Could this be??

As I was rough housing my youngest boy T-Bone yesterday I felt a strange feeling in my wrist. It was my wrist with the cyst (sounds kinda Dr. Suessy huh). I looked down at my hand and the hard knot on it was gone. There was a small amount of swelling still there but it was alot smaller and It felt kind alot softer than before. It didn't really hurt and the stiffness was gone. Funny though, I did feel some discomfort on the top of my hand for a bit. Maybe the drainage went up into my hand and made it feel weird. (?) I've put an Ace bandage on it to help keep some pressure on it hoping to help drain it all out and maybe keep it from refilling.
Anyway it seems to have popped! I've read that sometimes this happens. I'm more than thrilled for now. I tried without success to schedule a surgery date with the doctors office because of the long holiday weekend. I really wanted to get it done as soon as possible because I'm starting school with Bubby this next week and it was really starting to hurt me. I had to call the doctor last week and ask for pain medication because the Tylenol was not cutting it for me (I couldn't take anything that would thin my blood out before the surgery). I was so disappointed when I found out that I had to call them back the next following week. I know that sometimes these cysts return but sometimes they don't. I hoping for the latter in my case. ")
For now I'm thanking God for his provision. I'm grateful for sure.

Meals on Wheels

Well today we went on our first Meals on Wheels route. We all were excited to begin a way helping in our community. They were very nice and helpful when we went to their on site office in Dallas to sign up and get a quick low down of how it all works a few weeks back. I was amazed at their facility. When we walked through the door ahead of us was a huge glass window from the floor to the ceiling revealing the whole food making/packaging process. I couldn't help but think about Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory! All the people there were so helpful. They were nice enough to see me one on one instead of attending a class because I didn't have a sitter for the boys. They even supplied Bubby with some markers and paper to help keep him occupied while we talked. I knew of them but never had any idea of the amount of people they help feed daily. 45,000 per day in the Dallas area!
Most of the people on our route are the elderly but not all. Some are disabled and unable to drive. All were very grateful and happy to see us at their door. Without going into detail of their living conditions, I was humbled to say the least. It's always sobering to see how some others live. It helps to keep me grounded. Makes my problems seem small. I wanted a way to serve God with my hands and not just throw money at something. My friend J had done it a few months back and it came to my mind to do it. I thought that it would be a great way to help Bubby see the world is larger than his own too. It did. As we drove from house to house he would ask questions about the people that he just met. He even drew pictures to give to them. I handled the hot meals while he carried the cool items in a bag. We picked up the hot and cold coolers at a local church, made the deliveries and then returned them with a checked off list of the people and their addresses. It will be the same route for us every time so we should get to know some of them better as time passes.

Boogered up hand

I've had this wrist thing for a few months. First really bad pain and then a weird looking bump. To have pain in my hand is not that big of a deal to me but has become a chronic condition that's been self induced. After having 11 years of repetitive motion by animal restraint as a vet tech as proved to be the culprit of my hand problems. I have struggled with a condition in both middle fingers called trigger finger for many years. It's a condition where the tendon that is suppose to slide in and out of band of tissue has become enlarged and locks into position. So my middle fingers, specially on my right hand is not able to be pulled all the way down towards my palm without becoming stuck. Yes it's a bit creepy and I have to use my other hand to pop it back out to release it. The bump on my hand is called a Volar wrist Ganglion. Fancy name for a cyst. I've been able to manage the discomfort by getting steroid injections into my tendons and trying really hard not to over do it for my trigger fingers but unfortunately the cyst will have to be surgically removed. So might as well fix them all while I'm there huh? So I am planning to get my right hand done in the near future. It's the one with the cyst and has the worst trigger problem. I'm not looking forward to being in a plastic cast for 10 days and recovery but it won't get any better or easier as I get older so........ I just hate surgeries and recovering from them. I don't like being down and not being able to do things myself! Ah pride, it's a booger when you need someone's help! ")

Slumber Party!

Well last night I stayed the night in order to provide help and support ") for my friend Miss T and her daughter's 7 year old slumber birthday party! Now let me tell you that those little girls know how to party right!
I'm not used to of being around so much "girl" stuff with having two boys. They come with alot of accessories! I've never seen such a nice array of hair bows, ear rings and necklaces. Wow. I felt my head spinning with the colors of pink and purple.
T-Bone was the only boy allowed for the event. He was at first overwhelmed with the masses of young girls running circles around him and searched for a hide out away from the traffic. But he soon realized that they were kind of fun hanging around him and aided him with his playtime. Someone was always there to help him with finding the right toys to play with at the time. :)
We enjoyed pizza and snacks, I did what I could to keep with up the demand of ether grape soda, root beer and lemonade. I think root beer won hands down for the drink of choice by 7 year olds.
They watched movies, colored their craft pillow cases, played games and even did some karaoke.
They were a blast to watch and I admired their comfort level with sharing their vocal and dancing skills! My friend Miss T was nice enough to allow me and T-Bone to stay in her bedroom. So I got to bed early compared with the rest of the party. Most stayed up till about 3 in the morning! So imagine some naps happened today, I know they did over here! While this was taking place Bubby and Daddy had a slumber party of their own over here at our house. Since no boys were allowed to the party, birthday girl's daddy and brother came over here to hang with the boys.
They had their night out at a place called Amazing Jakes in Plano. They played games, rode rides and ate pizza. Daddy Dude was very excited to tell me about his Go kart ride. He said that he was in his element going around the track and "smoked" every one around him! Too bad that I missed that one. :(
The boys rode shot gun while the Daddys drove. They loved it as well!
So we all survived the night out with the kids and all had a blast. Only thing that went array was when the girls were having a "shaving cream fashion show". Miss T and I filled a large bin of shaving cream while the girls changed into their bathing suits. We all went outside and then they covered ( and I mean COVERED, to the point it was hard to tell who was who under that stuff) themselves with shaving cream and strut down the pretend catwalk. While Miss T was inside and I was with the camera getting some pictures, out of nowhere they were chasing me around the yard trying to cover me with the stuff! I was screaming like a little girl myself holding the camera in the air hoping to not get white and foamy. I kept the camera clean but not myself. I was coated. I'm still in shock just how quickly those cute little girls turned on me! Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe it was all a set up. Hummmmmmmmmmmm?

It is done.

As you can see the coop is finished. Yahoooo! Daddy Dude has done an awesome job. It has both a top and bottom area. Daddy put in a nest box and roost in the top with a cool ramp for them to go down to root around in the fresh air downstairs. Also has a shingled roof.
After deciding to cut the flight feathers on the girls (hey we just had to check out our chicken wrangling skills) we put them in their new home. The chicken lady(the person that we got them from) said that it wasn't necessary for us to trim their wings since they are older/larger and unable to get over the fence but I didn't want to take any chances when I let them out. They will spend the next few weeks in the coop until they become accustomed to their new surroundings then freedom rings and they get to go "free range" during the day. As you can see the nest is empty. We will be placing a glass egg or a golf ball in the nest to help give them the idea. They have a lot of paying up to do for all the hard work that went into their new chicken pad! Chicky(Oprah) and Icky(Harriet) now have a place to lay their beaks.

Chicken coop project

Ok first I have to say that I feel really bad for bringing home hens on the hottest (yet) weekend of the summer! Poooooooooooor Daddy. He has been sweating and working his bootocks (a word made up by Bubby combining buttocks and booty) off! The project proved to be a hard one in this hot Texas sun. He's been in the shade for the most part so it's only been around 100 degrees. :)
In between screws, staples and the jig saw there are brakes that consists of hosing himself off with the garden hose. I peek out there from time to time to hand him something to eat/drink and maybe a pill or two to pop for the muscle pain. I'm wondering if maybe this is calls for a day at home tomorrow? You see Daddy dude is not one to cut corners. He believes if something is worth doing it's worth doing right. Sometimes I admire that quality. Sometimes it just frustrates me because I don't work like that. I can't with two little critters running around me. Most of the time I'm just happy to get anything completed. ") But in the long run I know he is right. If done right the first time then it saves you trouble down the road.
So it looks like it will be completed another day. :( That's ok the hens are holding up fine where they are at and can wait. They will be in the coop for a week or two before letting them stretch their legs in the yard anyway. It will help to get them to go into the coop during the night.
One good thing. It's made us take care of part of the yard we've been neglecting for awhile. Our poor next door neighbor asked if it would be ok to cut off a weed branch that is creeping over her fence the other night! It was a jungle, a bit scary too. I got my weed eater and my trusty Marty dog to watch over me as I went to work. We have alot of snakes, gecko's and lizards around here.
I don't mind them much as they help with bug control but I like to keep my distance and let them do their work in peace! I didn't see anything but for one little pesky yellow jacket buzzing around me. Wow the yard looks bigger with the weeds cut down! ")
I'll post pictures when Daddy gets the coop completed. So for now the story continues...................

Something's lurking in the backyard

Yes we have them. Two wonderful Road Island Red hens that I picked up today from Terrell. They are laying but will probably not for the next few weeks to a month from the stress of being moved into their new home. Speaking of home, Daddy is planning on spending most of his day tomorrow in the back building on a chicken coop project. The plans are laid out and ready to go. For now they are spending the night in a wire dog crate. We are planning on letting them go free range in the section of back yard that is already fenced off during the day and coop them at night. I raised chickens when I was young from baby chicks. I remember there being some work involved in getting them to the point of laying eggs. That's why this time I decided to buy them grown. ")
Our incentive? Healthy eggs. I can't eat anything but organic eggs or they make me sick and I'm tired of paying for the cost of them. If I could, I'd get a dairy cow too. But the city makes it clear that I can't do that and my neighbors are grateful for it. We are allowed two hens with no roosters. Fine with me, the roosters won't be missed. I can remember them crowing anytime someone would turn on the kitchen light in the middle of the night to get a drink. On the other hand, the hens have a nice quiet cluck. Something I enjoy hearing.
Their names? Well Bubby wants to name them Chicky and Icky! I was thinking something with alittle more class like Harriett and Oprah.
So we are now chicken farmers on a very small scale. I'll let you know how it all goes..........