I also am leaving Mutliply, sort of...

I will NOT delete this account, so I can still keep in contact with those who don't follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or other blogs.

Once I'm established on another blog site, I'll post it for you, in case you wish to bookmark, or whatever. (It will be a site where anyone (with or without membership) can leave comments. More than likely will be Word Press or Blogger. (I already have blogs set up on both... just need to figure which one I like best.) ;)

Thank you all for the years of support & friendship!

Please, if you'd like to, feel free to follow me on Facebook, please leave a reply below & I'll send you my info... as long as I've known you for a long time! ;)

Or if you're a Twitter person, my handle is LadyHarley99 (just let me know yours, so I do not block you... and you can do so below, or in a PM.)

~Toodles for now!~

P.S. This is a "contacts only" blog. Thanks :)

Howdy!! (contacts only!)

Hi ya all... I know I haven't been around. As I've said before in several blogs... I do a lot of stuff on Facebook now.

I haven't left here... just haven't been in the mood to really blog... mainly because I'm saying all I want to on my Facebook.

So, if anyone wishes to keep up to date with me, please feel free leave a message below & then I'll send you a PM with details how to connect with me there.

I know quite a few of you are already there with me... & I truly appreciate it. However, there are several of you I miss talking with... but I don't want to push by sending you the info... unless you want it.

IF you don't wish to join me on Facebook... you can always follow me on Twitter... my handle there is: LadyHarley99 (that's linked to my Twitter page) ... If you follow me & your handle is different than what it is here please send me a PM (or reply below, if you don't mind others seeing your handle) & let me know what your name is on Twitter... That way, when I get the email notification of you following me & I go to the page, I won't block you. (Make sense?)

Thank & hope to see you either on Facebook, Twitter OR both! ;)

P.S. I will still blog here once in a while... along with still posting short stories for the UFC. (Which by the way, I will be doing one next week, because it's my challenge.) ;)

It was a very MERRY CHRISTMAS indeed!!!

Christmas has come & gone... however, the joy of it is still lingering...

Our (Hubby & I) twin nephews were baptized this morning... by their father! (Hubby's brother!) It was so wonderful to be able to be there to see it.

I say that, because, this past Thursday I was pretty bad & was not sure how I was going to make it to Christmas without possibly going to the ER to get some relief from the extreme pressure & throbbing headache I was having... so I broke down & took a Vicodin during the day, Thursday, & by bedtime, I took 4 Ibuprofen w/ the Benadryl...

I woke up feeling much better Christmas Eve day! Made it to the candlelight service... & "Christmas at the Farm" (my side of the family), that evening.

I only survived all that because I was taking 4 Ibuprofen about every 5 hours... by the time we got home that night, I was in a lot of pain... but after a night sleep, I was better again... & was able to enjoy Christmas morning with my hubby & my doggies.. then onto his mom's for Christmas with her, Hubby's brother & sister-in-law & their family. (4 kids... one is 4 year's old!) Was a blast! That little one is so funny... he definitely has his dad's (& uncle's) sense of humor!! Well, all the kids do! ;o)

However, after all the activities yesterday... I was in poor shape again last night... but had found out the twins were going to be baptized this morning... & I knew I wanted to make that.

So, I went to sleep early last night... woke up at 9:30a & made it to church. WOO HOO! Victory for me! ... no...

VICTORY for the twins! It's a tough choice to want to make a commitment like that!... yet, they have wonderful loving parents; big sister; & grandma (& of course their Aunt Lady Harley & their uncle, (my hubby)... not to mention our fabulous church family!) who will guide them in this early stages of their "new" life & their life walk with Jesus!

It was the best Christmas gift any of us in the family (& to Jesus!) could have ever received! We're all so proud of them!!!

It's been a LONG eventful... fun-filled & blessed week. Glad I was able to get through & participate!!!

OH... Another great thing... we had a WHITE Christmas too! At one point yesterday, Hubby & his brother went out to the truck to get the "big" gift for their mom... & when I was standing at the door, ready to hold it open for them (& was taking video too, LOL) I said "It's snowing!"... even though no one else really seemed to be excited or impressed... I was!! *grins*

Now, I'm ready for a few days on the couch, in front of the fire (see picture above) & watching tv!!! ;o)

Welcome to Winter

Did you get to see the once in a lifetime SPECIAL Lunar Eclipse last night? (Check out that link for a cool photo of it! ... scroll through to see some other wonderful shots, too!) Unfortunately, I did not get to see it. There was complete cloud cover here... & it was supposed to be snowing. Besides, I went to bed early... early for me... before Midnight!  (I might just be getting back into a better sleeping pattern... will see how long it lasts!)

Oh, yes, I know, lunar eclipses happen more than that... HOWEVER, last night's was so rare, last time it happened Galileo was alive. (At least that's what one of my Facebook friends said last night. LOL)

What made it so special was that it was a TOTAL eclipse & coincided with the Winter Solstice "arrival". 1638 was the last time this happened & December 21, 2094 is when it will happen again. (Here is a link to some other photos of this rarity!)

That's right, in the Northern hemisphere of Earth, WINTER HAS ARRIVED!!! WOO HOOO!!!

For my Aussie friend(s) & anyone else in the Southern half... it is Summer... so, for you... WELCOME TO SUMMER! I sure hope it's not has hot as it was last year for you!

Now onto why I really started this blog, today...

This morning I took the dogs into the groomers to get their Christmas bath. LOL... & since I was out and had not eaten yet... I decided to go ahead to the laboratory to get my blood work done for my doctor's appointment next week. (Had to be fasting!)

Well, the appointment was actually supposed to be today, but my ride (my mom) ended up having a dentist appointment... & since her dentist rearranged his schedule to fit her in... well, it took precedence. Besides, I had forgotten to the blood work last week anyway. LOL. (She (or someone) has to take me, because my family doctor is now 30+ miles away. :-/ ... & to be safe, I am still not driving that far myself. I can drive short distances & as long as I'm not doing much, (like shopping). Otherwise, I have someone else take me... or pick up stuff for me. (ie: My hubby.) ;o)

Oh, before I continue... just so no one (DAD!) worries... this was just a normal routine check up. It's just a check of my thyroid & a cholesterol levels. That's also, what the doctor's visit will be about. Along with getting established at his new office.

So, anyway, I go into this place & hand over my script for the blood work & sit down to wait to be called. A young girl (I'd say about 10 to 13 in age... maybe slightly younger?) was sitting waiting her turn. (At least I thought that's what she was waiting on... seems she actually had to wait until so much time had passed from when she had eaten last. No, I didn't ask... just what I had heard her & her mom talking about it.)

Just as I get seated, she pops up to the window & ask, "What time is it?". The nurse gives her the time & she sits back down. Her dad (I presume) who appears to try to be reading a magazine says to her, "Say 'Thank You'." The girl mumbles "Thanks"... so softly, that I bet the nurse never heard her.

Then the dad proceeded to say something to the fact that she needs to be a bit less "demanding" & how she's probably not aware of how she is coming across. She is sitting there playing her Nintendo DS (little hand held video game) & replies "Blah, blah, blah".

At which point, I decided to lay my head back against the wall (ouch, forgot my pillow, to support my neck! *sighs*) & started thinking to myself... how DISRESPECTFUL she was... Not just to her dad, but also to the nurse... AND to all of the rest of us in the waiting room, because she was playing with her game with the sound up... & I mean it wasn't soft... it was loud enough I could tell when she had "lost a life" or what have you!

Then she keeps asking her mom, "when can I go back?", in not such a nice or soft voice, mind you. The mom softly replies "They'll call you when it's time."

A couple moments later she shuts off her game in haste & then pops up to the window & asks if she could have some water. They nurse there said, it was out in the lobby. & She then verified if she was allowed to have water. It was confirmed yes... & as she's walking out, she tells her mom, "I told you so!" (very rudely... not in a fun way!)

I, jokingly, say to the mom, while she's gone: "Now they'll probably call her name." She just smiled.

The girl returns & is bouncing back & forth in her chair. Then, one of the other nurses calls back an older lady & the girl turns to her mom & exclaims: "She was here way after us!"

Calmly the mom replies, "You have to wait until so much time has passed since you ate."

She's like: "I'm so bored in this place." ... No response from the mom. A few seconds pass & she says: "I want a candy cane." ... again, no response from the mom. Good for her! ;o)

Oh, a few moments prior to this, the dad left & was sitting in the lobby... (I knew this, because I went out for a drink of water too, just after the girl came back in.) I guess he had enough of his daughter's impatience.

Thankfully it was only about a minute later, I was called back. Had the mom had not said something about her having to wait, I would have said she could have gone ahead of me... but since she did... I didn't! ;)

As I'm walking back, the girl pops back up to the window & asks the nurse, "How much long do I have to wait?" The nurse looks at the clock & sweetly replies "About 5 minutes."

After I got in my truck & started back home, I thought of how that is basically how a lot of kids are nowadays... & it's such a shame. & Thought, "Wow, had that been one of us growing up... we would have been grounded."

I was thinking of how rude it was of the girl to sit there with her game up so loud... & the mom, nor the dad said anything. I guess they figured they didn't want to create "a scene"... she's probably threw fits before when they'd ask.

Tell you what... Had it been me, I would have said turn it down or I'm taking it away... & if any flack was given, I would have ripped that game out of her hand and put it in my purse. Then said, "You'll get it back in the car, if you remain quiet until we leave... if you don't, you'll not get it back until... however long I thought at the time would make the point clear."

Yeah, probably would have been met with some major resistance & probably crying or screaming... but I would needed to have stood my ground.

Ok, ok... it's easy to say that now... & I'm sure that mom was probably tired of listening to her girl's whining & figured that was the best way to keep her quiet. What gets me is that some parents just let their kids get away with it. And then we all wonder why they are all so disrespectful.

I'd like to know where child rearing has gone so wrong that the kids will not respect their elders... or anyone else, for that fact.

Again, that's all easy for me to say from my perspective... I did not have the benefit of raising my son after his dad & I divorced. Seeing how he is now & comparing him at the age of this young girl I saw today... well, I feel for that mother.

For, I do know that there are times, even now with my son at the age of 21, that I just get tired of trying to "correct" him... that I'm like "Whatever!!!"

When did we all get so complacent about teaching our children to be respectful & courteous... & teaching them "Please & Thank you??"... YES, I am including myself in this "all".

What changed in the past 20 years to make us give up teaching values & morals to the next generation? Again, I include myself in this, mainly because I was not that much part of rearing my son.

HOWEVER, I do know that my mom (who did the better part of raising him), tried her best to instill all that... He still though can be quite rude... And I try my best, when around him, to remind him... but of course, now that he's officially an "adult"... it's harder to try to correct him.

I do have to say, my son does have his moments that makes a mom (& his grandma) proud! He will do or say something that shows us that somewhere in there he knows how to act!

Ok... for anyone who may have a child like the above mentioned girl... I feel for you, because I'm sure it's extremely hard to try to teach, when so many other parents are not & they learn from those kids that it must be ok to act like this. (Make sense?)

Anyway, I'm not saying I'm the perfect parent... nor that any other is a bad parent. I just want to know what happened to make us (as in parents or grandparents) to let our kids just walk all over anyone older than them, who may just be trying to teach them!???

Whatever happened to "Children should be seen, not heard?" ;o)

Alright, I'll step down off the soap-box now... sure hope I didn't offend anyone... if so, I'm sorry... just keep in mind this is my opinion! ;o)

I have this sneaky feeling that my phone will be ringing soon with a call from my mom... or my dad... to say that I there were times, I was like that little girl in the waiting room today. But, why is it though, I can't recall ever being like that, when I was little? Hmmmm....

In case I don't blog again before (which I might... but I won't guarantee it!)... or even if you won't be around until afterward... I sure hope you & yours, have a WONDERFUL & very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Another edition of TOTs

Just going to go right into my thoughts today...

1. I've changed the background & darkened the text, so I hope it's easier to read now. ;o)

2. Yep, graphics are from my favorite place... Glitter-Graphics.com!!! :-D

3. Coleman is such a silly dog!... how silly you ask? I'll tell you... he will get up on the couch & a few minutes later he's on the floor... then few more minutes pass & he's back up on the couch again. LOL... That's what I love about him... if feeling down... he helps bring a smile to my face!!

4. So does Sunny, our other dog. She's just as goofy as Coleman. See, she likes to be under the blanket next to me when it's cold like it has been... She will stay there & even when I flip the blanket back to expose her nose a little, she will turn her nose so that she's completely buried... then scoots her back closer to my leg, as if... "I'm cold, Mom!" ~ *giggles*

5. Back to Coleman... I think his clock is off... or maybe it's just because he's getting old... Used to be Hubby could get them out in the morning & they'd both be content 'til he got back home from work. Well, not anymore... Coleman is usually barking or pacing about at least an hour before Hubby is usually due. (If not on overtime!)

6. Thankfully the days that I've had to go to the Cleveland Clinic for doctor's appointments or even when I was at my mom's recovering & no one was home... there were no "accidents". So, I'm just hoping that it's because he realizes I am home... & that I will let him out... I'm hoping it's not that he's over 10 years old now & that he might be starting to have to go more. *sighs*

7. Moving on... a couple weeks ago, a friend picked me up & took me to the stores so I could get some Christmas shopping done... Well... the presents are still sitting on the table... waiting for me to wrap them... Just haven't had the "oomph" to do it. I'll have to... only 8 days left...

8. Well actually 7... because most of these will be opened on Christmas Eve.

9. Which leads me to... Hubby & I usually spend Christmas afternoon & evening at his mom's with his brother & sister-in-law & their kids... This year... sounds like it will be at Noon on Christmas Eve... and it sounds like it's not going to get to be the nice relaxed (yet crazy fun!) time that we normally get... because there will be Christmas Eve candle light services... & then over to the farm (my family) for Christmas their. *sighs*

10. I didn't used to mind some changes... but seems, lately, everything is changing... & I'm starting to not like it when something changes... (not just referring to 8 & 9... just a lot of stuff!)

11. I must be getting old too! ;o)

12. Oh... I did get my Christmas tree up... it's simple this year... just lights that were already on it & hung a few golden icicle ornaments & 2 "Snow Buddies" ornaments (because I only have 2! *winks at family members who might be reading this!*)... & of course, an angel for the topper.

13. Don't be shocked... it's not PINK, (like the picture below)... Our tree actually has blue lights!! With the gold accents & the gold tree skirt... looks pretty. (Picture is on Facebook... I'll try to post one here shortly.) :o)

14. Why is it not PINK??? Oh, I have ornaments to do a pink colored tree... even pink lights too... it's just my mother-in-law does hers in this awesome blue & silver... & well, my hubby is not a fan of pink, either.

15. I was hoping that when we moved into this house that I could have put up both our little 4' tree for the blue & the bigger one I'd use the pink on... Well, there's just no room right now...

16. Maybe next year I'll figure something out ;) I do miss having a larger tree.

17. I'd really rather have a live one... just one year!!!

18. Ok... I'll stop now... They're just rambling thoughts now! ;o)

~*Toodles!*~

How about some TOTs

For those who've not experienced this from me before, TOTs are simply: Thoughts on Thursday! (or some will do it on Tuesday.) Usually some bloggers here on Multiply will try to limit it to 10. Me... well, there's a reason why my blog is named: "The Rambling Train"... Yep, that's right... because I'm a rambler. (Which I'm sure many of you have had the pleasure of my ramblings even on Facebook!)

TOTs are nice, because it helps break up the "monotony" of a typical blog... meaning they are just random thoughts where 1 does not necessarily have to do with another in the list. Also, they're put in to a "bullet" fashion to make it easier to read.

Now that you all know what it is (or have been reminded of them) let's get started... & once again, like the title of yesterday's blog, remember you are on "The Rambling Train" ... where she stops... no on knows! ;) Actually, in TOTs, I do try to limit it... I said... TRY ;o)

Here goes...

1. Anytime I receive a text message now, I have to giggle... because my sister-in-law sent me a "sound" for my phone... it's of a kid giggling... sooooo cute!! ;o)

2. There's a reason why I tell my hubby not to talk politics when at a family gathering (such as Thanksgiving)... & have asked him to try to change the subject when someone else does... because no matter what you say, everyone has their own opinion about it.

3. Well, I should remember that when clicking on news articles before shutting off my computer at night! Got "involved" in the comments on an article posted on Yahoo News last night... AFTER I had already posted "G'd Night" to my Facebook (FB) status. 2 hours later, I was still awake & sharing a link to the article to my FB friends & family.

4. However, I learned something from that article... well, actually, from the "research" I did to back up my 1st comment to all the others posting... So, on my 2nd comment, I, basically, provided a link to the constitution's 14th Amendment & then said... MERRY CHRISTMAS... LOL...

5. Oh, & before I read & posted "that" article link to FB... I had posted one just before it, only because of the headline: "WH (White House) warns tax defeat could trigger new recession"... & I put my thought with it as: "So when did we get out of the "old" recession???"... LOL

6. I hadn't read the article... nor do I even really read stuff like that... I just thought the headline was funny, because it seems to me we're still in a bit of a slump in this country. However, my niece replied June of 2009 was what she remembered some economists stating was the end of the recession.... Um, really? That was the time my hubby was without a job... & was for over a year!

7. Grant it, my hubby is back to work (same place laid off) & he's working a lot of ... & I mean a LOT of overtime... however, I still hear of many who are without jobs. That's why the headline struck me as odd. So, how does one tell if the country is out of a recession? (Ok, for all who follow things like this... please, don't waste your time trying to explain it to me... I really meant that as a rhetorical / "ha ha" type of question.) ;o)

8. Remember... this is just MY thoughts... not necessarily trying to open a debate with anyone about anything. Just stating what's going through my mind.

9. And since it's been SOOOO long since I've done one of these TOTs... I will for sure pass 10 of them!

10. I guess the reason I haven't written a blog like this in a while, is because FB basically was an outlet to post my thoughts as they were going through my mind at the time. However, they don't get saved after so much time. (or after so many posts.)

11. If FB puts a limit on the # of posts it will go back to when clicking "show older posts"... then stuff I type up would get lost in a short time, because I play games over there that I like to share with others who play the same game. (For example: Bejeweled Blitz, you can share coins with other players when your "daily spin" is so much.)

12. So, my Multiply friends... now you know what has kept me from here for so long... it was the games! LOL!!

13. Actually, it was that an the fact I connected with a BUNCH of others who suffer from the same "invisible" disease as I do. (Chiari Malformation (CM)).

14. Wow, took 13 thoughts before I brought up CM... & that's all I'll say about it in this blog, because that's not what I wanted this blog to be about!

15. Besides, I have a separate blog site that I use now to talk about it. Even though, I haven't posted anything to it since 10-1 (about 8 weeks post op). Mainly because I was talking about it all again on FB.

16. One more thought about that... I think I'll update that blog today... BEFORE I get on FB... a lot has happened since the last post... as in regards to my surgery & etc. (That's it, no more talk about CM in this blog... I hope!!)

17. Oh, I'm proud of myself... not only have I blogged 2 days in a row here on Multiply... but I actually started this BEFORE being sucked into the world of Facebook... with it's games & all the status updates from family & friends (church & school friends, included with some new ones... even some of you from here, on Multiply!!!)

18. Yes, I said FAMILY... I have quite a few family members that I'm connected with over there on FB... & this one, I think my dad will like... My dad's brother's son... my 1st cousin... Mark... recently joined FB... & I have connected with him. (Though we've exchanged phone #'s... I have yet to talk to him... my doing... I keep forgetting!)

19. I do want to talk to him... we haven't spoken since his father (my dad's brother) passed away... many years ago. (At least 15?) & I really want to get in touch with him AND keep in contact with him... since my dad, he & I are the only ones living from that side of the family... from our generation, that is. (Meaning not including my son, or my cousin's kids, if any.)

20. See, it's been so long, I don't know if he has any kids!!!

21. Oh, the train has been derailed... by an arrival of an expected package. (But I won't talk about it, because it refers back to thoughts 13 through 16.) ;o)

22. Thinking there was a lot more I've been wanting to share, that's been on my mind.

23. I guess I don't have to share it all in one day & one blog. LOL!

24. So, with that, I guess I'll wrap this one up... HOWEVER....

25. Since it's Christmastime... I'll end with 25... & with a picture of the wonderful, scrumptious dessert that was served to us at this year's Christmas Craft Party. (It's same thing we get every year... because the hostess knows we all love it SOOO much.)



P.S. The photo at the top is from this morning... it was such a beautiful sunshine day that just made the snow sparkle.... just the way I LOVE IT!!! :o)

~*Toodles*~

Yeah, I'm still around...

Hi ya all... How have ya been???

No, I haven't moved to the south... just a bit loopy... well, tired as more like it. It's 4:44a... I was out Christmas Shopping today & was wound up from that... then didn't take my Ambien 'til about an hour ago... Geesh, I should be asleep by now... but I'm still typing away. (Where was this LAST MONTH... ugh.. that'll make sense in a few!) ;)

Thankfully one of my best friends, Passion Wolf, did the driving. Even though I only live a couple miles from the stores where we went... I am still actually in recovery process of this little ol' brain surgery I had back in August.

Speaking of... I have not blogged about it on my other blog or here recently because I was getting tired of saying... well, I just don't know yet. & I really still don't know if it's a success.

However, I have found that if I'm active for a couple hours a day. Or even just a little bit... it helps some. But if I walk around a store too much I get the same old feelings back. So, that's why I'm glad she was driving.

I have ventured out a few times on my own... but mostly to places where I can stay in my truck & go through a drive through. Or in just for a quick pick up & back out.

Anyway... just wanted to stop by & say "Hello"! Been thinking of you all lately... miss ya... I do see some of you on Facebook... so that's helped a little... I just feel though some of you, I've left behind... ..... & after a passing of a friend from High School that I had "just missed" reconnecting with (since graduation) on Facebook... it makes me reconsider other lost friendships.

I really want to get back to blogging more often & less just "status" updates on Facebooks. (Besides, them status updates... they get buried so much by the games we all play over there.... AND they only will go back so far... unlike here... once you blogged... it's here 'til YOU remove it!) ;)

Maybe that will be my New Year... nope, I do NOT make resolutions... Never liked to! I make goals... & I can start now! ;)

Ok... one blog done... hee hee... ;)

If anyone really wants to hear more about what I've been up to... let me know... I'll be happy to write up some more blogs. Hey... it would help get me back in the swing of blogging... then maybe even the swing of doing my creative writing!!

(Yeah, I did sign up for the NaNoWriMo 50,000 word challenge again... but didn't get one word toward a novel done. IT just was not in me this year!!!)

So... let's have it... any questions??? ;)

P.S. For anyone kind of new to my blog... the blog pic is from Glitter-Graphics.com... you can click the picture & it will take you to their site.

It's confirmed!!!

I have been telling everyone for years I have Chiari Malformation (CM)... & in December some doctor had the nerve to tell me that I did NOT and that my symptoms were only because I had done the research about CM & that I was only "imaging it all". WHAT A LOAD OF HORSE MENU!! *grins*... (I tell ya, I try my best not to swear!)

What he didn't know, forgot, or just seemed to ignore is that I've had these symptoms LONG before I knew I had Chiari Malformation.

On March 19th this year (2010) my symptoms escalated (on the way to dinner with my mom & sister to celebrate my 41st birthday!)... to make a long story short... I used to not get car sick... well, this day I did... and in a major way. Felt as if I was going to pass out & the pressure was horrendous.

Here I thought the extreme pressure I felt on the airplane to Arizona (last April) was awful... this time it seemed worse.

Ever since March 19th... things have just gone down hill.

So much that I finally, upon recommendation from many Chiari friends, called Dr. Di's  (pronounced DEE, not Dye. *Whew & giggles*) & set up a consultation... that was this past Thursday.

During this visit, he confirmed, (WOO HOO) what I already knew... I do in fact have Chiari Malformation! WHAT A RELIEF to know an expert in CM sees it!!

Well, then he proceeded to tell my mom & myself that they're already scheduling into September... however, he wants to get me in sooner than that... Soooo... my very 1st (& hopefully only one) decompression surgery is scheduled for June 25, 2010! (Barring any problems with insurance & any complications.)

Dr. Di said if I have any more syncope (blacking out) and / or seizure episodes that I am to get to the local ER (about a 1/2 mile away, thankfully!) Once he's notified, he may insist & schedule my surgery much sooner. (Praying that doesn't happen!)

So, yes, it is all in my head... but it's PHYSICAL, not mental!!!... AND I have proof now... The MRI picture above is from a scan I had in 2000... the line shows where the brain (cerebral tonsils SHOULD stop)... this is how they determine it's Chiari... and it's how they estimate the herniation length. This image is a little misleading in a few ways...

1. The line (drawn in 2000 by the doctor reading it) is a little low in it's angle... which would mean the tonsils are herniated more than originally thought. (We'll get the accurate length from Dr. Di after the surgery) At the moment, it's estimated at 5mm.

2. This, I believe, is a left side view... & per Dr. Di... my right side is worse. (Which I had a hunch!)

3. It's quite possible that it may be worse than it was back in 2000. But, that is here nor there!

4. It's a known fact now that Chiari experts are more worried about the width & not the length... also, how much is it blocking the patient's CSF (Cerbral Spinal Fluid) from flowing as it should!!!

This is such a HUGE relief for me... in many ways. Mainly because it confirms what I already knew... & also that I know there's an end in sight now... an end to my suffering... or at least to make it more manageable.

I invite you to follow my progress on Facebook. I have an "event" set up where my friends & family can post (if they want) messages of comfort; encouragement; support; prayers; & all around goodness... If you'd like to join this & you're not connected with me, already, on Facebook... leave a message below & I'll send you the PM with the details.

Along with messages of updates & etc... I'm going to hopefully use it to post notes of what I'd like to do after recovery & other things like that!!!

Those of you who are already connected with me on FB... & would like to be invited to this "event" and don't see an invite... let me know either here or on FB & I'll send you an invitation soon as I can.

By the way... if you did not know... being invited and "attending" this event (via Facebook) does not mean you'll be there at the Cleveland Clinic... It's just so that you can receive updates & posts by myself (and / or my family) about my upcoming surgery... and the recovery.

I'd like to try to keep it all in this one place so that I do not overwhelm those who do not wish to hear about it... AND so that I have just the one place to update. (Make sense?)

I would post a link here to the event... HOWEVER, this blog is open to EVERYONE... & because of that and that my FB page is NOT public... well, you get the idea! :)

That's all for this trip, on The Rambling Train. Take care. ~ Toodles! ~

Was it a morning like this???

One of the downsides to not being able to drive on my own, is not being able to attend church as regularly as I wish. Especially on special days like today.

(Before I continue, let me preface this blog as... Yes, this entry is of a Christian nature. I do not apologize for posting it... and don't you apologize (nor even make mention) if you don't wish to read it. That is between you & God... (whether you believe or not!) Thank you.)

Because my hubby goes in much earlier than the start of the service, (he's one of the "sound technicians" for our church's Praise Band), I am left with the opportunity to have peaceful & quite time, to be able to worship on my own. And today was no exception... No, take that back... today the exception is that, not only is it a beautiful day (as most Easters have been in the past)... but it's also the day that we set aside to remember in prayer; praise; and worship Thee One who was crucified for our sins and rose from the dead three days later!!!

Yes, we are to remember that everyday... today is just the day, that as Christians, we celebrate it with gusto. Just like we celebrate His birth on Christmas Day!!

Anyway, I felt led today to share with you how I spent my morning in my personal quiet time with God...

Let me back up just a little... I have been reading the New Living Translation (NLT) Bible that is set up to read in one year. Each day they provide you with a passage from the Old and New Testaments... and one from Psalms & Proverbs.

Because I get bored (and sometimes confused) with the way it's set up... so, I had been reading just the Old Testament passages for several days / weeks. This week, however, I felt the need to start reading the New & to read up to the Easter story. ~ Yesterday I read all the way through to Jesus' crucifixion. (Only in the book of Matthew.)

Today, I felt as if I needed to read from my regular New International Version (NIV)... not just Matthew, but also all the versions (Mark, Luke, John, Acts & 1st Corinthians) of Christ's Resurrection.

I also knew, before I went to sleep, that today I wanted to listen to some of my favorite Easter songs. And here is where you can participate as well...

After praying & then reading the scriptures, my 1st selection was "Was it a morning like this." However, I came across a wonderful video of Sandi Patti's version of "Via Dolorosa". Intermingled with a recreation of when Jesus was carrying his cross, made it for a great start of my "worship" time. This particular one, I did not sing along... However, here are the lyrics in case you want to.

Moving on, I looked up the previously mentioned, "Was it a morning like this?"... & found it also by Sandi Patti. These are the lyrics to this song.

(Tell ya what... it sure was a beautiful morning here! Makes me ever so more thankful of God's awesome handiwork!!!)

Then I wanted to not only listen to but sing along to "My Redeemer Lives" (by Hillsong)... If you wish to do the same, (which I highly recommend because this is a very beautiful upbeat chorus), here are the words.

MY REDEEMER LIVES... AMEN!!!

I was going to add to this a little bit about what I did yesterday... however, I believe this one needs to stand alone. With that said...

No matter if you're a Believer or not... have a wonderful, safe, blessed & HAPPY EASTER!!!

a wish for you...

glitter-graphics.com

Your Christmas card awaits below...

Since we're a bit "tight" this year... AND because I don't have your address... please consider this your Christmas card...

...Take care & be SAFE! Love, LadyHarley!!

Just a quick update...

Hi all... I am mainly posting this for my dad, so that he doesn't worry... since it's been a while since I've blogged.

Hubby is STILL looking for a job. My mom is doing good... her surgery is Jan 22nd. (Day after my Social Security hearing.)

Me, well, I'm ok. Just dealing with the Chiari headaches. Awful I tell ya. However, good news... found out that the OSU Medical Center has FOUR locations with MRI machines that can do the specific one that I need. Now all I need is to get the order... oh & try to get financial aid too... or maybe a generous benefactor to pay for it.

Well, told ya... just a quick one this time.
Take care & *waves*
P.S. I wanted to share the above photo... *giggles* I know my dad & step-mom will love it!

My TTT (edited to a Baker's Dozen)

1. Will I make it to #10?

2. I can't believe that in less than 10 days, I'll be FORTY!! EEKS!!!

3. Hubby still hasn't found a job... but he's "being picky while Obama is paying him to stay home." (his words, not mine!!)

4. I keep thinking of things I need to take & get for my trip to Arizona... but I seem to forget to write them down.

5. How many satellite receivers are we going to have to go through before they send us a brand new one. (We're on #4 at the moment... Different problems each time! As long as this one doesn't lock up & records my shows completely, I'll be happy!)

6. According to a rep the other day, we should have gotten the newer model this time around.

7. Anything happens again, I will be demanding the newest receiver available!

8. This all be a mute point if we can't cut some of outgoing money some way else... other wise... bye bye satellite... bye bye cell phone... We need to cut $200 / month to make ends meet!!

9. I just hope that hubby finds a job BEFORE we have to go that far!

10. I'm obsessing on non-essentials... why? I should just be happy we still can afford our home... & can still afford to keep our doggies!!

11. Made it to TEN!!

12. Will make it TWELVE so that it's still a "T"!!

13. What??? No one wants to PARTY??? (LOL)

Toodles & **HUGS** to you all!!

A picked up dog...

My dad sent me this in an email... Thought you might enjoy! :o)

A lady was telling her neighbor that she saw a man driving a pick-up truck down the interstate, and a dog was hanging onto the tail gate for dear life!

She said if the pick-up truck driver hadn't been going so fast in the other direction, she would have tried to stop him.

A few weeks later, her neighbor saw this truck at the Bass Pro Shop in Daphne, Alabama ! The pick-up truck driver is a local taxidermist with a great sense of humor!

Can u just imagine how many people try and stop this guy???

911 calls

Be careful when you call 911... you may just end up on the news... or in someone's blog... Like these 2...

This 1st one is very understandable why the gentleman called 911, had he called a tad earlier the police may have seen it 1st hand. HOWEVER... all is not lost on this one... The lady admitted to actually driving AND breastfeeding her baby AND talking on the cell phone. (Wait... how many hands does that lady have?) She now faces possible charges for child endangerment.

Now, the next one... Well, this is one of them you hear & you think... "You can't be serious??!!" Just click on that link (when you get there, click on the picture) & you'll hear what I mean. After your read that short article... click the "see also" link & read that... & Read the "FYI" at the end.

I would like to nominate this lady for the Darwin Award 2009.

Yeah, I know... I know... this maybe old news to a few of you... but there are some I'm sure haven't heard these yet.

Well, that's all for today! Toodles!!

Catching up... (contacts only)

I have been away from everyone's blogs for so long... So, if anything interesting has happened that you'd like to share... please let me know & I'll check it out. :o)

I'm setting this to contacts only so that I don't get some people sending me to who knows where!! :o)

Also, if I ask you about something you've already blog... Please feel free to tell me to check out past blogs.

Other than that... There's only a couple of you that I'm going to check past blogs. Because I don't have the time right now to check out all of ya.

I hope that I can keep up from now on.

By the way... I look for updates using my Multiply Toolbar... I hadn't even bother looking at new posts in the past few weeks. So... that's why I am behind. Hope that all makes sense.

& I hope you're all doing well... Doing fine here... just been busy doing house work / setting up the website for hubby & sleeping! LOL :o)

At least now I have a somewhat clean kitchen. Not so cluttered now. Now if only I can get back on a decent sleep schedule!

That's all for now.

**HUGS** & Toodles!! :o)

It's a TRICK! (not of the "magical" variety!)

Hi all... I've been busy working on a website for my hubby's motorcycle club... With the help from Kitty (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, by the way!!), I was able to finally make it public!! WOO HOO!!

So, when you look at it (link above)... please let me know what you think... Not bad for my 1st full site from scratch! (Meaning using only html codes!!) (In my humble opinion.)

Anyway... I was checking my email when I saw this one from my dad... & I felt compelled to share it with everyone.

It's a trick that everyone (not just the ladies) should be aware of!!!

A Serial Killer or Rapist's TRICK

Know what money you are carrying. You will see why as you read. Be
sure every woman is aware of this M.O.  Share it with your wife and
daughters.

Know what money you are carrying...This was the first I have heard
of a scheme like this..... I wanted to pass it along.  Be safe!
Something very serious to pay attention to.

Criminals are coming up with craftier, less threatening    methods
of attack, so we have to be extra cautious.

Read on...

I live in Alexandria , VA , but I often work in Lafayette , LA,
staying with friends when I'm there. As you know from America 's Most
Wanted TV program, as well as the news media, there is a serial killer in the
Lafayette area.  I just want to let you know about an 'incident' that happened
to me a few weeks ago, and could have been deadly.

At first I didn't go to the police or anyone with it because I didn't realize how
serious this encounter was. But since I work in a jail and  I  told a few people
about it, it wasn't long before I was paraded into Internal Affairs to tell them
my story.

It was approximately 5:15 a.m. in Opelousas , La.  I had stayed with a friend
there and was on my way to work.

I stopped at the Exxon/Blimpie Pie station to get gas. I got $10 gas  and a
Diet Coke. I took into the store two $5 bills and one $1 bill (just enough to
get my stuff). As I pulled away from the store, a man approached my truck
from the back side of the store (an unlit area). He was an 'approachable-looking'
man (clean cut, clean shaven, dressed well, etc).

He walked up to my window and knocked. Since I'm very paranoid and
'always looking for the rapist or killer,' I didn't open the window.  I just asked
what he wanted. He raised a $5 bill to my window and said,

'You dropped this.'  Since I knew I had gone into the store with a certain
amount of money, I knew I didn't drop it.

When I told him it wasn't mine, he began hitting the window and door,
screaming at me to open my door, and insisting that I had dropped the
money!

At that point, I just drove away as fast as I could.

After talking to the Internal Affairs Department and describing the man
I saw, and the way he escalated from calm and polite to angry and
volatile...it was determined that I could have possibly encountered the
serial killer myself.

Up to this point, it had been unclear as to how he had gained access to
his victims, since there has been no evidence of forced entry into
victim's homes, cars, etc And the fact that he has been attacking in the
daytime, when women are less likely to have their guard up, means he
is pretty BOLD.

So think about it...what gesture is nicer than returning, money to
someone who dropped it?????

How many times would you have opened your window (or door) to get
your money and say thank you....because if the person is kind enough
to return something to you, then he can't really be a threat....can he????

Please be cautious! This might not have been the serial killer...
but anyone that gets that angry over someone not accepting money
from them can't have honorable intentions. The most important thing to
note is that his reaction was NOT WHAT I EXPECTED! A total surprise!
But what might have happened if I had opened my door? I shudder to
think!

Forward this to everyone you know...maybe they can be as fortunate
as I was!

P.S. Ladies, really DO forward this to EVERYONE you know.  Even if
this man wasn't a serial killer, he looked nice, he seemed polite, he was
apparently doing an act of kindness, but HE WAS NOT A NICE PERSON!!!

Men, send it to all the women in your life. What you do today is important
because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.  Make it a good one!

Please forward to anyone you think might benefit from this story.

That's all for now. Take care, BE SAFE, & Toodles!! :)

Lots going on...

Well, besides sleeping mostly in the daytime, I have been dealing with (the past couple nights) with our satellite receiver locking up at the most in opportune moments. So, I have been keeping track of each time it has locked up & have had to manually reset it each time it locks up. UGH! It's been frustrating to say the least!

Thankfully, I called DISH Network & they are sending us a new receiver. It should be here tomorrow. I hope so... I really don't want it to lock up while trying to watch "LOST". Bad enough we missed 10 minutes of "24" last night!! LOL!!

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know I'm doing fine. Just still taking it easy from the computer while hubby has been home. Also, I have been a little bit of a craze lately... Jigsaw puzzles!! I will be posting more about that in a day or so.

On, another note... as mentioned in a prior blog... it's official... I will be going on "vacation" again this year to see my dad. Again, as mentioned, he's now living in Arizona... so, I'll have a new whole set of photos to share. HOWEVER... keep in mind... no well wishes for a nice vacation needed just yet. For it won't be until mid April before I go.

Just wanted to mention that all I need to do is find a good price on tickets before it's finalized... we were not quite sure if I was going until hubby got back the tax return & his vacation pay. Which he did the other day.

Oh... speaking of... we had gone over what needed paid or fixed & one big thing that was going to need to be done was the front end on my truck. Well, hubby took it to the garage he trusts & they looked at it & they found nothing wrong except the ball joints had lost their grease. (Don't know if that's unusual or not.) So, that was something he was able to do here at home.

While doing that he found that a stabilizer link was snapped in two. However, that's another thing he can fix himself... & is not near as expensive as if it had been the front end!! WHEW!! That's a HUGE relief on our "wallet"... I mean a HUGE relief!! Maybe we can put a little of that money saved into savings for emergency use!!

Anyway... that's all for the moment. **HUGS**

*TOODLES*

Happy Valentines Day

Just dropping by to say hi to you! **HUGS**

Super Bowl / Steelers' Sunday!! (UPDATED)

I'm going to be heading to my MIL (mother-in-laws) where she will be having a "birthday dinner" for hubby & the 3 of us will watch the Super Bowl!!!

GO STEELERS!!

But before that I am stopping at a local Bob Evan's to have coffee with one of my good friends here on Multiply & Second Life!! It's KATHA!!! WOO HOO!! I finally get to meet one of my SL family members!

I won't be staying long... because dinner will be served at 5:30p.... & I don't like to be late for dinner... LOL!!

Anyway... No worries about meeting Katha... I know what she looks like and it's at a public restaurant. And she is one of the sweetest gals I ever known. & There's a LOT more too it than I can mention here. So, I know I'll be safe!!

Oh yeah .... hey....

If you can't tell...

Toodlez & Enjoy the game!! Hugzzz!

update: See, even my SL avatar is wearing the colors!!!