Birthday Reflections, I Love Presents And Lillie Is Making Strides.

On September 13, 2022September 13, 2022 By SuzIn As blogged by Suz34 Comments

Thank you ALL for your positive comments on my Lillie post; your words mean a lot to me. Also, everyone who shared what ‘we would do together on my birthday filled my heart with love.

It turns out that my day was all about eating. We met Coach’s Mom, Step Dad, Linds, my adapted daughter Halie, (not adopted since her Mom wouldn’t give her up, so we all adapted) our dear friends TW and Mo for a long lunch that was delicious for our bellies and great for my soul.

Saturday night, we had dinner with Coach’s Dad, step Mom, and Linds. Linds made out with two free meals on my day! I was showered with thoughtful, sweet gifts, and you know what I realized? I LOVE PRESENTS, even if it’s a little thing like a kitchen scrubber.

While at dinner, two other tables near us were also celebrating a birthday which I thought was total BS. IT’S MY DAY; STOP TRYING TO BOSS HOG MY DAY!

SOME FAVORITES

Linds gave me the absolute sweetest card with words from her beautiful heart. Whenever I’m having a bad day, I’ll pull that out and reread it.

*_{Isn’t the written word priceless?}*_{We laughed that she could only find a pencil in her apartment. Now I know what I’m getting her for Christmas.}

Much to the horror of my MIL, my FIL bought me a kitchen scrubber and dropped it in the gift bag she had with a few other items. He said: You will love this and he was right. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. *giggle* He knows me.

I received lovely flowers from my girls (adapted & DNA) and Nathan. My kids know my weakness for Reese’s. I had one cup on Saturday and one on Sunday; I’m satisfied for a while.

THE BEST BEST GIFT

I think it was Thursday when Lillie turned a corner which was a surprise since she doesn’t even have a driver’s license. But as I was feeding the crew dinner (we had Max for the last month), Lillie all of a sudden perked up and was excited about meal time. I was worried it was temporary joy, but she’s been eating her regular food (I don’t have to share my popcorn!) and acting almost like her old self.

We take her this morning to have her sutures (hopefully)removed and to get an update on the lab results.

Thank you for all your kind words and love. It means more than you could know.

Do you have a favorite go-to candy that you might sometimes crave so much that you might push down a human to get one? Just me?

Lillie~Loves~Popcorn Update, Sunrise Or Sunset, Someone Has A Birthday

On September 8, 2022September 8, 2022 By SuzIn As blogged by Suz40 Comments

Thank you all for your good wishes last week regarding Lillie.

I wish I could say it’s been smooth sailing, but that would make me a liar and I’m not a fan of my pants being on fire. We’re still in the thick of it and my heart hurts on the daily.

_{Lillie enjoying happier days last year.}

We’ve had some setbacks and you don’t need to know the not-so-fun details, but one funny, well, kinda funny thing I’ll share: Her lack of appetite. It’s been an issue since surgery and I need her to eat so I can hide her meds in the food. For a day chicken breast worked. The next day, it did not. Then I went to cheddar cheese; it worked for a day, then it didn’t. One night the Coach was eating Smart Pop and shouted from the next room: I’m eating popcorn and she wants some!

I mixed a bit of popcorn with some of her wet food. She picked out the popcorn, but then ate some of the wet food. The next day, I did the same thing with some of her kibble and wet food. She ate fairly well, I mean, it’s about 1/3 of what she generally will eat, but I feel like when she eats, I want to give myself a Gold Medal. This ‘win’ generally only happens in the evenings, not in the morning. Who knew that Popcorn is a meal incentive? Well, I mean, I knew that, but I didn’t know she knew that.

I’m trying to keep a positive attitude and hoping my little snickerdoodle heals and proceeds to live out a long life with us.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE:

A few weeks ago I went to a family birthday party for a two year old; my first cousins grandchild. My second cousins child. Actually second cousin calls me Aunt Suzanne, so she’s also my Niece. So my great nieces 2nd birthday party.

Are we as clear as mud?

Anyhoo, my almost niece, second cousin introduced me to one of her friends who is about her age; 28-30ish. My almost niece/second cousin always lived on the East Coast of FL until a few years ago, now she lives on my coast; The Cool Coast. I asked the Friend if she was from This Coast (pointing to the ground) or The East Coast (pointing behind me).

She looked puzzled so I thought I would make it easier for her.

Do you watch the sunset at your beach or do you watch the sunrise at your beach?

She looked even more perplexed by this complicated geography question I just threw at her; she shrugged her shoulders and replied that she didn’t know.

My almost niece/second cousin let me know that her friend lives on the East Coast, but she doesn’t wake up early enough to see the sunrise.

I thought to myself: she should still have a general idea where she resides.

I guess if you can’t see it, it just doesn’t happen; similar to that elusive refrigerator light. Does it go off after you shut the door? It’s just one of those universal mysteries I suppose.

I hope that little story made you giggle and you’re not depressed over Lillie. Leave that to me.

I have a birthday on Saturday and generally, I’m very excited about My Day. This year? I’m feeling very meh.

If we were to meet in person this weekend and finances weren’t a bother, what would we do together?

Speaking Of Labor Day, What Was Your First Job?

On September 5, 2022September 5, 2022 By SuzIn As blogged by Suz47 Comments

Happy Labor Day. For my Canadian friends: Happy Labour Day!

Let’s talk about earning money.

DISHWASHER

My Mom was a waitress for a good part of her life and when I was eleven/twelve we moved from FL to GA. Bev had a hard time finding a job and ended up waitressing at The Waffle House while looking for something better; she was with Waffle House for sixteen years as a waitress/manager. I think she just gave up and settled down there. When I was twelve I worked as a Dishwasher there. I wasn’t officially employed, but the waitresses would give me a couple of dollars and then feed me something scattered, smothered and covered. If you know, you know.

_{Beverly and look who’s photobombing? That’s my brother Mark; she convinced him to work there for a while.}

AVON

When I was Thirteen I sold Avon. Which is kind of a lie because I purchased more than I sold; THE MAKEUP!

BASKIN ROBBINS

I Scooped ice cream at Baskin Robbins and earned $2.50 an hour in 1981 at fourteen years old. The owners of the shop were HORRIBLE people. Mean. Cheap. Horrible. And I’m here to tell you that scooping ice cream is more challenging than it appears. This wasn’t soft serve; that’s for sissies. I looked it up and the minimum wage at that time was $3.35. Do you think I can get back pay?

PONDEGROSA & MARSHALLS

I was in 10th grade and I’d moved back to Florida and was now living with my Dad. I needed a job because Phil didn’t care to share his income with me and this girl needed some fashion. I was a waitress/runner at Ponderosa Steakhouse; do you remember that place? It was buffet style dining. I worked my biscuits off; some weekends found me working double 8 hour shifts and when summer came I took a position at Marshalls that was in the same plaza and worked both jobs; some days I would walk from one to the other and change clothes. I ended up working at Ponderosa for about 2 years and stayed at Marshalls for about 3 years. I can’t remember why I ever left Marshalls because my butt sure as heck visits the one in my town at least once ~~three times~~ a month and I could use a discount!

SCAB WHAT?

After High School I attended Cosmetology College and the most interesting job I had happened while I was in beauty school. My friend Tanya’s Mom was a supervisor/manager for the Phone Company (Bell South? AT & T?)and there was a time when all the Operators went on strike. Tanya’s mom convinced us to go through the training and work as Operators until the strike was over. Ya’ll I was young and didn’t realize what was happening until Tanya and I arrived at the location and there were picketers all over the place and they were hollering SCABS!! at us as we drove into the parking lot.

I didn’t have a clue in what we were getting ourselves into. But hey, it paid well; I think $15 an hour. It was NOT an easy job. Was 911 a thing in Florida yet? I’m not sure, but I got a lot of emergency calls and some of them I can not get out of my head all these years later.