Rained out

Well the weatherman was right.  It is raining and it is a cold slow drizzle.  I worked on the second garden box this morning.  I even got my son to take pictures, because I forgot to do that earlier before I built the first box.  I had to take a break to drive to the Surprise Lowe's so my cub scout AJ could watch a video and get a patch.  It started raining so now we are just waiting for a break in the rain so we can go move the bricks and put the box where it is supposed to be.  Then we will fill it with new garden dirt we got from Lowe's.  Sorry but I underestimated how much dirt it would take to fill up the box.

While at Lowe's I stared at the Kregg Pocket Drill kit.  It looks so fancy compared to the generic one I got from the Home Depot.  Of course my not fancy pocket drill kit cost $30.00 and the super fancy Kregg cost $130.00.  They do the same thing so what the hell?  I guess it cost a whole lot to run that infomercial every Sunday.  I bet if you look you will find it on this weekend.  :)

As a family we also picked up 2 Pinewood Deurby Kits for the boys to make.  Looks like it is a project above the kids skill level, oh well.  I guess their first cars will just be messy and rough around the edges.  They can make better ones next year.

Dirty...but proud

Feeling proud right now.  I actually finished something I started.  Okay, really I finished about 50% of what I started.  But hey that is farther then normal for me.  Definitely I am dirty.  I worked on my first of three wood projects.  These are wood projects that I have had locked in my disorganized mind for months.  The first, I hope is the easiest, our garden box for our patio apartment. 

So the garden box.  I made it very cheap, oddly enough out of the same stuff you make wood fences out of.  Even odder the day after I decided that they were the best and cheapest material to use, I found a website that used the same thing!   It’s a place called anaAna White list designs that are free and easy to build, you should go there if you have some furniture you need or just interested in dreaming. 

I went to Home Depot and picked up 12 fence boards and had the man, after it took a half hour to find him, cut off the “dog ears” off all of them and then cut 4 of them in half.  I picked up some nice 1 ¼” wood screws, a bottle of wood glue, some grade stakes and 4 bags of dirt.  Yeah, me!  I remembered all the things that I needed to build the boxes including the nice little dowels I am going to use to make the “dog ears” into garden labels.

The first of the 2 boxes is finished, put in the garden spot, filled with the dirt and that is that.  I intend on finishing the second box in the morning.  So I feel dirty after dumping the bags of dirt into the box.  I feel even dirtier knowing that I just cleared off the poo from the Danny’s dirty diapers.  I think I need a shower, I am kind of itchy.  

Nextcare fiasco

So like I said yesterday my kid Nicky is sick.  He was a whole lot of fun and then he spiked a high fever of 103.6F, so I decided I would take him to see the doctor.  Bummer was my doctor was booked and Nicky was very irritable.  So I decided I would take him to NextCare Urgent Care Clinic on Northern and 101 Freeway.  I have been there before and always forget to use their Wahoo service.  Wahoo is you sign in online and wait your turn at home or office.  Sounds great!  Hooray me, I actually remembered to do something that is productive, right?

First I signed in at 3:30 in the afternoon and waited.  I did not make dinner, in part because 2 out of 3 kids were sick and because I knew if I started dinner they would call and I would either ruin dinner or miss the appointment.  So at 5:15 we went to go get McDonald's, I took the time to forward all calls to the cell phone.  I even remembered to put the phone in my bag.  Just as we were about to pull in to the drive-thru, they called. Okay. Good.

We arrive at 5:30pm, we are supposed to sign in and go right to the doctor's office.  It did not turn out quite like that.  At 6:10pm we are still waiting.  My kids are now hungry, cranky and board, they don't like watching the news that is on in the lobby or not having any toys or company.  I get up and ask, "how much longer?"  "Oh just a few more minutes there is one person ahead of you."  I take a big angry breath in and go back to my seat.

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.  Oh, yeah we finally are taken to triage at 6:20pm.  The nurse is polite.  Only a few more minutes now.  Back in the same room I was in on Monday with my oldest AJ who is also sick.  No magazines, no toys, no eta on when the doctor will be in.  We watch Nick Toons for a half hour.  I peak my head out the door, "Could you tell me how much longer?"  The nurse asks the doctor, oh yeah you guys are next.  Back in I go.  So hungry, trying to keep 3 kids quiet and from completely distroying the room.

Danny climbs on the counter and starts taking out giant Q-tips and tounge depressors.  Nicky is now tearing up the paper liner on the cot.  AJ is spinning around in the doctor's stool.  Trying to be calm and remain in control.  We have now watched 2 episodes of The Last Air Bender and are starting something I can't pay attention to.

Now I am tired, hungry, fustrated, and suffering from low blood sugar.  Back out the door I go, demanding to know how much longer!  "I just need to start and finish this proceedure," the doctor tells the ever patient nurse.  Poor Nurse!  I admit to being frustrated, and complaining about the long ridiculous wait.  She is compassionate and apologizes.  She returns with orange juice and saltines for me and the kids after hearing we are all hungry.   She is the only person who apologizes.

We wait more.  Ah, now I know what is on it is Fairy God Parents and we are now about to start a second episode.  The doctor comes in finally!  She tells me the Quick Strep came back negative and then takes down all the same info that the triage nurse, not the nice one, took down.  Checks he lungs,  checks  his ears.  His ears have a build of disgusting wax.  She leaves the room and returns with an ear thingy to pull the wax chunk out.  Very Gross!  "It looks like he has a budding ear infection in his ear."  She writes this down in the computer.  Says she will be giving him a prescription for Amoxicillin.  All in all she was in the room less then 10 minutes.

Back to the waiting room.  Now we are waiting for the computerized records and prescription to print.  We wait.  The kids have lost their minds and are playing with the water fountain and pushing all the buttons on the soda machine, screaming and running circles around the waiting room.  Too tired to do anything about it, I wait.  I talk very loudly and obnoxiously to another mother that has been waiting just as long after also signing in with Wahoo.  A guy in the lobby is amused.  His wife asks the receptionist to turn off Doctor Oz.  Receptionist searches for the remote.  We are still waiting for our papers.  No idea what time it is when we finally leave, but we leave without our instructions because the receptionist can not get them to print.

Kids Sick again.

What is it with this years cold and flu season?  Is is me or are your kids getting sick again and again?  It seems like it at my house.  3 kids and 2 are definitely sick.  One a mild flu?  The other stomach flu or is it turning into Strep Throat?  The school sent home another letter warning us that a kid has contracted strep.

Nicky and Danny cuddle while sick

Disappointed that I just deep cleaned the kids bedroom carpet.  I think Nicky is destined to throw up on the carpet and not in the bathroom.  Hey, he is 4.  Also disappointed about cleaning the couch.  I go weeks without having anything spilled on the couch and decide to have it steamed, 24 hours later, kids yogurt hits the seat.    

On the brighter side I finally finished catching up the checkbook.  I now know how much money I can't spend because it is not there.  Disappointing.  Now I  can do all the paper chores, like paying for the Cooking Club subscription and I am not sure, shredding stuff?  Still waiting for husbands third W-2 so we can file.

huh, to do or not to do

So I went back to the mental health care clinic yesterday.  I actually went two days in a row.  The first for general counseling to see if my mood is improving.  Therapist thought it was improving.  So yesterday was for the med check.  It was a new med person.  I am not sure changing med persons was good for me.  I don't think she truly understood me and I don't think I understood her questions the way she wanted.  It is something that has to do with no small talk and very little introduction.  I get.  Your busy and you just took over hundreds of patients in addition to your own.  But it made for a less then great experience.  Does she understand that her questions really need to be specific and if you want to know about more then the last 6 weeks you need to tell me.  I am not working that is in my past.  I am not going to school that is in my past, and really 15 minutes to ask me is too little time to investigate an improvement or problem with my adderall medication.  

When you get asked a question and you are looking to your clinician to explain what type of behavior she is talking about, you really need to know.  I was not trying to be rude, but I really did not get what she implied by "burst of energy"...  Does she mean do you stay up all night doing things? or does she mean are you more active in general?  Is she talking about something else?  When she says are their things that you "focus on more"?  What the hell does that mean?  Yes I spend more time on the internet then I should.  I know I really need to mop the kitchen floor, dust all the things in the house and oil the wood furniture.  I should do those.  I mean I eventually will before we move again.  

Do people with ADHD move more often?  I don't know, but I would like to know.  I have read about many others who are "suffering" and not thriving with ADHD and having issues with credit and just remembering to pay bills on time.  I definitely relate to their suffering.  What about friends?  Do they have as much trouble as I do connecting with people? Staying connected?  Or just being in the same room as their spouse.  Do we hyper-focus on the same things? Do they also have trouble with the noise at the grocery store, have they also tried going to the store in the middle of the night because fewer people and distractions are there?  Are they annoyed and frustrated by the same things?  Do they start thinking about other things on the "to-do list" in the middle of sex?  Do they also wish sex did not last as long?  Really, trying to find answers to real questions and real solutions is hard.  Still need to finish balancing the check book, guess I should finish.

Problems in the real world with ADD

Problems with ADHD today.  All the writing in the world on the calendar, planner don't help if you got it in your head wrong.  I wrote it down right.  

I was 1 hour late to an appointment.  I was absolutely certain I was on time.  I can't explain to you how annoying it is to think "they" got it wrong, only to learn you got it all wrong.  

Thoughts like, "They must have changed it some time and not told me".  "Why did they not call me?"  "Did my husband get the message and then not tell me?"  Other much uglier thoughts happen while the staff tells you that you will need to wait for a new appointment.  

If your normal, this is a rare occurrence.  Maybe you forget something once a year?  Or miss an appointment because you got caught in some bad, bad traffic.  But if you are ADHD or ADD this happens far more often.  For me this is not unusual, certainly aggravating, but happens about once a month for doctor's appointments and often for paying bills on time.    Oh, that reminds me I need to pay my credit card.  Hold on I will be right back...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Okay, more aggravation!   Remember I left the car unlocked last month, and someone took my wallet and things from my car?  Well, I canceled the cards and now I need to wait for the bank to re-confirm my checking account information before I can make a payment.  Great...will it be late?  Not sure.  Worse I think the lady told me when the new card came I would need to do that again.  Misplaced the reminder to do that earlier!

So back to that appointment snafu.  I came back home and checked for voicemails, but alas just like I thought they never called me to remind me about the appointment.  A reminder call, which usually happens for this doctors office could have alerted me to the fact my thinking was wrong! And maybe would have prompted me to take a closer look at the planner and calendar.  Funny the office insisted it called me, I may be fallible, but my Magic Jack voicemail never is.  I guess they never called........nope, still no message.   

If you think the point is it is their fault that they didn't call then you missed the anger, frustration, anxiety and embarrassment of having missed the appointment.

Overwhelmed, again...

So, I know it has been nearly three weeks since I posted any thoughts on anything.  I must tell you it has been a rather overwhelming three weeks.  

My list of anxiety causing events:

Cub Scouts poor communication

Laundry

Stinky Dog Ears

Rising cost of Meat and Fresh Produce

Freezing temperatures

Actually loosing weight

Husband goes to dentist for the first time in 8 years

Astroid to hit earth 2029, 2036

Potty Training

Treasure hunting

Coupons!

Grocery Sales

Health Care and fear of loosing it in June

Dishes, dishes, dishes

Balancing the checkbook

finding a desk to put my things on

Increasing amount of email

iTouch 2.0 or iPhone

growth spurts of children

no ice cream in the house

Okay it really could go on for another 10,000 items, but these are the things that are on my mind right this second.  If you can't fathom all that on the mind at once then you are not a Mom or ADD!  The mind of Pamela O is always this busy and random. 

Cub Scouts, while a potential way to help my son get a college scholarship and great for building basic organization and self confidence skills is very bad with communication.  Perhaps it is not lack of communication but over communication.  I personally can not handle 10-15 emails in a week about 3 or 15 different events and important things we should know.  I think maybe they should simply send out an email on Wednesday or Thursday right after our weekly meeting.  If it was important simply send out one email of all the things that came from the Weekly meetings and all the announcements that come from the all the sports venders that want our dollars.  I really can't handle all the emails!

On Laundry...  This never ending chore is my nemesis!  What is it about boys and them making several pairs of dirty clothes each day.  Why do they need to throw clean clothes in the dirty basket.  Aye, digress.

Stinky Dog Ears!  Oh how I wish I could pay for a visit to the Vet!  This poor dog has stinky ears, and really for the last few years!  Why can't what ever causes the smell in the ear just die!  The problem with being poor and managing money badly....

Then there is this: rising cost of meat!  Why does it now cost $20.00 for 2 t-bone steaks?  Maybe it cost that before.  I've never actually bought such a lavish item.  It sounded so sexy.  Dinner for two, T-bone steaks, rice, salad, beer and margaritas.  After buying it, it is just ridiculously expensive.  So the cost of hamburger, something I regularly buy, is now 3.99 to 5.99 a pound.  I really want a sale, but if one doesn't come on Wednesday I will take my Safeway raincheck for 1.99 extra lean ground meat.  Why does meat cost more?  Can't say.  I know why fruits and veggies cost more.  It is cold so it all comes from Argentina and Chile which cost something ridiculous to ship to AZ.  I really do like strawberries, just don't want to pay 4.99 a pound.

It has been cold in Phoenix, AZ.  Okay so it is not Michigan cold, there is not snow, at least not in my yard, but it has been below freezing an afoul lot lately.  It is normally wonderful in Phoenix this time of year, about 50 in the evenings and 65+ in the day.  This year it has been below freezing at least 15 days in my neighborhood, and close to that many more days.  That means a higher electric bill.  I have a pre-paid electric box, that means when the weather man says it will be 22 degrees on Wednesday, I need to go add money to keep the house warm.  The difference between fabulous Phoenix winter days and wholly shit it's cold is $6.00+ a day.  A regular day, $3.50.  A freezing day, $10.00. 

So loosing weight is great! Until your pants starts falling off your hips, and your T-shirts turn into moo-moos!  Did you know that there is not any alteration shops around me?  You remember supply and demand?  Wow, I think I am going to do my alterations after this, $130.00 for 5 pair of pants and 4 shirts.  Okay they are jeans and knit shirts, but still it is expensive, and I should probably add most of the pants were way too long and I just ignored it because I would need to take them in for alterations, which is expensive.

So my husband finally went to the dentist.  The last time he went to the dentist he was in the Marine Corps, 2002.  You bet he had cavities.  Why did he finally go, even though we have no money to pay the dentist?  It hurt.  

Astroid to come near earth, Friday, April 15th, 2029.  I am sure it will be Thirteen Hundred Hours when it happens too.  Nasa and Russia claim this astroid will come so close that it will actually fly under our satellites.  Worse still, we do not have any Space Ships to go out into outer space and try to stop it!  Why is this so important, I mean, really, it is just near Earth.  Well, glad you asked!  It is predicted to return to Earth in 2036 and scientist are not certain if Earth's own gravity will cause it to collide into Earth or push it off into space.  Now I bet you see why the government should spend Money on NASA, and why we should be teaching math and science in our schools.  God gave us means to do it, so lets do it.  I would like to be  older than 55 when I die.  Of course this is all null and void if the world ends in 2012.

So now I must stop this typing and go fold the laundry and do all the other things I still have not vented about.