Cactus Garden and Lots of Misc...

I learned that some cacti grow really fast...how fast? So prickly fast that I had to take a shovel to the BIG ones and send the out to compost before they took over my garden...now I have this....

My biggest cactus that is chopped off in the back fell over during a big wind...I hope it survives. I have some succulents that I replanted there from the front yard because the raccoon and skunk won't leave them alone....along with grass that they are ripping up for grubs. Between those critters and the deer, my front yard doesn't stand a chance.

BUT...I did get a Scarecrow sprinkler to fend off my tomato plants and sunflowers in the backyard.....I cannot use it in the front yard BECAUSE some idiot has stolen the last 2.....the second one The Captain had run a cable around and locked it with a padlock...but apparently whomever is stealing them also owns bolt cutters.

Last spring I painted some pickets to build this little fence to hide the ugly house foundation....BUT with the way summer went, the little pickets sat painted and waiting in the corner of the bedroom. In September I took The Captain on one of his first trips out of the house to Home Depot to buy the long boards to put the pickets on.....one side got painted in October and the flip-side in February. Then last weekend The Captain got out the compressor and nail gun for the first time since before his near death adventures.....

It went well....the picket fence looks so cute....and the little old birdhouse I painted to match our house looks cute too.....and with a little luck, the sunflowers will grow tall enough to show through our bedroom window above.

Misc.....next weekend, April 27, for my birthday weekend, I will be participating in SWIM ACROSS AMERICA for my 3rd time....I have swam 3x since July...I may just SINK ACROSS AMERICA....I will be sure to update.

BEST OF ALL.....next week is finally my spring BREAK! Nothing like dragging it out until it is closer to summer than spring!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*SPRING BRREEEAAK!*

SHAMROCK 5K......

Let's just say we all got smoked by a 72 year old man....but in our defense, he ran 8:05 minute miles...which I haven't done since pre-children.
BUT I didn't do too badly in my age group....13/123. I ran 9:01 minute miles....damn that crowded start! They did a great job of not letting children start with the top runners....but they needed to also say, NO WALKERS at the front. It sucks trying to run around road boulders! I ran on the cobblestone median for a while just to get around those 4 abreast walkers. So I could have run under 9 per mile if I hadn't dodged all those road boulders and if I hadn't high fived people cheering on the runners, or if I didn't congratulate all the little runners....who were pretty amazing! I still managed to beat the Biologist, but the Nuclear Physicist beat me by 29 seconds...next run....next one I will do better :)

Getting ready to whack off my hair....

Here we are at the finish, wanting a pic of us...but my sunglasses arm that's being held together with a paperclip got caught in my hair....and it was crazy trying to get it undone. I think I am going short again....that will make swimming easier....(but I doubt faster :)

It's Parent/Teacher Conference time again...I have been spending most extra moments typing up report cards and waking up on weekend mornings thinking that I have to get to work for conferences....thankfully they are almost over.

I cannot believe it is almost St. Patrick's Day! Time for Green Eggs and Spam. I absolutely LOVE St Patrick's Day....and I am a wee bit Irish so that gives me permission to go all leprechaun crazy at school.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*WEAR GREEN AND WATCH OUT 

FOR 72 YEAR OLD STUDS*

February Anyone?

It came and went and I didn't blog...my laptop died and I took my Christmas money and bought a new one....touch screen and all....and why buy the very expensive insurance because, after all....I bought it with my last one and never used it. THEN....when the Captain was installing all the good stuff, he got the cord tangled...and my new laptop fell perfectly on the corner...AND @*!CRACK~!!*....no more touch screen...

So I haven't been reading blogs or updating. Or really facebooking or checking my email a ton....or playing Spider Solitaire....

But February was pretty cool. The Biologist and I did an indoor Tri. I had a sore throat but still it was fun. The 10 minute swim didn't go well for me...the Biologist did a lap further...we were sharing a lane and my throat felt like it was sticking together inside...but I did okay enough.

Then we had 5 minutes to change and get to our bikes....we rode for 30 minutes. It was hot inside and I had the Captain fan me with a piece of cardboard someone else was using on their husband the wave prior. The Biologist and I tied on mileage.

Then we got on our running shoes and headed across the street where we ran circles..well, sort of ovals around cones at the 50 yard mark and we just circled, (or ovaled,) for 15 minutes. I passed the Biologist on a curve and was slightly ahead at the end. The Captain rang the cowbell for us each time we came around.


...I did get 2nd place out of the 7 people in my age group though :)

Today was a beautiful, sunny day...I ran my weekend run, went to the local Farmer's market and then got gas....and we drove around the local port and then headed over to the Facebook Campus because I wanted this:

and this:

 

and this:

and this:

And then a van full of tourists showed up and we left.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*THUMBS UP*

IN WITH THE NEW.....

....has worked well for 2015....

TREASURE ISLAND - OFF THE OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE. JAN. 24 AT THE FLEA MARKET :)

No visits to E.R....the okay to lift heavy objects and swim again were reinstated...although he has yet to swim, I have 2x. After 7 months of not swimming, I can say that I still suck at swimming :)

On the 15th, The Biologist and I are doing and indoor tri! The unique thing about it is that everyone finishes at the same time! It is all about distance. First, we swim for 10 minutes....and it is how far you go! Then everyone gets a 5 minute transition to their bike, which is mounted on a trainer with an odometer attached....and then everyone bikes for 30 minutes. Another 5 minute transition and everyone runs a course for 15 minutes. The only drawback is that it is in The City....but thankfully I emailed the coordinator and The Biologist and I will be in the same wave....the last wave at 11:00.

Lots to blog about...little time.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LIVE LIKE EVERYONE'S LOOKING*

Out With the Old...

In With the New....

PLEASE!

Although I have so much to be thankful for, seriously, there will be no tears to shed by having 2014 behind me.

January- I placed 3rd in my division in the New Year's Day Run. I was on my way to a great running year.

February- 28:05 New 5K time

March- 29 minute mile swim!

April- Swim Across America!
          27:08 5K

May-  26:50 5K
          RUGGED MANIAC-The most fantastic obstacle course ever!! With The     Biologist and her friends. I can't wait to do another!!!

June- 2 Stadium Runs- The NEW Levi Stadium  5K and AT&T 10K.
         School ended June 25- I started a week of Camp June 30
         My summer vacation July 26 and 27.
July- July 2. All I know is that everything that could go right, when something goes wrong, went right. I spent every waking hour in ICU from July 2 until July 15. I wiped him down with a wash cloth when the heat rash on his back was most likely irritating him...because he couldn't talk to tell us what hurt. I had to guess. I kept him from pulling out the many tubes- 3 drains, one intubating, oxygen on the nose, one catheter and a wires for a heart monitor. If I stayed at his bedside he did not have his hands and legs tied down. He hallucinated and fought us. And as quickly as he came to, he went back to being Frankenstein. When he returned to us, he made stuff up and the doctors believed it...his wit and humor returned before his sense of reality. Then moved to the Cardiac Surveillance Unit for 5 days...and then to the world's worst rehab center....I still should have listened to my instincts and brought him home from the hospital and skipped rehab. There they held heart medication and sent him into A Fib again. We left rehab via ambulance and returned to good old Sequoia Hospital, to the doctors we trusted. They ran some tests and sent us home.

August- I wasn't sure whether or not I would return to work, or who would stay with The Captain while I went to work. But we all survived. I returned to work having a total of 2 days of summer vacation.

September- Burning the candle at both ends. Teaching, shopping, yard work, bill paying, laundry, lifting- oh....and what I seemed to forget until 10:30 every Thursday night....putting out the trash bin, recycle bin and compost bins for pick up Friday mornings.

October- Will this get better?
              Ran 2 Half marathons 2 weeks apart with The Biologist.

November- Social Security Disability denied.

December- There is light at the end of the tunnel...I see a NEW YEAR coming! I have filed an appeal, burned the hospital paperwork and bill notices...(paid of course,) and 2 of my kids were here for Christmas. The Botanist is now a resident of New Zealand!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR my friends....Wishing you HEALTH & HAPPINESS in 2015!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN BABY RUN*

303 BABY!

I ran over 50 miles last month...exactly a mile and some change over...last year I did that at the end of December....just a bit ahead even though I didn't run for 2 months this summer.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN LIKE A GIRL*

Seriously, Enough Already....

Just returned from the hospital....The Nuclear Physicist, The Biologist's boyfriend was there all day and had emergency surgery to blast a huge kidney stone that was lodged...somewhere up there.

Tuesday I was in Walgreen's picking up plastic spiders for a Halloween art project when my cell rang...it was BIG Foot...in a lot of pain...I told him to have his roommate drive him to ER....seemed he had the same symptoms that The Nuclear Physicist had...(a mom can dx from 1,000 miles away you know...) So it turned out he did...and they gave him painkillers and told him to drink lots of water....but what does mom know, BECAUSE he drove himself to ER and now had to have his roommate pick him up because he was given pain killers and they would not let him drive home.

Two months back, The Captain had gall stones and we were in ER. Still dealing with his health issues from July's aortic dissection and stroke....and jumping through the hoops to get social security disability....and doing all the work at home, the yard and my job...it's tough.

THEN just to top it off, my district has not negotiated fairly with us- no contract for going on 3 years- and we may be headed for a strike. We are working to contract and it is very hard for me since I usually get to work at 6:30 a.m. Walking in at 8:10 just doesn't work.

I read on someone's Facebook page that, "God only gives you what you can handle".... in this case, God must think I am one bad ass!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*STICKS AND STONES

ARE NOT FOR ORGANS*

SLAM Dunk!

THE END                           13.1 MILES 

S.F WOmen's Nike Half Marathon....last Sunday...that's me in the air...and my The Biologist in the middle...(I have no idea who is stopping their Garmin on the left.) 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER* JUMP HIGHER THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT YOU COULD*

Nike

I wasn't going to run the S. F. Women's Nike this year BECAUSE I didn't get in the lottery. It is the only expensive run I do because it benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...but I didn't get in. THEN, I was at the shoe store Adventure Run last month and they had entrees to give away....I just had to log on and pay the fee!

SOOOOOO, I quickly text my friend in New Jersey and told her I was in! She is a legacy runner and always gets in. But she hadn't been training because she wasn't planning on coming out...since I didn't get in.

Sooooo, Ali took her place...and I promised I would run slow for Ali. I did hold to my promise except I did run up the BIG MOTHER RUNNER hill at mile 9.5 because baby steps were killing me! I did wait at the top...and then I slowly ran the finish and we got our photo holding our hands above our head as we crossed the finish....and then I jumped and danced and hopefully got some silly photos at the end.

Here we are at the end with our Tiffany necklaces....there were no firemen giving out the necklaces this year...just a few that you could take a photo with...I think they were all fighting the big fires in California right now.....so we loaded up our swag bags and headed for home.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH

 HARDER*RUN LIKE A GIRL*

It is never very smart....

to run a half marathon without proper training....and although it sounded good last spring when I registered, and what I had been training so very hard for.....but it all fell to pieces July 2nd.

But when you pay to run, and you planned this with your daughter, her boyfriend and another good friend, what else is there to do but run anyway, right?

I was in coral 7, The Botanist and Nuclear Physicist in coral 8, and The Bio-Engineer in 9. I took off knowing full well those kids would pass me. I just wanted to run half of the run, a 10K, in less than an hour. 

At the 5K mark I was at 26 minutes...at the 10K I was at 56 minutes...I was so pleased that I dogged it for the next 3 miles...then I looked at my watch and got mad at myself for going slow...I wasn't tired...my mind just set on doing well for half the run. 

I still hadn't seen my kids pass me yet so I picked up the pace.

And I came in a whole 5 minutes before the kids!
It was very hot by the end of the run...here I am sporting a wet towel they passed out to use with our medals.

I hope to be able to run more so I can get back in the shape I was in prior to July 2nd.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN THE ROCK AND ROLL*

Ragnar Vans- Ragnar Part 2

S.F. to Napa Wine Country Part 2:

So part of the fun of Ragnar is the themed teams and their vans. Some funny names are:

Kiss My Asphalt
Ran It Through The Grapevine
Van Haulin'
Worst Wine Tour Ever
I Thought They Said Rum
This Isn't a 5K?
Will Run for Wine
Bad Ass Mother Runners
Squeeze Me, Stomp Me, Make Me Wine
Half Corked
My Third Leg is Bigger Than Yours
Wanna Take a Napa
Tater Trots
Sole Sisters
Saving the World One Glass at a Time
VAN-ity Fair
Blue Van Group
and my friends team....
"If I Have to Pull This Van Over, Someone's Getting Spanked!

At stops, teams "tag" other teams...with magnets, like this...

and window paint, and "LIVEWRONG" bracelets and Peeps on antennas....(those melted...Ghak!)

It is like one big rolling party....without the alcohol of course. But who needs alcohol when sleep deprivation and running through the night keep you pretty much toasted.

It was fun...and I returned so well rested that my whole week at school was pleasant and I was back to my old happy, worry-free self.....until this weekend...full of lawn mowing, yard work, dog washing, vacuum repair, vacuuming until the beater bar broke, grading math tests, grading spelling tests, grocery shopping, cooking, washing dishes, getting gas at Costco, doing laundry and all the other things I have to do.

I think a Ragnar in So Cal with my kids is sounding pretty good...April...Huntington Beach to San Diego.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN A RELAY* 

RAG NAR! Wine-o-poly was our team name....

12 LADIES- (All of whom could have been my children...youngest 31.)
2 VANS
205 MILES
Golden Gate Park, S.F. to NAPA
                     RAGNAR RELAY
Go ahead....Run like a girl!

I needed a break...I was due for one....and a team needed a runner....so they text me and asked me if I would like to run....the answer to, "Do you know how old I am," didn't seem to scare them off. So I made some sub plans for Friday, left Thursday night with a pillow, a Snugee, two sets of running clothes, running shoes and some socks....oh, and my toothbrush and some Rockstars.

We got to the motel, unpacked and met everyone for dinner at 5 Guys. We were back at the motel and in bed by 11. Our alarms went off at 4:30 and we were packed and in the van on the way to Golden Gate Park by 5. We ran through the safety check, got our safety flags (for crossing the street to help our runner,) got our numbers and sent runner #1 off!!

We dropped off runner #2 at the exchange and then headed across the Golden Gate Bridge...next exchange in Saucalito and then it was my turn to run...

I was pumped and it didn't seem hard as the map had it set as....I don't even remember the hill...the sun was not out but there was 94% humidity. I was pleased with my run...

as shown with the 2 thumbs up in the photo.

Each of our 6 runners in the van ran their leg and then we met up with our other van...they got to sleep in and they met us around lunchtime...we passed off the slap bracelet baton and went to lunch

and then for a nap while the other van ran legs 7-12.

We slept for about 2 hours...light sleep because it is like trying to sleep in an airplane...and then we started over again for legs 13-24.

I was leg 18....it said "Very Hard" but the other said Hard and I owned that leg! I got the bracelet, made the first turn and started up hill.....and thought, the night air feels so good....I can keep this pace up! I was doing 8:50 minute miles...and the hill began...and kept going...and going.....there is no way this chart is correct. I ran uppppp and uppp for 6.2 miles according to my Garmin....there it leveled off some....and then as I rounded a curve it began to go uppppp some more. My time slowed greatly but I made my 8.3 mile leg and just wanted to lay down. Our next two runners had long runs also and by the time we passed off the baton and got to the morning exchange it was 1:30 a.m. We dozed in the huge parking lot at the Fair Grounds in Sonoma...but with other vans coming and going as their teams finished and started again it was very busy....and the lights came on at 4 a.m.!

Our first runner was off at 6:40, so she didn't have to wear a safety vest and lights. My knees hurt from the sloping road the night before. We passed a little deli that had opened and the girls wanted coffee...I got a bagel with cream cheese and a fat slice of tomato on top....I ate half of it and felt so much better. I began to want to do my final leg....I wanted to start right now!

By the time my leg came I was in the chute like a racehorse! I took off and ran up that first bit of hill...my right knee hurt from the slope of the road the night before...but soon the signs had us run on the same side of the street as traffic and now the slope was on the opposite side and my knee was now feeling pretty darn good! I made 7 kills....(which are how many people you pass,) but I still got passed by people.

After our van had finished we headed to the end of the Ragnar Festivities...we got our free pizza but not our free beer....we sat on a blanket at the fair grounds and rested....we had our costumes ready for when our final runner came in....

...then we all crossed the finish line together and took our team photo:

Tomorrow I will post some awesome photos of vans from Ragnar!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN A RELAY*

5K, 10K, OK

Saturday I ran a 5K that started inside Great America, ran around the rides and then into the parking lot and into the brand new Levi's Stadium! I really didn't want to run two runs in one weekend but I couldn't pass up the chance to go inside the new stadium...because the chances of me goign to a game there are slim....who can afford $$$$ tickets!? It was a nice, short, untimed run for charity.

Then Sunday morning, The Biologist and the Nuclear Physicist and I ran a 10K starting outside of AT&T Park, down to Fisherman's Wharf and ending inside the park!! ON THE FIELD!! Like...I now have a baggie of warning track dirt in my classroom :)

I hadn't run since July 2, except for a mile on the treadmill....so putting in 9.3 this weekend was pretty good...and I broke an hour in the 10K which was what I wanted to do....by 2 minutes to be exact!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN TO THE STADIUM FOOLS!*

8 Weeks Post Traumatic Event

8 weeks ago today....The Captain was found in the driveway by the Coach...who, I recently found out was not going to come home right then, but was going to get lunch...and he wanted to get in the left turn lane....but someone cut him off so he just came home...and found The Captain.

Today was The Captain's 2 month check up with the cardiologist. He is doing well but he is so anxious to get back to doing normal things...like lifting more than 5 pounds...and taking less meds and having a cup of coffee with caffeine!

We celebrated after the appointment with dinner at the Spaghetti Factory. I LOVE their balsamic vinegrette dressing!! It was such a nice evening...we came home and walked the dog and it was still so warm and pretty out.

8 weeks we wouldn't have had!

The woman who did the scan of The Captain's heart today said, "You are lucky they found this before it became trouble."

The Captain said, "What do you mean trouble?"

"If this ruptured it would have been bad."

"It did rupture," The Captain said....and her reply..."you were very, very lucky."

Yes....we know :)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS*

Ring Pillow and Wedding

I promised a ring pillow for the wedding....way back when they became engaged last year. I knew I would have time this summer....but after my chaotic summer, the pillow had not been sewn. Nor had the fabric been purchased. Time kept ticking until 3 days before the wedding.

I spent Tuesday night on the embroidery. Wednesday night sewing the pillow together and Thursday night sewing on the "diamonds" and ribbons. The wedding was Friday at 5:00.

I left work at 11:30, got home and got the car loaded and we were on the road before noon. AND we hit traffic...lots of it....I was sooooo tired from the first week of school and no sleep and sewing...and all the work I do since The Captain cannot. It was about 130 miles to Forest Hill...near Auburn. 

But the pillow was sewn....and we arrived at 3:50. I think it turned out lovely and so was the wedding.

The ribbon on the back was for the ring bearer to slip his hands through to hold the pillow. The little "diamonds," ($28 worth,) were sewn by hand and a loop of thread went around each and every one. This is around the 6th one I have sewn but is by far my favorite.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY A WEDDING*

Grants and Obstacles

It was like Christmas!!

The Biologist and I got up at 6 a.m. to drive to a Target store up the peninsula....we arrived early so there was time to fool around....see, we got up early on a Saturday to receive a $200 gift card to target for teaching supplies! We both applied and we both got accepted! PLUS...the bonus was it was all tax free!

And they even had a food truck that made breakfast for us! (Don't my shorts look funny full of my keys and glasses....all pokey-outie!)

Here's all the stuff I bought!! I only spent $3.47 of my own money...I am so excited about all those books :)

BUT there's more...as soon as we got home we changed into our ROC Race running gear and headed to San Jose...to the Santa Clara Fairgrounds. There we had an 11a.m. wave to do this.....

It is a 5K obstacle course run....there are slides and monkey bars, silly big balls that knock you into a pool of water...and just plain silliness.

Here are 4 of us beforehand....

I wore my GO Pro and haven't gotten it uploaded yet....
Here we are after...there were 9 of us ....

 My daughter and her friends...I cannot convince their moms to participate...so I am the only "old" person tagging along...BUT I had a BLAST! And actually ran ahead of them so I could get them on the GO PRO as they went through the obstacles...AND...my PR...I made it across the monkey bars without dropping...so did the Biologist!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ROC THE RACE*

Thank goodness for dentists....

This morning I dropped The Captain off at the dentist....kind of like daycare.....I was able to run to the bank and take the dog to a local park and run 2x around it. I did have to stop 2 times to pick up after her...but no matter as I was sucking wind after about 50 feet. I haven't run since I ran to work July 2....and then my world changed.

Summer is gone. I have a class next week and then it is back to work. This week is filled with Dr appointments and therapy. The kids are all back in their respective countries, states and apartments....and it is back to just us and the Coach here....and now that it is volleyball season for Stanford we see very little of him. 

Today we met with the cardiac surgeon...I love that guy...so nice, and of course, so skilled. We got to see The Captain's CT scan prior to the emergency surgery. He showed us what he used to repair the aorta and checked on The Captain's healing. He gave us the name of another surgeon for the gall bladder and also told us the stone may dissolve on its own...something the other surgeon did not tell us was an option. Did I say I love this guy?

Things are getting more back to normal....every day is a day we wouldn't have had :)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*KISS YOUR SPOUSE*

Seriously....

I have GONE CRACKERS......

My friend gave me these crackers...she thought it was funny...seriously funny...but I didn't....you know why? It is true...if you saw my Facebook post you already know.

We have been having a good time recuperating at home...enjoying the few days of summer that I have had this year....and then....just because it was 2 weeks since we had been to the E.R, I guess The Captain was feeling a little homesick and we went for a visit at 3:30 a.m. today. Seems he now has some gall stones...and that gall bladder will need to come out- soon...just as soon as the heart heals. We just need to eat light and hope that it doesn't flare up again....because it just wasn't fun for anyone.

 At least we know everyone there now. At least I feel okay enough to go to the thing that doubles as a cafeteria while the real one is under construction to buy a banana, a Kind Bar and a chocolate milk while we waitwaitwaitwaitwait  for the next procedure. We left E.R. at 11, with a card to make an appointment with the surgeon on Monday. Just because Monday was free on the calendar...

But in the meantime, I am crackers...GONE CRACKERS for sure. I will go outside, close my eyes and pretend I am on vacation in Tahiti. I have always wanted to go there....and stay in those huts out on the water where you can jump into the warm water whenever you want...and watch the fish from the glass floors.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*GONE TO TAHITI*

She is now a resident....

of New Zealand....N. Zed as the locals call it....

We parked and walked into SFO with her...after one month here, I was so sad to see her go.

At the check in counter, her bag was weighed and it was 7 kilos too heavy. She had her boarding pass so we went out of line to sort the bags and redistribute the weight....she has a big interview on Monday so she really needed her botany books and notes....we stuffed them into her carry on. But still...it just wasn't working. We weighed the bag at home but somehow she had the wrong weight limit.

So we went back to the Air New Zealand counter and planned to drop $150 for a small bag...there really wasn't anything else we could do. This time we were with a different clerk and she could see we were definitely teary-eyed and stressed. The clerk opened the zippered bag to see the text books and spiral notebooks. She asked if the botanist was traveling alone...she looked to the next counter to make sure no one else was listening and said, "We will gate check this bag. There is no charge." We both started to cry....it was just too much. Then the sweet clerk looked at the seat the botanist was assigned- mid plane, middle of the row- and she asked if the Botanist would like a window seat....OF COURSE!! So she gave her a window seat with no one in the middle seat...and a nice young girl in the aisle seat. An 11 hour flight is much nicer when someone isn't snoring and leaning on you :)

We said Goodbye at the security gate...and shed some tears....and watched our Kiwi Botanist head back to N Zed where she is now a resident. I know I couldn't have made this past month without her....she asked the Dr's good questions, helped with therapy homework and made me laugh. 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LOVE YOUR KIDS*

One Month

One month post emergency open heart surgery for the ruptured aortic aneurysm, stroke, 13 day ICU stint and 23 total days of hospitalization/rehab was celebrated with 4 good friends at the Bone Bash XV concert at Shoreline.

I got the tickets from my district's big fundraiser in the silent auction back in April. Up until a few days before I was still unsure we would be able to go...just navigating the crowds was my fear and The Captain was anxious about it too....but we made it. Boston, The Doobies and a guy from the Eagles entertained us well.

Now my mother-in-law has left after a week's visit, friends are all back home and it is just a few days until The Botanist returns to N. Zed.....I will miss her dearly.

Then Back to School for me....I officially had 2 days of summer vacation before the Sh#@T hit the fan.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ONE MONTH OUT AND LIFE IS GOOD*