Party room- a place for fun, pity, commiserating, or any other thing you come up with

[mrsQ]

Mark glad you had a good visit. The flood wall murals sound interesting.
Same old same old here. My MIL seems to be doing worse if that is possible. She can't talk or anything so i don't know but she seems miserable.
I'm just waiting for daylight so I can go work in the yard. I need to cut the grass and pull up the flowers in the front bed that have turned to dead stalks. It is really to hot to plant fall flowers yet so I guess we will go with the bare look for a while. It makes my back hurt but seeing something productive I have done is good for my mood so it is not like my back isn't going to hurt anyway.

[Mark N]

Hi Karen, no sleep for me last night so I don't know if I will be able to drive around with my friends or not. I will just have to see how I feel and what they plan on doing. The murals get done one panel a year. They have local artist do them and each one has a theme about the community. This year's was the big 1937 flood so they took several pictures of the downtown scene and painted those pictures onto the wall. Last year's mural was life at the turn of the century 1900 and the year before was businesses that made a major impact on the communities history. So catches you up to what we have so far. A decade ago they did a big one on the inside that was a picture of the river and community, with a steamboat tied up to the landing, from around 1880.

Sorry to hear your MIL is so miserable as it is terrible when you really can't help them but I guess it is like trying to help us with our pain. I know just what you mean about getting the flowers out even though it means extra pain. It does feel good to accomplish something, I call it feeling human again. I know so much of my life is in my chair that it is nice to just get out and do something so I don't start growing roots. I hope you enjoy yourself out in the yard as it gives you some quiet time to marvel at God's earth.

[Mark N]

Hello Room anyone in tonight? After sleeping all day yesterday I have had a good day today. I started out in quite a bit of pain but was able to get it under control by
mid-afternoon. Penny got home from work and we ate dinner going right after to the Mayor's kick-off of the town celebration. Megan, Darrin, and Emery met us there because they had kids ride free shortly after the speech. We got to see Emery ride the car ride before we had to get home so Penny could meet her walking partner to get the evening walk in. Emery had fun on the ride but she wasn't so sure before it started. Megan got her calmed down and then when it started Emery had a blast. I am just waiting for them to stop by on their way home. Emery has her book club book to pick up [it is part of the Dolly Parton program]. I hope everyone is having a good evening.

[mrsQ]

Sounds like you guys had a fun outing Mark. I'm glad you were able to enjoy it.
I have no idea why I'm awake my sleep is driving me carzy, I can't stay asleep for more than an hour. Yet if I sit down to watch tv or read I fall asleep, but not for long. I don't think it is pain I think it is just sleep patterns being so messed up.

Mr.Q went to the coast yesterday to talk with the city folks about the fishing rodeo for people with mobility problems. They have it on the books for Sep of 2013 so now all the fun with the grant writing starts. It seems it will have a lot of support from the local marina and casinos. They city is putting lifts in both marinas to help people onto boats so that wil be a big draw to folks to come.
I did nothing productive yesterday but try and sleep while the sitter was here. I'm going to try and finish up the yard work this morning before it gets so hot. It has been just miserable humid wise here the last few days. It is like the air so thick you can't get a breath.

[Mark N]

Karen, Yes it was a wonderful time yesterday and one of the joys of having the kids decide to live in this town as we get to be part of the grandchildren growing up. I doubt that will happen with Tyrel after his Army career, however long that is, but you never know. I was just thankful my body could let me do as much as I did but maybe that is why I dozed most of the day before all the activity. I wish Mr Q good luck with getting the fishing rodeo handicapped adaptable. It would be a very good thing if it actually happens.
Boy of boy do I hear you about the humidity, the temps have moderated but with the humidity it still is difficult for many to do much in. I hope you remember your health is more important than the yard, I am a bad one to say so but do as I say and not as I do:). I hope you had enough restful sleep while the sitter was there as you don't have that many opportunities. Like you some of my biggest frustrations are my sleep issues but I know part of it is from pain issues and part is from the sleep issues I have had all my life. I too have the problem of not sleep for long, until my body just gives up, but I drop off to sleep while reading or watching TV. I wish I could tell you how to overcome this issue but I have found a way yet. I think it is just because so much of our meds are sedating so we have to work hard to stay awake and when we relax we doze for a bit. Be careful out working in the yard with the humidity so high as it really does impede your breathing. Enjoy yourself working in the yard. I try to get comfortable enough to be able to enjoy it when I am working in my yard.

I have a massage scheduled to see if I can get my neck muscles to loosen up along with my shoulder muscles. My hope is the arthritis like pain in my arms and elbows can get reduced and not hurt so much. I am trying a different place as it would be nice to find a good therapist when I am having a flare so I have another way to reduce my pain.

[Mark N]

The massage has helped a bit as it has reduce some of my pain especially in my arm and elbow even my neck is more relaxed. I guess it was worth staying awake to go and get the massage. We had a good day even though it was muggy until this evening when storms moved in. It really cooled it down and relieved the humidity. I have spent most of the evening dozing and catching up on the sleep I didn't get last night. Not much going on that I know of except some vandalism of vehicles down by my daughter's block. The police will find them as someone rats them out. They set a car on fire which is big news around here since we don't have that type of trouble in town. They usually will scratch up some vehicles but nothing more serious than that so I hope they find would did this latest vandalism.

[mrsQ]

I'm glad the massage helped you some Mark. I hate that about the fires being set. I don't know if it is the economic issue or just people but it seems like the idea of that sort of stuff doesn't happen here is gone. I know our city has had multiple murders this year & last month a woman was car jacked & attacked. I never thought we would have to worry about that sort of thing.

I hope the sitter knows something about staying or leaving today because I do not like living in limbo. I had thought I would ride up to my folks house today but they are calling for thunderstorms again this afternoon and I just don't want to deal with driving in that. I think I'm just going to go to the store here in town and pick a few things up and then come back and try to sleep till the sitter leaves. Not a productive day but I just don't want to even bother trying to be productive.

[Mark N]

Karen, productive days for us are days we can keep our pain in control. I hope you can get the sleep you need today. No I don't think it is the economy as the Great Depression had a reduction in crime. We have a group of kids trying to prove they are tough but around here they are a joke. There are too many hill people around here that will take matters in their own hands if need be so there is a limit to what these morons can do. We still have enough people that care about each other and look out for their neighbors.

It has really cooled down this morning reminding us that Fall isn't too far behind. It will warm up again but temps are moderating and we are getting rain on a regular basis now. I got out and mowed the yard and did a bit of weeding. I didn't weed much as the pain just was acting up too much. We had a visitor from NY walking by the house and he said on a scale of 1-10 I would give your flowers a 23 so Penny enjoyed that when I called to tell her.

[mrsQ]

too many hill people
Ok my idea of where you live must be way off.
I'm glad you got such a nice compliment on your yard I know you put a lot into it.

My sitter did not get the new job, which I'm sad for her but glad for us I guess.

[Mark N]

Karen, we live in Southern Indiana along the Ohio River and we are surrounded by forest and hills. So our town is a mixture of professionals, river rats, and back in the hollow hill people. They are generally people that look out for each other and take care of business themselves if the law can't do it. I am glad to hear you are keeping the sitter you like even though she wanted the other job. I hope it relieves some of your stress and she comes in often enough to give you a real break.

It is nice to get compliments on the yard and it took work but the best thing is it is almost all perennials so it doesn't take much work now. We just have one more major thing to do and that is plant a 16' River Birch tree in the side yard. I am making room in the berm I put in this past Spring. I will have to take some plants out and it will be the Irises Penny doesn't like in that area. The tree will be brought in some time late Sept. It really cooled down here today, enough to remind us that Fall isn't here but it isn't that far around the corner. I thought it would warm up during the day but it remained cool all day. Nice blue skies to go along with the nice day.

[Mark N]

It has been cool and rainy now for a couple of days, is this the same place or have I been transported to a new localtion. I got out yesterday to the dr for my weekly injection. I got hope and decided to sit out on the porch and read in the rain. A short time later thunder and lightning started up but I persisted until on bolt of lightning hit within 150 ft based on the 1 sec = 300 meters. It was so loud even the salon across the street had the women come to the window and look out to see where it hit. Penny came home a lunch and said they heard it and came outside looking for the fire. Needless to say I went in for the rest of the day. My daughter is at the point she wants this baby to get here but it is 6 weeks too early so despite the discomfort she would rather wait. She and the family came by for a visit on there way to the festival to let Emery ride the rides one more time. Like usual Emery was a treat wanting to play tag and then going our on the porch to swing with me for a bit. We found out the girl loves strawberries and was gobbling them down one fresh strawberry at a time. It is fun watching them grow up when we don't have to deal with all the day to day issues. I loved those things when our kids were little and as they grew up but it would be too much now and I respect those grandparents that take over their grandchildren with the mom and dad don't. I hope this finds everyone enjoying the cooler weather although I know it can mess with some people's pain levels.

[mrsQ]

No sign of fall here yet.
When you get done with your yard your welcome to figure out how to landscape mine...I will send pics lol
Right now I need to be out with the weedeater but my back is just not been up to it. I sorta want to higher the guy who lives at the end of the culesc. He has a landscape, construction biz and does someo fothe other folks yards. Our house is the first in the culdesac so we have road frontage on the side of the house, it is a steep embankment that I can't mow on the riding mower & is way more than I can tackle with the weedeater. Mr. Q use to be able to do it but while he is much better his strength is still not where it was before all the surgery and stuff last fall.
It is a hectic week here & when I do lay down I'm so tired I fall asleep.
I imagine your daughter is ready for the baby to show up. I'm glad Emery is getting to enjoy the strawberries. Hope you have a good night & don't be sitting on the porch in the thunderstorm!

[Mark N]

Karen, you must have a very hectic week falling to sleep so easily all week. Our temps are back up for one day but will drop back to Fall like temps today. I had a wonderful day of sleep that was very relaxing. Other than missing the day and not doing anything but reading it was a very nice day.

Having a landscaper come in could get very expensive. I watch shows on HGTV and it is amazing how much people pay for landscaping - they put in more money than our house cost us. Hill sides are tough and it is better to have them landscaped rather than mowing them. We just have a small incline in front but I have landscaped all that so I don't have to mow any incline at all. Our house the first time we lived here had a huge hill side in front and I mowed it but would have landscaped it if we didn't move. I hope your neighbor can help you out especially since your house is at the entrance of the cul-de-sac.

[mrsQ]

I think it is some of the new meds making it easier for me to sleep ( antideppresant maybe). I just seem to nap when ever I sit down.
I'm glad you got some good rest yesterday. I went to the dentisit ugh four hours most of that waiting for insurance approval.
I doubt I pay the guy to come do any yard work ...I'm cheap. I just need a good day to be able to try and tackle it.
There is nothing much else going on around here it is so humid it just seems tire everone out.

[Mark N]

Karen, I wish I could get a med that would make my sleep more regulated. My meds make me sleepy and it is a wonder I am ever awake but my sleep has been a mess my whole life due to omni-polar disease that lets me operate on just a couple of hours of sleep. Four hours at the dentist had to create a lot of pain as I know when I go my back pain is far greater than any mouth pain. The deal with landscaping is it can be a bigger job than you can handle so unless the guy is willing to volunteer as a good neighbor you probably can get that hill side done. It is a shame as it would make your mowing much easier. I know I have cut my mowing down by 2/3rds by making good use of landscaping. You just have to spread things out so it doesn't look like you are overdoing the landscaping. I have been around high humidity most of my younger life and it does zap the strength out of you unless you drink enough water and pace yourself.