and house cleaning go, the responsibility of both things at both houses has always fallen on me. In the past, I didn’t mind that so much, because again at his house he pays for most things and he was working 6 days a week every week. I told myself that I had more time. I have gotten very resentful though feeling that I was pulling all the weight, as I imagine he must when he pays more for electric over the summer because I can’t handle the heat. Now that he is unemployed maybe he will start pulling more weight there?

As usual, I am trying to remain optimistic and focus on the positive. Only time will tell correct?

I know that there are people that can’t afford a roof over their head, actually I’ve been there as well. I WILL remember to be grateful for that!

Image credit to a couple in Vermont that built a bridge between their houses to help with some of these issues.

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Enter the “How Grace-ful are you?” Contest

Grace-ful- knowledgeable about Grace Fullnot or msgracefulnot.com

On Saturday evening, I mentioned that there would be a contest today. In case you did not see the previous post, let me explain the terms here.

1. Please do not post any answers to the questions until Sunday, September 6th between 9 and 3pm central time so that more people have a chance to enter.
2. When answering a question, please include information as to where you found the answer (post name, guess, etc) *If you have the time, this part is not necessary to win.

Here are the questions:

1. How old am I?
2. Why did I select msgracefulnot as the name of my blog?
3. How long have I had MS?
4. What is the “address” of my advice to those diagnosed video?
5. What is the name of the disease modifying drug I am on for Mulitple Sclerosis?
6. How do I refer to my daughters in my blog? Can you tell me why?
7. Which of those sweet little demons did I leave at the store?
8. Name at least 3 places I have traveled to via plane in the last 2 years.
9. How many times have I been in a boot for a broken foot? (this is a trick question, even I don’t know the answer)
10. What is the most annoying symptom of MS that I deal with? Please list at least 2 treatments I have tried.
11. Do you remember my German Shepherds name?
12. One of my happiest memories from 2018?
13. What do I call my significant other?
14. What are my grandsons names?
15. Do you remember how we met or how you found msgracefulnot.com?
16. What is your favorite post that I have written?
17. What 2 three letter words, or acronyms, internet slang do I use the most? Can you tell me what they mean?
18. Bonus points if you share this post on social media, and share the location you posted to!!!!!!
19. This is a “freebie”… If you are a blogger, can you create a post with links to past posts you that you have written that you feel would give a new reader a good sense of what your blog is about? If you do I will share the hell out of it….FREE ADVERTISING HERE!!!!
20. If you are the winner, which rose would you like? With or without stem?

The winner will receive their choice one of the above pictured roses that I printed with my 3d printer mailed directly to their home or office. (more about 3d printing to come)

Thank you in advance for stopping by!

Italy or Bust..or in my case BUST then…

Remember this old thing?  Well calling it old wouldn’t really be true, considering it is brand new………..

Confused yet?

Let me TRY to explain…

Do you remember, back in September of last year, I had a plate and screws put in my right foot? I was in a cam boot for a long time afterwards, and have only been walking in very hard soled shoes for the last few months.  A couple of weeks ago, while I was at my oldest daughter’s house watching the grandbabies, I took off my shoes while playing with the boys in their room.    Here’s where it gets confusing…..

I’m not sure exactly what I did or how exactly I did it.  I was holding Joey, and attempted to squat down on the floor with him.  I subsequently lost my balance, and in an effort to not drop him I did something very painful to my foot.  I don’t know what I did exactly, I just knew that it hurt like hell and I couldn’t stand on it let alone walk.

A trip to the immediate care and subsequent trip to the surgeon’s office revealed that I broke the lag screw from my surgery, and another bone in my foot.

I have no words.  Seriously who does this?  I have spent the last few weeks feeling embarrassed and in shock.

I am back in a boot for the next 3-5 weeks, and then the plan is to try to ease back into hard shoes.  If the pain is too great or the bone hasn’t healed around the broken screw, I will have to have another surgery.  😦

So there is the Busted (broken part)…what do I mean about Italy?

Earlier this year, Einstein’s dad gave us several buddy passes for his employers airline.  If you aren’t familiar with buddy passes, in short you are able to fly standby on the airline for next to nothing.  (taxes)  Anywhere.

I have a good friend who was born and raised in Italy, but has lived in the states for many years.  Her family still owns a home in the city she grew up in…..AND….they are going to be there for the month of May……………hmmmmmm

I have been to Italy 2x in the past, but it has been almost 20 years, and I was there as a tourist.  I have always wanted to experience activities of daily living in Italy, but never had the time, or the money.  I have the time, and the flight cost me $50.00 roundtrip, so I booked the tickets.

I am not nearly as prepared as I would like to have been,  ( I speak very little Italian and I have a broken foot.)  but I think I would regret not seizing the opportunity.  Who knows, the afternoon siesta’s may be just what I need.

I am supposed to fly out on Monday.  Wish me luck?

Twilight Zone Morning

Ok not quite twilight zone, more a I need more coffee morning, but I’m rambling anyway.

I woke up this morning and had peed the bed. While I can’t say this hasn’t happened before, it’s not supposed to happen.  I just had bladder surgery  a month ago, and PTNS this week.  I am supposed to be “pee free” for a few more months at least :(.

Ok whatever, I opened my bedroom door and found my Mom sleeping on my couch.  Hmmm that’s not where I left her last night.  I went to the bathroom , cleaned myself up, and proceeded to let the dogs outside.

While going through the kitchen, I was met by thing 2’s boyfriend looking super chipper, telling me all the animals had been fed except for D.O.G. (who sleeps with me).  I let the dogs outside, and came back in to find a cup of coffee waiting for me on the counter. ?!?!?!?!?

I stood at the counter trying “figure out where I was”, and I glanced down at the letter for a driving class beginning at 8:30….oh fuck did I get Another speeding ticket and forget about it?  Crap crap crap

Then my phone went off, it was the 4th “Are you awake text” from one of thing 1’s best friends.  ( They had been coming in since 5:30).

D, picked up the letter and headed toward the door.  Ah yes…it was his ticket, he had class.  (I’m very surprised I was able to put that together, and even more so that I told him the answer to number 15 on the test is 12-15 inches.)

Four cups of coffee later

I have finally been able to put most of the pieces together.  Let’s go back to the beginning.

The peeing thing.  Ok, this one still makes no sense, and will require a call to the doctor, but at least I was wearing depends last night and had slept on a waterproof pad, so clean up was not terrible.  I am a bit nervous that I am having an MS flare, or that I will have to start looking for yet another treatment, but I will not allow myself to dwell on that til next week.  (I’ve got more important things to do)

My confusion about seeing thing 2’s boyfriend looking all chipper at 8 o’clock in the morning.  As I mentioned before, apparently HE had to attend the driving class.  Let me elaborate on my confusion more.  First of all, D works overnights.  The NORMAL interaction between us in the morning is ME heading out the door telling him the animals have been fed.  I normally tell him the coffee maker has been set up for him.  And I am usually the one who has to attend the driving class.

When you receive a speeding ticket in Illinois, you have the option of attending a 4 or 8 hour defensive driving class.  If you pay extra to attend the class, pass the test, and stay ticket free for 6 months this will keep the ticket from appearing on your record so that your insurance doesn’t increase.  I have attended the class enough that I can teach it.  The question to the answer I gave him as he walked out the door was, ” How far from your chest should your steering wheel be positioned?”  The answer on the test is 12-15 inches, although I still maintain it SHOULD be, however far you need it to be….smh

The multiple texts from KR

The last time I had a morning interaction with KR and Thing One, it was to fight to wake them both up at 10 in the morning after a sleepover.  After answering her, “are you awake” text, I am happy to report that it was for  an exciting reason.  KR is pregnant.  Both girls have been texting back and forth for hours planning how their children will also grow up being best friends etc……  I have to smile here.  For many reasons.  I am glad that KR feels I am important enough to receive one of the first, I peed on a stick calls.  I am excited that both girls are in a much better place than I was when I found out I was pregnant.  I am excited that they have both matured into beautiful intelligent hardworking woman.

Why is my mom on the couch?

I’m still not sure about this one.  I’m also not sure why I am letting her sleep.  (payback’s a bitch) 😛  I do know why she is here though.  She came to stay the weekend with me while we get things ready for my daughter’s baby shower tomorrow.  I am so lucky that I was raised in a family that is so tight nit.  My heart is so full this morning.

I hope you all have an incredible weekend.  Lots to be done here, and more coffee to drink.

 

 

 

I’m in a Hurry (and don’t know why)

I was talking with a friend the other day, and commented that I didn’t know how I had “made it” to 45.  She responded saying, “no shit, I don’t know how YOU did it either”.  (note she didn’t say WE, she said ME) That’s kind of sad don’t you think?  I mean, I have never fought in a war, saved someone from a burning building, or performed any other heroic act.  Yet, for most of my life I have lived in a constant state of fight or flight.  I have always raced to the next bullet point.  There was always something else that NEEDED to be done.

Have you ever heard the song, I’m in a Hurry by Alabama?  I swear they wrote it for me.

I’m tired.  I really am tired.

The thing is, I’m not done.  Far from it.  But I am learning that if I continue at the speed I have been going my whole life, I am going to burn out….quickly.

I have pretty much lived my life by this quote,

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”

― Hunter S. Thompson,

While I do still believe this, maybe I don’t have to be in such a hurry to get there?

Being pretty immobile for the last month, while waiting for my foot to heal, has been a blessing in disguise. As I said before, Patience has never been my strong suit, but for my foot to heal successfully I needed to practice some.  I have spent my “downtime” looking for OTHER ways I could heal and become stronger as well.

On the physical side I am going to start with physical therapy.  That’s it.  No big get out there and  walk a mile a day again.  Baby steps.

I have also been reading and researching various diet or lifestyle changes.  Although I do hope to lose weight, my goal is more to reduce the inflammation in my body to see if I can reduce the number of medications I take.

On the Mental Side, not only did I reread all my posts from this last year but, I also took the time to relive the excitement of my daughter’s wedding.  I allowed myself time to dream about all the things I want to do with my future grandchildren.  Most importantly, though I finally allowed myself to grieve all of the tragedies of last year.  This isn’t to say I am done grieving, more that I have slowed down enough to let myself feel the pain, I had been running from.

It’s kind of cool that even though I thought recovery time from surgery was going to be unbearable and a bunch of lost time I would have to make up for, instead it forced me to pace myself, and I was still very productive.

I’m a work in progress! 🙂

S L O W L Y

but getting stronger every day!