Spring continues...

... and I am bliss-filled.

  There is an apple tree on the property next door and a small grove of deep purple lilac trees.  Everywhere I drive, I see trees in bloom in all shades of pink, red, white, purple.  It is so beautiful.

  Tulips compete for the sun with the daffodils, however, not this spring in my yard, next year for sure.  Tiny purple violets dot the grass between houses.

  We've had rain recently, which makes me happy.  At least one of the lillies-of-the-valley roots I planted is making an effort, and it looks like the peony roots I planted are also still alive.  Bulbs are showing green here and there, but they won't fully bloom until summer (fingers crossed).

  After having three days to let my mind run wild with ideas, I'm meeting with a business advisor on Sunday to discuss some plans with grant options.  Nothing is guaranteed (as are most things in life) but I'll never know if I don't ask.  I'm not sure I'm ready to be a business owner, but since I left Wisconsin to start my best life yet, I should probably get to it.

  On the health front, things are holding steady at "ish."  I waffle between frustrated and depressed at what I feel is a rebellion by my body just when everything else was getting better.  Like a two-year-old throwing a temper tantrum for not being the center of attention.

  But regardless, life IS good.

settling ...

 back into a routine ...

   Charlie regressed while I was in the hospital since from what I can tell, no one checked on him from late Thursday night to late Saturday afternoon.  (Security cameras didn't record any sounds or movement indicating that anyone had come into the house during that time ~ they did record Charlie howling, however)

  We have had to have discussions about housebreaking issues and getting into the recycling cans, and how dangerous licking the inside of a metal can is.  He has been rather nonchalant about my return from the hospital, probably because he is trying to figure out if he can really trust me again.  I get it.  Breaks my heart, but I get it.

  The only thing I can do at this point is to go back to square one with him and get back into normal routines.  I may also have to prevent him from being able to leave the bedroom at night because that is when he forgets what the house rules are.

 

 While we are chatting about the [amazing Wyze security cams] I have noticed a peculiar thing since turning them on consistently the night I went into the hospital.  The back door/kitchen cam has been consistently picking up what sounds (at least to me) like a single dog bark.  The sound sometimes changes in pitch, and in frequency, from every 10 minutes to every 20 or 30.  It's not a sound that I can hear if I stand by the camera and wait to pinpoint the noise.  It's not my smoke alarm ~ that chirp will drive me bonkers until I change the battery, which I just did last month.

  I don't know how long the noise has been happening, other than the last week since most of the time I delete sound-only recordings (Lucy is so loud at times during the night when she is playing).

  It most often sounds just like my Soul-Dog Trooper, because whenever he wanted to get my attention ~ to go out, or come in, or to play ~ he would give just one single bark.

  Next week will be the 5th (sob!) anniversary of when he went to wait for me at Rainbow Bridge.  While I still haven't discounted the sound to something "of this world" it is extremely comforting for me to feel that he is here.

  Last night the living room cam busted Charlie doing an inappropriate behavior ... and what sounds like three barks ... perhaps busting Charlie as well... but it almost seems like he hears them also.

  You decide.

home again, home again

 Jiggity Jig ...

  From the moment the amazing EMTs with the  [White Sulphur Springs Rescue Squad ] arrived to whisk me away last Thursday, I felt like I was in good hands.  The EMTs (and forgive me for not writing down your names at the time) helped me to relax and not worry about anything. 

  I want to give a HUGE shout-out to the amazing nurses, doctors, techs, dietary ladies, and housekeeping staff at my home away from home last week, the fourth floor of the [LewisGale Hospital in Covington, VA.]   Everyone, and I mean every. single. one of them was just amazing.  Friendly, kind, patient.  I can't say enough good things about my experience there.

  This was the first time I had been hospitalized for more than a night, and I was overwhelmed the first night with worry about my dog, Charlie, being home alone.  I boo-hoo'd and had a slight anxiety attack while tryng to make sure someone would check on him on a cell phone with a dying battery (note to self: pack a spare charger in my emergency to-go bag!!!!)  These amazing ladies (and a few male doctors) saw me at my worst:  bed head hair, boofoo ugly glasses that are seldom worn in public (I have a fear of turning people into stone when I wear them), sobbing-snotting-crying, and barefooted with my funky ugly toes and all.

  They listened empathetically to me when I shared my fears for Charlie.  Got that I have a warped sense of humor when I shared that I had been worried about having to buy new shoes in February if they had to cut my toes off.  Patiently answered my no-stop questions about pancreatitis (for FOUR days!).   Kept me supplied with ice and water when I really wanted pizza and tacos.

  I wish I'd had the sense to keep track of everyone's names, but to be honest, those first few days I think I slept more than I was awake because of the pain meds and just being emotionally overwhelmed.

  You are amazing superheroes.  Thank you to the Emergency Room and Fourth Floor staff of [LewisGale Hospital,] for taking such good care of me.

What a crazy week

   Last Thursday I had started to blog about the weather since we had two days of snow flurries and a 30-degree drop in overnight temperatures. 

  But before I had a chance to finish it,  I was taking an ambulance ride to the Emergency Room thinking I was having a heart attack. 

  The heart was fine, but the pancreas was not and so after several days of fasting on water and an IV only, today I got to oink out on a real breakfast and lunch.

  Bad move. The pain returned and I am spending another night in the hospital. 

  Charlie is camping at my plumber's house, the cats are fending for themselves, but are getting fed.

  Tomorrow,  regardless of how I feel or what the blood work numbers say, I will be going home. There will be bills to pay [I'm certain a 4-day hospital stay won't be cheap], and I missed more than half a week of work last week.  Plus, I will be starting this week 10 short.  This is when I need those winning lotto numbers,  or for one of those silly sweepstakes, I waste my time entering to pay off.

  On a side note, before I forget again... Blogger in all its wisdom will soon be discontinuing its follow by email service for blogs. So if you are used to seeing me pop up in your email when I put together a string of nonsense or a photo of my fur kids, it will soon stop. I'm waiting to see if they offer an alternative or if this is the beginning of the end and I will have to move to WordPress or another platform. 

 Sigh. 

 Too many changes this year.