Was it just a week ago????

 

John took me to downtown Franklin last Saturday morning for a Starbucks run…..

 

Guess who’s feeling better…

The past revisited…

I recieved an email from Judy, a family member on Daddy’s side that I hadn’t spoken to in years.  Over the course of conversations, she asked me if I remembered getting her clothes as a child, as she was a few years older than me.

I had totally forgotten that, but now I remember.  When I was a little girl Mother made all of my clothes, and unlike a lot of you who wore hand-me-downs from siblings, when I got clothes from friends or relatives, I had never seen them before, so to me it was a treat.  Oh, pretty store-bought clothes.  How exciting they were.

I remember, as a teenager, getting a white long sleeved blouse, with ruffles at the neck and the bottom of the sleeves from Mother’s friend, Helen.  I wore that blouse with a wool camel “straight skirt”, and I had this really long, skinny black clutch purse.  Those purses were a big fad in the 60’s, but I can’t remember the name of it.  It was really long, though, probably 18 inches, soft leather not a tall purse, just a long one.  Do any of you remember having one?

I wore that outfit to a ballgame, climbing high in the bleachers in that straight skirt, which was not easy, because in the 60’s, you did NOT hike it up, you just kind of climbed sideways.  Well, I thought I was SO hot in that outfit.  Oh my, what a memory…. In those days we actually dressed up for school events.  Can you imagine a teenager today dressing like that for a game?  When I was in school we coudn’t even wear pants, except on St. Patrick’s Day.  That was the only time we were allowed to go to school in anything except skirts and dresses.

And speaking of hot, I haven’t thought I looked "hot” in years and years. Remember those days, girlfriends, when you put on a outfit and actually liked the way you looked? Oh this getting old really sux!!! The only hot I have had for years is hot flashes, which, by the way subsided briefly, only to come back with a vengance. I guess Mother Nature just isn’t finished with my hormones. 

Hooterville is here for a few days, we’re trying to beat the heat.  Today we beat it by going for an ice cream cone.  Worked for us…

Another milestone...

Dr. Durant called from UT this afternoon with the results of Maggie's liver biopsy.  Other than the shunt,  no further problems with her liver were detected.

That's one more hurdle crossed, now if the surgery was successful, we're home free.  Keep thinking good thoughts for her...

One week post-op…

It’s been seven days now since Maggie’s liver shunt surgery. Every day she’s a bit better. She hasn’t rebounded from this like she did her bladder surgery, two operations in less than two months are a lot for a little dog to handle…

She’s been pretty shaky, weak when she walks, we’ve dealt with nausea, until today she trembled after she ate, even though I warmed her food, in other words, my poor little fur child has been really sick.

Yesterday evening, she barked when hubby came home, that seemed to be her turning point, she ran to meet him, he brought chinese, and she always gets a bit of the fortune cookie, little imp, she sniffs that chinese food out like a bloodhound. Today she’s been more lively, eating well, no more nausea. Of course I watch her like a hawk, analyzing every move she makes, I need to just relax a bit...

I live my life on the 1-10 scale, 10 being highest. When we picked her up she was a 3, when we got her home, still a 3, then she went to a 4, and today I would give her a solid 5, no I think I would give her a 6, so it’s getting better.

Stitches come out next Wednesday, I’m hopefully that she will be feeling pretty frisky by then. BUT, when I take her to get stitches out, I have to leave Mollie for them to spay her and clean her teeth.

Will it ever end????? I sure hope this is our last vet visit for awhile. We all need a break from this, we just want to ride around on Milly, visit with the neighbors, go to our favorite dog friendly stores and enjoy the rest of our summer.

Patience, patience…

A couple of Nashville favorites, Fruit Tea and Banana Split Dessert…

Southern food is just the best, in my opinion, I grew up on fried chicken, fresh shelled crowder peas from the garden, fresh tomatoes, cornbread, home grown everything, and to me it’s total comfort food.

Last week at Johns, I had a couple of things that I want to share with you. The first is this Banana Split Dessert, low calorie version.

We ate at a little restaurant in Franklin called H.R.H. Dumplin’s. It’s a great lunch place, I’ve known about it for years, thanks to my friend, Inez who adores their fruit tea. On their menu was this 150 calorie banana split dessert. I took a picture, does this look like 150 calories to you? It doesn’t to me, it was too good to be true, but whatever the calories, it was amazing. I’m posting the recipe for it on my Eating Right blog if some of you want to try it. It was absoluely amazing, ladies, this has to be the ultimate in comfort food…

And, now about that fruit tea. Fruit tea seems to be a Nashville favorite, I found it in several restaurants. It was a combination of orange juice, pineapple juice and brewed tea. Totally not low calorie, but oh so good. I’m posting a recipe for it on Jan Can Cook. You could substitute Splenda for the sugar to cut out some of the calories. Fruit Tea is so refreshing, it's a must try on a hot day...

Both of these are great summertime treats, hope you make them, think of me, and enjoy them as much as I did last week.

~ jan

Jan, doing the happy dance this morning…

I can see clearly now the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way,
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) sunshiny day.

And all of the bad feelings have disappeared,
Here is the rainbow I've been praying for.
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) sunshiny day.

Maggie is much improved today, she’s eating, no upset tummy, she’s clear eyed and actually a little frisky. Oh, you have no idea how glad I am that this is surgery is over!!!!

Day four, post-op