DANG!

I'm up late tonight and decided to update my blog. I just wrote a long post and somehow lost it. I thought Blogger somehow saved it automatically, but then again I don't really know what I'm doing half the time. :) Perhaps it will reappear some day soon. For now, these few sentences will have to do. I give up and I'm going to bed. Tomorrow is another day. Betty

Up Late...

Forget what I just posted about losing what I wrote...I found it! Miracles do happen. Here's my nice long post for your reading enjoyment:

Can you tell? I'm up late tonight and decided to find my blog and write. It's been so long I couldn't remember my password. Good thing I keep a little box full of index cards on the desk with all my passwords neatly filed. I'm the most unorganized person in the world, but I can't live without passwords and had to find a system that would work for me.

My mind went completely blank a few weeks ago. I pulled up to the ATM machine and couldn't remember my password. I've had the same password for years. Fortunately, I sometimes send my son to the bank to get money for me, so I called him on my cell phone and asked him for the password. See why I worry?

I've been so good this week. I've walked every day. Today I walked almost four miles. Of course, I'm doing this inside the mall. Will it ever cool off here??? Right now it's after 11 at night and it's 81 degrees.

I'm hoping to drag my husband on a 10K walk on Saturday, but only if there's a break in the heat. It doesn't seem like fall at all. I really miss seeing the leaves turn pretty colors. I used to take it for granted when I lived in NJ, Virginia, and Oklahoma. The leaves here just shrivel up, turn brown, and fall to the ground.

I decorated the front porch with fake fall leaves and fake pumpkins. I gave up on real pumpkins years ago. They rot too quickly. When winter comes I'll decorate with fake snow. I enjoy sprinkling the fake stuff all over the porch. I fill buckets with styrofoam snow balls, prop up a sled, hang ice skates, and lean a snow shovel up against a wall. I probably have the only snow shovel in town. We brought it with us when we moved here in 1990.

Of course, Christmas Eve 2004 was one we'll never forget. It snowed! They said it was the first time it snowed in Houston on Christmas Eve in over 100 years. I believe it. We've lived here for all but two years since 1981 and all we've ever seen were a few flurries once or twice. It was quite a sight. Here's our house on Christmas Eve in the middle of the "blizzard."

Time Flies When You're Having Fun...

Yes, time has gotten away from me once again. Has it really been almost two months since I posted?

I've been busy doing nothing. My energy level is extremely low. It's hard to believe that it wasn't that long ago that I was walking five miles a day, five or six days a week. This past week I walked three miles, two days. The same the week before and I had to make myself do it. I used to love to walk. I'm tired all the time and I know I need to exercise in order to have energy. We've had a few cooler mornings where the humidity was down and it was nice to walk outside instead of in the mall.

Two weeks ago today my husband woke me up early in the morning with chest pains. I believe my exact words were, "Crap...I'm calling 9-1-1!" They were here within a few minutes and off he went to the emergency room. I called the kids and followed. After a few days in Intensive Care we learned that he had had a minor heart attack. Since he has genetically low cholesterol and good blood pressure readings they knew it had been caused by smoking. He has not had a cigarette since right before the chest pains hit. He told me today that he's always on edge and I overheard him tell my father that he'd like to smoke again, but knows that he can't smoke again. He had been smoking more than two cartons a week. Right now I have two cartons hidden. I confiscated them while he was in the hospital and told him that I gave them to a homeless person. Of course, I didn't because no one should be smoking. I guess I'll have a cigarette burning party while he's at work some day. At $45 a carton I'll be burning $90. The best money I'll ever waste.

My Dad had three appointments this week. He had a urinary track infection so I had to take him to the regular doctor, then he had his regularly scheduled appointment with the cardiologist, and then his hearing aid was making his ear sore so we had to take care of that too. It's really sad. He's getting more and more forgetful and sometimes doesn't even remember why he's going to these appointments. I also brought him over for three or four White Sox games in the evening this week. He sure loves those White Sox and really seems to concentrate on paying attention to the games. I am surprised at how much he can remember when it comes to baseball. I'm convinced that everyone needs to have a passion. You know that expression..."follow your passion." I can see where that's important. His interest in baseball probably helps mentally and I know it raises his spirits.

Our computer died and I was without one for a week. This new one is an adjustment and Windows Vista is a pain. For some reason whenever I click on the star for my favorite places the stupid circle thing (this is in place of the hour glass) keeps going around and around and my favorite places never appear. I usually end up clicking away the home page. I'm out of business without easy access to my favorite places and I can't figure out what's wrong. I bought one book on Windows Vista, but this problem isn't covered. I guess I'll have to find another book. And, my scanner won't scan now. It will do a pre-scan, but when I try and do the final scan it stops. It worked fine with Windows XP.

I was up until 3:00 AM this morning trying to transfer my E-mail accounts from Houston Road Runner to Comcast. I had no choice. Comcast bought out Houston Road Runner. They said it would take 15 minutes, but they wouldn't accept my password, I tried to call and kept getting disconnected, etc. I won't bore you with all the details, but it took two hours. The longest 15 minutes of my life.

On the bright side, tomorrow is a home game for the Houston Texans. We're playing the Colts, and I love going to the games. We missed the last home game due to my husband's heart attack. Actually, I was planning to go to the game even though he was in the hospital. I went by the hospital first and that's when the doctor came in and wanted to do angioplasty, so we stayed at the hospital instead. I'm worried about myself. I've become such a fan that I'm almost as bad as the men who tell their poor wives who are in labor that they can't take them to the hospital until after the game.

Time for bed. I want to get up early and get to the stadium before the crowd. My husband doesn't want to go too early...we'll discuss it in the morning. :)

I'm back....

I've been so busy since I returned from the Ginny Doll get together in Ohio. The weather was wonderful, the sky so blue, and we had so much fun. It was a nice break for me. There's so much stress in my life worrying about Dad and trying to keep up with things around the house. Some days I have no energy at all and the days are wasted. Escaping into Ginny's fantasy world was a welcomed change.

This year the theme was a park in the 1950's in Medford, MA. We set our dolls up in various themes. I put pictures up in my picturetrail album. It's www.picturetrail.com/bettymartin if you want to take a look. Here's a picture of the drive in. We all got to watch a 3-D movie!



It's done nothing but rain all summer. Once in a while we have a little sunshine, but at least with cloudy skies it keeps the heat down. In all the years we've lived in the Houston area I cannot remember a summer where we didn't have to water by now. Normally we start watering in April or May, but this year the sprinkler has pretty much gone unused.

I bought a new contact lens case at Target and used it for the first time. Yesterday morning when I opened the case I discovered that the lid had taken off a piece of my one lens. It's ruined! I had been to the eye doctor on July 3rd and they ordered new lenses, but they're not in yet!!! I've got very bad vision and actually see better with contacts. I don't even like to drive with glasses, so now I'm up the creek without an ore...so to speak. I do have one old pair that I kept for an emergency, but they're very uncomfortable and can only be worn for a short time. I'm going to be sticking close to home until the new ones come in.

I guess this post will go without a title. For some reason Blogger won't let me post a title today. I've reloaded the page a few times to see if that would help, but I'm in a hurry and can't fool with it any longer.

I leave first thing tomorrow morning for my annual doll get together in Ohio. My flight is at 6:35 AM...GROAN! I am not a morning person. I'm really looking forward to this trip. We'll play dolls the entire time. This year our theme is Medford Park in the 1950's and we will set our dolls up in scenes that depict the theme. In the past we've done Medford Mall at Christmas, Ginny Ambassadors, Medford Lodge, etc. If you'd like to take a look I have pictures posted at www.picturetrail.com/bettymartin.

I'd better get back to packing. Betty

Where have the days gone...

Where have the days gone??? It's been a while since I last blogged, but Dad comes over here to watch the White Sox on the computer most evenings and if I'm busy during the day I don't get online. I stayed up until 3:00 AM this morning trying to catch up on old E-mails and board posts.

The doll show last weekend was very nice. We had a long drive, but it was fun. I was exhausted on Sunday and Monday, but have since bounced back. I did get quite a bit of exercise in this past week. Between my exercise tape and walking three miles at the mall I thought I did pretty well. I hope to walk this evening in the park...if the rain holds off. Anyway, I didn't spend too much at the doll show. I got a AA teenage doll and a little no name doll wearing a Vogue repro Ginny dress. I passed on quite a few things. I saw some vintage Ginny Doll clothes, but I have a whole pile of clothes waiting to be washed and mended. Until I catch up I'm not spending any more. Here are my two doll show dolls (in the middle) surrounded by some of my past purchases.



I enjoy my dolls. They're a wonderful escape and bring me much joy. Of course, I have to put up with a lot of teasing by family members, but that's OK.

This past week Dad fell twice and has seemed so much more confused at times. I'm really concerned about what the future holds. We went out to lunch today to his favorite place, Red Lobster. He loves steamed lobsters and one of the waiters came over and made a big fuss over him. This waiter has waited on him in the past and my father enjoyed the special attention that he gave him. It's funny how something so simple can make a big difference in someone's day. I was grateful to that waiter for the kindness he showed to an old man.

Thursday...

I've made a lot of progress on the Car Hop outfit since last Saturday. I should be done shortly. Thank goodness. It ended up not being as bad as I thought.

On Saturday I'm going to a doll show in Austin with some friends. It's around a 3+ hour drive each way. I'm going to have to get up very, very early...GROAN. I am not a morning person. I also don't need to be spending money on dolls right now. I just got back from the Fire Flies Convention earlier this month and in July I go to Ohio for the Ginny Doll thing.

Tommorow I have to take Dad back to the hearing aid place. We were just there last Friday to have his aids checked, but he has since lost one of them. We've searched his apartment, laundry, etc., and this time it's gone for good. I'm afraid he might have thrown it away with the old battery. He's also lost two room keys in the last week. I feel very sorry for him. He realizes how confused and forgetful he is at times and it weighs heavily on him mind. I try and tell him that he's still doing pretty well for someone his age. I was recently reading that there's a very promising drug for Alzheimer's in drug trials right now. If things continue to go along well they think the FDA might fast track this drug and it will be available in about a year. I think that will be too late for Dad. His memory has been declining rapidly the last nine months. For a number of years it seemed to progress very slowly, but not anymore. Most of the time he's pretty happy. He has a girlfriend at the assisted living facility and enjoys his time with her. So, in spite of the difficulties I think he still has a good quality of life at 88 and I'm thankful for that and hope and pray he'll be around for a good long while.

Saturday...

Saturday...and I'm trying to tie up some loose ends. I go to a Ginny Doll get together in Ohio in July. Each year we have a theme. One year it was a mall at Christmas, another year a county fair, etc. This year it's a park in the 1950's. Each of us will contribute to the park and we also make little gifts for one another. It's a lot of fun, but it takes time to get ready. This year we're supposed to dress up like one of our Ginny Dolls in the 1950's. Well, I got this brain storm and decided to dress up as the Car Hop Ginny. I bought a pattern and the fabric months ago, but I'm just now starting to sew. Of course, I'm having trouble figuring the pattern out. If I ever get the collar on the shirt it will be a miracle. The directions might as well have been written in Greek. Perhaps it's because I haven't sewn anything like this since 8th grade Home Ec. back in the year of the flood. I decided to take a break and mess on the computer for a few minutes. I'm hoping the directions will make more sense after my break.

A friend sent me some links to other Blogs. This caught my eye. If you're feeling a little blah this is a great pick me up! I hope this works. It didn't appear correctly in the preview but I'm hoping everything will be OK when it's published.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=92c_1181837281

OK...I give up. Use the link above instead. For some reason the embed code for Blogs won't work.

Chatty Cathy Dolls...

I thought I'd post a picture of a couple of my Chatty Cathy Dolls. This picture was taken in the Springtime when the Bluebonnets were all in bloom. This is Texas at it's best. It almost makes up for no beautiful foliage in the Fall (which I miss terribly). I made the outfits that my Chattys are wearing.

Busy Day...

It was a busy day. Dad had a 12:30 appointment for an ultra-sound. That meant he'd miss lunch at assisted living, so I picked him up at 11:00 and we went to one of his favorite places for lunch. There are only two places he likes...Red Lobster and Ellie's. Ellie's is a Greek place in town and they serve lamb shanks which he enjoys. So, we went to Ellie's first, then the doctor's office for the ultra-sound, the bank for cash, the mall, and finally to the gas station for gas. Most of these places involved getting Dad in and out of the car. That's become quite a production. I usually end up dropping Dad at the door and parking the car. Then I have to reverse that procedure when we're leaving. Unfortunately, the automatic door lock on the passenger side of my car doesn't work, so I have to climb into the car on the driver's side and manually unlock the passenger door. Then I have to help Dad in (or out) and fold up the walker (or do the reverse) and put it in the car (or take it out). Of course, this part of Texas is hot and humid 99.9% of the time (or so it seems) and I was dripping wet with sweat. No kidding, it was running down my face. Don't get my wrong. I am so grateful that my Dad is still here and I'm able to spend time with him. It's just that I'm getting older myself and wearing out. By the time I got home I was exhausted.

The trip to the mall was to Godiva to get a box of milk chocolates for Amy. He called a little while ago and told me that he and Amy each had a piece this afternoon. They meet each day at 3:00 for the ice cream social and I guess that's when he gave her the candy. He really enjoys having a girl friend at 88. He's so happy. It even makes him forget that his beloved Chicago White Sox aren't doing very well this year. :)

Dad...

My Dad has lived near me in assisted living for just about a year now. He didn't want to move from NJ and assumed he'd hate assisted living, but was pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, his memory has gotten a lot worse and he recently had to have carotid artery surgery which ended up leading to a 2 1/2 week hospitalization. He's on the mend now and is going for physical therapy to help build up his strength. He now walks with a walker which may or may not be permanent. Here's a picture of my husband and Dad shortly before he was released from the hospital. In spite of everything he still looks pretty good for 88.

He's also fallen in love. Right before his hospitalization he asked Amy to marry him. She's 91. Her daughter objected and did not want her mother to marry, so there won't be a wedding. However, they're still a couple around the assisted living facility and spend time together. He enjoys sending her flowers. He does it the only way he knows how. He calls the florist in NJ where he still has an account and orders flowers for Amy here in Texas. Of course, there are florists right in town, but Dad always used the same florist in NJ and that's the only way he knows how to do it. That means it costs more, but I think it's important for him to be able to handle these things himself and it's gotten very difficult to teach him new things, so I don't say anything. His memory loss has already given his self esteem a blow and sending Amy flowers makes him feel so good. He told me last night that Amy likes milk chocolate, so I'm sure we'll be making a trip to Godiva shortly.

A Couple Of My Favorite Vintage Ginny Dolls...

And here's a photo of a couple of my favorite vintage Ginny Dolls.

Pictures...

I've had a request for photos. (Thank you, Loretta.) I find my doll hobby very relaxing...a real stress reliever. I enjoy setting my dolls up in scenes. Recently I saw somone refer to their scenes as vignettes. A fancy word for scenes, but sounds so much better. Here is one of my "vingnettes" from last Thanksgiving.

Sharing...

I've been following this website every spring for the last four or five years. A pair of Peregrine Falcons has been nesting on the top of an office building in Jersey City, NJ. There's a live webcam so you can follow all the action. This year there were four eggs, but only three hatched. Within the next two or three weeks they'll be learning to fly. They recently figured out how to leave the nest box, so they're not always in camera view. Be sure and read the Newbox News. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/peregrinecam/

Time To Update...

I can see where I need to update my profile. I'm a year older now and I don't want anyone accusing me of trying to make myself appear younger. I've also lost some elderly pets this past year and adopted a couple of new ones. OK...I'm on my way over to the profile area to make the necessary changes.

I see there's been some changes...

I see there's been some changes since my last visit many, many months ago. I guess Google now owns Blogger? Anyway, I'm all set up with my Google account and password. I'm posting this now to see if it works. :)