Brain farts

Okay so, my first week on these Reliv shakes has been only positive.

• Brain fog is clearing
• Have only napped once this week, and that was the afternoon my period started
  
• Can walk farther before my legs give out. Not significantly farther. Just a smidge. But I'll take it!
• I'm reducing Claritin and not sneezing my brains out...as much
  
• And let me tell you about my poopies...!

A few months ago I bought in to a company called Tastefully Simple. I love this stuff and naively assumed I'd be able to easily talk people into buying some product because I am so excited about it. Then...Bo's mom came for a visit, stayed for 12 weeks and I totally let this slide. But I'm back to it and working hard on it and hope it can soon start to pay off for me.

I wish my new husband will get off his hiney pretty soon and jump through whatever a hoops a veteran needs to jump through to get some medical benefits for his new spouse.

The uber-blogger Jeri posted this yesterday about the drug study that we're both on. Exciting stuff, but I really detest what this drug is going to be called. Gilenia? Sounds like a gynecological infection to me.

Said drug study is asking lab rats at the one-year mark to undergo a cardiac ultrasound, which I did this morning. The financial incentive, while very nice, was not necessary for me, I would have agreed without it. I'm taking it of course, I'm not an idiot. It's nearly a car payment!

Hubby and I are both kicking ourselves for putting our dog Maggie through that knee surgery a few months ago...it ultimately failed and healing has been really slow. She has forgiven us, though.

I've been enjoying the hell out of the Olympics this year.

'Kay, that's the latest. Be well, everybody!


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Been there, done that

So yesterday I get a phone call from a neighbor, inviting me and Bo to her home on Saturday. She and her husband are "starting a new business" that they want to share with their friends. I had to decline because we already have a commitment for that night. So then she invited me over this morning for a tea party [not a Tea Party tea party, just hot beverage and muffins and fruit].

When I arrived, I see she has her kitchen table all decorated with booklets and products from a company called "Reliv". I remembered how, very shortly after my MS diagnosis in 1998, a family friend introduced me to Reliv products and I used them for a few years. If memory serves, this was from early 2000 to early 2005. Can't tell you exactly why I stopped, I think I was just bored with them.

I also remember not having a flare, being able to walk my dogs for a mile every day and having the stamina to work 55-70 hours a week at my job (!), which has not been my experience since late 2005.

This gave me pause...did I remain as healthy as I was then because that was just my disease course...or was Reliv actually helping me?

So yeah, I'm giving it another try. I've committed to 90 days. I'll keep you informed.

Hey, do any of you use Reliv? Or have you in the past? Please let me know about your experience!

A date...that'll live...in infamy

This past Christmas...well, the day after actually...marked the 101st wedding anniversary of my great-grandparents, Elizabeth and Edward. They were both 23 years old.

It also was the 50th wedding anniversary of my parents, Elizabeth and William. Look at this picture, aren't they cute?

So using the same day, Bo and I exchanged our vows in 2009.  Since Bo has issues with his image being posted on the internet, here are the backs of our heads (that'll show him, huh?):

It was an overcast day and too cold for me outside in a sleeveless dress!  The fur I'm wearing was my mother's.  And here's the ring, in it's permanent home:

And finally, here I am:

I know I don't look happy, but I really was.  Honestly, I was premenstrual (hence the zits) and tired.  Lesson learned:  never allow pictures without lipstick.

Oh, here's the cake. 

My sister-in-law surprised me with the same cake knife my parents used at their wedding!  That was very, very moving.  I missed them very much that day and really wished they were alive to be with us.  They would have loved Bo and he them.

So, it's official.  Well...almost because I still haven't mailed it to the State of Georgia yet for filing.  Seriously, I can't find my stamps.

Can you hear me now?

Holy shite, I can't believe I haven't posted since November 4th! The few readers I did have are probably gone to the winds, having stopped following me, deleted any links to this blog, washed this Anne right out of their hair.

I have a good excuse, really I do! Lots of them actually. Some happy, some stressful, you don't want all the gory details.

First, an update on Jim and Nita and the cat: I got a phone call from Nita the first week of December sounding all pitiful about how she was having dreams about her cat. Was it a pleasant conversation? Not really, but it wasn't what I would call ugly. I told her the cat is fine and I'm still searching for a home, but she's pretty content here. Nita surprised me (not) by saying she has no idea when they are going to get back this way to get puss. I told her - as nicely as I possibly could - that I no intention of returning the cat to her. Ever. There's not much more to add, other than they still have not reimbursed me for the vet bill. Again, no surprise.

So now, drama, drama, stress, drama, drama ad nauseum, with some light and happiness thrown in. On Thanksgiving Day and totally blindsiding me, Bo got down on his knee and proposed. We were at my brother's house and the whole family was there. Like I said, I was stunned and happy/scared, sobbing, laughing, probably blabbered like an idiot for the rest of the night, it was great. The only negative thing I can say about it is he pulled this stunt before dinner, so I have no idea what I ate. Knowing what kind of a rockstar cook my sister-in-law is, there is no doubt I had a perfect meal. Just wish I could remember it.

So anyway, we're getting hitched soon. I'll tell you all about it after, it's going to be fun. As fate would have it, we can exchange vows on a date which coincides with the 50th wedding anniversary of my (late) parents. Pretty cool, huh?

Oh, and by popular request, here's a pic of the ring. The setting is actually being replaced, but the jeweler can do the majority of the work without the stone, so I didn't have to surrender it. Soon, this guy is going to call me and I can trot down to his store and watch him put the stone in its new home. I'll post a pic of that one, too (and it won't be taken with my phone).