Blackberry Pie

Why are you still here?

zarajspook — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:03:27 +0000

What are you doing here? I am over here now! Come check out the new place!

Hello Again, Hello…

zarajspook — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:10:29 +0000

Hello! Sorry I have been a bit busy and lazy to post anything on the old blog. We have been thinking of moving, so many nights have been spent on discussion rather than up loading photos. And besides, its summer….the garden needs tending, the porch needs sitting on, wine needs drunk, baseball games to attend…you get the picture.
We did make it to Nashville for the conference, and the poster presentation was a success. Made me want to thinnk about going back to school and getting my DNP. But then the DH slaps me upside the head and asks “What are you thinking?!” and back to reality I go. Still thinking about this, but I don’t think it is the wrong time in my life right now.
Speaking of Nashville, we really liked it there! The visit to Haus of Yarn was about 2 hours long, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which yarn to buy (pics on that to come). We ate at a wonderfully romantic restaurant for our 11th anniversary. If you are ever in Nashville, try out the Mad Platter. The menu changes every couple of weeks, so things that were there in June are not there now. Although it doesn’t look like much on the outside, the ambiance and the food make up for it. We even made a trip to the Grand Old Opry and saw Alison Krause. Now I am not into country music, but the history in that place is just amazing. Plus, Alison Krause is one of my favorite singers. Her voice is so pure and clear in person….a CD doesn’t do her justice.

HOpe to get some pics up of the MASSIVE Heirloom tomatoes that we have. The tomatoes are just turning white, so should have some red ones within the next couple of weeks.

Oh, I have also been knitting up a storm. Finishing projects here and there before gearing up for the Christmas push and SAFF. Have a good week!

Happy Summer!

zarajspook — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:21:24 +0000

Edinboro Lake

To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment. – Jane Austen

Countdown to Nashville

zarajspook — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:08 +0000

I am feeling 100% better since my last post. I think the Doxy kicked in about Thursday. I slept well Wednesday night and by Thursday was ready to go back at 110%. I hate being sick, and then trying to concentrate on other peoples’ problems while sick just doesn’t help either.

I am glad that I am feeling better as we are off to Nashville this week for me to attend the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners conference. We are quite excited, just to visit Nashville and get out of town for a couple of days. I am presenting a poster at the conference as well, which has been a stressor over the past month or so.

I always like to visit new places, even if I have to be in conference all day. The DH already has plans to golf on Thursday and do some sitght seeing. We have scoped out the Grand Ole Opry website to see who is there, and we are tentatively planning to see Alison Krause. We also are planning a trip to the Wildhorse Saloon as well. And I found the must visit yarn shop, Haus of Yarn. Ravelry groupies stated “It will put you into yarn overload!” We leave Wednesday night and I CANNOT WAIT!

It looked like a freckle…

zarajspook — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:44:20 +0000

Many apologies about the lack of posts. I am not feeling well at all these past few weeks….

It all started about three weeks ago when I woke up on Saturday AM and thought I had a new freckle on my belly. Upon closer inspection, the freckle had legs and much to my chagrin was an attached tick. Pull him off. No worries. Scratch my back…what is that?!? Another miniscule tick on my back…and who knows how long it was there. The DH removes it carefully all the while I am stressing about RMSF and Lyme. These were about the 4th and 5th tick bites for me this year. Put triple antibiotic on the spots for a couple of days and continue at the high rate speed I have become used t0.

Fast forward to last Saturday. I woke up with the migraine from hell. I do, on occassion, get migraines. Chocolate is the usual trigger for me, which sucks ass, since I love chocolate. But, I have had NO chocolate for over a week. I just thought it was stress, since I had a knitting class that day, then had to drove to Winston Salem for a friends’ 40th Bday party.

Sunday though, no better. Not quite as much of a pulsating headache, just a dull throb. It continued into the week, and with it, exhaustion like I have never known before. Exhaustion to the point where I would sleep nine hours, get up, go to work and wonder why I can’t crawl back into bed by 9 am. This continued all freakin’ week long. Wednesday AM I tried to go out and do my 4 mile run before work, which I have been doing for about 4 weeks, and could barely make it. Ok, now I seriously know something is wrong.

I don’t get sick. The last time I went to the doctor was for my annual physical a year ago. Now though, something is not right with my body. I am also having low grade fevers during the day. What the —-? I begin to self diagnose, because that is what health care professionals do. I really don’t want to go to the doctor, but I relent and make an appt for this past Friday. I think back to the tick bites…and begin to wonder..could I have Rocky MOuntain Spotted Fever?

So, the trip to the MD bought me a script for doxy for 3 weeks. I started that Saturday, and the head still hurts. I am still tired. I am tired of being tired. I don’t do tired. I do full speed at 110 mph. I just want to lie in bed and sleep. I wish the Doxy would hurry up and work. I haven’t taken a sick day in the two years I have been with my current job. Might be time to take care of myself for once instead of worrying about everyone else. Whadda ya think?

I get by with a little help….

zarajspook — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:49:09 +0000

I found this video one day while surfing youtube. It made me smile and realize everybody needs a little help every once in a while. Happy Wednesday!

Garden Update

zarajspook — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:25:13 +0000

What is going on in your garden? Mine is going crazy. The DH built me another garden box so that I could plant vegetables. The six tomato plants that I started with are HUGE and have small green tomatoes on them. My beans have a mind of their own and are just beginning to blossum. Ever hear of heirloom tomatos? I LOVE these tomatos. They are the most amazing tasting and sweet. I ended up going and getting 4 more heirloom tomato plants and started thosea couple of weeks ago. The second box has zucchini and yellow squash, as well as cucumbers in it. The water barrell is serving its purpose. I have to water every night with the tomato producing, plus the weather has been unbelievably HOT. It was 94 today. Not that warmth is bad, but at least let us get into the middle of June before you crank up the ol’ humidity machine. I chalk it up to the heat as to why the garden is doing so well.

A Few Words….

zarajspook — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:12:08 +0000

I kind of fell off the blog wagon the past couple of weeks. Not much to say, too much to do, too much going on….you get the picture. This time of year is always busy…it seems like it starts at Memorial Day and goes full blast all the way to Labor Day. Then a little bit of a breather to get ready for the holidays. I find it hard to believe we are already in the sixth month of the year.

We had my mother in law visit over the Memorial Day weekend. She is big into quilting, so we visited many a fabric store that weekend. We also talked a LOT of quilting. Or rather she talked a lot of quilting. I just listened and knitted. I used to be into quilting, but then the yarn thing began and the rest is history. Doesn’t mean that I won’t quilt again…maybe sometime this summer when it is too hot to do anything outdoors.

We are getting ready to go to Nashville in the next two weeks for me to attend the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner conference. I am excited, but nervous too. I am presenting a poster there on chronic kidney disease. The poster is done, just needs the final touches. I am going to print it next week. I have already scoped out a yarn shop that is a MANDATORY stop while we are there. Should be a fun trip.

zarajspook — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:51:30 +0000

It’s been one of those days.

Hope your Monday was better than mine.

zarajspook — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:35:20 +0000

We all live under the same sky, but we don’t have the same horizon.

-Konrad Adenauer