monday night rant...

My day was too busy. I drove to the small city all by my lonesome, which was rather nice, since I could blast Queen's, "Fat Bottomed Girls" without anyone MOMMMING me. I am also partial to anything by Boston, a few Rolling Stones songs, and anything from Pink Floyd. When nothing good is on, I don't mind just driving and thinking. I would always rather take someone with me, but when I do go alone, I enjoy the vegging out.

My doctor visit was interesting. My poor knees! The kneecaps are filled with arthritis. The one that was clicking is worse, and that is the one I fell so hard on a few years back, so it makes sense. The x-rays show lots of ragged edges, no wonder they hurt when I bend them! He said: no stairs, no hills, no jumping, no running, no stepping. I said, "no walks?" He said only if it is a flat surface. ha. My road is all hills. He said to go to the mall instead. I hate the mall, I love my road, and I told him so. He said that my knees are not going to last very long if I don't take care of them. He said if I have to do stairs, do them that special slow way with one foot at a time. I said that my dog just had surgery and I have been carrying her up and down the stairs. He rolled his eyes. I didn't mean to be difficult. But. I don't want to be handicapped, which is a bad word these days - sorry, I meant physically challenged. He says my knees are swollen and my arthritis is advanced for my age...then he saw the psoriasis on my arms, and wondered if I have that condition which effects the joints in conjunction with the arthritis...he strongly recommended a dermatologist. pff, I don't mind a little bit of itching. But, it seems that when those two conditions go together, it can be more involved and other joints and organs can be affected. I am not liking this Getting Old stuff:)

So he said to go swimming alot. But guess what? I just want to sit here and cry and feel sorry for myself, even though the little niggly thought of It Could Be Worse, and Others Suffer Much More are trying to get my attention. I know that All Things Work Together For The Good For Those Who Love God. Yet, I still want to cry...perhaps not so much to feel sorry for myself as to mourn Life As I Knew It. I know, I know, I can substitute low-impact exercises and et-cetera. I know that. But walking up that Evil Hill is a glorious thing!

On the bright side, my blood pressure was only 102/60. Not too shabby. (I had worked out right before I showered and left, then took the stairs in the parking garage).

So. I am armed with a prescription for naproxen which I don't know whether I will fill or not...oh, the side effects! Isn't there some safe herbal supplement that will really combat the swelling?

Anyway...home to pick up Suzanne, who is eleven, and Sonja K., who is ten, to their eye appointments. We didn't feel like even looking around the mall afterwards, so we just left and headed to the grocery store. We got some already cooked chicken tenders to eat, we were starving hungry. I also got soap and dog treats and milk and chick peas and advocados and detergent and bread and chocolate chip cookies (not for me, of course). As we headed to McDonalds for a large decaf coffee for me, mostly because it was 11 degrees out, and a yogurt parfait, and some fries for the girls, of which I didn't snitch....then into a second grocery store which had Washington apples on sale for 99 cents a pound. They also had five ruby red grapefruit for $1.98, so I bought ten. I also bought potatoes and carrots and a roast and onions and frozen fish fillets and lots of bags of frozen veggies (we go through like four a day). Prices have gone up, so I try to go to different stores and get the specials...the girls were good sports, they didn't mind.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Put the groceries away, cut up a grapefruit, and up went my tired feet.

Kathryn and Evelyn were excellent babysitters. They made sure the little kids did their homework, and helped them do their Valentines. They helped Camille count out 100 Cheerios for her Hundred Day of School Party, which she seems to be included in even though she has only gone like 74 times. (when Jon had to do that, he counted out 25 matchbox cars...100 wheels!) Anyway, they were all tucked in and the remains of the frozen pizza they had for dinner, and the pan from their fries were still on the table. What a funny dinner, pizza and fries.

So I owe Kathryn and Evelyn a million bucks worth of thankfulness, and I will NOT mention the dirty pans. No sir.

The older kids came stomping in the door from working at the basketball game, then Paul got home from work, late. All are in bed now but Aaron, who is still at college.

Why am I staying up 'til midnight?

I will be sorry in the morning, which comes way too early.