Here's mud in your eye!! Or...Pie in your face!!

Ok...so, I'm back. Trying to grease the wheels of writing wit again. Don't get me wrong: I've been AMAZINGLY witty recently. God knows that I've had a LOT to mouth off about recently. I swear I need a hidden camera strapped to me (or in my car...where I seem to live as of recent. [Not literally. duh.]), as most of my great material comes from spontaneous moments. Moments that would be deemed as, "I guess you had to be there" moments. And, in truth, had you actually BEEN there during those moments, I would have had you laughing your ass off and rolling on the floor. Once I get going.....ain't no stopping me.

Kinda like the guy who broke into Parliament today and gave Rupert Murdoch a shaving cream pie in the face. Or, the crazed Chinese wife who was slapping the holy hell out of the pie-thrower. HOLY NINJA SKILLS, BATMAN!! I think the Murdoch men have married Chinese ninja bodyguards. I want some of THOSE mad skills! I can't even properly swat a gnat awat from my face in the summertime. Oye.

Anyways.....form your own opinions. I'll give you pictures. Draw your OWN conclusions. Talk amongst yourselves...

Just remember: Under NO circumstances should you piss off a Chinese woman.

SMACKDOWN at Parliament w/o Pay-Per-View charges!!

I'm thinking....

....that SHE'S BAAACCCKKKK!!!!

Better get ready for some regular blogging.... Anyone still out there after my long hiatus?

Should I.....???

I am considering starting this back up.......

Hhhhhmmmmmm............

***NOTICE***

I am in the process creating an "viewers allowed to read my blog" profile. If you are interested in being on this list, please send me your name and email. I believe you can still message me through the Blogger system.

I will be changing my settings by Saturday, July 18th, so please notify me ASAP. If you have a friend or relative who is currently reading my blog, please let them know also. I didn't want to email my entire email list, I just wanted to contact those who are active readers of my blog.

Sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you, in advance for your understanding. This will allow me to post things a little more freely for my dedicated readers...and not have to worry about the general public reading specifics about my life.

Thanks again!

~M~

Lost but not Forgotten.....

For those of you who track my site still....I have not fallen off the face of the earth. SO much going on in my life right now. I'm heading to bed (I've been getting less than 20 hours of sleep a week), but lemme run down the highlights really quickly:

Dad was diagnosed with mulitple myeloma about 6 weeks ago. I am his primary patient advocate. He has been really negative, and I have been doing my BEST at trying to give him POSITIVE outlooks on his situation. It's not easy....

Mom's "old" house that she still has belongings in, was HORRIFICALLY ransacked at some point last week. The police were there for 2 hours dusting for prints, and got a TON of them. Now, they are just hoping that the prints are "in the system". At this point, mom, my sister and my aunt have been trying to put the house back into SOME sort of order...hoping to get her OUT of there ASAP.

I've had 3 shoulder surgeries since March 12th of this year.

I am trying to get the house in order for about 75 people to come for Briana's Engagement Party in a couple of weeks. It's casual....but, the whole thing is putting massive stress on my marriage...which is another area that I need some prayer.

Trying to keep up on paperwork for Dean, as he is freaking out about it before going on vacation.

My uncle passed away last week and we are headed to his memorial.

I'm not getting enough sleep....and it's slowly effecting my fibro, which makes physical therapy a bit rough.

Summer school for Dayna.

A wedding to plan.

A 50th birthday and a 40th birthday this year.

There WAS a possible purchase of a new home on the plate....but, thank God, that was removed.


Those are just a few tips of the iceberg. I truly have NOT forgotten about you all....just been absolutely rundown and flooded with life. I shall return to blogging here in the VERY near future.

I was afforded a beautiful comment on one of my blogs from someone who has an account, but, I cannot look them up and thank them for their eloquent words. It pertained to the closing of my business and the sale of my gowns back in March. I just want to say, "Thank You. You are the reason I am here tonight making sure that my readers know that I am still breathing and wanting to blog. Thank you for your inspirational words."

I hope to catch up soon!

~M~

You spin me right round, baby, right round....

So......you haven't heard from me in awhile, and I apologize. I can make excuses, but instead, I think I will just explain myself. I've had a couple of reasons why I haven't been on here much, as of late. Here are some of them:

Seems like I have a follower in the family, that I can't understand why they are interested in my blogs, as everything I do in their world, gets turned around and used against me. So, I've been sitting in contemplation of whether or not to scrap my blog. I decided to try and work through the feelings that it brings up, and continue on. I have a nice following, and have pick up a few more friends along the road....so, I shall continue. I get encouraging notes from people who really enjoy my openness and style or writing, so I will take a step out on to that ledge. No growth comes from being stagnant, right?

Besides that, life has kinda gotten in the way recently. I've got so much on my plate. I feel like every time I start getting close to seeing a HINT of the bottom of my plate, some unwanted dump truck backs up, and unloads its load on to my plate. Now, I'm overwhelmed. Where to start....

Many of you know that I am dealing with my fathers EXTREMELY poor health. I am the one who has willing jumped in front of the train and decided to take action in getting him better medical treatment. It's been almost 3 years now that the doctors locally have been trying to diagnose him with SOMETHING. ANYTHING!! And gotten nowhere....slowly. Well, since I have been involved, things have fast-tracked a bit more. Besides looking at getting him into Mayo Clinic in AZ, he's gone through a few tests in the last two weeks, and even been seen my a doctor an an oncologist on their days off!! SOMEONE is understanding the great need in getting him diagnosed ASAP...and I am grateful for that. I am also grateful for the amount of heart-to-heart time this has given me and my daddy. It's been a tough road for me...and I can't even IMAGINE everything that HE must be going through.

Besides that, there's been my "pseudo-surgery" in March (I was put under at the hospital, only to be woken up later and told that the surgery was aborted before they could do anything.) A week of depression. Then, I had my REAL surgery on 4/16. I'm recuperating. The orthopaedic surgeon says 4-6 weeks of physical therapy, and 6 months until a have a decent recovery. Two days ago, I got word that I will need to have another "in house" (under local) surgery. On my back shoulder, again. This will require 3-5 stitches, and a 2 week lifting embargo. I will be so glad when I can get this all behind me, and operate like a decent human being.

Then there's this little thing called a "wedding" that we are gearing up for. Granted, it's 14 months away....but, an anxious bride awaits. So, I sure there will be a solid 14 months of planning, parties, and more planning.

Top it all off with the fact that Dean is hot-and-heavy after buying a new house. Wait....lemme clarify. It's NOT new. But, after we gut and remodel it, it basically will be. (I seem to remember myself going through this for 3 years...and it only ended less than 2 years ago....) It's a HUGE chunk to bite into, especially with then marital ties are about to snap as it is...

So, I sit here with a chest holster on, as I have been assigned a cardiologist by my primary care doctor, for palpitations. They are trying to figure out if they are stress related, o health related. When the cardiologist asked me if I was under any stress, I asked him to define "stress". haha I told him that I thought that "off the charts" would be an accurate description.

So what's new with you??

News on my dad...

Well, I hate to write this letter, as I just had surgery yesterday, and was getting ready to call on Mayo for screening on my dad come Monday.

His doctor and another specialist ran a 5-hour blood protein work-up on him this past Monday, and he just called me with the results. He was unsure as to what type of protein they were speaking of, but the level was supposed to run around 250.....dad's level is at 4600.

They are trying to rush a bone marrow test, and send him to an oncologist. They seem to think that he has a form (or precursor to) of multi-myeloma....which is fatal.

I'm trying my best to have high hopes, but this was a hard blow to the both of us, and my heart is just breaking. Mayo will be put off for now, and I wanted to thank all of you who have sent letters, prayers (which he still will desperately need) and questions.

Much love,

~M~

I'm off!!!

I'm TRYING to get outta here so that I can head down to Anaheim!! Wil be down there from tonight until Sunday night.....meeting up with old friends, watching Dayna at the National Cheer Competition at the Anaheim Convention Center and going to Disneyland on Friday!!

It should be a nice break away from all the stress of reality recently. I booked myself a REALLY nice room there (5 star) for a REALLY nice price ($89 a night!), so I am REALLY excited to go back "home" for a few days!!

You all be good while I am gone!!!

It is finished.....

I decided to go late in the day, to the sale of my inventory that I donated from my past business.

It was a blessing. Thank God, most of the couture gowns were sold. For some strange reason, that made things easier for me. Alyssa found a couture dress for an upcoming prom. A $3,000 dress that they sold for $50. I bought myself a VERY vintage Oscar de La Renta piece that had never been worn. It's possibly a museum piece. I paid $25 for it. Glad no one really appreciated it's value. A little piece to keep as a reminder.

Anyways, I met up with a local newscaster there, from the station where I was a Producer. I was able to introduce myself, and help her with some gowns, which brought back the love I always had for what I did in my business. She took a picture with me, which I thought was really sweet. It warmed my heart to watch her three small children "oh" and "ah" every time she came out in a gown. I had her just TRY a $5,000 Oscar de La Renta couture piece....and she looked STUNNING! Her eldest boy gasped, and pointed at her plunging neckline, while her youngest son ran up and gave her a huge hug around her legs, and her daughter told her how beautiful she looked. THAT'S why I loved my job so.

I had to cringe at some of the "pointers" a volunteer was giving her about one gown in particular....that did NOT flatter her at all. Told her how terrific she looked in it, just needed a few alterations, and the gown would look PERFECT with a jean jacket.

That's where I understood how some people "get" couture......and some DON'T.

Anyways.....here are all of the local links that are currently running on TV as of this weekend. I am sure there will be more to come. Enjoy them like I am doing.

Me giving up this business was excruciatingly difficult. Having it offered up to the public like it was, was like splaying my most private, treasured parts for everyone to treat with disrespect. I must give HUGE kudos to the Candlelight Guild. They treated the entire endeavor with love and respect. My understanding was that when they arrived more than 45 minutes before opening, there was already a line wrapped around the building. They only let in a few people at a time, and they were only allowed to take two gowns to the dressing rooms at a time. It would have been the only way that I would have wanted it handled. I had visions of delicate couture gowns being pulled from peoples arms, tossed around uncaringly......a total mess. It was QUITE the opposite. However, I found myself rehanging gowns that had not been hung correctly...taking scarves that were misplaced on gowns, and returning them to the rightful gowns.....putting the gowns on the correct size racks.....typical me. And, I loved every moment of it.

I have a very close friend, who has another friend......who took HER friend down to find a wedding gown. She found one, and was thrilled. I received two wonderful letters of thanks from them, which utterly made me cry. I became aware of the gift that I had given, and my selfish pain was slowly transforming into humbleness. Then, the fact of how much the hospice was benefiting from the sale....reminded me of why I donated the gowns to them in the first place, and how thrilled I was that they are benefiting from it all.....finally.

Well, now that I have rambled on, here are the local links as I promised.

Remember to give back to others. Even if it's terribly painful. There is great gain...

~M~

Great Day, Channel 26, KMPH - Fresno

ABC, Channel 30, KFSN - Fresno


There was one more station that reported the story....however, they reported my business as a family business, and that I had died....hence the donation. I didn't feel the need to give their erroneous story any further hits.

Well.....it's finally happening.....

They are selling off my gowns.

It's all over the news stations today. Michelle's Sweetpeas inventory is being sold off for the benefit of Hinds Hospice. Click on the link above, and see some of the beautiful gowns that will be available for no more than $150.

Valentino, Escada, Badgley Mischka, Prada....runway gowns that still have their tags on.....valued up to $6,000 per gown.....for $150. Makes me want to cry thinking bout how much it cost for me to put them in my store, once upon a time.....

So, the question is, to attend, or not to attend?

I am torn.

My work for daddy...

I spent the day with my daddy today, and took a couple of pictures for those of you who are following his journey. Last night when I told him that a medical team would need to fly with him, due to his frailness, he became VERY apprehensive and pulled back from the whole process. I told him to thin about it and pray about it overnight. When I went to visit with him today, he was telling friends who were calling, that it "looks like (his) family will be shipping him off to Minnesota". Anyone who heard, was pleased by the news. I think it's starting to settle in comfortably enough that he's accepting it.

I just got an email from Hinds Hospice. I Vigil Volunteer for them, and they were the recipients of the over 600 couture gowns that I had in my inventory when I closed my doors in 2007. They had tried selling a few of the gowns in the past, and had not been very successful. Well, I guess they have a large guild here in town who will be holding several charity auctions fr the hospice, using my gowns. They were on the morning news (I wish I would have known), and the reporter bought a gown on the SPOT! They will be doing another plug tomorrow on TV, and talking about me and the gowns, and how they came into the hospices' hands. I can't WAIT for them to SELL, SELL, SELL!!! I am so excited that they may have found a TRUE group that can raise some healthy funds for the hospice! I am sure that which ever TV station it is on, they will have an Internet link. If I can find it, I will post it here s that everyone can see and enjoy!

I am off to have a battle/meeting with Dayna's cheer leading coaches. *sigh* Never a dull moment around here!

ANSWERED PRAYER!!

Well.....in less than 36 hours of posting a site for my dad on Facebook, we have all we need to get into the Mayo Clinic in Roschester, Minnesota. Now, it's "prep" time for my dad, who was actually dumbfounded that this came together so quickly. He's a little worried about transporting, but it sounds like he will have several family members, and most likely a medical transport team assisting him through the flight(s).

Please pray that we sweep him off his feet and just get him to the Clinic with as little static from his insurance companies as possible. Sounds like besides his hesitancy/fear, the insurance stands to be a major obsticle we get to overcome. I am sure that all will come together!

Again....I simply cannot thank you all enough!!

URGENT PLEA FOR MY DAD

I have been busily creating a Facebook page for my father,who is dying of an unknown cause....rapidly. I just want to cut and paste the description of the group here. I am reaching out to my blog community that might not be set up with me on FB, and to any others who might stumble upon this blog, in search of hope.

Thank you, for any and all help and prayers that you reading this, may give him.


Ok...I'm in the process of getting some info and pictures together in regards to my father, and his terribly failing health. He is 6'1", and as of today (3/16/09) weighs in at a whopping 110 pounds. He has been run through the test gammut LOCALLY, and needs some MAJOR intervention OUTSIDE of our local community. I need some connections who are willing/wanting to get him to the right place/people, and in short order. He is losing about a pound a week, and there's no way he will be lasting very long at that rate.I am making a DESPERATE plea to try and spread the word through friends and family, who have connections in MANY different arenas: medical, media....ANYTHING that can help get his case some MAJOR attention. He eats well, and regulalry, and is losing weight (and almost all of his muscle now) rapidly.I will NOT be asking for any money. All I am asking is that you read through the updates, sign up, and pass this along to your friends and family. I KNOW that God will provide assistance....but, I am having to hit the pavement HARD to find help.Let me thank you, in advance, from the very bottom of my heart. He's only 59, and has 5 grand-daughters that are depending on having him around for awhile longer....I love and appreciate you ALL for helping me out.Feel free to ask questions, and like I said earlier, I will post pictures of "before" and "present".

~M~

Getting older...

Well, that will be me tomorrow. The hospital calls me today to give me the time. I gotta admit, after seeing this picture, I got a little sick. I've been doing fine....not anxious or anything. But, this pic ain't very becoming, if you know what I mean. At least I have one of the finest orthopaedic surgeons in the country, if not the world. I feel very fortunate.

So, if you don't already know what's going on....my left shoulder has "issues". The doc will be doing three (3) things: repairing/sewing a torn tendon at the tip of the shoulder.....filing down a bone spur somewhere in the same location....and draining an engorged bursa that is not responding to cortisone shots. The only things I am worrying about are getting the IV (which is ALWAYS an issue for me) and the fact that they have to put me in a Vancomyacin drip during surgery, due to my MRSA susceptibility. I've had it once a year now, for two years. I have a low tolerance for Vanco, so I am REALLY putting myself in the trust of someones hands, to a drug I know I am allergic to.... Kinda scary.

Send up a little prayer for me, if you would. I could use it.

I'll possibly find out tomorrow when I start physical therapy. They might not give me a date until we discover how intense the surgery was.

Well.....I'm off to lay in bed and toss and turn.

Cuttin' it up!!

Remember my previous posts about ice massages, e-stem, and cortisone shots on my shoulder?

Welllll.....here's the skinny:

Since September, my left shoulder has been hurting. I went in October to my doc, and was told it was time for my yearly cortizone shot, as appearantly my bursitis was flaring up again. I passed on the offer, as the last time he had to give me three shots in one visit. Told him I would come back when I just couldn't move my arm. He laughed and said, "I'll see you in two weeks". I didn't go back in "two weeks".

Well, it kept getting worse. I went back, mid-January. He gave me one shot in the bursa, and it worked for 2 1/2 days, then started aching again. My physical therapist told me that I should go back and ask him for an MRI. He took an x-ray and it came back negative, so he set up an appointment for a MRI. I called for the results today, and the nurse was just printing out the results: I have a torn rotator cuff and need surgery. She said the doctor will be reviewing the report and refering me to an orthopaedic surgeon.

I was just getting ready to plan a trip to Disneyland because my youngest daughter qualified for Cheerleading Nationals there at the end of March. Also, I have a Mexico mission trip coming up on April 3rd. So....I shall wait to see when I get my O.S. appointment, and when he decides to schedule surgery.

I'm bummed....yet glad that they know what the cause of the pain is. Just wasn't prepared for "surgery" to be what came out of all of this....

Ahhhh, memories....

I've gone from THIS.....



....to THIS.....

I've spent the last two days digging through old photos (and some newer ones), in order to scan them and upload them to my Facebook account. I've had some fun at my own expense....and at the expense of some of my childhood and high school friends....lol All in all, it's been a fabulous trip down Memory Lane....and, I'm just getting started. This is kinda of my own way of "scrapbooking" or journaling my life. And, I'm having a blast doing it!

In the middle of doing all of this, I am trying to finish up month end paperwork for Dean, run the household, write and negotiate FOR my writing, and plan our 25th high school reunion (which looks like it will be a BLAST!!).

I hope that YOU will take the time to go down YOUR Memory Lane. You never know what trinkets you may find. I found a poem that was written on lined paper (looked like a rough draft that I never received). It was from my beloved grandma, who passed away 2 days after Dayna was born. She wrote it to me, about me, and for my 21st birthday. If I get some time, I just might rewrite it here for one of my blogs.

Right now, though.....I gotta run and play taxi not only for my girls, but for my mom and sister.

Hope to catch you all later!!

~M~

TA-DA!!!

Ok....can't talk long....

I have a new job!! I am now a freelance writer for a new Central Valley magazine!! YAY, me!!

Anyhow, today is my first day to "write". I have to produce a biography so the Editor-in-Chief can pitch me and the mag to the advertising department....then, I need to pump out 1-4 articles, ASAP!!

Just wanted to keep you "in the know"!!

I'll try to hit up my blog really soon, and let you know how it's going.

I'm so excited!! I'm gonna be published!!

:D

The game was good....

....but isn't THIS what it was all about????






Which one was YOUR favorite???

***YAAAAAWN***

Oh man....am I feeling like that right now.


Take one 500mg Vicodin, add two 220mg Aleeve, and 2 Benadryl tablets...and this is what you get.


That would be me.


I got my first night sleep in over a week, last night. Went to my physical therapy appointment at 10am. She worked on my TMJ. I told her that I finally slept soundly, but it was on my bad shoulder. I also ended up with a hip that was so painfully sore, I could barely walk. She massaged it for less than 5 minutes, which brought me to tears. So, I scheduled a massage to go to as soon as I left the PT's office. In the meantime, my PT aid I should start taking 2 Aleeve, along with my Vicodin. Apparently the bursa in my left hip has flared up, to match my left shoulder. So...I head to my masseuse. He barely got started on me and was noting how badly my skin was reacting to touch. My histamine levels are SSOOO high that my body is reacting by having SEVERE inflammation issues right now. So, he recommended that I start taking 2 Benadryl.

I am sssooooo sleepy right now. Sleepy enough that I might just pass out.

I'm gonna have to write more later. I have a MRI tomorrow. I'll try to write how all is going sometime after that appointment.


I hope you all have a great evening!

I'm LOSIN' IT!!!!

Crazy week.


This weekend, Dayna spilled water on my Blackberry that I got this summer. It would turn on, ring when called, and receive all emails, texts, etc....but, I could retrieve nothing. So, Monday I took it to the Verizon store. Thank goodness my friend was there and said, "I've seen this before. The buttons don't work. Lucky thing for you, we got a shipment of BRAND NEW Blackberry's in. Let me swap yours out"...and proceed to replace my phone with a new one, and all of its accessories. He's so wonderful to me!

UNfortunately....I lost my calendar. So, I am flying by the seat of my pants with having a TON of information an appointments that were lost on the old phone. One of which was today's appointment: an appraiser that came out to the house. All I knew was that it was after 10am. Good thing for me, I had the house all nice and clean (and me all nice and clean)....and was prepared for her when she happened to show up at 11am.

I had also forgotten that I was picking up my girlfriend's two kids and feeding them tonight. Trip to the store for extra dinner makings. I did stop by the RedBox movie kiosk and get a few movies. "Mirrors", which was too gruesome for me, but had an EXCELLENT story twist..."Lakeview Terrace" which was AWESOME!!!...."The Women" and "Swing Vote", which we haven't watched yet.

My girlfriend's kids left. Alyssa had a MASSIVE....MAJOR meltdown. We go through this with her almost every month. Which in turn, flairs her eczema up to an INCREDIBLE level. Well, I tried to help her out....but, looks like I got deemed the "bad guy". I'm a damned good mom. The whole mother/daughter struggles that happen so infrequently in this house between myself and my eldest two just break my heart. They are so unnecessary. One day, when they have girls of their own, maybe they too, will understand.



On the HAPPY side of the coin, I got some really interesting news today. There is a very good chance that I will start writing for a magazine in the near future. I will be doing articles on travel, arts, wine/spirits, and possibly fashion. I'm really excited about the possibilities! I would be working from home (it sounds like), which is a nice benefit. Seeing as how I have not been sleeping, I could actually pump out a BUNCH of articles, and store them up for future editions.

I thought that was exciting news. :)

Anyways...I don't think I have any appointments tomorrow. Maybe I will take a sleeping pill tonight, as I haven't slept in DAYS. I got my cortisone shot in my shoulder on Friday and took x-rays. I guess the films turned out fine, so they are sending me in for an MRI. Should hear about my appt. by the end of the week. The shot just ain't cutting it, and physical therapy is only helping so much. Good thing I have my new job possibility to keep my mind off of my pain. That....and my Vicodin. ;)

So....what's new with YOU?