Flu Caution

There's a very virulent strain of respiratory flu out now, and it can get very serious very quickly.  Advice from the hospital website to keep in mind -

Go to physician if you can't keep fever below 100 (after taking tylenol/motrin) and if a persistant/productive cough with nausa and vomiting. Go to the Emergency Department if you are short of breath or having difficulty breathing, if your temperature is over 101 and if you experience nausa ...and vomiting for greater than 24 hours.

I could say scarier things that I heard at the hospital, but I'll leave it at this - pay attention to the flu!!  Wash your hands a lot!!

Thinking of you people I love so much.

Becky

Made a few Christmas presents this year, but not many

Some new things I made for Christmas presents this year.

For Page Quigley - my wonderful massage therapist
For Hailey Quigley

OMG - I found this old pic of Jenna Carol, my niece!

This was in August of 2007 when she was 11(?). Can you believe she fit in my ottoman that recently??

This was in the basement at Pfeifer Drive just before I moved.

She's a tall and elegant 15 year old, now.

Benji today while I was working on financial stuff - ad nauseum

Article about Luminaries at Indian Ridge

There's an article in the news about our annual Christmas Eve luminarias.

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_2386d001-e5f3-5cf3-9f75-3c8debd39550.html

Nice!  I plan to walk around with Benji on his float - if he'll stay on it.

By special request - photos of the house

Susan Paxton has been reminding me to put up new photos of the house - so here they are!

And here are some more photos to give you a better flavor of the place.

We did get our historic designation (1955) and will have a nice tax savings as a result.  It is made of burnt adobe brick, which is highly prized here and not made (much?) any more because it was hand made.  You can see the marks where they pulled the bricks out of their frames.  It's very rustic looking.  We have a whole book about the architect and the sales brochures etc. that came out at the time the complex was made.  At the time it was the furthest one out of town and very bare.  Now it's lush and full of life, and the houses last virtually forever here if maintained because the desert is pretty easy on them.  I remember thinking when I first drove around out here, "Gheez, it's like the 50's and 60's out.  Stuff apparently lasts a long time here."  You also see a lot of vintage and older-model cars here.  Wish I'd kept my Intrigue forever.

It's a good thing you can't smell the house - Benji has made a wreck of the carpet  We knew that was a risk, but it's much worse than I could have imagined.  I've been catching him about to lift his leg on everything from a man's pants legs to the new curtains - oh, and including the love seat.  I've been watching him like a hawk as a result and planning his neutering...which is breaking Rod's heart.

The paint is as it was when we moved in, except for the yellow room, the lavender walls, and the pale yellow walls in the kitchen.  The kitchen had been baby-poop gold which we could not abide, and the yellow room had been pottery-barn green.  And there was too much green everywhere, so we changed that, and made a piano nook of the lavender area.

We love the high natural wood beam ceilings and wish all of them had been left unpainted.  Rod wishes all the brick had been unpainted, but I'm not so sure - it would be hard to keep clean I think.  Anyway, I think we're pretty lucky.  We learned recently that our house is in the oldest and best-made part of the Indian Ridge neighborhoods.  Only this first phase has the wood-beam ceilings.  The others have center beams, only, and cheaper aluminum windows.  We have the old steal crank windows, which Rod loves. 

I also heard from our Association guy that the industry has come out with, or will soon, triple paned windows that fit in the space of the old single-panes.  So we're thinking we can get better energy-efficiency and some SPF blockage that way someday. 

I also really like all of the plantation blinds.  They're a godsend in the summer and stay shut tight through those months, but they're pretty always and very private.

Benji and I were in a parade last weekend

At TMC they had a "Light the Tower" party - which is when they light up the big water tower on the property with Christmas lights.  They had a nice party for families, lots of kid activities, food, and a first annual "mini-float" parade.

Here's Benji in his float.

And  more photos of the parade here in my album.

Recent Purchase from Geeks.Com

A USB blanket!  Did you know they had such things?  I freeze in my office, every day, and have been using a heating pad, which was inadequate.  A space heater never seems like a good idea in the office, to me, so I decided to search for a USB-powered heat source, and found this:

It's working pretty well, but it's smaller than I realized - more lap blanket size.  But very soft and nice.

And the box it came in said this -

Ben's Recent Disaster

He knows when to get in trouble: when I'm getting ready in the mornings.  I was in the bathroom one morning and saw him come down the darkened hallway dragging something dark in his mouth, looking so proud!  I hollered at him, but he kept going and by the time I caught up to him it had already turned into a chase scene - around the couch, around the loveseat, around the chair, around the kitchen.

When he finally dropped it, this is what I found, the shawl I made and wore at Drew's wedding:

And I was thinking, other than "Aaaaaaarrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" , "Last I knew, this was in the trunk in the bedroom.  How in the world did he get this?"

Well, upon examination, the wicker trunk had a small hole in it where he had torn back one of the wicker slats and pulled this entire shawl through a hole about 1/2" by 1/4".  No wonder it looked like it did.  Good thing I love him or he'd be dead.

Dogwalking Gear

I talked a while ago about the rigmarole I go through when walking the dogs.  Managing two leashes is more than twice the trouble, and along with pauses to pick up the poo, it gets quite complicated.  Try carrying a flashlight, too.  Then add fears over frequent sightings of coyotes, javelina bobcats, and mountain lions in the neighborhood.  So I got creative.  Here are my solutions.

Visit to Ohio 2010 Photos

Here, Visit to Ohio, October 2010 are a bunch of photos from the trip home in October. It was mostly quiet time with family, so not a lot of excitement - but pretty country, eh?  There are a lot of Benji pics.  He's just my new love.  :)

Benji here (tried to post this from the iphone back in October, but couldn't get it to work, so catching up now)

Yesterday Mom took me to a bunch of strange places. First a long car ride then a place with big noises and big trucks and lots of cars and we rode on a bus, at least that's what Mom called it. I wouldn't know a bus from a camel, myself.

Then a place sorta like shopping but with lots of people with bags all sitting around. I seemed to be the only person IN a bag.

Then we went in this really cramped space with too many people in it. I never smelled so many people in one place before. Mom put me and my bag under a seat and I never got to come out at all. I cried a little but not much and I could not  sleep with so much going on up and down the aisle.

Here's a photo of me in my bag. Everybody thought I was cute and that I have really big ears. I don't know why all the people keep saying that to my Mom.

Mother told me there'd be days like this!!

When I woke, Ben had pooped in our bedroom, slightly wet.

On the morning walk Senji had very loose light green stool.

After the walk Ben pooped in living room, very wet.

While I was getting ready for work Senji pooped green slime - large stinky pile - in the same living room corner where Ben had. This time I had to get the rubber gloves out.

Then, while getting ready for work I went to check them again and found Ben had dragged out charcoal from behind the fireplace screen and was eating it - on the light beige carpet. I washed his mouth out very angrily.

I decided to stay home a bit and went in to work at 9:30 to be sure they seemed to be done. Checked at 1:45 and all is well, for now.

"Who, me?"

Happy Thanksgiving!

My friend Kendra took this of me at work today, shawl askew - but looking very Fall-ish!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Latest plans for the visit home

When I get into Columbus, I should have time for a visit Friday the 15th if anyone's up for it.  Depending on weather, I may head to Chris's area for a football game at which my niece Jenna will be twirling her flag.  Or I may do that the following Friday.

On Thursday the 21st I have an12:30 appointment the same day with the illustrious Chris Hannan for a massage.  Yeah!!

Rheumatologist at 3:20 at the OSU campus in Columbus the same day.  Then, maybe dinner with friends?

Southwest Airlines - -

Depart: PHOENIX AZ to COLUMBUS OH   ( Travel Time: 3 hrs 40 mins )
	Date	Flight	Flight Information
	Fri Oct 15	1526	Depart PHOENIX AZ (PHX) at 9:20 AM Arrive in COLUMBUS OH (CMH) at 4:00 PM
Return: COLUMBUS OH to PHOENIX AZ   ( Travel Time: 4 hrs 10 mins )
	Date	Flight	Flight Information
	Sat Oct 23	0026	Depart COLUMBUS OH (CMH) at 5:00 PM Arrive in PHOENIX AZ (PHX) at 6:10 PM

Good to know - burglars using Facebook

http://www.businessinsider.com/burglars-already-using-facebook-places-to-learn-when-its-safe-to-rob-your-home-2010-9

More Tucson Bumper Stickers - and you thought I was exaggerating

In our parking lot at work -

"Boycott Jane Fonda American Traitor Bitch"

and

"Al Queda Hunting Club"

Like I said, Arizonans are pretty out there with their opinions.

Oh, about the Visit Home

I believe I'll go to Mom and Dad's from Columbus when I get in Friday night, spend the weekend with them and probably come back to Columbus for massage therapy and rheumatologist appointment and to hook up with Drew and Jess and friends there.  If I can get those appointments on days that will work out.

Then back to Mom and Dad's, later in the week, probably Wednesday to Chris's house until Saturday when I have to go back.

Something like that.  Plans are loose at present.

Coming Home!!!! Friday October 15th through Saturday October 23rd

There has been all sorts of drama around my trip home this fall.  But I'm coming home!!!

Drama Part 1:  

The boss drove me crazy, insisting that I commit in writing to what I would complete before I left, who would cover when I'm gone, etc.  She was spazzed because my very dear co-worker, Dave, has decided to retire and his last day was Friday.  She didn't want to leave Dean alone with the week's coverage.  Never mind that I did that a few weeks back on Labor Day week when they both took vacation.  I was getting double standard from all directions last week and it was making me mad!  And angry!  She said I couldn't take vacation unless I did this written commitment.  I said, "No.  No one else has to do this in order to go on vacation.  I'm not doing it either."  Well, she said her boss had insisted on it, which didn't sound right.  Next thing I know I get called to his office.  "What's wrong, Rebecca?  This does not seem like you to say 'No' like that."  No kidding!  I've been so beset and harassed by this woman I can hardly take it any more.

And this last 2 weeks I've been getting jeering and disrespect from my report writing co-workers - 2 young guys who think they know it all because they can code in VB and C-Sharp.  So I've been about ready to pop, and I did, unfortunately, in his office.  Maybe it did some good, I don't know,but I also fear I hurt my own reputation in the process.  I've been so bitter about all of this, because it's so unwarranted.  I know my stuff.  I'm coding circles around these guys in SQL and quite frankly, I'm not sure what their other programming language skills are bringing to the table.  I'm not seeing it, but I don't disrespect them.  So many technical guys have to be the top dude or they're not happy, and some fall into the pattern of portraying themselves top techy dude at all costs, even if it means lying.  I'm afraid these 2 fall into that category.  At some point I need to teach them how to work with others.  After I stop being so pissed at their arrogance and disrespect.  There's part of me that wants to say, "Listen, I've been in IS longer than you've been living, and although you may think that makes me a dinosaur, you're wrong.  I've kept up and I have a lot of experience that could benefit you if you'd open your eyes and work with me."  Brats.

Anyway, bottom line, my boss's boss did not insist on a written contract before they'd give me permission to go on vacation.  That was a "misunderstanding".  But I did have to put a plan together and show it to them before I got the OK.  I'm struggling with understanding the difference, since they were holding my vacation over my head.

Drama Part 2:

This part actually came first.  Rod and I had a lot of discussion about what to do because of the dogs.  He had asked for vacation long ago, so could get off.  Whether he and I could go at the same time was another question because of Drama Part 1.

I wanted to bring Benji from the start, but Rod was bummed because he and Senji will miss him so much.  I debated about bringing Benji because he's so little and so attached to them.  The vet said he should be fine, though, and she didn't recommend sedating him because they usually settle right down with the vibration and noise of the engine lulling them to sleep.

We talked about bringing both Senji and Benji, but Senji has never traveled by air, and at 14 Rod didn't want to put her through flying in a cargo hold.

We talked about boarding one or both of them and didn't feel good about that either.

We talked about having a friend come to the house to care for Senji, but the only person we know to ask is our massage therapist, and she's too busy with her private practice, work at Massage Envy, and teaching at the massage school.

We talked about Rod going alone to see his family and I'd stay home with the "kids".  He was very generous about that, saying that I am much more close to my family and friends in Ohio than he is and that I should go.

So that's how we decided it should be me and Benji.  And I'm so excited everyone will get to meet him!!  He really is my little baby.  I can feel all sorts of maternal feelings pouring out of me onto him.

And besides I found a Southwest Airlines voucher I could use to cover most of the cost.

Outcome Part 1:

BUT - I'm coming home!  Benji and I will fly into Columbus the evening of October 15th, a Friday night, and fly home from Columbus the evening of the 23rd, a Saturday.  I worked hard to find direct flights so that I wouldn't have to deal with clearing Benji for 4 flights vs. 2, and deal with him during the layovers in the airports.  And, it meant less travel time overall, less air time, so hopefully that would be easier on him as well as me.

Outcome Part 2:

The bad news.  I found out at the last minute while making Benji's reservation that the voucher I have expired in September!!!  DAMN DAMN DAMN!!!  I was so bummed.  So I essentially lost $375.60 of good Southwest Airline flight money that someone could have used to come visit me or I could have used for a weekend, at least.

Actually I was impressed with myself for remembering that I had it and then I found it.  I still have piles of paperwork in my office/craft room to sort through from the move from Ventana/Sabino Canyon.  It was found money!

Oh well oh well oh well.  It's not surprising.  I have such brain fatigue these days from the SQL coding work and data transformation work all week that I literally can't remember my phone number by the end of the week.  "Uh, uh....let me look that up for you."  Embarrassing.

But I'm determined to rest up for the trip in spite of what they're putting me through at work and the commitments I've had to make.  I'll take a leaf from my co-worker's book and do the laziest easiest thing possible.  Right.  I don't think I'm capable of that.  But sometimes I wish I were.  Seriously, I'll try not to work so hard so I'll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when I see all of you.

Pain, pain, pain

In case you're wondering, and I believe you are, my fine friends, I do still have fibromyalgia and I do still get pain here.  Whenever the weather changes dramatically, and it does tend to do that a lot during the monsoon season here, and whenever it gets over 100 degrees.  Odd, but true. I have no idea why, but my dear Hispanic acupuncturist (not an oxymoron, although I would have thought so at one time) Angelica first noticed the pattern: that I get my "neuropathic pain" when it's especially hot here.  That's the kind that stings like the skin has been flayed on my back.  My least favorite pain.  That's the one that will stop me in my tracks whereas with the other types I get (aching, spasming, cramping, tightness) I can usually motor on through.  Not with the neuropathic pain.

I don't have as many flares and I don't usually have them as bad as I did in Ohio.  I've only missed about 3 days this year for illness and, as I've said, that's a huge difference!  I can never get over it, so I keep saying it.  I usually "man up" all week long, though, and collapse on the weekends.

Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday were especially bad, and after running errands with Benji on Saturday, my arms were killing me!  They've been getting progressively worse with the dog walking/toting I've been doing, and I've had to ask Rod to take more than his share of turns several times lately.

But Sunday was in a whole different class of pain.  My upper arms had knots in the muscles I could feel under the skin - big ones, like 1-2 inches, and the back of my neck and shoulders had the same.  And adhesions, where the fascia stuck together instead of letting the muscles slide and move like they should.

Fascia is the thin white sheath that holds the muscles fibers together.  There's fascia around every strand of muscle tissue, around every bundle of muscles and a sub-dermal fascia that goes under the skin around your entire body, like plastic wrap.  Mine often adheres to itself.  I used to tell Chris Hannan, when my sub-dermal fascia was twisted in my trunk area that I felt like I was walking with my slip twisted.  Women will understand that analogy.  Sometimes the underslip, or lining rotates one way when you walk, and the skirt goes the other way, something to do with the length of stride in each leg, I suppose.  And my femur was broken, so I have different lengths of legs.

Luckily, I was able to see Page, our awesome massage therapist, for an hour and a half at 10 AM, and she worked on just my arms, shoulders and neck.  I felt a lot better afterwards, but still drained, so had a little breakfast with Rod and went to bed.  Had already taken Percodan.  I didn't get up until 5 PM!  Then just rested quietly the rest of the day.

Was better Monday morning, so off I went.  And have continued to feel pretty good.  But damn, I hate missing my weekends like that.  There's so little spare time when I already have 2 nights a week booked for therapies.  When you don't hear from me, that's what's going on.  I work, recover from work, go to therapy and work around the house.  That's pretty much it, no social life to speak of, although I am trying to get to some Meetups (see www.meetup.com) for poetry, knitting, jewelry and craft groups.  That's harder now with Benji, because I feel bad to leave him behind when he's already in his crate while I'm at work.  The women I know from work are in much the same boat, only substitute a LOT of overtime for the chronic illness.

Most days the pain is at a dull roar - a 2 or 3 on the 1-10 scale.  Sunday was a 6-7 day, almost as bad as they get.  It wasn't quite bad enough to cause nausea and panic though.  Those are my worst days.

I've been lucky to find excellent therapists here and I've been able to afford them.  Or shall I say, I prioritize them and clean my own house so I can keep affording them.  But that exacerbates the pain, which causes a need for more therapy.  You see where that goes.  Hopefully the condo will sell and I won't have to make a choice between my therapies and paying that mortgage.

Oh, and guess what.  I noticed that the Health Reform Act will eventually lower - lower - the amount one can put into a health spending account on a pretax basis.  Right now it's limited to $4,000 per year.  I exceeded that in August this year and the last several years, with my massage therapy and acupuncture and drug expenses.  Now, I'll have even less on a pretax basis to work with.  Nice show, Washington.  Why would they do that??  I see no way that the HRA is going to help me, the regular joe with employer insurance and a chronic illness.  Once again, those with chronic illness slip through the cracks.  I tried to tell Obama, but I guess he didn't get the message.

Thanks for listening, friends.  I've needed to whine a little.

Walking SenjiBenji tonight

That's the way Rod writes it, "Love RodSenjiBenji" like they're all a single unit.  And in a way they are, my little family.

Walking the dogs has become a big part of my life.  Rod has always walked Senji twice a day, and we're of course doing the same with Benji.  Since he was just a lil pup (alas, no more!) he has gone twice a day with us.  Sometimes he was afraid of the other dogs in the neighborhood barking, or big trucks, or just neighbors.  He would stop dead and quake.  Big world, little pup.  So I just picked him up and comforted him and off we went.

At first he had a fixed-length leash, which the experts suggest, but he has now graduated to a flex-type leash, the kind that lets out until you push a button or it comes to the end of its rope.  And he's SO proud!  Trots along like a big boy.  It has made a huge difference.  I have to watch, I'm learning fast,because he'll go as far as it will let him, and he of course doesn't yet know not to run out in front of traffic, especially if there's an interesting neighbor outside to bark at.  Tonight it was a neighbor with 2 large dogs.  Ben thought he was going to take on both of them and barked as loud as they did!

Here are photos of the walk tonight.  He's now a 4.5 pounder!  Had him and Senji at the vet last week.  They were both champs though their temperature-taking and shots, too.  We were relieved that there are no major issues with Senji.  She's 14 and in very good shape.  A few things with her skin and teeth and eyes, but not big deals.  Good kids!

Oh, and a prickly pear I like.  I don't like most of them, but this is a cute little one.  Or I thought so until I ran into one.  Another post to come about that little adventure...

The view from the dog walker.

As you can see, they're a challenge.  I get a full body workout, arms everywhere unwinding and untangling cords.  I come back all sweated up.  And my equipment these days is amazing.  Rod cracks up, but I think I'm clever.  And another post to come about that.

Fwd: Tidings of great joy! Our new "Butterfly Dog"

From August 7 -

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <millerbeckyjo@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Aug 7, 2010 at 12:37 PM
Subject: Tidings of great joy! Our new "Butterfly Dog"
To: All Friends

Announcing the adoption into the Rodney and Rebecca home - our new little Benji, age 10 weeks, a Papillon (which means "butterfly" in French) , like his cousin Sammy at Aunt Chris's house.  Mother, Father, Big Sister Senji and Benji are all doing well and enjoying each others' company tremendously.  Senji has made it clear that her food is her food, and her butt is her butt, but otherwise enjoys Benji and is eager for him to grow bigger so they can rough-house in the grass.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Tucson bumper stickers

Tucson's a quirky little town. It's a big town (1 million) spread all over the place that still thinks it's a little town. A lot doesn't make sense here....2-second yellow traffic lights - yeah, they got me on that one.

Especially the bumper stickers. I'm starting a collection to share with you. Folks here are quite unabashed about sharing their opinions, no matter how inflammatory, on the backs of their cars. Some are hilarious, some appalling.

Examples from today's drive home from work:

"Racing makes my dick trickle"

"Racing is the only sport that takes two balls"

Huh??

And my favorite so far:

Pics of the New House on Taos Place

Hi, all. Again, belated, but finally here are a few snaps of the new house.

You wouldn't believe the stuff I have piled up to blog...have been reading a book on ADD and I'm afraid a lot of it applies to me. I'm working on it.

Love Y'ns.

Long Overdue - Wedding Photos

You may not always hear from me on a timely basis, but I'll keep trying to get caught up! Here, long overdue, are photos from Drew's wedding on October 10. It was a gorgeous day with two beautiful happy young people starting out a great life together. They had a lot of fun, and so did we, celebrating with them.

I was HUGELY glad to be there, as Rod and I had a hard time getting there - a little error on my part with the airlines reservations that gave us a little detour to Washington D.C. Drew threatened to have the DJ ask who had come the furthest to get to the wedding - or who had seen both the east and west coast on the way to Ohio! (We'd flown out from Los Angeles)