Blogging on the Block 3/243/09

Everytime I think things are getting better they seem to get worse. Stress is a nasty little thing, just as nasty as the disease that takes my MIL's sanity and robs her of dignity. I hate to feel so helpless, so stressed, I feel her pain when she has a bad day, and that frustrates me beyond belief. I constantly await the moments I can escape and breath my own thoughts in, but sadly they have become fewer and fewer these days.

This weekend Fred took me away for a night, and it was nice to get away. But the dread filled me when we got back into town, before we ever got home. I felt quilty for leaving my son with my MIL. He said it wasn't so bad, but she made up for it with me this week already.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the mountains I took as we took the parkway thru NC on the way back from SC.

Fred at one of the overlooks.

Well, goodnight, blessings and hugs, always!

Another Day on the Blog Block 2-23-09

It's hard to believe February is almost over. My days seem to drag by with the same thing day in and day out, but when I look at the calendar it seems to just fly by. My days have become so depressing that I just want to scream, although I don't really think that would help. Sometimes I question my own sanity, but in reality it isn't my sanity that's slipping.

Dealing with my MIL and all her issues is taking a toll on me though. I seriously need a break. My husband is feeling it too, so...this weekend we are going out of town. Just the 2 of us, and I'm so excited. We're not doing anything really exciting, but just getting away, just the 2 of us will be great. There's a hunting thing the hubby wants to go to in SC, but I'll take anything to just get away.

I understand my MIL has issues, I knew that 4 years ago. But, dealing with her flare ups is not easy on any of us. Being bipolar, manic depressive, suffering from anxiety, chronic pain, dementia and alzheimers really makes things difficult. I hear the complaining all the time, but when she gets the whinnies and squawlies I'm at my wits end. I can't sit all day with a 74 year old woman in my lap rocking her like a little kid who feels bad. For one thing she's too big and for the other she expects to be petted all the time and stubs up like a spoiled child when she doesn't get her way.

She has fits when my husband comes home and doesn't speak to her first. She has fits when the phone rings and she doesn't get to talk to whoever it is, doesn't matter if its a telemarketer or the family. She has a fit if I go to my mothers or the store, and she has a fit if I make her go with me or if I leave her at home. She has a fit if I buy something for George and don't get her something too. Example: She wants a cellphone because I got a new one.....I got her one, she doesn't know how to use it and now she wants a new one, says the one I got her isn't any good - how would she know if she can't even turn it on.

Then we have the bad attitude days as I call them, this is where she is constantly making snide remarks to me. Like, "I just don't understand how you can be so stupid and do all that for the school when they don't even pay you. You shouldn't let people use you, and you can't be here when I need you if you're always gone." She doesn't like it when I do things with the booster club for the sports programs at school, mainly because I'm not sitting here with her.

So, I'm really looking forward to this weekend. And......Then, the 2nd week of March I'll be going to the lakehouse for spring break. I've told my son if he has to practice all week he'll have to stay home and get his uncle to take him and pick him up.

Well, time to get a move on. I have to take the MIL to the doctor today. Regular check up, but I dread the sitting and waiting. And of course she's nervous about going out in public, and excited to get out, and talking about what she's going to make the doctor do. Yeah, it's gonna be a blast.

I hope you're doing well, in whatever you're doing! Blessings and hugs!

Blogging on the Block 2/15/09

It's been a crazy time around here. In more than one way. The MIL has had quite a few episodes, and I feel like I'm loosing my mind with her. We've been to 3 different dentist and Monday we go to a specialist. I hope he can make a special denture to give her some relief. Then maybe I'll get a break.

On the bright side, she does keep me on my toes. She tried to help on Friday while I worked, since my brother inlaw who sits with her was MIA, she decided to clean house for me. The diswasher really confuses her for some reason. She can't tell if the dishes are clean or dirty. Anyway, she loaded it for me, but she didn't know if it washed the dishes or not, so she took them all back out and put them on the kitchen table. They were dirty, because she couldn't remember how to start it.

Then she tried to mop the kitchen floor, but she didn't know which cleaner I used on the floor, so she used Tide. Yes, it was a mess.

She tried to sweep the carpets for me, with a broom, not the vacuum cleaner. It didn't work so well.

To top it all off, I didn't come home til about 11 pm, the boy had 3 ballgames to film, and I worked the gate and concessions. So, when I got home, I had to finish cleaning up her messes where she helped me. Hubby tried to clean up, but with her trying to help him he gave up. He now has a better understanding of what I go threw everyday.

I hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day. I worked 2 more ballgames, and the hubby got me a big ole box of chocolates (I haven't even opened them) and a very sweet card. Then he took me out to dinner at a nice place. I had an awesome house salad, ribeye steak, and a huge baked potato. And it was just the 2 of us. The boy stayed home and watch my MIL. He's a good kid, even if he did stay on the phone for 4 hours with a girl.

Well, since it is now 1 am Monday morning, I need to go to bed. Blessing and hugs!

Blogging on the Block Way Late 2/5/09

Ok, so I've been fighting with my computer for over a week now. My internet provider said I needed to update my browser, yeah right. So after tweaking and fiddling, comes down to the internet provider was having issues with some of their relays. Did I mention I really hate dialup. I still can't upload videos, and it is so slow....ugh!

Anyway, last week I tried not to focus on my internet issues so much, and the boy had tons of ballgames to go to and I worked all of them. This week, snow, snow, and snow all meant no school, and the days I was scheduled to work at the school were all null and void. So, with the boy bored, me bored, and the crazy MIL driving me even more nuts....the internet issue has bobbed to the top of my to do list. It is a little faster, but I sure wish we could get dsl or cable. Sadly, no one offers it in our area. If we could get directTV to come out, then maybe I could sign up for wildblue, but no promises. I guess that's what I get for living out in the middle of no-where, but I wouldn't trade it really. I love the privacy and the open space.

Well, I hope everyone is wonderful and happy! I'm off to check some email and read some blogs. While the internet is working. Hugs and blessings!

Blogging on the Block 1-27-09 Tuesday!

It's only Tuesday, but its been quite a week already. I still can't upload my videos. I guess its because I have dial up, figures. I finally get a decent camera and can take decent video and I can't upload it. I even tried on gather. Oh well.

Monday I didn't really do much. I took the MIL to pick up her perscriptions, and took movies back to the video store for exchange. Then took my cell to the boy so he could call me after football practice. Then I came home and fixed dinner and waited on the boy to call.

Today, however, was a different story. I went with the hubby and the MIL to her therapist appointment and then to the diner for brunch. When we got home I called the secretary at the high school, we go to church together (when I get my lazy buns up on Sunday mornings). She's also the one who calls me in to work at the high school. Anyway, I called to see if she needed me to help work the door or concessions at the basketball game tonight. She said please, so I went. Wasn't so bad, we weren't all that busy, but I'm sure tired after spending all that time on my feet. I even get to go back and do it all again Friday night. Yeah for me, its not so bad. I actually enjoy it.

You'd be proud of me Jody, I only ate 1 hotdog and a coffee cup full of popcorn. I didn't go nuts and eat the candy, the nachos, or any of the other treats they had for sale. I behaved and thought of my caloric intack. I was proud of me for not munching on everything.

Well, looks like I get to work tomorrow, so I better get to reading email! Hope you've all had a wonderful day! I hate to mention it, but it was a rainy nasty day here. I did get a break, I spent time with adults who make sense, well for the most part, this evening. Blessings and hugs to all!

Betty Blogging on the Block 1-26-09

I put the book down. I got off my OCD high stool. I kicked the scales under the bar, and I went out side, after grabbing my camera. (Lesson Learned - I need a bigger SD Card.) So.....now I have what I did yesterday and today. Which one do you want to see first?????? How about yesterday and then today. Works for me.

So..................for some reason I can't post my video. Probably because I haved dang dail up. Ugh.

I'll keep working at it til I get it right.

Later! Hugs and blessings. Hope all is well with you and yours!

Blogging on the Block 1-24-09

Well, I missed a few days blogging. Most of it had to with the MIL being a pouty. I won't go into, living thru it was enough.

The other reason is I've had my nose in a book. Actually 2 books. Otherworld by Barbara Michaels and Lost Inocents by Patricia MacDonald.

Also, on Friday night I was on Facebook chatting with my best friend from high school. I haven't seen her but once in 20 years, so when I found her on Facebook I just had to get in touch with her. We chatted for a long time, and it was nice to catch up with her. I set her and her husband up our senior year of high school, and I was bridesmaid at her wedding. Then they moved away and we lost touch. So it was really cool to find her. She told me that she'd been looking for me, and so had another friend of ours. What would we do without the internet?

Anyway, we're all in the living room tonight watching movies. All except the MIL, she went to bed pouting, normal for around here, so its all good. Fred and George are watching the Max Pain movie, I'm listening while I do my thing online.

I really hate dial up. It has kicked me off all evening when I've signed on. I really wish the new world would reach into our little corner and bring high speed and cable TV. Down between these 2 ridges we feel kind of cut off from the world. The phone guy keeps telling me in a year or two we'll be able to get high speed, he's been telling me this for 3 years......yeah, I'm still waiting. We wanted to do direct TV, but doesn't look like it'll work here either. The things we do to live out in the country. I don't really mind for the most part, I like the wide open space and the privacy.

Ok, so I'm out of here for tonight, gotta go delete and read some of my 496 emails. (That's just on one account. I've already taken care of the other 4 accounts. I know, why do I need so many accounts. Work email, survey email, family & friends email, the MIL's email (that she doesn't use) and festival email.)

Hope you're having a great weekend! I'm trying! Blessings and hugs!