My New Toy

My sweetie has been ill and I did not expect a birthday gift from him, as he has been unable to get out of the house, except for medical appointments, for a couple of months.  But today a box arrived, and it turned out that it was a birthday gift for me.  It seems he had given money to my son and one of his daughters to get together and come up with a gift for me, and they came up with a doozie:

If you don't recognize it, don't feel bad -- it's not something you see very often today.  It is a "lap steel guitar" made by Fender probably in the 1950s.  I have never played one before, but thanks to the internet there is lots of information available.  I tuned it based on instructions I found online and experimented with it, strumming some chords and singing along, but plan to purchase an instruction book.  At my "advanced" age, I don't want to waste time trying to learn it on my own, as I did with other instruments I learned to play at an earlier age (much earlier, actually).

Wasn't this a wonderful surprise?

Joanie

A Birthday Diary

Here's how a "senior" lady spent her birthday:

7:30 am -- got up.  Made coffee.  Fed the cat.
8:00 am -- checked email and read newspaper on line.  Printed crossword to do later (from Wash Post).
9:00 am -- checked C's blood sugar and blood pressure.
9:05 am -- fed C. through stomach tube.  Also gave morning meds, crushed and dissolved in water.
9:55 am -- took C. to dialysis
10:15 am -- dropped mail off at the post office
10:20 am --took king-sized bed quilt to local laundry (too big for my washing machine)
10:30 am - grocery shopped
11:30 am -  home, unpacked groceries.  Ate bowl of cereal and fruit.

12:45 pm - drove back to dialysis center.

12:55 pm - checked C's blood sugar at dialysis and gave him an insulin shot

1:00 pm - fed C. at dialysis via stomach tube.

1:30 pm - visited friend CAG who is on crutches due to knee injury.
2:30 pm - picked C. up from dialysis
2:45 pm - ate peanut butter sandwich
3:00 pm - got cash from ATM and picked up quilt from laundry.
3:15 pm - back to groc store for birthday cake for me (small cheesecake)
5:00 pm - checked C's blood sugar, gave him an insulin shot, and checked his blood pressures.
5:05 pm - fed C. via stomach tube.
5:15 pm - fed the cat
5:30 pm - started making dinner for my son and me
6:45 pm - ate dinner (chicken, potatoes, asparagus)
7:15 pm - cleaned kitchen; empied and reloaded dishwasher
7:30 pm - watched Jeopardy
8:00 pm -- started watching House premier; worked crossword printed off earlier in the day
8:50 pm -- prepared C's meds for feeding
9:02 pm -- fed C. through stomach tube
9:30 pm -- answered emails
10:00 pm -- started writing this blog
10:14 pm -- and here's how the cat celebrated my birthday:

Happy Birthda Jenna

More birthday wishes -- today for my beautiful, bright, and loving niece Jenna, who lives way down south. Jen, I am looking forward to our next teatime at the Windsor Tea Room. Hope your birthday is wonderful in every way.

Love, Aunt Joan

Happy Birthday Scott

Today I'm sending birthday wishes to my handsome, smart, and witty nephew Scott who lives many miles from me.

Scott, I hope you have a wonderful day and a terrific year to come. Much love.

Aunt Joan

my sister's birthday

Today is the birthday of my dear little sister. Although we live many miles from each other, we communicate almost every day, via email or telephone. In the winter, C. and I head south for a couple months and then I am able to see her several times a week. She is a sweet and loving person and fun to be with. She has so many talents -- decorating, landscaping, quilting, etc., -- and is an all around beautiful soul.

Happy Birthday, darling lil sis. Can't wait to see you again.

Love, Joanie