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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

yesterday it was pics of the old days, today pics my dad took

When Mumsie moved to the Manor there were things
she wanted to save so us kids put it in bins and put it in
my attic. We never really paid much attention to what was
in it. Yet with the big 90th birthday party coming
us kids are all busy bees to make this the very best
birthday for her.
Yesterday I had HOBL help me find things
Sis, V. could use to decorate.
I cannot say how excited I was when I found more
old pictures of my family at a time before I was born.
I sometimes wish I was part of my siblings lives
way back when except, sorry, I don't want to be as
old as they are ;^)
My dad, when he was forced to retire as a photographer
because of war injuries he became bitter and
swore he would never take another picture.
I was three when this happened so I just
love seeing pictures he took.
I may be prejudiced but I think
my Daddy was the very best photographer ever.
Well, except now there is my friend Becky, and she is
quite great also.
Anyway, back to the story.
My daddy had a style. Even his non-professional pictures
can be told that they are his because he had the
eye. The eye of a photographer that told a story.
Today I share some of those with you readers.
Because although I was not born, they are part of
my life, my heritage and I am quite proud of that.
Okay here I will need help from the older siblings.
Dad must have had to take photos of a confirmation day...
This is before me, way before me since the oldest of my
siblings in this picture is Peter and there are three
of us girls after Peter.
However, it is a popular picture of our family
and one of my very favorites,
Of course, Daddy is not in the picture
but I just love how he had everyone pose.
He was great at this.
My daddy's baby sister is in this picture.
She is the one all the way to the left, sitting down.
After my grandparents died, My Mom and Dad took his little
sister, Jeanette under their wing to continue to raise her.
I do not know what this occasion was but if Dad's
baby sister was in something he was there with his camera.
This is Uncle Roy, the man who eventually married
Jeanette, my aunt... how charismatic he looked here.
My favorite part of this whole picture is the kitchen.
This kitchen is the one I was raised in.
It never changed even many years later.
and when daddy died and C and Ted bought the house the
kitchen still looked like this.
Now, it is an amazing kitchen, much updates done
to it. Yet this is the kitchen that will forever live in my heart.
It was the hub of our home....
I can remember every inch of that kitchen,
where everything was kept and could write
a whole blog just about the kitchen.
It was magnificent but I do believe it was
more the love and time that was spent in that
kitchen more than anything else that makes me love it.
Okay, this is an example of what I was talking about
my dad's casual pictures.
I mean who would say,
"Okay you three little girls, line up in the window cross
your legs, and Uncle Freddie is going to take your picture"
None of these are siblings but cousins...
My daddy was a different man back then than the
man I knew, wish I would have known this one.
My daddy took this one of my two oldest siblings,
Simone and Larry.
Larry is my brother who died a few years ago from
lung cancer.
I cannot get over how much in this picture,
my niece, Emily's little boy Zachary looks like him...
Finally Aunt Jeannie married Uncle Roy and of course,
not only did my Daddy give her away because
her parents had passed but he also took her
wedding pictures and I am sorry but
he was the very best...
Look at the quality of these pictures!
I am not sure of who the ring-bearer was but the
flower girl is my Aunt Mae-Mae's first born,
Joelynn...
My aunt Mae-Mae had this awesome man, Uncle Joe
to call her husband.
I do not know if these pictures were a wedding party
or his birthday.
I have blogged of Uncle Joe before, he died when I
was a little girl due to a car accident.
Left my aunt with 6 children, the oldest in high school
the youngest not yet two....
she did it, raised that family and did a damn good job.
Again look at the quality of my daddy's pics...
Okay so in a nut shell, a long blog....
I found a gold mine yesterday and there are many more
pictures that now live in the memory of
this Macbook....
Happy I am.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Lets for today, just reminisce on old times..

My parents and my older siblings, know about these
kinds of parties.
My mom and Dad used to have parties at our home
often before I was born. When I look at the pictures
of those parties and see my older siblings dancing
and having a good time with their friends
I am reminded that we may be siblings but we were
raised at completely different times.
I love those old pictures of their parties....
The spanking part, I don't know but I have a feeling
my siblings didn't see much of that but I could be wrong
I know by the time I came along spanking was not a
happening thing, matter of fact, being the baby and one
that was sick as a child, if you just made the baby cry
you were in trouble with my daddy,
Can I say spoiled, I was?
This, this car reminds me somewhat of the older cars
my dad used to drive. I love this old car insides
I wish some car maker would give us all the luxuries
of what our vehicles now give us but have the insides look like this.
I would so be up to buying one. I love this car and
red is my favorite color.
This camera makes me laugh because my sis, Veronica had a
slightly newer version of an old movie camera.
I remember being little and sis getting out that old/new camera
and the lights were so bright we would all be squinting and hiding our
eyes so all the old videos are of us hiding our eyes unless it was
outside and you didn't need the lights....
so funny, wish it wasn't so darn expensive to put all those old
videos on dvd. What a family get-together that would be
to watch all those old videos.
Drive-in's oh how I loved drive ins!!!!
Again, memories of my sister,
remember, when I was young my sis V. was married and
had her own kids people believed that C and I were hers
that is how much we were with her.
There was not much money when my sis and Nonc J first
got married so they would pack all of us kids in
their car because it was a cheap outing.
They would get that green pic from the glove compartment
you remember, they were round and you would light it to
keep the mosquitos away.
then at the jet drive-inn, the candy line was the best...
Sister, V would line us all up,
Myself, C, Tiffy and Tie and we would each get a
hotdog with the famous jet-drive in chili and
then we could choose one candy from the magnificent
counter of candy. Oh it was so hard to choose from.
Ju-Ju-bees and sweetarts and lemon heads
every candy you could imagine.
Those memories for me were the best.
If it was a grown up movie that we couldn't watch
V. and Nonc J would let us eat and then make us
beds on the back seat and we would all sleep while
they watched their movie.
I don't remember us arguing and we slept good
as we slapped the mosquitos away because
Pics only worked if you were close to them...
V. and Nonc, they couldn't afford babysitters
and it was cheaper to just bring us and buy us
a dog and a candy...
They were good to us, I mean really they could
have left C and I to the vices of our own parents
but they never did, they brought us everywhere
even if is was a movie we couldn't watch.
They were very good to us.
The speakers, funny about those speakers you hooked them to your
car window and prayed the one you picked worked,
if it didn't you drove to the next aisle and found one that did.
Just this could take a while so we had to go early.
Oh and also because we had to have eaten our food and be asleep
before the movie started.
However if it was a kid movie,
we wanted to make sure our speaker worked so we moved
spots many times...
Life was simple and good back then.
I had a great childhood really, I did
it was not perfect and it consisted of little money.
My parents were not rich but we wanted for nothing
because we never begged for anything.
We didn't know of what there was to buy
because we had no computers and our tv
didn't tempt us with all the newest toys.
It was a different world back then.
I sometimes feel sorry for the children of this
generation because so much of some of their
lives are about wants and technology and
material needs.
They will never know about drive- ins and pics...
It was a good little life I led.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

another beautiful day!

Yes the coolness and the sun are here
definitely putting me in the Christmas spirit...
Well the new Cricut expression and the new pup
could have something to do with that...
anywho, HOBL will be taking my little mantle tree
out of the attic today, no tree on the floor with
all these mongrels around.
Yet next year, next year,
when our Jilly-Bean comes,
Maybe the tall skinny tree will have to come out of the
attic. The closer it gets to being a Mumsie,
the more excited I get,
Baby girl and I cannot pass a basket or a stroller
and gawk at the baby that encompasses those.
I do believe the parent of these people become
scared when we stare and talk to their children.
Well, we are innocent so it's all okay.
Start getting the decorations down if you have not
yet either. Pretty day to begin the decorating!

Friday, November 26, 2010

Yes, I do believe HOBL and I are crazy....


Okay if you read the whole post about
my bestie's family's new puppy
and how much I wanted one but it
just makes no sense to have another puppy
in this house.
HOBL and I had discussed it while
he was in Alaska and although one day
we would like to breed Yorkies
now is not the time to bring another dog into
the home, we need to wait until we retire.
So, needless to say, the minute baby girl picked
him up at the airport he told her we were going get the little puppy.
They then called me and I reminded him of all the reasons
why we said we were not getting another puppy right now.
I mean we are going to be like his momma used to be soon.
Like 12 puppies barking when you drove up to visit.
So I tell him on the phone no, we really can't do that right now.
However the minute I hang up I know we are going to
go get that feisty little boy pup that Laurie and I
fell in love with. I started thinking of that woman who
breeded them and I was thinking she has three puppies
and it is no big deal for her or her family.
So yes, he comes home, I get the phone numbers
from bestie and I leave messages for her to call me.
HOBL and baby girl like want the pup yesterday.
I have to remind them it is 5pm and it is Thanksgiving.
I do not think we are getting the pup then.
However, the wonderful, young breeder called Lori
calls me and she is so excited for us and
so glad we are taking the little boy because
he is so playful, feisty and mature.
Okay, I want him.... now!!!!
This morning, baby girl and I will ride to
Pierre Part to bring home another yorkie to love...
Pictures to be posted soon.
His name...
Jude Lennon Riera.
We so love the Beatles

Thursday, November 25, 2010

lafourche parish council

This post is my sister's fault.
I was talking about it to her last night
and the more I talked to Veronica the more angry
I became. Why?
Because our Parish Council
will make a decision as to whether or not
they will give themselves a pay raise.
My facts last night were not all known
so this morning I read the news article
and yes, it is true, they are going to discuss
it but unlike I believed last night I do believe
it will go to the people for voting.
Not just a little raise, it would give
the Parish President a raise from $65,000 a year
to $100,000 a year....
Each council member, over $5,000.
I also need to mention that some of those members
are against it, Daniel Lorraine is against it.
I am against it.... have you ever watched this crew on
channel 10 try and make a decision?
It doesn't happen, why?
Because they have so many personal issues with each other
that they can't put it aside to make a decision and
they look and sound dumb when doing it...
Why else am I against it?
Has no one on the council noticed that education
and teachers are being cut?
You know what my teacher friends were told
when they questioned whether last year
they would be getting their annual raise?
They were told, "Be glad you have a job"
then our school board, through no fault of their own
but because of budget cuts, cut teachers.
Cut teachers, in a time when children need education
as much as they need food and water.
Nursing graduates cannot find jobs,
they get their degrees and they are basically told
"Good luck finding a job in your area"
The biggest thing that is driving me crazy?
Our local college is drowning...
yes, there are budget cuts so bad that there is
much talk of cutting half of the courses that are taught
right here in our very own Lafourche Parish
for some children, if Nicholls cuts their program
they are done, they can't afford to leave home,
pay the high tuition of other colleges.
My own baby girls' graphic design degree
may be cut.
We are grooming our children to instead
finish college and stay in Lafourche Parish
to work and raise a family to leave to make
their homesteads in other areas.
My own young neighbors, he, his wife and three children
had to move because he couldn't find a job.
what is his job, and anesthetist.
Yet, our parish council, some of them feel the need
for a raise. We are not talking 2% that some educators
have gotten way back when when they did get raises...
No worries, Council if things continue the
way they are going in our parish,
we won't need a council, there will be no one
here to live, work, and love our wonderful
parish....
When the voting comes up,
remember all of this and vote
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

the beginning of Maggie Mae

Only one thing made spending the day with my bestie, Laurie
and her girls, Lindsey (there linz, I put your name in my blog)
and Jessica better.....
The bestie bringing not just Taco Soup but all the fixings
aaannnnnddddd dessert!!!!
Yes, I love my bestie.
So Laurie and I, we have been talking a lot lately about
whether or not her baby girl, Jessica was ready for
a puppy. This child loves her animals like my baby girl with
the same name loved hers.
After many, many, talks and much searching on besties part,
she finally decides that this is the year, this is the year
that they will bring a Yorkie into her home.
I am quite impressed with all the work she has done
to find the perfect pet.
Yesterday, when she says she is going to drive
to Pierre Part to see these little pups who
have been breeded by a woman who owns both the
momma and the daddy yorkies and they are both on
the premises to view, I just could not pass up
the chance not only to go and see these baby pups
but to see her Jessica choose her own pup.
Jessica took one view of the three that were up for adoption
and knew exactly which one was going to be hers.
She named her Maggie Mae and I loved it from
the very beginning, perfect name for a perfect pup.
I was very impressed with the breeder.
A young mother of two, she spoke of her dogs
as though she loved them as much as her children.
She spoke of how she guarantees them for a year
because she never wants her puppies to be in a home where they
are not wanted. Quite impressed I was with her.
So impressed that knowing my checkbook was in my purse,
it was hard for me not to write out a check for the little
boy pup that captured me and Laurie's heart.
If HOBL had been home and said get it,
I would have come home with another pup.
Especially when I saw that this pet owner
had the momma and the poppa yorkie and a poodle.
I was thinking, well if she can have three, can't I?
Okay so back to Jessica's story.
I was so darn glad I was part of this.
The happiness on her face was priceless to the point
that I felt the gro-cud when she held this little girl
close and said, "this one is mine"
I am so glad Laurie opted out of surprising her for Christmas
and decided to let her choose her own puppy.
Now to tell you about this 1 and a half pound pup.....
She landed up spending the day at my house,
leaving at 7 and she was amazing.
She ate, drank, then Jessica put her on
Jake's puppy pad..... and she peed!
She peed like that not once, not twice but three times
on the pad. Then she decided to really impress
the 5 people who were here, she pooped on the pad!
She is better trained than Trixie and she is like 6 weeks old!
I shared with my bestie I am so proud that she made
this decision for Jessica because I regret not letting
my babies have their own puppies growing up.
We had one for a short time. a maltese but
that was not the kind of dog for a child,
too much work.
Yorkies have to be the very best pups to love and care for.
A child deserves to have a puppy to love, nurture and
care for and I have no doubt that Jessica will do that.
The other thing I learned while watching this young
breeder with her parent dogs and pups....
I want to be a breeder one day.
At my lake house where I will have chickens
and a goat I will also be a yorkie breeder.
HOBL and I had talked about it but watching
her and seeing how easy she made it look,
I want to do that and like I told
bestie, she paid her Christmas,
4 puppies+$800 dollars each= a paid Christmas.
HOBL said we have to wait for another pup
until we retire but I swear had he said
go get one, I would be on the road to
Pierre part today.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Develyn, my hero!

(written with dev's permission)
Let me give a little history here.
My oldest sister, Simone and I are 23 years apart.
Therefore, when I was a child she was married and had
Guy, my nephew.
She married my brother-in-law, Joe who's family
was from Donaldsonville.
We spent much time there when I was a kid growing up.
You see, they lived on this old plantation land and home
owned by Joe's family.
It was huge and one of my very favorite places to visit as a child.
There was acres and acres of land to run and across the street
from the old beautiful main house was the levee and
the Mississsippi river.
We spent much time there and had many many wonderful memories
of growing up and playing in this wonderful place.
On this small heaven much of Joe's family had homestead on
the property and one of those was Joe's brother, Lewis.
Lewis had this most beautiful little girl named Develyn.
She is my nephew, Guy's first cousin and they ran around
on this property as siblings.
I remember her so much because she was beautiful.
One of those babies and little girls that you had
to stare at because she was eye-stopping.
She was also a good little playmate.
Because I had many nieces and nephews, at that time
even though I was young myself I just thought
of Develyn as one of my own nieces.
Things didn't go well in her parents marriage and
She and her mom moved off the family property and
just like all as we grow up, we all lost touch.
I asked about her as a grown up but never really
had seen her since she was a little girl.
So I was very happy a few months ago when I found her
on facebook and we befriended each other.
Surprisingly, she remembered me.
So that is the history.... now for the story.
This beautiful vibrant, wonderful woman is battling
cancer again for the second time.
Six years ago she had breast cancer and like the trooper she is
she battled that, moved on and lived her life with her
boyfriend, Jeff. She never could have her own children
but helped Jeff with his own and I must say from
what I see, these children were like her own.
In August, Dev began to have lots of pain and
went to the doctor to find out that her cancer was
not only back but widespread to her bones.
Like the trooper she was, even though the news was
not so promising she just knew that this would and could be
beat..... then in September the miracle that she never
did believe could happen....
Develyn, the beautiful, vibrant Develyn found out that
she and her wonderful love of her life, Jeff was going to
have a baby! Yes pregnant for the first time in her life
and battling cancer....
Her miracle is due in May and as I spoke with her on
facebook she has told me that the plans are low dose chemo.
for her until the baby is old enough to be born when
they will then take her miracle from her body so they
can begin high dose chemo. to get her in remission.
I have never seen such faith in a woman as in Develyn
and her Jeff.
I believe this woman will find remission.
I do not believe God would give her this beautiful child
if he did not believe she would be there to be her momma.
Pray for our Dev and her family as this has to be
hard for all involved.
Follow her Caring bridge site and leave her messages of love.
Develyn, this Collins family is on your side.
You will be the miracle just as your little baby.
Love to all of you guys.
www.caringbridge.org/visit/develynlee

Sunday, November 21, 2010

SNC the great white hunter...


My sister, the great well-known Celena,
Known in our family as SNC
because as a kid she always had a snotty nose
so we called her snot-nosed C.
Killed her first deer and not only just a deer,
but an 8 point buck and showed all the men up
this weekend and she was giddy with excitement
as she texted me the story.
She said it was her new rifle and scope but I know better,
it was her great hunting skills....
She so deserves this happiness as she has suffered much
over the last year with medical issues.
I am so happy for her and so relieved that
she has a new attitude and outlook for her life.
Way to go, SNC...
Make sure I get pictures of that kill and the one
with blood on your face so I can scrap the memory for ya!
Saints at 3, cannot wait!!!!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Two weeks down, 6 to go...

Since Thursday I have been so much better each day.
I have seen both Marino, the abdominal surgeon
and Donner, the neurosurgeon this week
and both were quite pleased with how well I look
and am getting around which gave me
much optimism as I am somewhat hard on myself
when I don't feel well.
So, because many friends and family, are reading
the blog to keep up with my recovery I will use
this day to do just that.
The first two weeks, sucked.
Literally, sucked and I wondered many times through
those two weeks had I done the right thing.
Yet since Thursday I know I did.
Staples came out Wednesday and myself
and both doctors were quite impressed that I had
no abdominal complications with the surgery.
On that day I spoke of the nausea I have been plagued with
since surgery and we switched from Phenergan that would
make me sleep too much to Zofran which Kd suggested
because through her pregnancy it has been a blessing and
does not make her sleepy. It has made the difference.
I can take the Zofran, eat and not be asleep for the whole day
like Phenergan did to me.
I needed to loose 10 pounds and I am sure I am close to that mark now.
So as far as Marino goes, he has discharged me
unless I have complications.
I saw Dr. Donner yesterday and again I have to say
just how much I love this doctor. A down to earth, talk to you
like you are a friend, doctor. I love that.
He too was very pleased with how well I was moving around.
The one thing he is just a little concerned with is the
sciatic nerve issue I am having on my right side.
Although every day it seems better, I have had
this terrible, aggravating pain from my butt down to
my knee which tends to keep me up at night along with
muscle spasms in my back.
Nights are not too much fun.
So this issue with the nerve, because I did not have it
prior to surgery will be followed closely.
If not completely better in the next 2 weeks I will have a
CT scan of that area to make sure it is not a complication
from surgery.
Dr. Donner has also made some medication changes that
I am happy with as I finally slept well last night.
The most awesome news?
I have absolutely no pain in the area that made me a
chronic pain person prior to the surgery.
This has me very happy and I know before the surgery
I was contemplating whether I should hang up nursing
for the rest of my life.
As I was talking to HOBL last night, for the
first time I actually am thinking that I may return to work
in a career I love.
If this surgery has me better than ever I will return to the job
I love. I am too young to retire and just saying
I will never nurse again for the rest of my life makes me sad.
So in a nut shell, all is good.
I have been reminded by both physicians this is only two
weeks on an 8 to 12 week recovery and I am
doing very well. I am on less pain medication now
than I was prior to the surgery and I am very very happy
about that.
Okay enough of this boring medical mumbo-jumbo
a long post to get it all down, Now, no more medical
posts unless major stuff happens.
I am back in my scrap room, reading much, beginning
to visit again with the ones I love and looking
forward to every day. More like the Lilbit
you guys expect every day.
I am happy, I am encouraged, I am hopeful
and I am in love... with each of you who visit this site.
Happy weekend!

Friday, November 19, 2010

HARRY POTTER CRAZE AND BABY GIRL

The Harry Potter craze began when baby girl was in 4th grade.
A 10 year old girl, there was so much hype and talk
of the Catholic faith that we should not let our
children read it, I did my parental duty
and read the first book.
I could not find what baby girl found in it but I decided
that there was nothing in the book that I should keep
from my baby girl.
As I said to others who could not believe I was letting baby girl
read the JK Rowling book, It was no worse
than Wizard of Oz in our day and anything that gave
my children the love of reading could not be bad.
From that moment on, my baby girl, she was hooked.
I thank J.K. Rowling and Potter for my BG's love of reading
for it was in this series of books that she truly learned
the love of a good book.
Although I read the first book and brought baby girl
to see the Potter movies before she could take herself,
I never became obsessed or loved Harry the way BG did.
11 years later, the girl still calls the Potter series one
of the best things in her life.
In many ways she is like me.
When she loves something she knows all about it.
For instance, she knows the whole life of J.K. Rowling-
how before she sold her first book, she was a single
parent who was poor and wrote the beginning of
the first book in a coffee shop on napkins as her
children played beside her.
You do not want to get in a Potter war with BG
because you will loose, she knows everything about
each of the 7 books and at least once a year she
reads all 7 books again. Many nights I awaken
to find her on the sofa with a Potter book in her hands.
So it is no surprise that BG was going to be at
The Palace at midnight to see the opening of
the newest Harry Potter movie.
She dragged her new friend, Drew there with
her who I don't think shares the love of Potter
but seems to be a good sport all the same.
So yesterday afternoon the girl is giddy with excitement.
I mean she is the 10 year old girl again who first
fell in love with Potter, just knowing she was going to
the midnight movie.
She begins this big explanation with me about
Potter and what each book means and I just
shake my head and say,
"BG, I don't understand the concept and I don't
know what you are talking about, I don't share the love"
Well, I could have just punched her and it wouldn't have
hurt her more. She wants me to love Potter like
she wants me to love Lady GaGa but I just don't.
So I make her a promise yesterday afternoon.
I say to her,
"You know what? While I am laid up, I will read all the
Potter books so we can have these conversations,
I will read from the first and then we will watch
the first movie and I will do this until all 7 are read"
OMG!!!! I have never seen a young adult so excited
and resort back to a 10 year old.
I swear I think she had tears in her eyes.
She is so excited she goes right into the attic and pulls
all her Potter books right away from where they are stored
until she get a bookcase for her room.
I have made BG a happy, happy, girl.
Because I can read many books at one time,
I am reading 4 right now consecutively,
I begin book one last night as she prepares to go to
the movies. She even wears her hair curly like
Hermoine since many say she looks much like the
main girl in the Potter series.
I must say this time around I an intrigued.
I don't know if it is because it is making BG so happy or
if I really am falling in love with the series but
either way, soon I will know all BG talks of when
she begins her Potter conversations.
I think she believes if she can get me to love the Potter series
then GaGa is still something I can love...
Don't know about that BG but I made a promise
and I am on my mission to learn all there is of Potter.
The things we do for our babies, even if they are grown.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

PBS stations

Guess what is playing on PBS stations at 1:30 am in the morning?
CIRCUS
I am in love with this 11 week documentary playing on PBS
stations right now.
As a little girl, my sister, Veronica would take
myself and her own children to the circus whenever
we could afford to go.
As my own children came, I brought them
to the circus whenever it came to Thibodaux.
I have always been interested in the lives
these people lived, kind of like gypsies.
So needless to say, when I awakened at 1:30 and could not
sleep this is what I watched. I love this show.
Another kind of life they live.
If you get a chance, look for this documentary on PBS stations.
You will not be disappointed.
Keep two of my friends in your thoughts and prayers,
Patricia and Donna both undergo surgery today.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

I am a story teller...

STORIES ARE MEDICINE...
THEY HAVE SUCH POWER;
THEY DO NOT REQUIRE THAT WE DO, BE, ACT ANYTHING
WE NEED ONLY LISTEN.
THE REMEDIES FOR REPAIR OR RECLAMATION
OF ANY LOST PSYCHIC DRIVE ARE
CONTAINED IN STORIES.
Clarissa Estes, PH.D
Yes, I am a storyteller.
I love telling the stories of my life, to give
inspiration from something I say by telling
a story that relates.
Baby boy sometimes, he gets aggravated because
I animate stories. He is young, he doesn't get
that to make a story hit the point you must
empathize the important parts.
Sometimes he says, "But mom that is not the truth"
So I find myself explaining to him sometimes I see
the world through different eyes and the way I express
the story is not a lie but the way I see it.
Because I tell a story differently than the way someone
else saw it does not make it not the truth but
explains how I see things differently and I do.
Because I am deep and introspective my words
explain things different than a "black and white"
person can understand.
So when I read that quote above, I thought
"yes, I am a storyteller"
I am proud of that...
I really need to start working on that book
I am going write.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

the nurse is sick..


We are a sad bunch here at the Riera home.
Every day I do see and improvement in myself
since Saturday but now the nurse,
Baby girl is so sick.
She went to the doctor yesterday and
although her flu swab came back negative
she is still running a temperature of 102.
We have been up since 4 am.
Yep we are a sad pair here but we are
at least enjoying each others company.
Hope she doesn't have mono...
Other than that we are at least self-sufficient.
Needing no extra help thanks for all the offers.
In some ways it sucks but in other ways
it is pretty nice to have this time together.
Just don't come around germs are flying
around this place.
Smoocha roocha

Monday, November 15, 2010

A Good Daily Reader

Rebecca, my niece, one birthday gave me a book,
SIMPLE ABUNDANCE BY SARAH BREATHMACH.
The inside is signed by her as every book given
to Aunt Lil must be and it is dated 1997.
However, in 1997 I was too busy to actually enjoy
the book. It, at the time, didn't mean much to me.
Then in 2007 on January first, I began the
process of not only reading the book but
using the book.
It is a book you must work and have a journal
close by because it gets your mind thinking.
It was life changing then and I still refer to the book
many times in the year now to either
quote something I found there or to
reread things I have marked and highlighted.
I have bought this book many times as a gift and
now that I am layed up have began to skim and read from
it again. So if you are looking for a life-changing book
to begin to work on yourself come January, get this one.
Rebecca also owns the book and after the year I
not only read it but worked it, which is what you have to do
with a book such as this, I do believe she too did it
and she, just as me, got so much out of it.
I have decided that the blog will begin to have some
of the awe-inspiring things I have found out about myself
by reading this book many times.
I guarantee there will be something in this book that touches
you deeply such as the writing I posted here after Gina B. died.
Amazing book it is, go out and purchase it because
January one is right around the corner!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

TODAY LEAH GETS MARRIED


Yes, today after a year and a half engagement,
Leah Vizier will marry Frank Alessi.
It is killing me that I will miss this most important
wedding especially because it is right here in Thibodaux.
The thought of Leah being old enough to be married
brings back so many memories of little Vizier and Riera children
running around our homes.
Brent, Leah's wonderful daddy and HOBL
found sobriety at about the same time
and at that time they leaned on each other so much to
get through the rough days of living a new way.
Pat, her mother was pregnant for Leah when this
took place and baby boy was 2. So many days and nights
were spent with these wonderful people as we made our
way in a new world all for the love of our children.
Because of the bravery of these two men and the love of
their wives, our children did not have to live with the
unsettling lives of drug addiction. For the love of
this little girl a man changed his whole life and she may
never know just how hard this was for the both of her parents.
Yet, I was there, I know....
What I have always admired about Brent was that he sobered and
stayed sober many years in the unconventional way.
Unlike HOBL who found sobriety easier for the first
10 years by following the program of AA,
Brent showed that a new way, a new life was possible
without AA. It is not the easiest way they say and
yet the love of that little girl and his wonderful wife,
kept him on the straight and narrow path.
Today he walks this same little girl down the aisle to
share her with the man she will call her husband.
I may not be there in body but believe me my Vizier family
when I say my love and spirit walks with all of you
on this most important day and memories of the
past live in my heart forever.
Frank, you are one lucky man, for you have not only
gotten a wonderful woman who will stand by you
for the rest of your life but a family that will call
you their own forever.

Friday, November 12, 2010

meeting up with my inner child

Get ready, this one will be long...
So I haven't been myself, not sleeping well.
Last night after having a good conversation with one of
my besties, Laurie and Speaking with HOBL
I convince myself to try another Ambien in hopes
that I can get at least one good night of sleep.
OMG what an experience it is when you meet up with your
own inner child in a dream.
This is how it went in the best way I can put it into words
because it is hard to put dream experiences into words.
I am walking the halls of Hotel Thibodaux Regional
well, trying to walk the halls, I had HOBL and a walker
and I know it was the day after my back surgery and I
was struggling. As I hobbled down the hall coming
towards me was a 196o'sh form of a hospital hall
and there coming towards me was a little girl in
a pink negligee' with a pink ribbon in her hair.
She was sitting in a wheelchair and she was whining.
Standing behind her was her mom and dad, my mom and dad.
To their side was my sister, Veronica holding my niece Tiffy.
Holding on to the armrest of the wheelchair was my sister C.
She was little and cute of course.
I know immediately that the little tyke in the wheel chair
with IV's attached was me, my 5 year old self.
We meet up at the nurses station and my adult self stops
pretending to rest but really to eavesdrop because I am in awe
of the fact that this is me in 1968, right after having a kidney removed.
I know the little girl is hurting because she is me.
The nurse at the station is a form of the 1960's version.
The nurse fusses the parents of this little girl.
She tells them that she must walk, she can't ride in
the wheelchair, she won't get better by riding in a wheelchair.
Daddy takes the little girl out of the chair and makes her
push the wheelchair. She cries and fusses but she does it.
the family turns and I am now following, me and HOBL
behind the group.
Just as soon as the group turns the corner where the nurse
is no longer able to see them, Daddy picks up his precious little girl
and holds her close to him.
Her little face looks at me, our eyes meet.
I know I am looking at myself and she smiles,
she smiles that sneaky grin, the tenacity of the both
of us shows through and she winks at me.
She knows too that she is looking at herself and she
knows I will be okay and she lets me know with that sheepish smile
that this is all going to be okay, part of the journey.
I awaken this morning with pain and with more
optimism than I have had since the first day of this surgery.
This will be my last surgery unless it is life threatening.
I know that, and I know that this little girl lives inside
of me and she is the part of me that is happy and outgoing
and optimistic. She is the part of me that refuses to give up
no matter what and the part of me that refuses to grow up.
I live for her, I live for me and I will be okay.
I know I will, she told me so...

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Am I being too hard on myself... it's possible..

I think I may be expecting too much of myself.
I have to remember it is actually just a week today
since my surgery not counting surgery day.
Although the doctor warned me that it was a big surgery
and that the recovery would be 8 to 12 weeks
I seem to have forgotten that.
I guess I was focusing more on the rare patients he spoke
of that have this surgery and never have pain again
and go home and never take a pain pill?
Why did I think that may be me.
Well, I may be called a wuss,
put this stuff hurts, hurts like hell
and last night as I was trying to get into a comfortable position
and waiting until the clock said it was time for more
pain meds. I wondered if I had done the right thing.
I mean I may have had daily pain then but at least
I had learned how to control it, how to make the best of it.
This morning I awaken and give myself some forgiveness
that I do not have to be that rare patient
who feels so good he never takes medication.
Today I prepare to focus on the positive.
Today I have no fever.... yay!
Today I can shower and take care of my personal needs
without any help from others.
Today my appetite is returning and nausea is completely gone.
Today and yesterday, although I still need pain medications,
I am actually taking less narcotics than I was taking
before surgery.
Today I will focus on the positive.
I will try and get in my scraproom even if it is just to stand
in there and look around.
There will be life after this recovery, I need
to remember that.
Yesterday while I was in my Ambien depression I cried.
I cried because I missed my Gina B.
I knew she was with me, but I wanted to be able to text
her and get her words of wisdom back.
Today, no Ambien depression, I know my girl
is routing for me and she can shake the pom-poms
because in heaven she can move all her body parts
and she is laughing and she is smiling and she is saying,
"Come on Lil, this too shall pass"

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

day 7...

If anyone ever said back surgery was a breeze, well
they were lying...
When I called the doctors office to report this hip pain
and not being able to sleep and the low grade temp.
His office called back telling me to use my
breathing inspirometer more, cough more,
walk more...
I thought I was doing enough of all of that but I guess not.
He put me on 5 days of steriods because he believes
the hip issue if from inflammation.
Because I couldn't sleep because of all of this
he prescribed Ambien.
We have all heard of Ambien...
I don't think I will be taking that again.
I know many of you have heard of it or things people do while on it.
My HOBL in particular when he used to take it would get up
and eat all night without memory of it.
For me, I slept well, good in fact but when waking up
at 8:00am which is late for me and feel ugghhh...
Nothing hurts, just feels depressed.
Some meds. do this to me and I hate feeling depressed.
So it will be passing I am sure but I don't think
I will give it another try.
This morning, very sore
but hip pain is minimal, much better than yesterday
and have not needed any pain medications since yesterday
afternoon so this is positive stuff.
Later my loves...

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Day 6...

Wish I could say I was miraculously all better
but that is not the case.
Last night slept very little due to hip pain
and the worst spasms on the right side.
No amount of pain medications I could take
or muscle relaxers that were prescribed seemed to help.
I have already placed a call to Dr. Donner and as soon
as he gets out of surgery his nurse will call me back.
The nurse did say that I could need a week
of anti-inflammatories if my kidney can handle it.
The great news is, there is absolutely no sign
of the pain that consumed and was ruining my life
so in that way I am pretty excited.
I still have a low grade temp. 100.6
but last night I had this sweating period
and so I hope this means the fever is on its way out
since there seems to be no source for the temp.
I am urinating great (wonderful thing)
Pooped without problems,
coughing well which is dry....
So although last night and today is not the greatest
for pain, the signs are all still positive.
I know many of you have tried calling or texting me
and please know that although I am getting them,
still not up to conversation right now.
HOBL had to leave to go back to work so
I am a little sad about that since he and Baby Girl
were the bestest nurses.
Now it is me and Baby Girl but when you
go through something like this and your HOBL
is you main caregiver, it makes you lonesome....
I know yesterday I spoke about trying to give a better blog
this is my life right now, all consuming and the
best way I can keep all of you updated on the happenings
since I have been unusually quiet on the phone/text/facebook.
Things are progressing, too slow for my impatient self
but progressing all the same.
Thanks for all the prayers and keep them coming pretty please!!!!!1

Monday, November 8, 2010

still not up to company

Never thought I would admit this but
there must be a part of me that enjoys hibernation
when not feeling well.
Everyday I am feeling better but to say
I am my normal chipper, self, nope not there yet.
I really thought after a few days I'd be bored and begging
for company but that is not happening.
Although every day is getting better I still have
this nagging low grade temperature and the
need to rest and sleep a lot.
Just not ready to keep my end of a visit yet.
Don't take it personal, I will let all know when
I am ready for the company and then watch out all.
I will try and begin to write some meaningful blogs soon
or not write at all since I am sure by now all
you followers are tired of hearing of this medical
mumbo-jumbo yucky recovery stuff.
I have to keep reminding myself that is is only
5 days post-op.
Love to all....

Sunday, November 7, 2010

I am back!!!!

Here I am back not only to the blog, but to my home.
How I love my home...
I came home yesterday afternoon and it was hard
that day to get around the house and I wondered
if I had not tried to go home to soon.
However last night with lots of help from HOBL,
I got into my bed and slept really, really well.
THis morning I was like a new woman.
Got up and took meds. then baby girl had
to help me very little with a shower, and can
I tell you just how great a bath is after not having one
in 4 days. The first few days after surgery were so rough that
I could care less whether my body was clean.
Now though all is well.
I am still having lots of muscular spasms but the
pain that used to be so bad for me, can't be found yet.
I am hopeful about this.
I would like to thank all of you for your help and
prayers over the last few days.
Oh, BB and KD are having a girl...
It is an official thing now as the doctor has confirmed
what the first ultrasound showed.
All good coming to the Riera home.
Love to all of you.