Getting ready for some Getchy

I just finished chatting online with Greg.  He is one of my life long friends.. since elementary school.  He is in the Navy and stationed out in California.  However, he is coming home very soon for a visit and I am really excited about it.  Having grown up with him, he is very much like a brother to me.  Of course I wish that it was my sister coming home for a visit, considering I haven't seen her in two years and she is my biological sister rather than a life long friend.

With her being in the Coast Guard, I'm sure she will come home when she is ready and/or when her schedule allows it.  In the mean time though.. I'm getting ready for some Getchy.

Getting older

You know you are getting older when a girls night out no longer consists of late nights filled with bar hopping and guy hunting. Instead, girls night out is now a pit stop at Panera before a mini roadtrip to IKEA and being completely exhausted by the time the store closes at 9pm.

Exactly what I needed

Things got a little bit better on Sunday, after my close encounter.  Tony and I got a visit from Uncle Brian.  It was great to see him again and catch up.

Yesterday was my last day of vacation.  I got to spend it at the beach with Tony, Annmarie, and the three girls.  It was so peaceful and relaxing.  Exactly what I needed.



Close encounter

Just a little while ago I was getting ready to clean the pool.  As I was leaning over, fiddling with the skimmer trying to connect everything, I looked up.  Gasp!  There it was.  About six inches from my face.  The biggest, fattest, hairiest, nastiest spider I have ever seen in my life!  I immediately backed away, while trying to catch my breath.  Tony was at work.  Which meant that I was on my own with this one.  This post is probably going to make me out to be the worst person in the world.. so I apologize to anyone who is reading this (if anyone is even reading this).  So, as I sat there, staring at this creature, the ideas began flowing through my head as to how I should get rid of this thing.  My first thought was to step on it.  I tossed that idea right out the window when I thought of the crunching sound that this sucker was going to make if I actually did step on it.  And what would happen if I did make an attempt to step on it, but missed.  It might crawl on my foot and up my leg.  I wasn't about to take any chances.  I ran straight into the kitchen and opened the cabinets under the sink.  The good old chemical cabinet.  I decided to try my Hawaiian Breeze Glade Air Freshener first.  As I stood there, spraying 1/4 of the can, I noticed the coating of white fuzz on the spider.  It was so hairy that all I was doing was putting a sweater on it.  It was time for something more powerful.  Lysol Kitchen Clean.. with Bleach.  I began spraying like I have never sprayed before.  After about ten minutes, the spider finally fell onto it's back and began twitching.

Another twenty minutes and it finally died.



 I still can't seem to figure out exactly what kind of spider this is.  Although, everyone who has seen these pictures so far seems to think it's a tarantula of some sort.  So if anyone can identify this thing.. please fill me in!!!

Say "hello" to my little friend

This morning, I did the same thing that I did yesterday morning.  I grabbed my morning cup of java and brought it outside.  The only thing that was different about this, is that there was no unannounced (but more than welcome) guest waiting outside for me this morning like there was yesterday.
I had sat down at the picnic table, yesterday morning, with my java in hand and looked down at the ground only to find this little cutie hanging out next to the pool...

Dust in the wind

"Don't hang on

Nothing lasts forever but the Earth and sky

It slips away

And all your money won't another minute buy

Dust in the wind

All we are is dust in the wind."

-Kansas



Not so lonely after all.

In contrast to my last post, today turned out to be a pretty good day.  I was surrounded by good company.  My neighbor, Annmarie, and her three little girls came over.  I managed to bounce back and forth between grown-up conversations with Annmarie and playing in the pool with the kids.  It turned out to be a not so lonely day after all.

My so called vacation.

My vacation is just a few days away from coming to end and, surprisingly, I'm a little happy about it. It has been nice to be able to sleep in, lounge around, and have a beer or two at lunch time. However, I am most definitely a busy body. I get bored with having nothing to do or nowhere to go. So I have spent a good chunk of my time doing laundry or cleaning. Tony has been at school or at work for most of the week and I'm starting to get a little lonely.  I said I was going to spend this week thinking about the surgery and any other options I may have, but I have had too much time to think.  The only thing that hasn't been on my mind is the surgery.  A little ironic, huh?  I am almost looking forward to going back to work.  I know that, come monday morning, I will regret what I just said.  So for now I guess I'll just bite my tongue and continue lounging around.

60 years

On Sunday (06/12/11), my grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.



Hesitant

I've had a handful of people ask me how my appointment went with the doctor in Boston.  To be honest, I'm not really sure how it went.  What I do know is that the doctor is just as perplexed as I am with my symptoms.  In order to get definitive details, I have two options.  First option is a hysteroscopy and the second option is a laparoscopy.  And of course there's always the option of having them both done at the same time.  I know that the laparoscopy is pretty much the reason for me going to Boston in the first place.  And I am not afraid of having the hysteroscopy.  Normally I am the type of person who jumps into things and will do anything to get an answer.  However, after meeting with the doctor on Friday, my gut is telling me differently.  I have my self all sorts of confused now.. if I know what I need to do next, then why am I so hesitant about going forward with it??

A true soldier. A true hero.

"I am fortunate enough to live, walk, and breathe among the bravest of heroes.  I am a proud Army Wife."

In the midst of my selfish ranting, I neglected to mention the news I woke up to yesterday morning (before my wasted trip into Boston). Although I feel like a terrible person for not mentioning this is earlier.. It's the kind of news that deserves it's own post.

On Monday (June 6th), someone who I graduated highschool with, unselfishly gave his life in Iraq, along with four other soldiers, when their base in Baghdad was attacked.  Pfc. Michael Cook is the third person from my graduating to class to have given his life for our country.  Being an army wife myself, this saddens me and angers me all at the same time.  However, deep down inside, I am filled with more guilt than anything.  There are so many families that have lost a loved one in the war, and I was fortunate enough to have my husband come home safe and alive from two tours.  I know that I shouldn't feel guilty about it, but I can't help it.  I also know that I am truly blessed and to lucky to have my husband home with me.  And believe me.. I count my lucky stars every single night that I still have him by my side.

My heart goes out to Pfc. Michael Cook's family.  May God give them the strength to get through this.

Here is an article from one of our local newspapers (The Eagle Tribune):

SALEM — Army Pfc. Michael Cook was just one of several members of his Salem High School graduating class to serve his country

This week, he was the third from the Class of 2003 to die in the line of duty.

Cook was killed Monday while serving as part of Operation New Dawn in Iraq. He was among five soldiers killed when rockets struck their base in Baghdad.

It was his 27th birthday.

Cook and his wife, Samantha, have two young children, Hailee and Michael III.

Cook was remembered yesterday as a charismatic, intelligent man who was always willing to help others.

"He always had a smile and was always positive," said Curtis Killion, Cook's computer science teacher at Salem High School.

Killion and Superintendent of Schools Michael Delahanty recalled how Cook was the type of student who always stood out.

"He was very bright," Delahanty said. "There are some kids who stand out, and Michael was one of those kids."

Although it's been nearly a decade since Delahanty was principal of Salem High, he clearly remembered Cook's fondness for computers while he was a student at the school.

Killion told of how Cook volunteered to put together a yearbook for the district's elementary school students.

"He would always volunteer," Killion said.

"He was the kind of kid that all the younger ones were comfortable with."

Cook's two siblings are still students in the school system. Lucas is a student at Salem High and Kimberly attends Woodbury Middle School.

Delahanty also remembered Cook for his engaging personality, an important trait for someone sent to Iraq as an adviser.

"Michael had one of those personalities that would bridge any communication gap," Delahanty said.

Cook was the third member of the 2003 Salem High graduating class to die serving in Iraq.

The others were Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Moscillo and Cpl. Nicholas Arvanitis. Staff Sgt. Edmond Lo, a member of the Class of 2004, also was killed in Iraq.

Cook will be remembered with a moment of silence at the school's graduation tomorrow.

Yesterday, his body was flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

While Cook was away serving his country, hard times had fallen upon the family, neighbors said.

They were recently forced to move out of their home on Hitty Road and into an apartment.

A large yellow ribbon is tied to an oak tree in the family's old yard.

The house is empty, but a sign that says, "Pray until they are home" sits in the front window.

Marilyn Chirichiello, who lived next door to the family on Hitty Road for 13 years, said the Cooks were great neighbors and always there for others.

Chirichiello said she last saw Michael Cook last year when he came to visit his family.

"She really loved that kid," Chirichiello said of Patti Cook. "She used to say he was the perfect son."

The family moved two weeks ago, she said.

Two men in military uniforms came to her door Monday night looking for the family, presumably to notify them of Cook's death.

"I got scared," she said. "I thought, 'Her son is in Iraq.' It's very sad."

Chirichiello told of how the family tied the big yellow ribbon in the tree and Patti Cook put the special sign in the window, hoping for her son's safe return.

Another neighbor, Kathleen Osmer, said her children often played with the Cook children. Patti Cook was there for Osmer when her son, Kyle, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He's now recovering.

"I've known the Cooks for a long time," she said. 

"There is no greater sorrow than losing your child. I can just sympathize so much with them."

Patti Cook and her husband, Michael Cook Sr., could not be reached for comment yesterday. Their son, Lucas, refused comment.

State dignitaries released statements, including Gov. John Lynch.

They offered condolences to the family and thanked Cook for his service.

"We are all deeply saddened by the loss of Pfc. Michael Cook," Lynch said.

"Like so many brave men and women from New Hampshire, Pfc. Cook chose to serve our nation and protect our freedoms, and he did so with courage and honor."

Rest easy Pfc. Michael Cook.  Your sacrifice will NEVER be forgotten.

Rescheduled

Urgh!! I am beyond frustrated and irritated. Yesterday, Tony had to switch his work hours around (and ended up losing an hour) so that he could drive me into Boston for my appointment with the specialist at Brigham & Women's Hospital. Of course he ended up taking a wrong turn somewhere. So, we had to turn around and sit in ridiculous, typical Boston traffic. I called the office to let them know I would be about ten minutes late for my appointment. The receptionist told me, "Okay, that's fine. I will let them know." Well, when we finally got there and I checked in at the desk, a girl came out to the waiting room to tell me that I didn't have an appointment. Immediately, I pulled out my life book (my little 79 cents day planner/appointment book) and saw it written there in blue ink - June 8th: 1pm B&W. I said to the girl, "Umm, yes I do. I have it written down right here." That's when she tells me that they rescheduled my appointment for Friday, June 10th. Supposedly they called and left a message back in April about the change and supposedly an automated voice recording called the house on Tusday at 6:21pm to remind me of my "Friday" appointment. Tony was home all day on Tuesday (while I had to work until 7pm) and said that the phone never rang. I was extremely close to telling them to just cancel Friday's appointment and don't book me for anything else. It's not like I haven't been dealing with this for the last three years now or anything. However, I have promised a few people that I would go through with this and get things figured out and treated. I never make promises and break them. If the word 'promise' comes out of my mouth then you know it's etched in stone. I had the receptionist type out a letter for me, stating that I was booked for an appointment yesterday but it had to be rescheduled for tomorrow, so that I could give it to my work. I just don't want my managers to start thinking that I'm lying about all of this so that I can have days off from work. I am not that kind of person by any means. I specifically requested to have yesterday off from work because I knew I had the appointment and I didn't want to have to call out of work and leave them short handed. I guess I can throw those intentions out the window since I will have to miss work anyways tomorrow to go back to Boston. Tony can't come with me this time because he has to work a full day and he just recently got a small promotion. I don't want him to get in trouble or lose his new rank. Thank God for my neighbor, Annmarie, she has offered to go with me tomorrow and it's a blessing that she's even willing to drive me in since she knows Boston better than she knows the back of her own hand!! (Love you long time Annmarie!!)

But we're not in Kansas!!

Yesterday was tragic. Not one, but three tornadoes ripped through three towns in western MA. Living in southern New Hampshire, my neck of the woods was put on tornado warnings/watches throughout the day. Luckily, all we got was a nasty thunder, lightning, and hail storm first thing in the morning, a faint lightning show later in the night that we were able to (safely) sit outside and watch, and various colored skies in between.

Springfield, Brimfield, and Monson are the three towns that took the tornado beating. There was four deaths caused by these storms. Four deaths is still four too many, but I must say, for a part of this country that rarely ever gets tornadoes.. the death toll could've been a lot worse.
My heart goes out to everyone involved in this enormous tragedy. May the strength of God be with all of you while you are left to pick up the pieces of your lives.