Monday, January 18, 2010

What a day!  We are getting ready to be gone for over a week--something we have never done!  I spent the weekend washing clothes, cleaning house, and trying to get everyone organized and their stuff packed.  The Daughter and PB are headed to Gramma and Grandpa's at one end of the country and HB and I are headed to the other end of the country. 

The schools are NOT happy with me!  Oh well!  As long as my kids complete all of the work they will miss in class, what does it matter?  The schools just want their money and aren't really concerned about my kids not being in class learning.  I am not fond of public schools!  Of course, I never have been--even when I was in school.

Today things are so stressful I've managed to give myself such a headache.  I can't even knit, little alone focus on anything else.  I did manage to get all of my employees lined out on the schedule, responsibilities, and work to do while I am gone.  At least I have really good employees!  I don't have to worry about them just not showing up for work and I know that when I get back everything will be done and in order.

I don't know what to do with the cat!  Pampered, spoiled rotten, declawed, big baby!  He is The Daughter's cat and he literally waits for her to come to bed at night.  If she waits to long he comes and finds her and will not quit meowing until she heads up to her room.  It's very cute!

Ok, well just had to vent for a minute.  Maybe I can re-focus now.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Here We Go......

Well, I guess HB and I are heading to Florida on Wednesday to the Laser Spine Institute to see if they can fix his back.  Spirits were really high as we have contemplated the possibility that this could relieve a huge portion of his pain and back problems.

As you may recall he has had 4 surgeries to try to fix an injury he received at work.  He eventually received the depressing news that he has Failed Back Syndrome.  Which lead to us moving to this awful town in the hopes of giving him an occupation that he could do that wouldn't cause any more damage to his back.  Of course you all know how THAT went--the whole "live-in motel manager" was terrible!

A couple of months ago HB came across an ad for the Laser Spine Institute.  It sounded like they might be able to help him and so he sent them his information.  The contacted him a few days later and got the ball rolling.  Unfortunately, we went to see HB's pain management doctor last week who proceeded to tell us what idiots we were and that the place is a scam, is bogus, and that he isn't going to pick up the pieces when they screw HB's back up more.  Well, for someone who has never heard of the place, didn't even know where it was located, etc. he sure formed an opinion about them awful quick.  He puts in spinal stimulator's and pump's and if something like LSI came along and actually fixed people with failed backs he would be out of business.  However, he accomplished making HB and I really second guess things.  Even after checking them out with the Better Business Bureau and the Florida department of licensing we are still nervous.  I did a complete check on every one of the doctor's at LSI and they are all licensed, American Board of Othopedic or Osteopathic certified, and none of them have any bad marks on their reports.  So, I don't know where HB's doc got his information, but it doesn't make him look very intelligent to make such un-researched, ill-conceived statements.

I can't get rid of this nagging pit in my stomach though--one of the "gifts" of being a chronic worrier.  Why would he say that stuff?  What if he is right?  What do we do about him if he is wrong?  He is the only pain management doctor we've been able to find in 16 months that will even look at HB. 

If any of you out there in the wide internet world know anything about The Laser Spine Institute, PLEASE put it in the comments ASAP!  I could really use some un-biased information.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Only Two Things

I have lived in the "Worst Place to Live" for 16 months now and have managed to finally find two things that I like about this place.  Trust me!! it's not the schools, or the "small town" atmosphere, or the friendly people (because there really aren't any, except for those of us that have moved in from other states and hate it here)!!


The first thing I discovered, right after we moved here, was that we can run over to Salt Lake City or Ogden on a Saturday and spend the day at great yarn shops--where Nancy Bush, (no not George's wife!) my favorite knitwear designer, may be seen, great malls, great entertainment, etc.  I have always liked Salt Lake and the fact that my latest favorite LYS (Blazing Needles) is in the Sugar House area is a real bonus!


So after that, I haven't found anything else to really like.  Sure I love the snow and really cold weather.  My job is one that I truly enjoy and never mind working at.  But, other than that this is the worst place I have ever lived (remember that I have moved some 40 or 45 times in my life and travelled most of the US and Mexico so I do consider this to be an educated, well researched, statement).  The schools and school district are......hmmm what word do I use here?......Let's just say that every time I have to deal with them, "W.T.F." enters my mind several times and they never cease to leave me with my mouth hanging open in obvious disbelief.  The people that run things at the schools are so far removed from reality that I am pretty sure Roger Rabbit is the superintendent--or maybe Daffy Duck.  I can't believe I am going to say this, but I would rather my kids were attending school in Monticello Utah than here--I attended there the last two years of High School much to my great horror. (No offense those of you who also attended, you have to realize that it was a HUGE culture shock for me). 


And the town here....don't even get me started!  I am pretty sure that they are all living on some other planet.  "Hi, my name is Tama. I am from planet earth and I come in peace."  I am not kidding.  These people do not live in the real world, or at least the dimension that I live in.  Let me just say that, WOW! this is a terrible place to live.


So, the second thing I found that I like about here came along quite out of the blue.  I was blazing out to my car to start it warming up from -10 degrees farenheit, plopped down into my car and went to turn the key in the ignition when I looked up and...........................


HOLY SMOKE!!!!  I almost ran over two moose RIGHT OUTSIDE MY FRONT DOOR and didn't even notice them.  I was so excited I couldn't remember how to make phone calls.  Then when HB answered I told him to get his.....I couldn't think of what it was called...."you know that thing that takes pictures!! THERE ARE MOOSE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR!!"   I really can't think of the last time I was that excited--even when I found 100% cashmere on sale, a couple of weeks ago, for a killer price I didn't get as excited as I was when I saw those moose.  Maybe the last time I got that excited was when I was riding my dirt bike on a moutain road, came zipping around a corner, and about wrecked because there was a mama bear and her cubs feasting on a huge dead cow in the middle of the road not five feet from my front tire.  That was pretty exciting for them and me.


We took video of the mama and calf moose as they were stripping bark from tree trunk and branches then followed, at a safe distance, until they meandered into the willows out back.  It was AWESOME!!!  I have never seen moose in real life.  Seen a lot of other wildlife, but never moose.  HB told me to pay more attention when I am "be-bopping" out to my car.  I guess mama moose can be VERY protective and are known to stomp things to death that she considers a threat.  It was still AWESOME!  EXCITING! ETC!


Yep, two things.