Where the Wild Things Are at Our House

I never really noticed that there were wild things in our yard.  They came in one by one and next thing I knew there was a herd of them.  Luckily they have stayed in the yard and not been liberated by some nefarious person with evil intent.

The following fellow came from a local auction house.  His name is Bob and he likes to lurk in the bushes.

 This is Dillo the Armadillo.  He doesn't have a lot to say.  He lurks by the path that leads to the front door.  He seems fairly peace loving since he has yet to attack anyone walking by.  He hales from Mobile Alabama.

This feathered friend was a gift for my birthday a couple of years ago from two girlfriends and the leader of the herd.  His name is Flip the Flamingo.  He came from Ham Jam at Philadelphia, MS.

 This little guy is quite the scamp with multi-color plumage.  He likes to lurk in the split leaf philodendron.  He's not as social as others in the herd but he's very plucky!  He is a former Florida boy but seems to like living in Mississippi just fine

 Meet Flat Phil Flamingo.  He doesn't have as much dimension as the other boys but he guards his favorite Ligustrum with fierce determination.

Our final friend in the menagerie is Hooty Owl.  He sits right at the front door keeping all intruders away with his fierce face.  Can't get this guy to smile for anything... He came from my Oma's house.

DO you guys have any wild things at your house?  And I don't mean the kids.

LOVE, LOVE, KISS, KISS!

SNM

Happy Memorial Day and an Update

Just a quick update so you know I'm not dead.  Ha Ha, probably not so funny after my whole cancer post.  I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy two weeks ago.  I only had to stay in the hospital over night and was really glad I got to come home the next day.  It was my 42nd birthday and not the most exciting birthday of my life.  

I had a follow-up with the surgeon last Friday and he took out the drain they had left.  He said I would feel a slight tug.  CLEARLY he has never had a drain left in his breast because it felt like he was pulling the muscles out of my chest.  I told him as much.  Sister-in-law took me and said they took out like 12 inches of drain.  No wonder it hurt like hell.  The reports were as good as they could be.  All nodes tested were cancer free and there were good margins.  I go to the medical oncologist on Tuesday to find out what treatments we are going to do.  The hot flashes are about to freeze man and beast to death here at the house.  I'm moving around a lot better and it gets better everyday.  Still wear out pretty fast but considering I had two surgeries a week apart I'm pleased with the way things are going.  

I have several projects I want to get going on so feeling better is a good thing.  The Bug Eaters are here for the holiday and it's great having friends and family here.  Being a military family with a long history of veterans in our family tree I'm very thankful for those who serve or have served our country this memorial day.

Here is a picture with my favorite soldier LB.  This was at a Dining Out we went to on Saturday before I started my latest medical adventures.  I'm glad we had such a good time and got home before things went to hell in a hand basket.

What are you doing this holiday weekend?  Something fun I hope!

LOVE, LOVE, KISS, KISS!

SNM

Yum Yum Yellow!

I've always wanted adirondack chairs but they are SO expensive around here.  There is a Yard and Garden around the corner that has them in all these yummy colors but they are $600 EACH.  I'm sorry, that is as crazy as a sprayed roach.

When cruising the Home Depot a couple of weeks ago I spied these beauties.  They were kinda boring.  Anyone can have white chairs.  I don't want white chairs.  No sirree Bob! I wanted Yum Yum Yellow.  I want people to KNOW my chairs are yellow.

 And this was the price.  SCORE!!!!

So what's a girl to do?  Spray paint baby!  I used Krylon Fusion for plastic in Sunbeam.  It worked like a charm.  Covered great, dried fast, insto-presto Yum Yum Yellow chairs.  I had the little white table sitting in a box in the garage.  I got it at Lowe's last fall on clearance for $5.  (Can't beat that price with a stick.)  The pillows are Karma Living that I got from Joss & Main last time they had them on sale.  I love the crewel embroidery work on them and I certainly wouldn't do all that work for what they cost.  I love them in the chairs.  The bird house was made by a church in Pascagoula, MS from items salvaged from the church after Hurricane Katrina.  Sorry my coffee is in there.  I was sitting in the chairs when I decided to take some pictures.  This is the morning when they are in direct sun, but after about three in the afternoon they are in total shade and so pleasant to sit in and watch the world go by.

Someone should warn LB that there is a bunny stalking him.  The bunny is named Bob after my Daddy.  It's a long story I'll have to tell you one day.  I recently got Bob at an auction.  Isn't he fabu?

I hope you love my chairs as much as I do.  Spray paint is magic I tell you!

Have you transformed anything with paint recently?

(I wasn't compensated by any company mentioned in this post.  I just like their stuff.)

LOVE, LOVE, KISS, KISS!

SNM

 

And So a New Day Begins

There aren't going to be pretty pictures or fun projects in this post.  It's not that kind of post.  It's a gritty real from the heart kind of post.

Last Monday morning around 4:30 a.m. LB had to take me to the hospital. I was having horrible pain in my upper left back.  I honestly thought it was a heart attack.  It had to be a heart attack to hurt that bad I thought.  Well they talked and poked and decided to do a CT to make certain I didn't have an aortic tear or a pulmonary blood clot.  The good news was I had neither of those but my gallbladder was large and it appeared to have fluid around it.  They then did an ultrasound that confirmed the gallbladder was inflamed and full of stones.  Do not pass go, do not collect $100, go straight to the surgical floor you're having an operation.  We waited all day to see the surgeon and I wasn't allowed anything to drink or eat.  I was about to get hostile in a big way.

The surgeon Dr. P. came by around 6.  Told us what the plan was and what to expect.  The original plan was a little pushed back because they had noticed something on the CT and wanted to do a mammogram before surgery.  For those who don't know I had uterine cancer in the spring of 2007 so I was a little worried at this point.

So Tuesday morning we did the mammogram and that afternoon they removed the offending gallbladder. Nelson told me I looked better after I arrived from recovery than I did when they took me.  I honestly felt 100% better after surgery.  That gallbladder pain is like nothing I have ever experienced and hope to never again.

Wednesday morning Dr. P. came in during rounds and said they needed to ultrasound the spot they saw on CT and possibly biopsy it.  I asked if he thought I should be worried and he honestly answered me.  I knew then IT was back.  I didn't need further test I KNEW.  But you always have to be sure so I went to ultrasound and they did want to biopsy it.  At this point I'm sporting 5 new holes in my body.  Not looking so good.  They did let me go home after that.

LB was heading to war college orientation in PA that night so I pretty much downplayed everything so he would go.  I wanted him to go and not worry and do what he needed to do.  I knew in my heart we would have things to worry about in the future.

Nelson, MAS and MomMcD all came to help out my first couple of days home.  Feeding me whatever I wanted.  It was great.  Then Friday afternoon I received the call.  I knew the call was coming.  I wanted to avoid it.  I knew it wouldn't go away.

Dr. P. was calling to tell me my pathology report was back and it wasn't what we wanted it to be.  It's in my body again.  Two weeks short of my 5 years clean.  Back again to try and break me.

CANCER SUCKS!


It's in my right breast this time.  Stage 1 Grade 2 cancer.  CANCER!!!  Oh, how I hate that word.  I wanted to scream and throw things.  But that's not the way I handle serious stuff.  Instead I sat in silence and contemplated.  Then I told Nelson.  You never want to tell your mother you have cancer.  The second time you tell her you want to throw up.  I'm her only child.  Reason 1001 why cancer sucks.

I then told MAS because she was with me the first time and I'm going to need her the second time.

I waited to tell anyone else because I needed to tell LB and he was so far away.  I decided I would wait until he got home tonight to tell him.  No need for him to be upset and so far away.  It would not change a thing.  I let him greet the dogs so they would settle down and I told him for the second time that I have cancer.  It wasn't the homecoming I wanted him to have.

I've told a couple of other close friends and family now.  It doesn't get any easier.  Not at all.

But this is what I will say here.

I WILL NOT DIE FROM THIS CANCER.

I WILL KICK THIS CANCER'S ASS!

I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST CANCER FREE!

I am not cancer, I have cancer.  I am SNM and I will not let Cancer become who I am.

Tuesday we start the rounds with the DR's to find out where we go from here.  I'm sure I'll share more as time goes on.  If I'm not around a lot please understand.  If you believe in a higher power and prayer please keep me in your prayers.

CANCER SUCKS!!!!!!


LOVE, LOVE, KISS, KISS!
SNM

Still Looking for the Beauty in the Beast

So here is where we are on turning the beast into the beauty.  There was a lot of damage to the wood over the years and LB figured out a way to fix it.  I'll give you more details after we get a little further along.

This stuff sands beautifully and says it will hold nails once dry.  Guess my staples will give it a chance to show if it will.

Here is the backside almost sanded and ready to go.

Sorry this is the boring part of the work but it has to be done.  Moving right along!

LOVE, LOVE, KISS, KISS!

SNM