Frog Collectibles & Other Such Nonsense

Going, Going, Gone

2012-01-25T19:56:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post to let you know that I will begin heading to Frog East! I will try to keep you up to date as to what is happening, but posting may be a little more erratic than normal!

Frog of the Day

2012-01-23T10:18:00.000-06:00

Today's frog collectible is a fun one - it's from a company called Kawada and the product is called Nanoblock. The are miniature little building blocks and this package is called Tree Frog. So let's begin - here is the package.

When you open the package and the smaller packets inside, you find the pieces to begin working on your tree frog - lots and lots of little, tiny pieces....lol!

After about a half hour or so - here is my first attempt at making the little tree frog from Nanoblocks (pay no attention to the extra pieces!).

All in all a fun little collectible that I found on Fab.com. I purchased these in November 2011. I bought two of these - one to play with and one to put away.

SOPA

2012-01-18T08:58:00.000-06:00

Nothing new today. If I actually was computer savvy I would take the site down for the day in support of those who are bringing attention to the SOPA bill currently being considered in congress. It's a bill that over-reaches in the attempt to stop on-line piracy. Yes there is a problem with pirated movies that should be taken care of in a responsible manner. The current Stop On-line Piracy Act would shut down sites that link to a site that has copyrighted material. If I put up a link to a story about a new frog being discovered, the latest frog item I think you have to have, or a cute little frog cartoon - this site could be should down. But it gets worse. Because my site is hosted by blogger.com - they could be shut down too. The SOPA bill is overkill to the extreme. Call your congressman and senator and tell him to vote NO on SOPA.

January Thunderstorm

2012-01-17T15:58:00.001-06:00

This morning about 2 a.m. Gertie and I were awoken to the distant sound of thunder. Gertie's not totally afraid of thunder, but she doesn't trust it. She sat there with her eyes wide open, a little grrr each time the window filled with the flash of lightning and the inevitable roll of thunder. Needless to say it got worse - a lot worse. By about 3 a.m. the thunder and lightning was pretty constant and the rain was coming down hard. By 7 this morning the low lying lawn areas were thoroughly flooded. Of course the internet and cable were down for most of the day as a result. Today was a good day for getting back under the covers and sleeping in. Gertie was fine with that for about an hour - then it was play time.

The plumber showed up today. He thought he had been here in October to clean the furnace. Nope - he was here months earlier to clean the air conditioning. Oh well. My furnace got a good clean and he fixed the humidifier on it for now. Looks like there's a bit of work in the future to remedy a situation going bad. All I know is that right now I'm getting sick off the fumes of the oil he used to clean the furnace!

Gertie and I have about an hour before the Schwan's man arrives. I wasn't going to order from him this time since I'll soon be looking to head east for a week. But since I'm not sure which day I'll be leaving I decided to get a few necessities to hold me over. This last week I've been cleaning out my freezer of all the little bits of this and that.

Now for a quick afternoon nap.....

Happy Birthday to fellow frog blogger!!

2012-01-12T23:49:00.000-06:00

The day is almost over, but I didn't want it to pass without sending a big Happy Hoppy Birthday to a fellow frog blogger - Ann. She runs the Frog Pondering Blog - check the link in the right hand side. She has some great frog finds! (The original 1983 Kermit the Frog Telephone - for which I am totally jealous!!).

Hope your day was a great one Ann!

January Flu

2012-01-11T10:31:00.000-06:00

I don't know who has been sicker this last week - Gertie or me. We've both been under the weather. I started with a headache last Thursday that did nothing but get worse by the day. By Sunday I was in bed, down for the count! Gertie didn't seem to feel any better as all she wanted to do was curl up next to me and whimper. Yesterday the stomach cramps seemed to slow down a bit and today I still have the headache but it's no longer feels like my eyes and brains are pounding out of my head. All the nice weather we've been having here and I finally start to feel better just as the snow hits! lol Just my luck!

Frog of the Day

2012-01-04T15:37:00.001-06:00

Radko - Branch Hopper, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's been back to the same old routine here at Frog Central. I've been on a cleaning kick and this place is getting the once over from top to bottom. It's a pain, but I love how the place looks when I'm done. Maybe I'm pushing the spring cleaning just a bit.....

This frog collectible is a Christopher Radko ornament and it is big! It is called Branch Hopper and I was able to pick this up at a Radko 50% off after-Christmas sale. A great way to add to your Radko collection! Remember not to display them in direct sunlight and please do not wash them - the paint will come off! I received this today, January 4th, 2012.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T10:55:00.001-06:00

Gertie, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It has been so busy around here - first he puts up a tree but I'm not allowed to pee on it, then all these lights and decorations. And then I bark to tell him I hear noises but I'm told to settle down and when we wake up in the morning all these presents for me are under the tree! And then things settle down for a day or two only to stay up what seems like all night - but I got a treat at midnight! Whew! I've got to go take a nap. ~ Gertie

Happy New Years Everyone ~ Ken

Christmas

2011-12-27T13:27:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a good Christmas. Gertie and I spent a quiet day here at Frog Central. Santa showed up and brought Gertie a brand new toy fox that has a couple of squeakers in it. She loves the squeakers! As with most kids, it was the favorite toy of the day, but yesterday she was back to her favorite bone shaped toy that she loves to play fetch with. We found her ball recently and just when she starts to wind down from playing she grabs that ball and off we go again.

For Christmas dinner, I had finally found a Paula Deen crunchy glaze ham. It was 9 pounds! It is delicious. I've been eating ham twice a day and do not care one bit. I took all the ham off the bone and put the bone and quite a bit of meat into the freezer. I'm sure I'll be putting more into the freezer in the next couple of days. In the meantime I am enjoying it. I had to drive two hours to get the ham - I had called the store the night before and they told me they only had one left and the guy on the phone said he would reserve it for me. I left out first thing in the morning and got there to find a bin full of my favorite ham - so I bought two! I put one into the freezer for Easter or whenever.

My poor Schwan's guy is going to get the short end this next week. I haven't eaten much of anything so I'm afraid my order will be very light - some breakfast items are about it. I had a pretty heavy order last time so I don't think he'll be too upset. I would normally be visiting The Eastern Frogatorium for the holidays, but the fact that I had spent over 5 months there last year, I just wanted some quiet time at home. I should be headed there this next month, but just for a day or two.

So now it's on to New Year's Eve! Hope everyone has a good time. If you drink, don't drive. I have a beautiful bottle of Frog Wine that I plan on opening for the occasion. I'll probably be in bed long before the drops here in central time. That's the nice thing about living in the central time zone. I'll still be able to enjoy all the partying and see the ball drop and all that - and still be in bed shortly after 11! Happy New Year!

The Christmas Rush

2011-12-20T10:42:00.001-06:00

It's been a busy time here at Frog Central. Miss Gertie and I have been decking the halls and tasting the eggnog, making sure everything is just right.

Gertie and I want to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.

We're going to take a little break here at Frog Central and enjoy the company of family and friends. But we'll be back with a whole new batch of frogs knocking at the collection door, ready to come on in after the holidays. Enjoy and have a safe and hoppy time!

Frog of the Day

2011-12-13T11:13:00.001-06:00

Hamilton - Crystal Love & Comfort, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's a cold and dreary day here at Frog Central. Gertie and I didn't want to get up this morning! She slept until almost 7:30 - that made me very happy. Of course now I'm about a half hour late on the whole day but I'll live with it.

This frog collectible is from Hamilton Collection. This is from the Hope Hops Here Art Glass Collection and is called Crystal Love and Comfort. As always, these pieces come with a certificate of authenticity and are limited edition. This piece is numbered 51. I received this December 2010.

Weekend Dog Blogging

2011-12-10T21:32:00.001-06:00

Gertie, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Gertie! Cute as ever, sitting under my desk at my feet. She's curled up there on my right foot as I write. She's been doing pretty good lately. She has not had any further seizures.

Her picture in my flickr stream gets so many views. I put this one into the stream and by the time I went to write this there were already 10 views. She often gets 20 to 30 views - and that's a lot in the flickr world.

It's been cold here at Frog Central and Gertie loves being outside in this weather - she would like it more if there was snow on the ground! We are so different in that regards....

Frog of the Day

2011-12-07T08:20:00.001-06:00

Hamilton - A Hope for Hope, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Gertie and I have been inside enjoying the climate controlled temperature of 73 degrees. It's a lot better than stepping outside into the 20 degrees with a north-west wind whipping along. Can I say I miss summer already.....

This frog collectible is very enjoyable! It is from Hamilton Collection and part of their Hopping for Hope collection. This is the first issue called A Hop for Hope. The designer for this collection is Margaret Le Van. This is another line by Hamilton that promotes breast cancer awareness and a portion of each sale goes to research. This is a limited edition piece. Each one is numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity. This piece is numbered 2068.

Feeling Old Today

2011-12-06T13:15:00.001-06:00

I'm feeling a bit old today - I received my AARP card and welcome packet. A friend tells me to embrace it - that now I'm old I can say anything and get away with it. Problem with that is that is exactly what I've been doing for years! lol

The weather here has taken a nasty turn the last couple of days. First it rained for two days straight and flooded everything (and knocked out my cable, as usual) then it froze. Today's high might make it to 36 degrees. Overnight it was down in the 20's and supposed to be there again tonight. I took my trash to the curb earlier and slip and slid the whole way there.

Today is Schwan's delivery day. I can't tell you how much I love that service. I've enjoyed every meal I've made and it really isn't all that expensive if you follow the portion sizes. I would say it's great for 1 person. If you had a family to feed it might get a bit cost prohibitive. For me, it's worked out great. I also got an order from Alice.com, which I use for non-perishables and some snack foods. I now can get pretty much everything delivered. Now I just need to find someplace that delivers butter, eggs, and Pam. You don't realize how much you miss the ease of Pam until you don't have any and your using oil on the griddle to make pancakes. I used to watch my grandmother cook and she had a big coffee can filled with bacon grease that she would take out of the fridge and put on one end of this great big griddle. When the griddle was hot and the grease liquified she would start cooking pancakes. A little oil, swirl it around on the grill, drop a pancake. It's amazing that kids today probably wouldn't know how to do that. If it wasn't a non-stick pan with a squirt of Pam they'd probably give up and starve!

Here's hoping that you've finished all your Christmas shopping. I'm making a list today and thankfully I do all my shopping on line and hope to do it all tomorrow. Have a great day!

Frog of the Day

2011-12-01T15:25:00.001-06:00

Hamilton Collection - Leopard Frog, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's been a couple of really cold days here at Frog Central. Snow even flew for a little bit. Thankfully it's a bit warmer today - and we're supposed to be in the mid-50's by the weekend.

This frog collectible is from The Hamilton Collection and is part of their Adopt a Frog Figurine Collection. This is Leopard Frog. This limited edition piece is numbered 1342A. Hamilton has come out with a lot of frogs over the last year - and I've collected most of them. They make a nice addition to the collections. I received this Christmas 2010 (yes, I know I'm behind! lol).

Frog of the Day

2011-11-28T12:19:00.001-06:00

Boston Warehouse - Frog Timer, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's been so dreary here that it's been hard getting good pictures. Today it is a little brighter outside - of course it could be the snow! We're not supposed to get accumulation - but the fact is - it's snowing!

This frog collectible makes a nice addition to the frog kitchen items. It's a frog timer from the Boston Warehouse Trading Corp. It was made in China. It was recently on sale on Fab.com which is where I got mine. I received it last week - November 2011. It is quite heavy and has a nice, loud ribbit - er, ring.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T17:09:00.001-06:00

By now you should be stuffed with turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, mashed potatoes, and pie. I'm thankful for all my readers and continued new frogs I receive. Now Gertie and I are going to settle down and watch a little television and probably take a little nap!

Frog of the Day

2011-11-19T09:29:00.001-06:00

Elvis Frog Trinket Box, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Feeling better and am ready to rock and roll - and who better to get me in the groove than Elvis Frog? lol

This frog collectible is an Elvis Frog Trinket Box. It was manufactured in China. It is very heavy - possibly because it's made out of lead. A cute little piece to add to the collection of little frog trinket boxes. I received this December 2010.

Under the Weather

2011-11-15T09:17:00.001-06:00

Not sure why they call it that - I mean we are always under the weather. I guess if we were in an airplane 24/7, flying high, then we could say we were not under the weather. Or an astronaut. But here I am, under the weather a/k/a sick. It started coming on last Friday - each day getting a bit worse. Voila, the bug has arrived and made itself home in my system. So excuse my lack of posts while I go crawl back under the comforter with my Hall's cough drops and Vicks vapo-rub. They are my closest friends at the moment......

Frog of the Day

2011-11-09T11:18:00.001-06:00

NYCityLimits - Frog Tape Dispenser, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Yep, a new frog! It's been a strange few days around here at Frog Central. Earl's much smaller cousin appeared in the yard yesterday afternoon which banned Gertie from going outside for quite some time. Skunks out in the daytime is bad news - because they usually only do that when they are rabid. Gertie's had her shots, but I don't want to take any chances. He eventually wondered off and things were able to return to normal. Earl himself has been absent - not that I'm complaining. That's a situation I hope continues!

In other Gertie news, she hasn't had another seizure - thank goodness. We've slipped back into a routine of morning playtime and then I work on genealogy. The genealogy seems to take up most of my day. I'm about 200 pages into the book and it's coming together. I hope to be done - or as done as I'm going to get - soon.

This frog I received yesterday, November 8, 2011. It is from NYCityLimits and is a Frog Tape Dispenser. I have several frog tape dispensers but I really liked this one. It is made of plastic, but with a weighted base. It has a felt pad on the base to protect your desk. The high-gloss finish is pretty cool and it's in my second favorite frog color - blue. A nice addition to the collection

Time Flies

2011-11-02T18:21:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it's Wednesday already. Each day seems to fly by so quickly. I've been busy with my genealogy research - and hopefully am almost finished with the particular line that I've been working on - I hope. About 277 pages of information!

Gertie has been doing really well. Today has been delivery day - first the UPS man brought 3 boxes. The mailman brought another 2. I still have a couple boxes to come yet - I really need to stop ordering things on-line! My trash on Tuesday's is nothing but boxes any more.

The temperatures have turned much colder. Thankfully the snow missed here that blanketed the east coast. All we got from it was rain. I know it's only a matter of time though! I suppose I should think about making some dinner. Not sure what I'm going to have - just a little something. I'm tired and I'd rather be crawling into bed - it gets dark early and seems to be dark when I get up in the morning. I guess that will all change this next weekend when we set the clocks back this next weekend.

Friday Dog Blogging

2011-10-28T13:47:00.001-05:00

Gertie, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's been a long week for Gertie. She's tired of my constant watch over her - and thankfully she's not had another seizure. A trend I hope continues.

One of her favorite places to hang out is on the ramp. Often times when she wants to go out - it's just to stand on the ramp and watch traffic and people go by. I took her out a bit ago and I had just grabbed my new camera to take some pictures when she saw a squirrel - which meant she had to come back inside! She must think that running away is lulling them into a false sense of security so they'll come even closer and she'll be able to catch one - or she's a big scaredy-cat!

A Scary 24 Hours

2011-10-22T09:35:00.001-05:00

Thursday night I was watching the late, late show and thinking about heading off to bed. Gertie was nestled in my lap sound asleep, putting off heat like a blast furnace as usual. All of the sudden Gertie got up and looked as if she wanted to turn over but he head was shaking like mad, eyes rolling in her head, and her legs went stiff as a board. For the next two and half minutes My emotions swung back and forth like an annoying kid with a light switch. I went from being scared out of my wits for what was happening to Gertie to wanting to burst out in tears for the thought I was losing her. The whole time trying to stay calm and reassure her that she was going to be alright. Gertie was having a seizure. When it was over she collapsed in my arms and for the next hour or so she just slept. If I tried to wake her up her eyelids opened but immediately closed - as if to say don't bother me right now.

The vet tells me there are usually two reasons a dog has a seizure out of the blue like that - and while he tried to reassure me - I knew I wasn't going to like either one. It's strange that you hope your dog has epilepsy. But that's what I'm hoping. Because the alternative is a brain tumor - and I think we all know where that one will end up. So Gertie was on a 24 hour watch - another seizure would have been grave news I was told. Thankfully she has been her usual self since, wanting to play and generally seeing how many times she could crawl into my lap - and yesterday it was as much as she wanted. The vet says that sometimes a dog will have one seizure and never have another - that's my prayer. If she does have epilepsy there are medications for it - albeit with lots of side effects. That's a bridge we'll cross when and if the time comes.

Frog of the Day

2011-10-20T10:56:00.001-05:00

Frog Reading Sculpture, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

I finally got the battery in my camera and figured out how to turn it on! I've spent all morning but I got a picture - lol. Today the temperatures dropped into the 40's and so I sat here at my desk with Gertie curled up on my feet. I've got warm toes!

This frog collectible is a Frog Reading Sculpture and was made in India. It is made out metal, but quite light. It is 10 1/2 inches long and 3 inches high. I received this December 2010/January 2011.

Falling Apart

2011-10-19T10:39:00.000-05:00

I turned 50 last week and falling apart this week! LOL Yesterday I went to stand up, just stand up, and pulled the tendon in my lower left leg. Ugh! Extremely painful! Last night I had to hobble to the curb to set out trash. I might have let it go a week but there was quite a bit - a giant box filled with 3 or 4 other boxes (that had smaller boxes in them - I get way too much stuff delivered at this house! lol) plus a big bag. So about halfway down the drive to the curb I'm hobbling along when my back gave out. And as Dave Letterman often shouts - And down goes Frasier! I honestly don't know how I made it on down the drive and back into the house - sheer will I guess. I collapsed in the chair and waited for the pain to subside a bit. I was just about feeling like I could breathe again when Gertie decided that she had to jump on me with one of her favorite toys ready to play. When I regained consciousness I decided to give up and go to bed!

Shopping

2011-10-17T09:26:00.001-05:00

With my knees as bad as they are, it's tough to get out to go grocery shopping - so I end up buying whatever I can on-line. Recently I found Schwans for really good quality frozen food delivery. I went searching this morning for a site that sold the ancillary stuff - toilet paper, toothpaste, dog food, etc. I came across the site called Alice.com and I highly recommend it to anyone. Like many sites it takes a bit to get it all set up with your favorites but oh, how wonderful when it's all set up. The prices are almost the same as if you went to the grocery store - and for several of the products I purchased - IT WAS CHEAPER!! And manufacturer coupons are built right in. And wait for it - FREE SHIPPING. It arrives in 1 to 2 days directly to your door. I'm in heaven. I purchased all the non-food items on my grocery list, paid 38 dollars and it will arrive right to my door free of charge in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Hope you had a good weekend. Gertie and I spent as much time outdoors as possible because it will probably be the last nice warm weekend - almost 90 degrees here yesterday! Today we're going to be in the 60's and dropping into the 50's after that for the rest of the week - with overnight lows in the 30's. Now that's cold!

I finally got my new camera and am currently trying to figure out how to put the giant battery into this tiny little camera - lol. I'm gong to take some test shots today and then we should be ready, set, go!

Half a century, Columbus Day, and News

2011-10-14T08:13:00.000-05:00

Columbus Day used to fall on October 12th. Always. No matter what day of the week it landed on. That made my birthday special - I was born on Columbus Day and every year parades were thrown all over the country in my honor (at least that's what I told myself - I wonder what kids who are born on Christmas tell themselves! - Some guy gives out presents to the whole world in honor of me! LOL) Anyway, the holiday was changed to land on a Monday. And Columbus is controversial. So I no longer say I was born on Columbus Day.

Half a century, the big 5-0. Or as I call it - just another day. The big traumatic birthday for me was 29 - I was on my way to 30 and life as I new it was over. Then I hit 30 and it was o.k. Now each year comes and goes and I'm happy with each and every one and each day inbetween. Cranky as hell - often. A total curmudgeon - guilty. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

So if you've been missing the frogs - don't despair. As you may remember my camera broke. I decided to buy a new one for my birthday and it will be here soon. A Panasonic 14.something mega-something something something. Sounds fancy and I'm sure I'll need a day or two to figure out all the bells and whistles - but I'm hoping for better pictures with the higher MP's. Then the box of frogs I have sitting here can be put up - who knows. If the pictures are great I might have to start re-shooting some of the earlier ones - we'll see.

A lot of time has been devoted to the book this last week. I've gotten lots of new information to put in it. This thing's never going to press! Hopefully another year - maybe two. Time to get this day started.....

Paper Problems Post Script

2011-10-09T14:07:00.002-05:00

Did I get a paper Thursday - Yes, but only because I called at 4 p.m. just to be sure that I was going to get one. I wasn't. They told me I hadn't paid my bill. Which was a lie. I told them the date the check was given to them and the date (almost an entire month earlier) that they cashed it and it was posted on my account as paid. After a brief time on hold they came back and said that they had just my first name and not my last so they didn't know who the payment belonged to. I called them on the bullshit and said I better have a paper or my money. About 10 minutes later a knock on my door and it was a delivery person with my newspaper. The drama is over - thank goodness.

I started laughing hysterically when I opened the door to let out Gertie Friday morning. There in the little metal hoops underneath my mailbox was another copy of the newspaper from the regular delivery person. Oh well - and there was no news in the paper worth relaying.

Paper Problems

2011-10-05T16:57:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday I didn't get a newspaper. Of course, you can't call and complain that you didn't get a newspaper until after 5 o'clock. They told me that was to be sure that the carrier had time to get around. Unfortunately what they neglect to say is that after 5 o'clock the office is closed and so it does absolutely no good at all to call at 5 o'clock. And I can tell you it does no good to call at 4:55 either. They may be there but they aren't picking up the phone! So yesterday again, no paper. We only get a paper twice a week - missing a day is missing half a week's news! So now I'm a bit hot under the collar. I took my blood pressure medicine and had all my facts and figures laid out in front of me and dialed the number of the office.

Now the person who takes care of such matters is the circulation office. And from what I've been able to glean from the number of phone calls to the office - only one person works in the circulation office and is on a permanent break. No matter what time you call to talk with the circulation office - a message has to be taken and they'll get back to you. Which they never do.

And that was what happened again today. I spoke with a gentleman who I'm convinced has smelled way too much printer's ink. After about five minutes he had my name and phone number and my complaint. Then he offers to bring out the two papers that I have missed. Jokingly I said who wants to read yesterday's news? To which he hung up. I hope I get a newspaper tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath...

A Cool Weekend

2011-10-03T07:44:00.001-05:00

The temperatures here at Frog Central have turned much cooler - into the 30's and 40's overnight. Brrr! Over the weekend I wasn't feeling the greatest and all I wanted to do was stay in bed with the covers pulled up under my chin. Gertie did not appreciate that sentiment at all. Yesterday was the St. Stephens annual barbeque. I'm not catholic but they have the best chicken barbeque fundraiser and I look forward to it every year. You don't even get out of your car - just drive by and pick it up. Usually there is a line of cars waiting for two blocks. This year it was empty. The number on my ticket was 633 - I'm not sure if that's how many dinners they sold or not. And no dessert this year. Too bad. All the good events seem to be going down hill lately. Something else to blame on the economy I guess.

I drove by the ice cream place on the way home and picked up some nachos to have with my chicken. Yes, this town is very weird - the ice cream place sells nachos. Just like our bakery sells everything but baked goods. The ice cream place on the other end of town - all of a one minute drive in heavy traffic - sells great BBQ beef sandwiches and hot dogs. As I said, this town is a bit weird.

The big news for October other than my birthday is the town Halloween parade. It's the largest event and the whole town turns out. The theme this year is super heroes. I can only imagine what type of floats they'll come up with. Late summer and early Fall is parade time here. We've already had the Senior's parade, Homecoming parade, Senior's parade, Children's parade, and about a dozen others. Every time I have to drive through town it seems the one street is blocked off for another parade. And yes we have one main street that runs through town. Something my grandmother would have called a one-horse town. lol

The book has been going great - 4 chapters are now done. The 5th has already brought some challenges and a new family with about 70 descendant's to add. Genealogy is a lot of fun but it can be very frustrating. Back to work.....

A little hump day Dog Blogging

2011-09-28T13:10:00.001-05:00

Gertie, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

I've been remiss in not putting up some pictures of Gertie, so thought I'd remedy that today. She loves her toys and keeps them all in a pile near my chair. When it's time to play she looks them all over and picks out the one she wants to play with.

Today a big box arrived and in it was some new toys. She received 4 different versions of these Squeeki Tikis. She gets one at a time - there are a bunch of toys put away for when her present ones wear out.

Like with all toys you have to watch them - this one is a high squeeker and she's figured out that on the end the little white button that sticks out is the squeeker and she wants to chew on it. So this one is a high watcher and constant reinforcement not to chew on it.

Otherwise, like all new toys, it has become her instant favorite!

Post Doctor's Visit Running Around

2011-09-26T13:26:00.004-05:00

A lot has happened since my doctor's visit. My vitamin B12 supplements are not working and I have to go back on the monthly injections. I go for my first one tomorrow. It's an on-going problem. No wonder I can't lose a pound! I'm also looking at the list of doctor's trying to get up the nerve to call and schedule a colonoscopy. I'm not worried about test results - it's actually the preparation for the test. I watched my dad go through it - I figure I'll have to kennel Gertie because the porcelain throne and I will have a date for the evening. LOL

I've been working diligently on the book. Chapter 4 (of 7) is almost done. Hurray! I'll be so happy when this book is done and off my desk. Then I'll be on to something else - like always! Let's get this week started....

Hobbits

2011-09-21T08:56:00.001-05:00

It was this day in 1937 that J.R.R. Tolkien released There and Back Again or as it is commonly known The Hobbit. I first read this book as a teenager and about every 5 years or so I like to pick it up and re-read it. I don't do that with many books, but this one has stayed with me and I find it quite enjoyable.

Today is doctor appointment day and I know she's going to suggest a colonoscopy now that I'm turning 50. Ugh! I know you have to do it, but it just doesn't sound good at all.

In other news, I'm glad that this weather has moderated to an enjoyable 70's during the day. I have had my air conditioner off for a while. My electric bill will thank me! Sometimes in the afternoon it gets a bit warm so I'll turn it on for an hour or so - not bad at all.

I can't say enough about some of the food I receive from my Schwan's delivery. Last night I had their spicy chicken - delicious!

A Day of Peace and Quiet

2011-09-18T17:56:00.003-05:00

It's been a busy couple of days. The woodsmen were here chopping down some trees. Actually, a tree service with gigantic chain saws and a boat load of trucks! A total of 4 trees came down. I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but it actually looks nice. Today it has been nice not to hear chain saws or the beep-beep of the trucks. Gertie and I have spent the day going from one nap to another! Things might get a little noisier this next week if the stump removal guys show up!

A rough couple of day

2011-09-14T08:16:00.003-05:00

Gertie and I are staying in bed today! We've had a couple of rough days with people coming and going. I'm upset over the loss of my beautiful shrubs. I have 4 of my hibiscus plants left of the original dozen. The workmen were here for two days to fix the neighbors sewer lines, using both their driveway and mine. Thankfully that fiasco is over with. Over the next two weeks the giant tree right outside my door will also be gone. It was struck by lightning this last summer and I really fear falling branches this winter. There have already been several very large branches that have come down. One that if it had hit the house would have done major damage. That will leave me with 4 trees. And there's a possibility three of them will also go. They are small trees and all have major problems. So better to take them down now before they become big trees with major problems. The landscape here is changing drastically and I'm not sure I'm totally happy about it. I'm hoping in the spring I'll be able to plant a couple of miniature fruit trees. That would make this all worth it.

Another roofer is supposed to be here today to give an estimate for a new roof. Gertie may have to go on a holiday for a couple of days. All that pounding would drive her nuts! Maybe I can go with her......

The temperatures here were in the 90's yesterday and in the 60's today. From the air conditioning to the heat! LOL Only what, 9 days left of summer. The seasons change and we better be able to keep up.

Losing my shubbery

2011-09-12T17:20:00.002-05:00

Today I lost 3 of my giant hibiscus hedge bushes. It was quite sad to see them get ripped out and tossed aside. They were over the sewage lines and the neighbors had to have theirs dug up and new pipe put in. Thus, the loss of three of my bushes. I hope the remaining bushes will still call as many cardinals. I love to sit at my window and watch the cardinals play in the hedge and the seed pods give them a nice treat.

Tomorrow the Schwanz man arrives. I do really like the service and thank goodness the only grocery shopping I have to do lately is fruit. And that section is usually right next to the door and close to the registers. And I'm eating better meals as a result too. Of course that doesn't translate into any weight loss - but what does - lol!.

Random Thoughts for the day

2011-09-11T21:26:00.002-05:00

I spent the day trying to avoid the 9/11 coverage. I remember exactly where I was - I watched the coverage. And it still upsets me to see it again. So basically I've been off-line and unplugged the last couple of days.

I've been worried about my hometown in Pennsylvania and the flooding that was so devastating to them - you realize that although you left where you grew up, part of your heart will always be there.

I still want a Bosendorfer piano! LOL!

Gertie and I hope you had a great weekend.

News from home

2011-09-08T15:23:00.002-05:00

It's weird to turn on CNN and MSNBC and see familiar sites from back home on television. I grew up in a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania. I started getting photos from friends last night of the flooding. Thankfully mom lives in a spot that can not flood. I say can not, but I suppose that's what Noah's neighbors thought too! Let's just say that the majority of three towns would have to disappear under about 30 feet of water before she's have to begin worrying.

The area flooded at its worst back in 2006, and the area as a whole was really devastated with the 1972 flood waters in the aftermath of hurricane Agnes. From the pictures I've seen, this rivals them both. My thoughts and prayers go out to them.

Summer is Over

2011-09-07T12:02:00.002-05:00

And the temperatures have been reflecting that - overnight in the 50's and daytime temps in the 70's. Very nice to have the windows open and get some fresh air in the house. And thankfully the air conditioner is off - hopefully for the season, but I tend to think we'll have a small return to hot temperatures before it's all over.

I spent the weekend doing piano searching and narrowing down my choices. I would love to buy a grand piano. I've narrowed the brand to Kawai. They make a great piano - I love the sound and like my beloved Bosendorfer, the better models have several open sympathetic strings. Their are a lot of different models to be had, but I'm looking for either a RX7 or and EX. The EX is a 9 foot concert grand and would take up half my house! LOL The RX7 is a 7 foot grand and considered semi-concert. Still a great piano. If you have ever listened to Whisperings - a great all piano internet radio station - they use an RX7 for a lot of their recordings. So now I need Kawai to send me one these babies! So if anyone out there in Frog Nation knows someone from Kawai - let them know and let's make this happen! (Hey Stephen Colbert does it, why can't I? lol).

Have a Great Labor Day Weekend!

2011-09-02T12:10:00.001-05:00

Gertie, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Gertie wants you to be sure to have a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend! Get outside and enjoy some grilling and playing frisbee. And remember to drink plenty of fluids. Gertie loves her filtered water!

Frog of the Day

2011-09-02T12:08:00.001-05:00

The Bradford Exchange - Frog Music Box, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

The heat continues here at Frog Central, so the frogs have taken to the shelter of the toad abode and turned the air conditioning on high!

This frog collectible is from The Bradford Exchange. It is the first issue of the Little Dreams Come True Animoges Music Box Collection. The title of this piece is "Hoppy." The music box plays "Bein' Green." Each piece is numbered - this piece bears A1949. This is a Limoges-style music box. There is no little surprise inside but it does have a little green heart painted on the inside. A cute addition the collection. I received this piece December 2010.

More Heat Advisories

2011-08-31T23:08:00.002-05:00

I thought we had finally gotten over the horrendously hot summer. Most of August had been, while hot, bearable. Today we went back under a heat advisory - temps topped out around 101. Tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter. Gertie is a bit cranky with the heat and has taken to laying right next to the air conditioning vent. She's learning.....

An Apology to Dad

2011-08-29T19:42:00.002-05:00

I can remember from a young age my dad screaming in pain over a kidney stone. He made numerous trips to the emergency room late at night and even had that treatment where they have you sit in the tank of water and break it up with ultrasound. I always thought my dad a strong man, but couldn't imagine that he was in that much pain. Until this last week.

I have spent the majority of the last week laying in bed screaming "Dear Lord, just kill me now and get it over with!" I couldn't imagine that much pain. Thankfully, so far today things have been quiet on the kidney stone front. Maybe tonight I could actually get some sleep.

They say that once you get kidney stones, that you are more than likely to get them again. Oh joy - Dad, accept my apologies and the hospital better keep a bed on reserve!

You can't get here from there.

2011-08-24T12:05:00.002-05:00

I've decided I live in the middle of nowhere - well, worse than nowhere really. It came to light when I ordered a package last week for some bird food. It started out from the place I ordered it via DHL Delivery Service. Of course they don't deliver in this area so by Monday I had word that they passed the package off to UPS. Now UPS does deliver to this area, but they also hand over a lot of the delivery to the regular USPS. And yep, I received word today that it is now in the hands of the United States Postal Service and I should receive it in the next couple of days - maybe. No guarantees. And my mom wonders why when she mails me a letter it takes almost two weeks to get here....

The weather, which had moderated to a much cooler overnight temperature, has once again reverted to hot as hell. I'm spending the day inside with Gertie, keeping cool, and working on genealogy a/k/a the never-ending quest for cousins.....

Earl, the undead skunk....

2011-08-18T23:41:00.002-05:00

I went out this morning to run a couple errands. As I pulled out into the road I saw there sprawled across the center line a very flattened, very dead skunk. Part of me was sad to think that Earl came to such an end, but honestly, the majority of me was giving a loud Hurray!

When I got home from my errands I gave Gertie an extra big treat and told her we no longer had to worry about going out at night - that Earl would bother us no more. I did not want to traumatize her with all the gory details. As if - I dread the day she actually grabs onto one of the squirrels or rabbits she chases. I can see her coming into the house with blood dripping off her teeth like Cujo!

So this evening I went to open the door to let Gertie out. The sun had gone down and it was quite dark. I turned on the outside light and was clipping Gertie on her leash when a movement at the end of the ramp caught my eye. A skunk. A really large skunk. A very familiar skunk. Earl. Needless to say I closed the door and Gertie's decided she can wait till morning when the lawn is once again her domain.

So Earl did not die in the road. I wondered about the skunk out there in the road. I decided it was probably a rival that Earl pushed into oncoming traffic as a warning to other skunks. I could see him doing that. He owns this territory. And nobody better cross his path - nobody! Maybe that skunk in the road was a warning for me.....

Feeling better or Thank goodness for pain killers

2011-08-16T18:42:00.003-05:00

Either way I'm feeling much better today, which has pleased Gertie to no end. Extended play time today and the ability for me to pick her up so she could rest her head on my shoulder made her day.

The Schwan's man came this evening. Not much to deliver tonight, but I picked up some frozen vegetables and refilled stuff I used over the last two weeks. I still need to go to Walmart, but I think I'll wait a couple days before I head out again.

I decided to take a couple days away from the all day in front of the computer that I've been putting in on the book. A couple days away and then I'll be refreshed and ready to go again. It will give me time to get caught up on things around the house. On second thought .....

Here in Tidy Town we are gearing up for the fall Appleknocker Festival! I highly recommend it to anyone in the area. The apple dumplings are fantastic. I haven't been since my first year here - time goes by so quick! But I think I'll try and make it this year. Maybe....

A bad, bad day

2011-08-15T21:29:00.002-05:00

I've been feeling pretty good lately so I haven't taken any pain medication for the last five days. I don't know if it was the change in pressure - a low pressure has brought cooler air to the area, but last night was bad and today was even worse. And of course I had errands to run today. I made it to the vet's office to get Gerti's pills, and the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. I had intended to go to Walmart to do some shopping, but since I could barely stand I decided for the smaller IGA. I picked up some fruit and dog food and headed for the door. I was to the point of being able to only take four or five steps before I had to sit down. I was in agony by the time I got home and of course I couldn't take any medications until after dinner. Finally, things have kicked in this evening and I'm feeling a bit better. Hopefully I'll get a bit of rest tonight and things will be better tomorrow - have a good night!

Bosendorfer

2011-08-14T09:52:00.003-05:00

When I went to college at Rutgers University I used to have a key to play the concert grand piano - a Bosendorfer. It was a gift to the college and even more a gift to play. Instead of the usual 88 keys it has 92. The extra keys are in the bass and left open so that there is a sympathetic vibration across the whole piano. It was heaven to play.

I'm on the lookout for a new piano and if the people at Bosendorfer would like to gift me a piano - I wouldn't turn it down! Years ago the new Bosendorfer's were around $150,000.00. Used ones can be bought for around $90,000.00. So if anyone wants to send one my way - feel free.

Seriously, after you play one, you never want to play anything else.

The Big Break

2011-08-11T18:16:00.002-05:00

The weather has finally broken! It turned cooler yesterday and the temperature dipped last night into the 60's. It was wonderful! Hopefully it will continue for another day or two!

Today is Miracle Treat at Dairy Queen. If you have a DQ near you, stop by for a blizzard treat and you will be helping a local child who desperately needs it. Here in Flora they are raising funds for a little girl with more medical problems than any adult should have, let alone a child.

Time to play fetch with Gertie. She's got her favorite toy and being very insistent!

Frog of the Day

2011-08-09T16:28:00.001-05:00

Frog on Lily Pad, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's been a week since my last post! It seems the days just slip away and my to-do list keeps growing. I think it's time to rip up the list and start over!

This frog collectible is called Frog on Lily Pad. It has a made in China sticker on the bottom. It is made of metal and quite heavy. I received this Christmas 2010.

102

2011-08-02T19:30:00.002-05:00

The temps today hit 102 with a heat index of 116 degrees. Thank goodness I don't really have to go out in it all that much. The Schwan's man came with a delivery today. One more trip and I'll have both freezers full! I did have to go to the curb with my trash. I didn't put it out last week because I only had a half bag - this week it was full. I was only outside for a couple minutes but I came in and spent the next hour trying to cool down. I normally would have waited until it was dark to take the trash out, but I really don't want another run-in with Earl.

Gertie doesn't seem to mind the heat too much - of course she's outside as short a time as possible. But she still wants to play and has to take in everything she can while making the once around the yard before heading back in.

I've been working diligently on the genealogy book. It seems to take up a lot of my time these days. I'm trying to put the finishing touches on it - polish it up so I can send it out for my copyright and ISBN number. Finally glad that I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Weeds

2011-07-30T13:40:00.002-05:00

I hate weeds. I usually have my lawn guy take down the largest weeds in the flower beds. This year he said no. So I have to do it. And so far I haven't. With the heat as hot as it has been I wasn't getting out there. They'd have to call an ambulance quick! Finally the heat broke a little bit. It rained last night and it was only mid-90's out there today and some of those weeds, taller than I am, were really beginning to bug me. So out I went and spent about half and hour until I was done with the heat. Not all of the weeds are down, but I made a good dent in them. A couple more days like today and I might have them all taken care of.

Of course coming back inside to cool off, Gertie reminded me that she would have been happy to help me but first she had to take a nap. So she curled up next to my feet, happy that my big adventure outside was over and I was back inside where I belonged.

The on-going tale of Earl the Scaredy Skunk

2011-07-27T17:28:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the outside light on to keep Earl away from the front door. Skunks do not like light and they will run and hide. You could definitely smell that Earl was about and Gertie didn't really want to go out. That smell I'm sure brought back to many fresh memories. Nature won out. She ran out and ran right back in. No one sprayed and all was well. For the moment. Earl, that Scaredy Skunk had hid around the back side of the house where the central air conditioner unit is. It came on and scared Earl and he sprayed it. Now every time the air conditioner comes on - Eau d' Earl . . . .

Frog of the Day

2011-07-27T08:57:00.001-05:00

Hamilton Collection - Reflections of a Promise, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

OMG - Don't faint! Yep, it's a new frog!

Gertie and I are trying to keep cool as we go back under heat advisories today - temps are supposed to top out around 105. And I woke up this morning all stuffed up and with a hacking cough - summer cold's are the worst.

This frog collectible is from The Hamilton Collection and is the 4th in the 4 part series Hope Hops Here Art Glass Collection. This piece is entitled Reflections of a Promise. As with all of their breast cancer pink ribbon pieces, a portion of the proceeds from the sale go to research. This is a very heavy piece and very pretty with the red color running down the back. These pieces are limited edition and individually numbered - this piece is 0043.

Norway

2011-07-23T14:04:00.002-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me what people do to each other. How this guy could randomly shoot so many people (after he set off a bomb) eludes me. I don't understand how a person loses their compassion and humanity so completely. My heart goes out to the people of Norway as they deal with this tragedy. Sad times indeed.

Telephone Directory Season

2011-07-21T20:27:00.002-05:00

You know I've been a little shy about opening my door, especially after dark. But this afternoon Gertie could not hold it any longer and signaled to me that maybe we should chance it. With reluctance I slowly opened the door. No skunk odor. All was well. I flung the door open wide and told Gertie to go play. The first thing that hit us both was a wall of heat - 120 heat index again today, just like every day. It reminds me of that movie Groundhog Day. When we recovered from the heat we saw it - a pile of plastic bags sitting on the ramp - taunting me - telephone directory season has started again.

It takes about a year to get over the fear of opening the door every day for week to see a new phone directory sitting there. And recently there was all the talk about doing away with directories because everyone looks up want they want on-line anyway! But there they were. Back again. So I picked up the 3 books sitting on the ramp and brought them inside. Three down and two to go. There are seriously five different directories for this area and each has something a little bit different. If you want to find a specialty shop you have to look through 5 different books! So you can't throw any of them out. So I brought them inside and found last years for each, put the new ones in, threw the old ones out. Then I heard a thud on the ramp - book four just arrived.......

Schwan's Delivery Day

2011-07-19T22:26:00.002-05:00

I placed an order for Schwan's delivery for today. The guy is in town every other week. Some items can be expensive, so I look for the deals wherever possible. My big splurge is their ice cream - it is delicious. I tried the taco pizza this evening. That was really good too, but I hated heating the house up by turning the oven on.

The temps here were in the high 80's at 7 a.m. We are under heat advisories and they've extended the advisory through the weekend - each day hotter than the next! I went out this evening with the trash - it goes at the end of the driveway. I thought I was going to die by the time I got back into the house. It was so stifling I couldn't catch my breath. And I was only out there for a couple minutes! Thank goodness for air conditioning - otherwise I'd be living at the North or South Pole!

I made it into the basement again today. I was down there over the weekend to start on a huge pile of wash. Stairs are a big problem for me, but I made it down again today. I'm determined to get all the wash caught up. I'd like to buy one of those European style all in one washer/dry units. Maybe for Christmas - in the meantime I take my chances on the steps.

Another Heat Wave Starts

2011-07-17T15:26:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we slipped back into a heat advisory that is supposed to last until Thursday evening. Ugh! I almost wish for a bit of snow on the ground again - I did say almost. Meanwhile I heard from mom who tells me that the temps there overnight are in the upper 30's and low 40's. Daytime temps might hit 80. Who says you can't go home again! lol I'm ready to pack up and head out!

The genealogy project has been keeping me extra busy. I've located a new family which is always exciting. Of course that creates a new pile of paper, folders galore and days of research. It's a hobby that has gone out of control. A cousin calls it a "pox" and it is so apt.

Gertie has been really feeling the heat. Her trips outside for business are shorter and shorter. She doesn't even seem to care about the other animals out there - strictly business and get back inside as quick as possible. At the moment she's asleep at my feet. All I have to say to that is Nap Time!

Another scorcher

2011-07-12T12:20:00.002-05:00

Today's heat index is topping out at 115 degrees! The local news station showed roads that have buckled due to the heat. I know when I open the door to let Gertie out she runs out does her business and runs right back in and with her black fur she is hot. She won't lay across the air conditioning vent like Shadow loved to do - but she'll lay close until she gets cooled off. Then she wants to crawl into my lap like usual and it takes everything in me to not shove her off - she is a little heat factory and I'm sweating in no time.

Keep cool if you can!

Hot, Hot, Hot

2011-07-11T11:41:00.002-05:00

This morning I woke up to the temperatures already in the mid-80's. We're shooting into the hundreds and the heat index is supposed to top out at 112 degrees. Ouch! Way to hot to step outside to do anything. Even Gertie doesn't want to go out. She steps out on the ramp and looks at me as if to say "Do I have to?" The air conditioner is cranked up on high and it's nice and cool inside - I don't know how anyone could live in this heat without it!

I've been working on my genealogy project almost full time these days. I'm getting everything organized in file folders so I can actually find things. The project keeps growing!

Keep cool. Bring the animals inside. And never leave a car or baby in the car while you run into the store for a minute. It's way too hot and a killer. Be cool and be smart.

Wood smoke can cover skunk smell

2011-07-07T10:50:00.002-05:00

That's something I did not know until today. Of course, the skunk smell is really slight - you get a whiff every now and again - mostly from the dog, thank goodness. But today the neighbor decided to burn a huge pile of wet wood. I assume it's huge, because the amount of smoke in my living room at the moment is so thick I can't see television - sorry Young and Restless. The fact I can't breathe makes me wish for the skunk smell!

I don't understand this intense desire to set things on fire that my neighbors have. They pile up leaves in a great big pile each fall and set them ablaze. And living next to them during the fall months is painful for the eyes as well as the respiratory system. After each storm they dutifully pick up all the downed branches into a big pile and yep, set them ablaze. Here's the thing. If you push your leaves about 5 feet further - to the curb - the city picks them up. They have this great big truck with a giant vacuum on it that comes along and sucks them up. They take them away to who knows where and who really cares - it's not a smoke filled pile filling my lungs making me wish I started smoking at age 18 so I wouldn't be affected by this. And the limbs after a storm - the city picks them up to as long as you put them at the curb - all you have to do is call them. I don't need to feel what it's like to be a slab of pork in the smokehouse! Ninety plus degree temps and they are out there burning crap.

I now relinquish my spot on the soapbox and return you back to normal viewing......

Gertie, Me, and a Skunk named Earl

2011-07-02T08:13:00.003-05:00

Earl likes to roam through my yard many nights - on the prowl for grubs and other tasty treats. When I open the door and it's dark outside, I will often take a little whiff to see if Earl is around. Gertie doesn't need to go roaming about when Earl is nearby. I don't know for sure, but I bet they wouldn't get along. I say I don't know for sure, but that's not exactly true. I found out last night that Earl is a little monster. With a very big stink. And now Gertie and I have been on the receiving end of Earl's wrath for entering his territory. It may be my yard during the day, but it's his domain at night - and he reinforced that most strenuously. I opened the door last night to let Gertie out - remember I'm not feeling all that well - and so I did not double check to see if Earl was about. Earl was not only about, but right outside the door. I heard Gertie give a rather pained howl and I opened the storm door to check on her only to have the smell of Earl wafting through the air. I've heard tell that it's akin to the smell of burning rubber. I have to say that's about as good a description as any - as long as you realize that the burning rubber is stuffed up your nose and there is nothing you can do to get it out! And as I was calling Gertie back in I saw the white stripe for just a second before Earl reminded me that I was in his domain.

Baths of a mixture of peroxide, baking soda, and dawn dish washing liquid were given all around. A night spent tossing and turning and every time you move the smell of Earl renewed was horrible. The smell is still there and will be for a while I'm sure. All I know is I would not want to be down-wind of either of us anytime soon!

A Quick Update and Have a Happy 4th of July

2011-07-01T20:32:00.001-05:00

Just a real quick note - I have been unbelievably ill this last week. And I honestly do not think I'm getting better, but instead a bit worse. I seem to be running a bit of a temperature now. Hopefully a long weekend of rest and relaxation will help. So have a good 4th and enjoy the fireworks. I'll see you back here afterwards.

Weekend Dog Blogging

2011-06-25T12:08:00.001-05:00

Gertie, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Yesterday was a busy day for Gertie and I. It was like Grand Central Station around here. We no more than got up when a delivery man showed up with my Staples order. Next was the Fedex man. The tree man showed up later. Followed by the UPS guy. Along with the mailman and the newspaper girl - it was a pretty busy day around here.

Gertie was tuckered out and couldn't wait to take a little nap. Her back-end didn't get the message though! lol This has become a pretty common way for her to take a little rest.

Another day in paradise

2011-06-22T11:26:00.002-05:00

Last evening, just as I sat down to watch Keith on Current TV, there came a knock at the door. It was the tree guy to tell me that he was coming by in the morning to trim the trees back from storm damage and generally get things straightened up and he wanted to be sure that would be alright with me. Sure I said.

This morning about 6 a.m. I'm sound asleep and Gertie's at the foot of the bed when I'm woken up by the sound of a chain saw. Yep, he was there at 6 a.m. Now I'm writing apologies to send to all my neighbors!

Who Knew

2011-06-21T21:03:00.002-05:00

I have a horrible bathtub. I have ever since I moved here. Every time I take a shower I end up ankle deep in water. I hate that. I've poured drain cleaner down the drain multiple times. I spent one whole day pouring scalding hot water down the drain. All to no effect.

This morning I hopped in the tub and while I was taking a shower, the little joystick that controls the tub drain caught my attention. It was sticking straight out and even up a little. I thought that didn't look right. I grabbed the joystick and pushed down - and voila, the tub drained rather fast. No more ankle deep water while showering. I feel like I should sit in the corner with a dunce cap on!

I've been having some trouble with the Schwan's people. Last Wednesday I placed an order for delivery. They told me it would be delivered Friday. So I hung around all day and finally about 7 p.m. I called them and asked when he was going to arrive. I was told it would be Tuesday (today). I was more than a little ticked off. And I told them so - by repeatedly slamming the phone down on my desk and then hanging up. Over the top, I know - but I was having a bad day and that just hit me the wrong way. I finally told them I didn't care if he showed up or not - I had errands to run. And I ran them.

I hit the post office drive through to send out last of the month bills. I went over to the doctor's office for my vitamin B12 shot. Guess what - there's a national shortage of vitamin B12. I'm taking the pill form now. I like that better. Then it was off to Walmart. I haven't been there to do shopping in quite a while and it took quite a bit of time to make it around and just get some basics. I made it home and flopped down in the chair after getting all the groceries away to have the Schwan's man pull in the driveway. I almost told him that I didn't want it, but I really like their ice cream. I took the order and told him if I wanted another I would let him know. He didn't know about all the trouble I was having and he said that he is only in town every other Tuesday. Good to know. But I'm still really pissed off at the company.

The best news ever is that Keith Olberman is back on television. It made my night last night and tonight to hear that theme song, knowing that I'd get a good dose of unvarnished news.

I'm working on the camera situation so that I can get back to frogs - feel free to donate towards a new camera - it will be greatly appreciated.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T12:46:00.001-05:00

Dad, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

This is the last picture I have of my dad. He didn't know he was my dad for the last couple years of his life - that's Alzheimer's. I lost my dad when his memories went, I lost him again on April 18, 2011 when he passed away. And today, I feel like I've lost him all over again - my first father's day without my dad. I love and miss you dad. May the angels hug you for me today and everyday.

Weekend Dog Blogging

2011-06-18T20:39:00.002-05:00

It's been a heck of a week here at Frog Central. And since this is my third time writing this and trying to get it post, you'll have to take my word for it! Alright, I hurt my foot again - quite unintentionally. My camera broke - the little door that holds the batteries fell off. And Flickr is once again - not working! If I didn't have several thousand pictures there I would consider finding someplace else!

Gertie! Yeah, I wrote about her too in the last couple attempts to post. Shorthand - she's now afraid of thunder and I'm trying consistency of a normal routine when it thunders and ignoring the sound altogether to see if she gets her confidence back because she's just a little scared in that she wants to be right next to me or in my lap no matter what I'm doing including when I'm in the bathroom. And yes I wrote that all in one sentence on purpose. Can you tell I'm a little annoyed with Flickr? Just another week at Frog Central - hope your week was a better one!

Frog of the Day

2011-06-13T09:23:00.001-05:00

Hope Hops Here Art Glass Collection, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

The heat wave finally broke here at Frog Central and all the frogs are hopping about in joy. I'm happy the air conditioner can take a bit of a breather! It's Monday and the start of a busy week - but I can't get started without sharing a beautiful frog collectible from the collection.

This frog collectible is from the good people at Hamilton. This is the third in the Hope Hops Here Art Glass Collection. It is entitled Leap of Faith for a Cure. It is a limited edition, individually numbered piece and comes with a certificate of authenticity. This piece is numbered 0534. I like that a portion of the sale of each of these pieces is donated to breast cancer research. As you can see, this frog sports the pink ribbon on its back. I received this piece December 2010.

Frog of the Day

2011-06-09T09:51:00.001-05:00

Hamilton - Barking Tree Frog, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's Thursday! I've come to love Thursday's because I order from one of our local restaurants a steak sandwich. It is phenomenal - smothered in peppers and onions. I don't eat out a lot, but I do enjoy that sandwich, just $4.99!

The heat here is now going on 2 weeks and is still just as terrible - high 90's every single day and the night time temps may get down to the upper 70's. Thank goodness for air conditioning. It may be expensive to run the air conditioner all the time, but there's something to be said for being comfortable!

This frog collectible is from Hamilton Collection. They've had a number of different frog collections going at the same time. This is from their Adopt-A-Frog Collection and is called Barking Tree Frog. It is a glass, limited edition piece. The number on this piece is 0148A. I received this December 2010.

Hazy, Hot, Humid and Cicadas!

2011-06-07T18:09:00.002-05:00

The temps have been soaring to the high 90's with heat indexes over 100. The weather has been crazy - and when you step outside you get cicada bugs jumping all over. I felt bad for my lawn guy today - the sound of mowers seems to call them. He was getting pelted all over the place out there.

My plumber was here yesterday double checking my air conditioner. I didn't want any problems to crop up this year like the end of last year. Thankfully, everything is ok - a quick filter change and I should be set for the summer. He'll be back in the fall for the furnace cleaning and check-up. It's the life of the furnace and air conditioner and just something you have to do.

Gunsmoke reruns will never be the same

2011-06-03T15:27:00.002-05:00

It was sad to hear that James Arness died today. I grew up watching Gunsmoke and have enjoyed watching reruns from time to time. A lot of the old television stars are dying off - and there just don't seem to be too many good ones taking their place.

Frog of the Day

2011-06-03T08:09:00.002-05:00

It's been a tough week of computer problems. I have been unable to post from my flickr account directly to blogger like I always have. I have tried everything and finally have learned to post despite flickr. It's been a hot week here at Frog Central. The rains have stopped and the 90+ degree temperatures have arrived. They will probably be here until October. It's going to be a long summer. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

This frog item is from Avon and is there Frog Bath Storage Bag. The top zips open to find a large storage area for all your bath necessities. It's made of a terrycloth like material, so if water splashes on it - not to worry. A cute addition to the collection. I received this December 2010.

Finally

2011-05-28T17:24:00.002-05:00

Today is turning out to be a pretty nice day. Not necessarily sunny, but at least, so far, dry. My lawn guy showed up today and so things are looking pretty good. I have some work to do outside in some of the flower beds. If the threat of rain holds off again tomorrow I want to get out there before it gets too warm. This next week is supposed to be in the 90's all week! Summer, I guess, has finally arrived.

I have lots of new frogs to put up, so maybe if we can finally get some nice sunny days so I can get some decent pictures I can get them all listed.

It's a holiday weekend! Enjoy and if you're out on the road - safe travels. We'll see you here again on Tuesday!

And Still More Storms

2011-05-26T15:58:00.003-05:00

I spent much of yesterday afternoon and evening in the basement with Gertie. I wasn't worried when the thunder and lightning started. I didn't even flinch when the hail started falling. But when the wind started and the trees looked like they were all laying on the ground, and the tornado warning sirens started blaring, I thought it best to get to my safe room in the basement. Which, by the way, I really need to stock with some water and snacks. It gets a bit boring waiting for things to be over.

No real damage around the house - I seem to have weathered it pretty well. There were several tornadoes that touched down here so I'm afraid to see the newspaper and what damage has been wrought on our little community. The tornadoes have been especially dangerous this year - the reason I headed to the basement.

Today more storms are forecast - but thankfully just rain. It's too cold today to foment anything more dangerous. More storms tomorrow too. Now there are flash flood warning up from all the rain. We just can't catch a break!

Still more storms

2011-05-24T19:37:00.002-05:00

Things got bad here last evening. The power went out for much of the evening. A large tree branch came down and pulled down the power lines and blocked the street. The crews were here while the thunder and lightning was still flashing to clean up and work on getting the electric back on.

The weather is still unsettled and now the news of what is going on in Oklahoma is heading this way. It's going to be a long night to be sure. And tomorrow is not looking much better.

Still Here

2011-05-23T13:22:00.002-05:00

I didn't get blown away last night - thank goodness. Just had to put up with the power flickering on and off for most of the night and this morning. Things seem to be stable now - just in time for another storm moving in on us. The damage in Missouri was horrific and the death toll stands at 90. The debris from the hospital was found as far away as St. Louis - the other side of the state!

In the storms today, St. Louis has seen some significant damage. Warnings are already up for here and things will get worse as the day goes along. It's been a bad spring here in the mid-west and the summer doesn't seem to be shaping up to be any better.

Tornado

2011-05-22T21:54:00.002-05:00

There has been a devastating tornado that touched down in Joplin, Missouri tonight. A number of people have been killed and the town destroyed. It won't be until the morning hours before they know the total damage that has been wrought upon that community. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

The storms are moving east - we've lost power off and on here all evening. We're under a tornado watch until 4 a.m. Night-time tornadoes are the worst. You can't see them coming and the warnings happen seconds before they hit. We do have a great warning system here and of course the weather radio is on and beeping loudly every few minutes. I'm afraid the post-rapture party had to end early!

After Rapture Party

2011-05-22T15:30:00.002-05:00

Last night at 6 p.m. the rapture took place - or so that one preacher said it was supposed to happen. I figure that it probably did and there are still 6 billion of us left. So it's time for an all out post rapture planet party! lol

Gertie has been glued to me for the last two days. She went out yesterday morning and decided to tangle with a bee. She found out that some of the things she's insistent on chasing, just might fight back. She hasn't wanted to go outside since. Today she was a little better about it until she saw another bee. She came running towards me at full throttle, jumped in my arms and shivered and shook like there was no tomorrow. It took all I had not to laugh and to just calmly set her down and shoo her back out into the lawn. I don't want to harbor fear of going outside in her. That would be very bad indeed.

Frog of the Day

2011-05-19T08:33:00.001-05:00

Celadon Frog Vase, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's been a busy week here at Frog Central. Cold - alright, downright freezing - but busy. Gertie has been panicked because her new friend is no longer around. The cat apparently took off for greener pastures (i.e. someone that would feed it!). I've been extra busy with the genealogy project. I've been moving right along and hope to print out a new copy of the book soon.

This frog collectible is labeled Celadon Frog Vase. It is made in Indonesia. I like these little frog items from Indonesia. Especially when you realize that the little village where they are made are dependent upon the factories that make these items. Frogs are indeed lucky! I received this for Christmas 2010.

More Rain, More Rain, More Rain

2011-05-14T11:36:00.002-05:00

I'm beginning to feel a little like a fish - in water. It has been raining with thunder and lightning almost all week. When it hasn't been raining, it is still dreary and so dark it feels like it's time to go to bed! I'm so glad I don't live near a river at the moment. They are all out of their banks. Of course the Mississippi is the worst. I heard a report that said the water was rushing so fast that it could fill up the New Orleans Super Dome in 30 seconds. I've been inside that place - it's huge. I couldn't imagine that much water. A boat captain who works in one of the rivers leading into the Mississippi River said that the water was rushing so hard and strong that the river he was working in - the water was moving backwards!

It's been a rough spring here in the mid-west to be sure. Watching television will drive you crazy because they break into programming every 5 minutes with weather updates. We have tornado warning sirens here that have gone off several times over the last few days. In the meantime, Gertie and I are waiting for a little sunshine.

In between the thunder and lightning

2011-05-11T02:39:00.002-05:00

It's been a really hot and humid day here in southern Illinois. The temps hit 90 degrees today. And all day the thunder has been rolling overhead. I've had the computer off most all day. The thunder has finally stopped, but it's only a very short reprieve. Thunderstorms are forecast for the next 3 to 4 days.

My left foot, which I sliced open, is healing nicely. I sliced it open when my sciatica was at its worse and my left leg and foot were totally numb. I didn't even realize it had happened until the medicine kicked in and I started getting feeling back in my foot. Of course, by then, it had become so bad I couldn't walk on it. Thankfully, a couple weeks of careful and meticulous care and all seems to be well again.

I've been deciding what I want to do for my 50th birthday coming up later this year. A friend of mine wants me to go to Europe to visit him. The problem is I don't really like to fly. If I decided to go, I would probably take the QE2. It about the same price as a plane ticket - just a 14 day travel as opposed to 2. And because of the boat schedule I would have to stay for 6 weeks to await a return trip - that a total of 8 weeks away. Without Gertie! Now if I could just afford it all! LOL I imagine I'll be right here, having a t.v. dinner and watching whatever show happens to be on that evening. I might even splurge and have a glass of kool-aid! And when I sit back in my chair, my little puppy dog will jump into my lap and curl up and quickly fall fast asleep. That's contentment. That's happiness. And who could ask for a better birthday present than that.

Gertie's New Friend

2011-05-09T11:11:00.001-05:00

Gertie's New Friend, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

This last week I've spent letting Gertie out about a hundred times a day. She takes two steps down the ramp and the just stands and stares. The first day I just blew it off, figuring she was watching the neighbors. But then she kept leaning over the edge of the ramp as far as she could without falling off. So I investigated and found this cat.

And no, it's not coming inside! It spends all day curled up sleeping outside and is quite content there. When it rains it moves under one of my bushes - which is also under the cover of my porch.

Gertie has now taken to talking to the cat when she goes out. She stands on the edge of the ramp, all leaned over the edge and starts with a low whine and keeps it up for a couple minutes before moving into the other side of the yard.

The funny thing is, she is so afraid to get off that side of the ramp, but she turns around and jumps off the other side from exactly the same height.

So until the animal control officer gets here and removes the cat, Gertie has a new friend.

2011-05-05T00:23:00.001-05:00

King Size Advertisement, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

I got an e-mail for the particular big man's catalog that I buy clothes from. This picture was the advertisement photo. Does this guy look like he needs fat clothes?

Frog of the Day

2011-05-03T15:03:00.001-05:00

Hope Hops Here, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Things have been going alright here for a change. I've hurt my left heel and am limping around, but it's manageable for the moment. This afternoon the son-in-law of my new neighbor is supposed to show up to start cleaning out my basement. He doesn't know it yet but when it's cleaned, I've got boxes galore to store down there....

This frog collectible is from The Hamilton Collection's Hope Hops Here Art Glass Collection and is called Hope Hops Here. Most of these frog collections have four in the set. Each is a numbered, limited edition piece. The number on this piece is 1710. The thing I like is that a portion of the purchase price of each piece goes to breast cancer research. As my friend Brian would say - "Help save the boobies!" LOL

Save A Frog Day

2011-05-01T07:59:00.002-05:00

I'm a couple days behind. April 29th was Save A Frog Day. I urge everyone to go the NRDC website and sign the petition they have there for Save A Frog Day. It looks to ban certain pesticides that are getting from farmers' fields and into the waterways. Deformed frogs are showing up at an alarming rate. Frogs are the canary in the coal mine for our habitat - and they are dying. We need to listen and act.

While I collect frog figurines and not real frogs, I would not like to see the day when all we can show our children is our collectibles because real frogs no longer exist. Please take action.

Thank You

2011-04-30T10:19:00.002-05:00

I want to thank everyone who sent condolences on the death of my father. It has been one of those experiences that you never wish you have to go through, but know that you eventually will. My dad was a barber in town and was known to several generations within the same family. In my dad's spare time he worked as a volunteer for the ambulance core for over 50 years. At times when it looked as if the ambulance service was going to end, he helped keep it going. He continued his education and became a paramedic, licensed in several states. He started the water rescue unit. He was a father who showed his kids the joys of hunting (I wish I could have felt some of that joy - I felt it a total waste of time because I never got anything! lol). We didn't take a lot of vacations - we camped at places close to dad's barber shop so he could commute. We took several trips to Canada. Dad was the quintessential "pillar of the community," and the community showed its respect on his passing. It was a fitting and loving tribute to his memory to see a line out the funeral home door of people who wanted to pay their respects. To see the ambulance crew in their dress uniforms (it's no longer a volunteer organization) paying tribute to one of their founding members, black across their shields, standing at attention and saluting as the ambulance carrying his casket to the cemetery, passed by the building where all the rescue vehicles are kept awed all of us. There was not a dry eye in the car as we passed by we heard Last Call for my dad. It was all beautiful and my dad would be embarrassed at all the fuss. His strength was a quiet one, and he never expected anything in return for his years of service to the community. He is a man who will be greatly missed by all - especially by this son. Thank you dad for all you did for me - rest in peace.

Just received word

2011-04-18T05:31:00.001-05:00

That Dad passed away a couple hours ago - I'm heading home. I'll have my computer with me, but please understand that I probably will not be blogging for the next week.

Frog of the Day

2011-04-14T17:12:00.002-05:00

A Cure Is Spotted, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Things are finally beginning to turn around and I'm feeling much better. I've spent the last couple days resting and recouping (and a little spring cleaning). Now I'm ready to get back into the swing of things. Genealogy has been in the forefront since I found a new descendant line to trace. That is well underway and quite challenging.

This frog collectible is from The Hamilton Collection. It is from their Hope Hope Here Art Glass Collection and is entitled A Cure is Spotted. It is quite a heavy piece of art glass, molded in a very dark green with pinkish feet. You can just make out the pink ribbon design on his back. A portion of the sales of each of these pieces goes to breast cancer research. And don't forget those who are walking for the cure - The Avon Walk. Each of these pieces is a limited edition and numbered. Mine is #340.

Lightning

2011-04-09T15:26:00.002-05:00

I've been spring cleaning and in my spare time knee deep in genealogy. Late last night I found the name of a person in the second generation that was really exciting (for me). So this morning I got up early and decided to check things out further. There were rumblings of thunder and a light rain this morning, but nothing major. I had just sat down at the computer and Gertie was curled up at my feet, already sound asleep. I wish I could fall asleep that fast! My office has one window behind me and two big windows on my right hand side that look out onto the street. I wish I had the words to adequately describe the sheer brightness of the red glow that suddenly filled those windows, the sudden smell of electricity that filled my nose, and the sound that filled my ears. On the other side of the those two big windows to my right is a big old elm tree. It now has a giant scar running down it's entire trunk where the lightning traveled to the ground. Bits of bark litter the ground, as well as a few unfortunate animals that happened to be in the tree. One of those animals was a giant rat! I hope that thing hadn't found a way to get in the house.

In the seconds after the lightning struck and I was sitting dazed at what just happened, I suddenly realized that I had a dog stuck to me! Gertie had jumped into my lap, buried her head in my shoulder and didn't want to let go. I realized I had to laugh the whole thing off and set her down or she might become afraid of lightning and while that bolt was indeed the scariest lightning I think I've ever been through, I don't want her to fear every bolt of lightning. I don't know if I was very convincing or not, but she finally went back to sleeping at my feet. I really do wish I could fall asleep that fast....

Grocery Shopping

2011-04-06T21:14:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I finally decided that I had been home for a month, and I had been out of basically everything since the day I arrived, so grocery shopping had to first and foremost. I took all my pain medications and out the door I went. I went past the first two aisles - they were frozen foods and I didn't want to start there. I started the next aisle and thankfully there was a Walmart worker in almost every aisle after that. I was at the store for three hours, and I never made it back to the frozen food aisles. Now I'm planning a return trip for the remainder of the store - dog food, some office supplies I need, and yes, the frozen food aisle. I have to go through my grocery list - it was two pages long, to see if I missed anything that I felt I had to have.

When I arrived home I had to handle all those groceries again, getting them into the house and put away. That was another hour. In between I was bagging up garbage and getting it to the curb because it was garbage night. By the time I was done I plopped down in a chair exhausted. It was then that Gertie chastised me thoroughly for leaving her alone so long and not paying attention to her the minute I came home. With a little attention, I was forgiven and she curled up in my lap and we both took a little nap. Her nap was intentional - mine was not. When I awoke I went to move and every muscle and joint in body screamed in protest.

This morning I woke up feeling pretty good, but unable to move. I've now had a couple doses of my pain killers in me and I'm starting to recover from my shopping trip. I dread going back to Walmart tomorrow, but I want to finish all my shopping and be able to sit back and relax for a few days.

Feeling Better

2011-04-04T20:49:00.002-05:00

I'm finally beginning to feel like my old self again. I don't know it that's good or bad as my old self, well, felt old. LOL The weather here was really bad today - we've had thunderstorms and heavy rain most all day. This morning the tornado sirens went off for a time. Thankfully, I'm still here. I haven't been outside so I don't know if I'm the last person left standing in this little town - but somehow I doubt it.

New Medication

2011-04-01T18:28:00.002-05:00

I began taking the new medication that the doctor prescribed. Well, not the one that she wanted to give me, but one that the insurance company finally agreed to pay for. To all the people who cried about the death panels during the last election I can only say that they already exist. We need even more reform of the insurance industry, not less. It's taking a bit of time for me to get used to the medication. Today I spent almost the entire day asleep. I do need the sleep because for a solid month I got about one hour a night. This is my third day on the medication and the last two nights I was able to sleep all night! Hurray! Since I take another pill right before bed time I'm sure I'll end up sleeping all night tonight too. I'm getting caught up on me sleep, but I'm not getting any of my errands done that I've put off for a month.

The medication is working. I no longer scream in pain every time I sit or lie down. That's a big plus! Hopefully I"m on the road to recovery. Then we can go through this big box of new frogs that I have sitting here.

I received several e-mails the last couple days asking about my dad. If you don't remember, he has Alzheimer's and is now bedridden with hospice care. There has been little change in his condition over the last month. Mom thinks he had another seizure and he can now only swallow baby food. The outcome of this is known and it will be no surprise when it happens, but the loss will still be unbearable.

Sciatica Update

2011-03-30T20:21:00.003-05:00

Finally, after a month of back and forth between my doctor, the insurance company, and the pharmacy, I finally received my medication today. First dose has been taken. Tomorrow I take two doses, and then three doses a day after that. Hopefully by day three, I'll feel something more than the pounding headache the first pill gave me! Keeping my fingers crossed. Now all I have to worry about medically is the dreaded colonoscopy the doctor talked about during my last visit.....

Snow in Flora, Illinois

2011-03-26T17:59:00.001-05:00

Snow in Flora, Illinois, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Just let Gertie out and I don't know who was more shocked! I thought we had left the snow behind in Pennsylvania. The temperatures here took a nose dive yesterday and barely made it to 30 degrees Farenheit today. March came in like a lamb and is going out like a lion. All I can say is watch out east coast - it's headed to Virginia and Washington, DC tomorrow. The cherry blossoms will have a couple of inches of snow on them!

Frog of the Day

2011-03-24T12:25:00.001-05:00

Ganz Get Well Frog, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

I finally am able to sit in my chair at my computer without screaming in pain. Hurray! So thought it was about time I started digging into the frogs I received since Christmas. My leg is not doing much better - in fact I think I took a step back yesterday. I had been feeling a bit better and getting out to do some errands around town. Yesterday I went to have blood drawn - they drew it in my wrist - OUCH! When I came home I got out of the car and my leg gave out entirely and down I went. Thankfully I hadn't closed the car door, so I was able to drag myself back up and get into a sitting position. It took me about an hour to get back into the house.

This frog collectible is from Ganz and is from their Get Well Animal Series. While I was visiting my dad in the hospital when I was home I saw this in the gift shop as we walked by. With the blue fuzzy slippers, the band-aid on the face, and of course, the gown that flies open in the back. I thought it was just too cute. I purchased this in February 2011.

A rough week

2011-03-18T09:14:00.002-05:00

It's really has been a rough week here at Frog Central. My leg has left me in excrutiating pain. Or I should say my doctor has - I go back Monday and my first question is going to be "Why didn't you phone the prescription to the pharmacy?" Last Friday she said she would call in a prescription for Lyrica to help with the sciatica pain. I gave up calling on Tuesday and asked them to call me if it was called in. And yes, I did call the doctors office only to find out she was on vacation this week. So I've been stuck in pain. And add to that the fact I've had about an hour's worth of sleep over the last week - I'm beginning to get a little grumpy....

My major concern at the moment is grocery shopping. I have not been since I got back because it I can't walk more than 5 feet without screaming in pain. Now that would be a fun time at the market! That's the bad part about living in a town where you really don't know anyone. Tomorrow I'll have to brave it one way or the other because Gertie's dog food will run out by then. I really do miss the shopping on-line that I could do when I lived in a bit bigger city.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T16:47:00.001-05:00

Annalee - 4" Irish Frog a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Today we're all Irish - frog included!

Snow

2011-03-14T17:32:00.002-05:00

This morning I opened the door to let Gertie out and all I could do was start laughing. My neighbors probably wondered if I had gone crazy. There on the ground was about an inch of snow! I thought in leaving Pennsylvania that I had left the snow behind. It followed me here. Thankfully, it warmed up during the day and the snow disappeared as rain has fallen all day.

My leg is still giving me more pain than I care to think about. It's going to be a long, slow recovery from this one I'm afraid.

A Day at the Doctor's Office

2011-03-11T17:42:00.002-06:00

I went to get out of bed after another sleepless night - my 3rd in all. I put weight on my left leg and the pain was instantaneous. By early morning I had an emergency doctor's appointment - but I still had to get there. After a couple tense hours at the office - I have a diagnosis. Sciatica. I have slipped a disk which is now resting on the nerve, causing excrutiating pain down my left leg and leaving my left foot with no feeling in it. And of course the doctor tells me that this type of nerve pain is very hard to treat and contrl. I never do anything easy. Now I'm waiting for my prescription to be called in and filled. Which means I might get it tomorrow morning if I'm lucky.

In other news, I've seen snippets here and there of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The death toll is rising and they say will be in the thousands. A terrible tragedy. My heart goes out to those victims and their families.