The DUH Award of the Day goes to...
me.
I had a very long day today at work. Mounds of paperwork most requiring a lot of actual 'pen to paper' work. I even got a writer's cramp. Most of it was 'new hire' stuff. We have started our holiday staffing. This week was my largest ever orientation. I was still able to keep the orientation within our time constraints, I was thinking no big deal. But the paperwork has taken a couple days longer than usual for me to finish.
The good news: I did get caught up on all this paperwork today.
The bad news: I realized at the end of the day while checking out the schedule for an unrelated reason, I was supposed to have today off.
I went to work on my day off. Nobody else noticed, including all the execs. There were a lot of surprising 'HR' things that came up today and I was very glad I was there. Thursday is our HR exec's day off.

On the better side of today, after work I actually ventured into the mall and treated myself to a new pair of shoes. My old Crocs are just about completely worn out. (Love those shoes!)
I got these. So cute and still Crocs! I didn't realize there were more than just the basic clogs until I checked out their website. There are more on my wish list now.
They come in more varieties and cheaper than Birkenstock; and my feet like them! The store I visited didn't have a real large selection, but that is why we love the internet.


Anna has learned a new skill.
She can now pick up a very small sized snack off of her high chair tray and get it into her mouth.
But then comes the real frustration.

Anna hasn't figured out the letting go part.
A snack is a terrible thing to waste!

A blast from the past. We were so young, beautiful, "mostly" innocent and very much in love! Life was so easy then! 

Things that go thump in the night
Our upstairs neighbor.
I've seen her at a distance. She actually seems rather quiet, petite, and almost "meekish". But she could use lessons in walking.
Even though walking is not one of my strongest areas, it is a skills knowledge I possess that is above the mere mortals' knowledge.
I had to learn to walk all over again following my bone tumor. I was, at age 29, learning to literally stand on my own two feet.
I also learned to place my feet to the ground - don't drop them! A little skill I would love to teach my upstairs neighbor.
Then there is that whole heel toe thing. I have secretly observed my neighbor walking to her car. She doesn't possess that skill either.
I'm willing to bet she has never participated in a sport or endured physical therapy.
I love to watch people walk. A favorite people watching pastime is to check out how they walk and what footwear they chose for the day. Probably because I don't walk well and can't wear most footwear.
Our neighbor washes clothes and dishes well into the late night and always seems to be in motion when home.
That is the only noise we do here in this location. We hear absolutely nothing from the other neighbor's we share structure with. We are guessing our ceiling isn't as well insulated as our walls.
The best way describe this situation - is it is like having Willie live with us again. He was our smallest child and always the loudest - with the simplest of movement. Mind you Rob was hard of hearing and always had things loud. Sandra was always seeking attention, but Willie was the noisy one.

The folks are doing well. They swear to have gotten some rest over the weekend.
Rand and I finally got to a favorite restraunt this weekend and had a relaxing time filled with good food and good drink.

Where hearts get broke
I will start with the old guy.
They were shopping at Costco on Thursday. Dad suddenly starts making no sense while talking. (I know - nothing new there)
He grabs onto the cart hard and starts walking backward. Mom asked him where he was going. Dad didn't know and couldn't stop. He is turning gray and sweating profusely.
Luckily another shopper recognized what was happening. This new shopper cleared a shelf, rather dramatically and set Dad on it.
The Costco employees were panicked and had no plan of action.
(I'm proud to say I train all new employees in all possible emergencies. When you work with the public, stuff will happen. Be Prepared.)
Mom called the family nurse (little brother Jeff) who had just gotten home the night before from his extended vacation. He advised the emergency room NOW. Mom decided she wasn't waiting for an ambulance.

I know the fastest way to get treatment in an emergency room is show up by ambulance.
Mom says, run in screaming, "my husbands in the car and he's having a heart attack" works pretty good too.
Several people ran out and fetched him in and immediately work began.
By this point Dad's is turning dark blue over most of his body.
His heart rate was over 200 beats per minute and blood pressure was sky high.
So they stopped his heart for 6 seconds, then restarted it.
His heart presumed to race and his blood pressure continued to rise.
So they stopped his heart again.
Six seconds later, it is allowed to restart.
This time got results. His heart rate slowed down and blood pressure started the return to acceptable ranges.


I took this photo with his permission shortly before they moved him to his room. I think that is his "glad to still be here smile".

He was admitted and tests were ran. No new damage was indicated from this heart attack. They have added a few new drugs to his daily arsenal that will hopefully prevent this from happening again.
They got chewed out from the dietician about needed lifestyle changes. It didn't help that the room was littered with freshly killed McDonald's wrappers.

Tina and I agreed to throw in our family's support - all of us are going to follow the folks' new dietary guidelines. I am sitting here, drinking my coffee - sweetened only with Splenda, this morning.



When Rand and I got "the call" we were at a auto dealership trading off his truck. We ended up driving the truck we no longer owned to the hospital. Our salesman drove our new vehicle to us when it was ready.

Rand now drives a 2004 Buick Rendezvous. Two tone silver/gray exterior, light gray interior. It pretty well has all the bells and whistles. It is an awesome ride for me and very easy for me to get in and out of. Rand wanted to test drive a couple of other things. I told him we were done looking. It didn't cause me pain - this must be the right one.

I got to visit my supervisor while at the hospital. And the newest member of her family added just that morning. Grace Marie. She was very pretty!
I have spent the last week working with my new supervisor. She is pretty awesome.

Will is officially back at Target. He is very happy to be back!

Would you like to extend your vacation like Jeff did? Try being out of state and realizing you're in deep trouble. He tried to make it home, but his appendix was removed in Dubuque. Mom had just gotten Jeff home the day before Dad's heart attack.
We are all more worried about her than anybody. That's a lot to deal with in a few days time.

Sandra has graduated up to level three now and continues to make progress.

Rob and Dana broke up. Didn't see that one coming.

Dad is resting at home now. Let's hope fore a quiet weekend.

Finally!
A few pictures to show you our new home.
A few minor details have changed since I snapped these. I am continuing to hang pictures and still have some to go. The laser level makes this job a breeze!
Things look pretty good - we have been here one week and it looks and feels like home.
Ashley said it even smelled like our house. I actually put forethought into that particular detail. The day before we moved, I brought over my plug-in air freshener. I have used the same subtle scent for years. My nose can't even really detect it anymore, (familiarity) but I always get compliments.
I only have a few boxes left to unpack. I still have some things to move, (most notably family photos) but need to have this much put away first. My next and last unpacking challenge is to organize the walk-in closet in the second bedroom. BTW - Rand insists on calling this particular room "the office". I haven't decided on it's name yet.
My cable guy came over Saturday afternoon and I was gifted with a brand new modem and lower rates. He said it would take about 45 minutes for my new modem to get online. After an entire weekend and a couple of phone calls I got back online tonight.
I have topped out on exhaustion. I finally got my APAP unpacked, and I am using it. I''ve tried to go a little slower with the unpacking and decorating. The point of this whole move is to make life easier for me. Last week wasn't it.
I did find my watch, finally. It was in the last box to be untaped and sorted through, of course.

The entry way. You can just barely make out the second bedroom to the left. It is the last room I am putting together. Pictures to come soon. 

My kitchen.  

Our bedroom. 

Camper says, "I would've have sworn I just threw that on the floor." No, sitting on the table is not normally allowed either. 

Living room/dining room 

The long view of the living/dining room. 

Rand admiring the grass he will never have to mow and our view from our living room. Rand is standing on the edge of our patio here. I love to watch people using the walking path. Wish I could - it looks like a lovely walk. 

The back of our building. The front is even prettier. We are in the lower left. That is the small patio off of the living room. 

The patio off the office/sewing room/Lilly's room. My birdbath now visually hides the central air units from this angle. Finally got that pesky gnome over here too. Rob can now sleep in peace. 

My garage. This picture is taken while standing our "backyard".

One of our first visitors - Anna! (Her mom was with her too!) 

That went fairly well!
Rand and I are home and even mostly unpacked.
We moved most of the kitchen things on Saturday night. The kitchen worked out to one truck load. Rob, Kara and Willie showed up promptly at 8am and by 12:30pm we had moved two U-hauls worth and took the U-haul truck back.
Rand and I treated the kids to Famous Dave's for lunch. We moved one more truck load and we were done.

One word of advice. A really fabulous BBQ is not the best thing to eat during a really physically hard work day. Blah!

Interesting tidbits and happenings:
We lost Meowers for 24 hours. We were afraid she had gotten outside while the doors were propped open. Turns out she was hiding very well in the old house. Which is good, since she wasn't moving. She just freaked out with all the moving. She is warming up to Rob quite nicely during his daily visits.
I couldn't find my cell phone on Sunday.
Rand had tried to call me and was annoyed when I didn't answer.
The kids couldn't figure out why one box would be beeping and playing music.

We finally found the coffee yesterday. We have been living off some sample flavors we had.
I still can't find my watch.

Not having stairs is even more awesome than I could have imagined!
All that is left to unpack is Lilly toys and my sewing stuff.
I keep buying video cables and Rand keeps insisting he packed them, but none have shown up yet.
Rand did bring over my bird bath, but Rob is still being stalked by my garden gnome.

I have missed the cable guy for four days straight. Rand got my computer desk finished and everything hooked up today and Ta Da! I have internet! I'm really curious to what the internet guy thinks he has to do.

At my new home, I get to park in my own handicap space or in a garage just a little bit away. I'm going to love not scraping this winter. Not that my Jeep requires a lot of scraping. In a Jeep the windows aren't as angled and the frost doesn't form. Go Jeep!

All the big furniture fit exactly where I had planned using Better Homes and Gardens arrange-a-room. All that I had to play with a bit was the placement of my bookcases.

My only disappointment has been the kitchen. Even thought the cupboards counted out to be about the same space, they aren't as designed as well. Even all my Tupperware modular mates aren't helping. I'm going to have to do some whittling down of things. But I like all my things. Rand suggested I don't need six bread pans, multiple cookies sheets and casseroles, and cakes pans, four pie plates, etc.......Sometimes I do! And with any luck this "easier home to care for" will give me back the energy to re-pursue my love of cooking!
My drive to work isn't any longer, but the traffic is a bit worse at times.

Rob and ourselves sign the final paperwork on Friday. Rob officially moves on Saturday.
I had to go back to the house Monday and wait for a final meter read. It amazed me - it didn't feel like my house. I don't feel loss for the things I had to leave behind. Rob says, amazingly enough, it does feel like home to him already.

When we first moved to Des Moines seven years ago, it took me over an hour to find the my local post office the first time. I was almost in tears thinking I would never find my way around in the city.
Now, I am more confident and know my way around. But it basically took me three days to find my new post office and when I did, it was quite by accident.

I do like the area I have to shop. I hit a hardware store, the grocery store, and the post office and it was all virtually the same parking lot. And only a few blocks by the back roads to home again. Sweet!

Sitting on my loveseat looking out the patio doors the view is so spetacular, I don't miss my deck. We are not allowed to have bird feeders and that worried me, but there are so many trees, the birds and the squirrels are still entertaining. Camper agrees.

Camper has done quite well and loves being an only kitty. She has gotten more loving and a bit more onary. So far, she has done some serious damage to a couple of plants and has a new hobby in unrolling toilet paper. She couldn't reach either as well in the old home.