The Little Throat Tickle That Could....

Hey Y'all,

Well remember my little throat tickle? Well, it has turned into an upper respiratory infection, which has landed me with a day home from school! I went to the doc on Wednesday, who promptly gave me a Z-Pack and told me, by the way that I had an ear infection too! She tried to get me to take Thursday and Friday off... but substitute teachers are scarce these days... so I made it through yesterday and took today off. I went to bed early last night with Zorro and Zoe and this morning I am feeling a tad better. My voice still comes and goes, but my nasty cough and coughing fits are under control. So I am looking forward to a day of sleep and TV.

Tomorrow I have a class! My writing class from this summer is meeting at Coastal from 9-1 tomorrow. We are meeting to discuss our big presentations that we have coming up in November. I am looking forward to seeing and chatting with everyone!

Alrighty, I am going back to the sofa now!!
:) JKP

There's a Wee Tickle in My Throat....

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

I love the fall! It is my favorite time of year. I don't live in a part of the country that has a lot of trees that change for the season, but I love it just the same. I have always loved fall. I don't know if it is because I am a fall baby... but October and November are my FAVORITE months of the year! I love all of the oranges, reds and purples. I love the whole idea of scarecrows and apple and pumpkin pie. I love the cool nights and mornings. I love the warm autum afternoons. Fall just makes me happy. I think I like fall so much because all of my good childhood memories are from the fall. And then there's Halloween. My favorite day of the year!

I woke up on Saturday with a tickle in my throat. I thought it may just be allergies.. but it has turned into a major tickle that chokes me when I try and talk. Not a great thing when you are a teacher.... This sounds like it is becoming the Horry County Creeping Crud.....

I'm off to nurse myself with some NyQuil and hot tea! Mmmmm... pumpkin bread would hit the spot right now!
:) JKP

Busy, Busy, Busy....

Hey Y'all,

I honestly can't believe that today is already Sunday and another week is about to begin! Since last Tuesday, when I last posted, I have been really busy with school. I am just trying to tread water at this point! I think things will be alot better when I get off of the prednisone. It is just that everything is magnified by 100 percent now. Normal things that don't bother me at all, are of course, making me crazy! I had a last minute meeting after school on Friday with my principal and he informed us that we are moving into our new third grade wing on Friday, Nov. 21st. While this is great and I am very happy that all of this is happening BEFORE the holidays... it takes alot to move. Especially a classroom! So the next month or so is going to be interesting.

I did take some time out and enjoy myself this weekend! On Saturday, Uncle Rich made his way down to my end of the beach and I met him and Aunt Brenda at P.F Chang's for a yummy lunch on Saturday! Y'all.. I think I am still full! While I was out at the Market Common I ended up running into some friends that I teach with, so I went back into P.F Chang's and hung out with them a while longer. I spent the rest of the afternoon walking through Handpicked, Anthropologie (oh, how I wish I was rich!!) and Barnes and Noble. It was kind of a cloudy, windy day, so it was perfect for taking a stroll through the stores.

This morning I was up bright and early, and I just chose not to fight it. I set up my stuff at about 7 a.m. and I got a lot of school work done. I made my spelling lists through December and thought out my lesson plans for the next month or so. I wrapped up at about 12:30 and took Zorro on his second walk of the day. I think Zorro actually prefers the sleep deprived me... .he gets more walks out of the deal! We also took some time to decorate our house for the fall season. I took my Department 56 Halloween Houses out of the attic and put them out with my orange and purple fairy lights. It looks very fallish around here! Zorro decided to sleep through this part. I've gotten alot done this weekend, which is good. My writing class from this summer is meeting again next Saturday from 9-1 at Coastal, so I had to really get my ducks in a row this week.

Well, my hands are killing me, but I am going to try and finish working on a baby sweater!
Cheers!
:) JKP

Ceasar Is Fixed, But I'm Still a Hot and Sweaty Mess!

Hey Y'all!

Good News! Ceasar is all better! The air conditioning is working again! And all it took was one Power Transducer. I really have no idea what that is. Y'all Google it. I was so happy to get in my car and have air after 2 weeks! I literally drove home with the air on high. My windows were fogged on the outside.... that is how cold it was in my car!! YIPPPPEEEEE!!!! It was the coolest I have been all day.

My day started at 1:00 a.m. so I could change my jammies that were soaked due to my hot flashes. Then I had another change at 4. Today it was so hot and humid, I was really worried that I might have a heat stroke. I got home a few minutes ago and took my second shower and washed my hair. Again. Tonight we have PTA at school. I am not going. I am terrified I will faint in front of the parents. Besides, since we are remodeling, there really isn't room. I'll catch the November meeting!

Alrighty, I am off and I'm in search of something cold to drink..... I'm of course, still hot!

p.s. The new season of House starts tonight!

:) JKP

I Am Slowly Returning To Normal... Whatever That Is!

Hey Y'all!

This is going to be a quick post... The Closer season finale is on! I haven't been the best watcher of this season... since I have been going to bed so early.. but I have them all DVR'ed and ready to tune in on a sleepless night!

Both of my Dr's appointments went well today. I am slowly healing and it looks like the Sweet's Syndrome has abated for now. I still have a few weeks left on the evil drug... but knowing there is an end in sight might make things better. I have started to take some Lasix to help with all of the swelling that the evil drug is giving me. My joints are really bothered by all of the extra water. So every few days, I take a Lasix and my joints feel better for a while. It is mainly my back, knees and wrists that suffer the most. YUCK!

I really enjoyed my day in Charleston today.. it was nice to have a Monday free! I had to take Mom's car for the trip. Poor Ceasar the CR-V... his air conditioning stopped working about 2 weeks ago. As in no air. As in no blowing air. As in NADA! As in me on steroids, dying of a heatstroke and NO AIR IN MY CAR!!! IN THE SUTHERN' HEAT!!! So, knowing it was going to be bad and expensive, and me being VERY POOR at the moment, I kind of put off taking Ceasar in to the shop! On Saturday, I needed an oil change and my 80,000 mile tune up, so I bit the bullet and asked them to look at the air. I had already been on the internet and heard/read that sometimes the air compressor just blows up in the CR-V after about 60,000 miles. So I said a Hail Mary.. and went forth. Praying that the result would not be the $2,000 one! It turns out the mechanic had seen the same problem in a CR-V the week before and he knew exactly what to do! So all in all... I had to have a part ordered and I am going to have it replaced tomorrow after-school. Then, it will be igloo time!

Speaking of igloos.... in my room right now, my ceiling fan is going on high, the air is on 72 and I have my monster standing fan blowing on my side of the bed. Zoe is in heaven! Zorro is burried under blankets on the sofa! I will be very happy when I am not hot all the time! I think Zorro will be too!

Later gators!
:) JKP

I Think Something "Boney" Is Going On Around Here....

Hey Y'all,

This is what was waiting for me when I arrived home from school on Thursday.

Do you think Zorro is stockpiling for something? Who knows! Zorro gets a chewy bone about every other day. Sometimes he hides them and I roll over them while I am sleeping. Sometimes, he leaves one on my pillow for me. Last week, I was in the back yard and found a hiding place where he has been stashing these when I am not at home! The other night, he ran into my bedroom and then ran out with a bone. Then I come home and find this.

Zorro has been a very busy boy! He has also been a little under the weather. Zorro has allergies and has been having a hard time since the begining of August. Recently, he started not eating his food, which is very unusual, and it signals that something is not right with his food. I did some quick internet research and discovered that the company that made his food, has been having TONS of complaints and Consumer Reports wrote an article on them. This really upset me and explained why Zorro has been so sick! I was feeding Zorro a brand that had a very good reputation, but suddenly and recently, they have sold to MARS, Inc. and the ingredeints they have been using in their food is just not accpetable. Zorro is such a smart boy, he knew this! So on Friday, I went and visited Coastline Pet Supply. The owner was wonderful and very informed about "healthy" dog food. I learned so much and now Zorro is on a new food... Ealge Pack's Holistic Select Senior. We even switched Zoe and both seem much happier and they have tons more engery. Zorro is still wheezing a little, but he has more pep in his step. So folks, don't be afraid... make sure you know what your babies are eating! AND DON'T FEED YOUR PETS ANYTHING MADE BY NUTRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zorro says, "No more Nutro, But I'll have another chewy bone please!"

I actually took the day off of school tomorrow. I have to drive to Charelston for 2 Dr's appointments. One of my appt's is for the sore on my leg that is no more! My leg is all better except for the skin peeling where the sore was. So I hope this is the end of it! I am still on the evil prednisone, but I have tapered down to 40mgs. I am still having mega hot flashes and not sleeping... but at least I am weaning myself off! I also forgot about the horrible shakes I get when I come off of the steroids. I can't knit today because my hands are shaking. I did finish reading a couple of good books though. I am also about to put a movie in.... Fool's Gold.

Well, the little man wants a walk... that's a good sign! I'll write more after the Dr's tomorrow!

:) JKP

Don't Be Puttin' No Lipstick On a Pig Now.......

Hey Y'all!

OMG! I am in a serious time warp! Since I haven't been feeling that great over the past few weeks, I have been going to bed early. REALLY EARLY. Like, so early that the sun is still out. Most nights Zorro and I are in the bed by 8:30! This is unheard of for me, but it is the only way I can manage my four hours of sleep each night that the prednisone lets me have. I am looking forward to returning to my vampire way of life soon.... (I am a true night owl, I always have been) but as long as I am on this horrible medicine, I don't think that is going to happen! The upside to all of this is that I get to school really early. I have time to run through Chick-fil-a and still have time to spare. My team is worried. I am worried.

Anyway, apparently due to my early nocturnal doings, I have missed the mudslinging that has begun in the presidential race. And oh my, it's a doozy! Y'all know that I am suthern' and all and "puttin' lipstick on a pig" is akin to the "pink elephant in the room." It's a phrase that we use to make light of something. To point out something. Well, apparently it has been taken to far. I heard a little about this debacle between Obama and Palin this morning online, but my kids were coming in the room and I didn't have time to investigate further. I stayed at school WAY TOO late today, and got home as the 6:30 news was coming on. So anyway, basically a remark Obama made was taken way out of context towards Sara Palin. But this is what gets me... she just used the "lipstick" remark about hockey moms in her speech at the RNC. So, some think it's a slip of the tongue, some think it's a crude remark.... You say tomato, I say tho-ma-to......

I guess now we will really see what this race is going to be like. I am still undecided, but I am leaning McCain's way.... we'll see. Obama's theories on education scare me just a little. Is it too much to ask for someone who has taught in a public school, for more than 5 years to decide policy for our teachers and children? And I don't mean someone who was a teacher for 2 years and then went into administration. We need a true educator, one who has been in the trenches daily! With munchkins!
So we shall see! I have a feeling that things are about to escalate in this presidential race!

Well, it's the witching hour for me. Nighty, night!
:) JKP