OK the weather here in South Dakota is freezing my bottom off cold!!! What the heck was I thinking? Corwynn called me this week, crying he wanted to come see me. It broke my heart to hear his little voice as he talked through his tears. I told him he could come in the spring and to get a big hug from his mom for me. I have been tempted to go home to Utah a couple of times. That was one! I've had the pleasure of hearing from old friends, it has been wonderful. I haven't been very good at keeping in touch and I am working at changing that. I'm working the day shift right now, don't know for how long. I am experiencing "mall withdrawals"  I don't need to buy anything I just miss going. I hope to get over to Sioux Falls and check theirs out someday. 

I thought keeping up a blog would be an easy way to keep in touch with my family and friends. apparently I have to get on line more often to do this. I had a pretty rough November and part of December. after moving into this adorable old house I patched cracks in the ceilings of my bed room & bathroom, sanded them, painted half the bed room ceiling before I found myself sick, thought it was a bad cold, but after several days of feeling like garbage I decided to take a hot bath. I hadn't been using the tub due to a pipe problem. I had been going to the basement to use the shower but thought I wouldn't be able to do the 2 flights of stairs. After soaking for a short time I began coughing, coughing and coughing. I could not catch my breath and frantically tried to call my sister Menie, even texted her. There was no answer and I was still coughing. Between coughing bouts I still could not catch my breath and began to panic. I could not get out of the tub, or reach a towel. There was a hand towel I could get and of course I had the cell phone. So yes, you guessed it, I called 911. To one of my greatest humiliations, there have been many, I had to be "rescued." The EMT's could not get in as I'm a chicken and lock up very well. The police had to break the back door window to get in, they found me in the empty tub, coughing in the fetal position holding the hand towel the best I could to cover ... parts ..., by this time I was panicking and hyper ventilating. I was relieved and embarrassed to have a group of men in my bathroom. Of course having no window coverings up I had a small candle lit which cast very little light. So they had flashlights. But was positive I was dying!! The officer put a towel around me, then a blanket. The EMT, Foster helped me breath, they carried me down stairs put me on a gurney and I was put in an ambulance, driven to the ER and checked out. The officer came, I thanked him and told him how embarrassed I was and I hoped to never see him again. He introduced himself as brother Aimes from my ward. I died. He was very kind to call his wife and she came to take me home when I was released. I had sinusitis, bronchitis & was dehydrated. The next day my work sent me to a Dr. and they found I had asthma. I have not been bothered by that in forever, I simply never thought of it. She thought I probably had an attack in the tub. After getting steroids, my bottom is still sore at the thought. So I 'm back on Advair twice a day and grateful to be in this time period when drugs are available. I was down for over a week. I lost a week in a half of work. I am still struggling with my voice. I don't have it back fully and lose it if in the cold or physically active. 

The trip that seemed it would never end.

November 1-6. I had a great time seeing my family. Rod flew me into Utah so we could complete some paper work. Which we did. I was able to vote, not that it helped. But still I would have felt responsible for Obama attaining the presidency had I not been able to vote against him.  Corwynn, Ryley, Aidian, Alexis, Drew, Cheryl and I watched to the center of the earth in John and Tiffani's movie room. It was awesome to hear the fantastic sound effects! John & Maddy came in sometime close to the end. Or is it Maddie? I like the latter. I was kept fairly busy while there. Brixton showed me his incredible nerve and riding abilities while jumping his new bike. He rode over close bumps (? name of?) while riding a wheely. He was the only one I saw do that. The height he attains in air is amazing. Visiting with Sergeant Winters of the Marine recruits with Max and Rod was well worth the entire trip. Very interesting info. given. I hope Max likes it. I think he will.  I didn't get to visit with the girls as much as I would have liked, but I'd only been gone a couple of weeks at the time. So I wasn't really home sick yet. I'm sure I'll get there. Little Clive's blessing was something I felt sad to miss but the luncheon was very nice. I felt impressed to get winter boots and a heavy coat before I left. I could have taken an earlier flight home to ensure I would miss any chance of bad weather. Menie called and told me South Dakota was expecting a blizzard. Rod couldn't verify that on the internet and I didn't feel like I had to hurry just that I had to get the boots and coat. I was worried I wouldn't be able to get to Sioux Falls to buy them so I got them in Utah. Corwynn and Ryley helped me shop for the boots, way cute! After the plane landed in Denver I found out my flight to Rapid City was cancelled, I had to get a hotel or sleep in the airport. Thank goodness and bless Rod for giving me a credit card "just in case of an emergency" He knew I couldn't afford anything and boy was I blessed by his kindness.  I'm the only person I know that can have so many strange and sometimes funny things happen. The first embarrassing moment was when I couldn't get the elevator to go, got out, a couple of older men invited me to try a different one and when one gentleman inserted his room key in the thingy then pushed the floor button. I died. They both saw the look on my face and laughed out loud. I was assured the Marriott had had this system for a few years. I had to be at the airport by 7 am so up at 5 and out of hotel by 6. The next day was one cancellation after another. I could have left the airport for a few hours but No way, I'm just not that brave. I sat and read. A lot of walking. After the last flight was cancelled due to the blizzard that hit Rapid City. I went back to the Marriott for the night. This time the embarrassing moment came when the my food was delivered by room service, an older man knocked on the room door. I had been flipping channels and stopped to open the door. The man was waiting while I signed the credit card slip, we both must have heard the groaning/moaning at the same time because we both turned to stare at the TV where a naked sex act was happening! I went bright red, I couldn't get him out the door fast enough, I know he heard me laughing as I shut the door. I immediately turned the station. The next morning I was back to the airport early the next morning. The first flight was cancelled, the second was delayed, then as we boarded I was pulled out of line, they explained to me that the computer said something different than my printed ticket. It took a few minutes but I boarded the flight in time to have it delayed. We sat on the tarmac awaiting a clearance for quite awhile. Finally up up and away. We landed in Rapid without any incident. The highway was still closed so I went out to the parking lot to get my car to find a hotel and of course the car was stuck. I cleared the snow, I thought, I rocked and rocked the car, a couple men came to help me, they couldn't get it to move either. So I grabbed the airport shuttle, $18.00 one way to the Holiday Inn Express on I90. Another night in a hotel. Saturday morning the Highway open & was given the ok to drive it. It was listed with some black ice, slushy snow and some snow advisories to Murdoc. I made it to Wall just fine, soon after the exit there were several cars by the wayside, the appeared to have slid off the road. I was worried. then came the low visibility and the black ice was a few inches thick completely across the road and I was panicked! No where to stop or turn around. I pushed my brakes once, slid, regained control and used my gears to slow me down the rest of the time. I followed Semi's and  4 wheel drives. I was so out of my element in my little Lexus with rear wheel drive. I have never missed my Durango so much!!! But I made it and a few day trip ended up costing a fortune. Rod not only paid for the ticket, hotels and food but ended up paying for a couple clean shirts for me.  I missed four days of work and bought one of  my meals myself and a book. So I'm pretty broke myself.  

I've got a blog!

Here I am at Brixton and Kristin's reception, I'm the cute one, bet you can't guess.