Journal Entries
Less Jobless
Posted Jul 13, 2006
Okay, okay, I know I promised to keep in touch more, but I've been working my tail off trying to find a job - any job. I went on a teaching interview 2 weeks ago, but didn't get the position. Typical.
I've had several other interviews for non-teaching jobs, and I finally landed a position at Coastal Imports.
(They deliver seafood and produce.) I will be working in the office, part-time to start. It's a small family-run business in Vermont.
The irony is that the guy who owns it, Dan, is originally from Reading, PA, and used to own a business that was a staple in downtown Easton (my hometown) for as long as I can remember. I think he decided that, due to my good college education and ties to PA, he'd create a position just for me. Gotta love him for that!
So, I start work today. It will only be 3 days a week, and the hours are 9 to 5 or 6. Good hours, fair pay, and a chance for an increase in both. At least this will get Dave off my back. We've had some very tense times in the past couple of months, and there's been a fair amount of arguing going on. My depression really had me down, so I'm glad that I can get out of the house and bring in some money.
I was starting to feel pretty worthless and unwanted.
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Latest reply: Jul 13, 2006
Googly-Eyed
Posted Jun 19, 2006
Just a quick update for anyone wondering where I've been lately....
A recent batch of fairly bad (but not quite migraine) headaches have caused me to limit my computer time. Might be my eyes, or neck strain, or both. Also, my computer is being temperamental, and I don't have any idea why. Yes, I've done the prerequisite scans, and there's no indication as to what the problem might be. The fan, maybe?
Still no luck on the job front. Dave, however, has decided that he'd love to open a bait and tackle shop in the area, so he's doing a lot of research on how to start a small business. He says that if I can't get my own job, he'll darn well put me to work! (I am soooo NOT touching mealy worms!!!)
I started going back to church on Sundays. I usually feel pretty good after going, but 3 hours of church in this heat is going to kill me! (BTW, I am a Mormon, so that's 1 hour of sacrament service, 1 hour of Bible/Book of Mormon study, and 1 hour of Relief Society.) Makes for a long day, and a grumbly tumbly!
My knee is really no better since having the cortisone shot. It feels fairly pain-free when I wake up, but the pain returns as soon as I walk around for a bit. Oh well. I figured that this wouldn't work!
I don't know as I'll be doing too much here, game-wise, as I can't be on the computer all that often. However, I promise to check in at the Creaky Joint on a regular basis! Could someone there pass me a good 
???
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Latest reply: Jun 19, 2006
Holy Steroids, Batman!!!
Posted Jun 9, 2006
A quick update to explain my absence for the past couple of days:
I went to my orthopaedic doctor for my follow-up appointment (finally!) We spent a few minutes chatting about what kind of idiots work for my insurance co., and Dr. P. informed me that he'd appealed their decision against the Syn-Visc shots. I didn't even know about his appeal, since the only thing I'd gotten from said idiotic insurance company was the initial 'denial of procedure' letter, stating that I had to try cortisone shots first.
Dr. P. and I discussed the cortisone, and we decided that we'd try it once or twice - which should be enough to satisfy the insurance company. Then, the doctor turns around and starts rummaging through the cabinets, and turns around with a syringe in his hand. I squeaked, 'You mean we're going to do that now????'
!!! This reaction made my hubby laugh, until I practically squeezed his hand off while the injection went in!
Of course, Dave and I had much to do after my appointment: trips to Home Depot, the liquor store, the gas station, and food shopping. The anisthetic that went in with the shot started to wear off while we were at the grocery store, and I was in a fair amount of pain by the time we got home. I spent the rest of the night moaning & 
ing.
Yesterday the pain wasn't so bad, but I had a hard time bending the knee, as it felt like everything in there was out of place. (Imagine how your elbow, for example, feels when it needs to crack.) I had a hard time even walking around the house.
So far this morning, the knee feels pretty good. By that, I mean that it doesn't feel any worse than it did before the shot. I guess that the steroid is kicking-in. I hope that I get a little more relief as the days go by. After all, this procedure should (ideally) only give me 3-4 months of relief. I guess that Dr. P. is counting on three months, as I have another shot scheduled for September.
Now, if only someone could do something about the peri-menopause!
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Latest reply: Jun 9, 2006
Rained Out
Posted May 20, 2006
Anyone who's been watching The Weather Channel knows that New England has pretty much been rained out! I don't think we've gone one day in the past 2 weeks without at least a shower, and the rain was pretty steady most of this past week. Every time it dried up, I put up the umbrella on the deck table, put the chairs out to dry, and moved the plants back from underneath the table. Every time I did these things, another shower would send me scurrying back outside to put everything away. This has been a most depressing May indeed. If 'April showers bring May flowers', then what do torrents of May rain bring?
Flooding.
It's just like last fall, when the remnants of Hurricane Katrina almost washed away Alstead, NH. This time, all 3 of NH's largest cities (Manchester, Nashua, & Concord) have been threatened in one way or another. Luckily (again), we got away with having an inch of water in the basement. It's a good thing we put all those boxes on pallets a few years ago!
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Latest reply: May 20, 2006
Outdoors State of Mind
Posted May 8, 2006
Ah, Spring!
Luckily for me, the weather has been extremely cooperative, and I've been able to spend some time outdoors. I live for the day when I can put up the umbrella on my deck table, and read outside while enjoying some real lemonade.
'Tis also the season for grilling out! Dave and I have already gone through 5 12-lb. bags of charcoal! There's nothing like a good steak, pork chop, etc., from the grill!
About 2 weeks ago we had our friends Bill and Sue (from Fitzwilliam) visit, and we had a regular cook-out! We started out with grilled jumbo shrimp (to DIE for!), followed by fresh trout (caught by Dave while on vacation), potato salad, fresh green beans, and deviled eggs. There was chocolate fudge pudding pie for desert. We were all so stuffed afterwards that we could barely move! A most successful day spent outside!
(By the way, if anyone's interested, I'll give you my recipe for the shrimp marinade. Dave - who almost NEVER eats seafood - ate almost as much of it as I did!)
I plan on spending quite a bit of time out on the deck this summer. On the weekends, it is very quiet here, and you can really enjoy the sounds of the wildlife - and I don't mean our neighbors! (Honestly, this is why I don't miss my old hometown. I could never have such a nice, quiet time outdoors there!)
So, if I'm absent for a time every now and then, you know where I am, and what I'm doing!
I could only have a better time if I were camping in a state park!
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Latest reply: May 8, 2006
madmum22
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