Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Updated passport

Yea! New passport arrived today. I am enjoying the new design and glass of wine.

Diamond pattern tile shower

Getting ready to install a heavy glass shower enclosure.

Installed diamond pattern tile

A few hours later and the job is done. Looking good and complements the fine tile work.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Monday, March 17, 2014

Blood sugar levels

I am 3 days past the scary ER visit. I am not taking the blood pressure medication. I am keeping a close check on my blood pressure and it's been good. Always under 130 top and 90 bottom. I do random checks to see the range. I am also looking at my blood sugar levels. I am doing very random checks . I had dinner and checked it right away and it was 166. I rode my exercise bike for 5 minutes at 6 mph, then checked it again and it was 116! Friday morning at 7 am was the last time I had caffeine. I am starting to feel better and no headaches. I slept so deep last night that the alarm clock was at half power when I noticed It . I normally would wait for it to go off before getting out of bed.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Heart check up final

All is well!  The tests show everything is great. I do have a blood pressure elevation above normal. I had a perfect storm of sorts. A lot of high fiber food in the past 12 hours, the raisins with my oatmeal may have contributed to a spike in blood sugar, and my blood pressure spiked while I was having lunch.

The plan to deal with this scenario. I will be more vigilant in exercise. I will continue to slowly increase my fiber intake. I will totally remove caffeine from my daily diet. I will loose 20 to 30 pounds and keep it off. To many natural remedies can be a problem if you don't know what you are taking. Some herbs can cause higher blood pressure and sugar. They can cause an adverse reaction with prescription drugs. The root of today's ordeal may never be fully understood. What needs to change is clear.

Heart update

Blood work is good. EKG is excellent! Blood pressure is a little high. Looking like to much fiber in last 12 hours causing rapid gas built up against the diaphragm. Giving me the pain in my chest. I am feeling better and ready to leave the ER.

Heart check up.

I have been placed on blood pressure medication in February. I have not tolerated the first one. I was switched to another. The side effects of these things is ridiculous. They can actually cause a heart attack or stroke! So today at lunch I felt like a gas bubble was trying to blow past my diaphragm. This causes chest pain and then the mind starts running wild with everything I have read.  So it's off to the emergency room. The EKG was extremely good, I think they said excellent. I am waiting on blood work and e - rays to be deciphered. I guess it is time for more fruit and vegetables and exercise. I see the homemade vegetable juice coming back into my diet on a regular basis.

New furniture design

Need I say more?

Monday, March 10, 2014

Food Pantry

Mr. Kenneth Mc Pherson talking about what is needed for our community's food pantry.

Food collection

This is a small but much needed donation to the West Chatham Food Pantry.

Food drive

The Silk Hope Ruritan club collected food for the West Chatham Food Pantry.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Good place to eat

This place is great!  Good food and easy access to the airport.  Judy just landed and I will depart from here when she gets to baggage claim.

24 hours

Just 24 hours ago it was 34 degrees, ice everywhere and raining. Long underwear and coat with toboggan and gloves just to stay warm.  Now it's 70 degrees with sunshine, short sleeve and windows open to cool down.

The rise, fall and resurrection of a Domestic God

The rise;
two weeks to complete 1 task.
The Wife is off to visit with her mum for two weeks and has the house cleaner scheduled for two visits. I am given instruction to open the house for her and leave $50 dollars on the kitchen table. OK dear, as you wish... we're off to the airport. on the way home I start to think that $50 is a lot of money and I can save this for beer and do the work myself. I go to the workplace of the house cleaner and tell her that the house is not so bad and lets wait until the second visit for her to come clean. She says I don't understand how big my house is and how much must be done before it can be cleaned. I also tole that I need now cleaning towels and the vacuum needs some serious attention and a belt. What!?! she's crazy and just finding excuses.... 

The fall;
four days left...
I am over loaded at work with all the bad weather and jobs falling behind. There is a rash of broken glass because the harsh weather causes people to do stupid things to clear the ice off. I start to fall behind in my domestic god duties and I have allowed 10 of the 14 days to slip away. I load the dishwasher and get if going and the clothes are sorted and ready for washing. The kitchen is clean and sorted except for the floor. The laundry is coming out to the dryer faster than I can fold it so the spare bedroom is laundry central. I have 1 day left to get the remainder of the laundry folded and put away and all the dusting and floors have yet been addressed. 16 hours until the wife arrives!!!! I put it in overdrive, I am crawling around dusting and sweeping and trying to get that damn vacuum working to pick up the crap on the floor..... laundry is almost finished and oh my goodness I need to unload the dishwasher......... I think I may have pulled it off, however I can't help but think I missed something....

The Resurrection;
8 hours until the wife is home...
I return to the workplace of the house cleaner and tell her that I have a new vacuum just like the one she has always wanted waiting for her. There are 30 new cleaning towels and all the supplies she could ever want on hand. I even bought a steam cleaner to make cleaning the sinks and toilets a breeze. I gave her a key and pass code to the house so she did not need to have someone open the house for her. I had flowers delivered to her workplace with a note that read. "I am sorry that the schedule was screwed up and there is a box of fancy chocolates with a $100 bill on top of it should she be able to come and clean before the wife arrives at 4:00 PM"......... I just received a text saying not to worry it would be done and a clean house would greet the wife upon her arrival....

Friday, March 7, 2014

Winter Weather at Elon College


Pow! Snap! Crash!

The pine trees are starting to give up! Several trees in the area have fallen across power lines and the crews are starting to get overwhelmed.

The leaning tree

OMG! The temperature is above freezing and the rain is still falling...... Please no more ice....

Still raining and icy

The rain has been falling since yesterday evening. The temperature has been holding around 34 degrees. The power crews are working hard to keep the power on. The emergency crews are responding to trees down all over the area . We are looking for a high of 38 degrees today. Tomorrow is supposed to be great with a high of 68!

NC Zoo's latest addition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66ypxFFHJB8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Ice forest

Raining all night and flickering power.

Bowing to the ice

Kinda beautiful

Enchanted ice forest

We are covered by a bit of ice. We have been spared total havoc because it is 33 degrees and a steady wind.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Spring Forward Sunday March 9th......


What do you want for your 100th birthday?

In a few short weeks my mum-in-law will celebrate her 100th birthday. Mum has everything of material form one could desire, so please no gifts. However, she has a passion called "Save The Children". Mum was one of the founding members 54 years ago in Royal Leamington Spa of that local branch. Mum, aka Connie Sharman is still actively collecting for Save the Children when she can get out on her scooter, or the collection box in the foyer if you have ever stopped in for a visit. The cold weather is a bit much for her so she has requested a donation website page; https://www.justgiving.com/Connie-Sharman , that Judy has created for her. Please follow the link and to see the page, if you are considering a gift or card would you please give that amount in lieu of these things? Please note if you are NOT a British tax payer please remove the "Gift Aid" checked box, this would cause a lot of issues and stall the donation to Save the Children.
 New Years Day 2014

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

NAPA

We replaced the glass on the left last week.  The cold weather has been hard on older plate glass windows. All the stress from years of sun and wind as well as the vibration from passing traffic makes it a ticking time capsule of failure. Today was the day it had enough and fractured.