You really should listen to your Dr.'s voicemail when he calls...

I DO NOT HAVE A TORN ROTATOR CUFF....read on...I really should listen to my voicemail when my Dr. calls. My Dr.'s phone number popped up on my phone yesterday around 5, and I thought it was just my physical therapy reminder. No. So here's the news.... I DON'T HAVE A TORN ROTATOR CUFF! It's just a sprain. The MRI specialist sent the report to the Dr. on Monday (Dr. was out Monday - Wednesday), what was thought to be a tear as viewed on the computer by the ortho and my Dr. was in fact a shadow from my bone spur and the sprain swelling. Dr. had thought it only a sprain in the first place otherwise I would have been in severe pain sooner. Duh, that's what I'm thinking. They got to see the image before the specialist saw it on Friday and based on the ortho's opinion thought it was a tear. What a bonehead, no pun intended, Mr. Ortho... So no sling and continue with physical therapy until shoulder is strengthened. That totally made the beginning of what is going to be a fabulous, although rainy day! Whoot!

Technology and Homemaking...

I am what you might call a self-proclaimed 'Techno-Diva', a lover and collector of computer and technical gadgets that make my life easier, and that are just plain fun. Geek girl to the core I am. So in 2008 when the iPhone began it's mass distribution I just had to have one. I already had a cell phone and was texting up a storm and getting e-mail on the now 'pre-historic' Razor phone. I also had a Palm Pilot, remember those? Yet nothing could compare to the 3G Apple iPhone with it's many apps. A lot of them seemed useless, but I have discovered some that could make this 'House Frau's' life a lot easier. Over the years I have since upgraded to the iPhone4 and have stuck with that one.

One of the many apps is Any List, a free application that is a grocery list that allows you to share with your significant other on their smart phone, and it updates either way, if you add something he gets it, if he marks something off the list, you get the picture. It's very handy for a busy couple who has the tendency to forget the shopping 'list' at home. You ALWAYS have your phone with you nowadays when you go out. What's really cool is when it updates, the update pops up on your phone screen, and it's like voila! One less thing for you to pick up at the store, or one thing you need for that special recipe. It's also a handy recipe database, and takes the ingredients from the database and allows you to put them in your shopping list into the database. There are a few pre-set meals included with the app, but you can add your own, and it's very easy. 

Well, I have a busy morning ahead of me. Physical therapy today. I will most likely be back blogging this afternoon since I pretty much got everything in control around the house (Laundry and dishes are done, sink is clean, living room doesn't look like a disaster area). I'm working with one arm as my right arm is in a sling due to rotator cuff injury. That's going to take 8 weeks to heal. Fortunately I can type and drive small distances as long as I don't take my pain meds. Happy Monday my House Fraus!!!

Diablo 3 and Marriage

One of mine and David's secrets to our strong marriage, playing video games together, Diablo III in particular. It's a fun escape where we have to communicate, strategize, and run like Hell from the bad monsters when all else fails. Yeah, it's a little unconventional for some, but David and I aren't like other middle aged married couples. In some ways I'm glad we're not. 

Happy Monday.... at least I hope so.

Today is 'Mac' day. Taking my Mac Book in to see what that heck is going on with it. I've done all I can on my end (RAID, rebooting from disk, reloading software)... so now it's in the hands of the Apple crew. I must tell you, my stomach is in knots. My writing is my life and therapy and my Mac Book is my 'baby'. The hubby and I have been 'sharing' his Mac Book (we're a Mac family) and while it's been helpful, it's just not the same.

I actually slept in until six AM today. David didn't have to work overtime this morning so I was snoozing great until David gently woke me to ask me if my Apple appointment was today, then I was like 'Holy CRAP!' and jumped out of bed. I need to unload the dishwasher, I ran that yesterday before we left for church. I also need to unpack the new duvet cover we bought at Ikea yesterday. It's a pretty navy blue. Now we just need new sheets. When I was younger and before I met my husband, thread count didn't matter to me. Frankly, I didn't understand the whole concept, a sheet was a sheet. My eyes were opened after we were married and I had purchased a 'Bed in a Bag' sheet and comforter set from 'Wally World'.... it was 250 thread count and stiff and it took several washings to soften up. At the time, money was an issue and I thought I had gotten a great deal. Well, you get what you pay for. I am now a sheet snob and won't sleep on anything below 600 thread count and a down comforter. It does matter for a good night's sleep.

Well, I'm off for now. Have a great Monday and I'll post an update when I find out more about my 'baby'.

What do I miss???

I miss Saturday morning cartoons, not the stuff that they're passing off as cartoons now, but I want my Bugs Bunny and Road Runner show back, and SchoolHouse Rock. Yes, I digress some days to my childhood, but don't we all at some point or other? I also miss sleeping in on Saturday this morning. David had to work overtime and was up at 330, I woke up at 5... Part of it is I think I'm coming down with something. I have a crappy immune system, and earlier this week I was at the Dr.'s office for my shoulder, and I think I may have picked something up there. Medical Centers are germ havens, people just don't wash their hands or cover their mouths when they cough. So I'm going to take it easy today, medicate with some fizzy cold medicine, and hang with the hubby when he gets home.

Happy Valentine's Ladies... and Gentlemen if you are reading this...

Got 17 views, no comments, wondering if I offended anyone. I'm a social mutt so to speak, I'm fiscally conservative, socially liberal and I am a Christian. You won't find me discussing politics on this blog and please, don't post anything about your political views on this blog. That's not what it's there for. I'm here to blog about my daily life, offer up recipes, life hacks, some humor here and there, and every once in a while we may have a guest blogger. 

What has today been like? My husband works in an eyeglass lab, and it's crunch time, so he's been working a lot of overtime. Not working late, but going in at 5AM and working on Saturdays. I used to not be a morning person. If you woke me before 11AM you would be asking for trouble in the form of a refugee from the zombie apocalypse. Going on two weeks now and I have been up at either 3:30AM or 4AM bringing my hubby a hot cup of coffee to get his day started and sometimes packing his lunch for him. It's the little things that we do for each other that matter, and helping him get his day started in a positive way is one of those things. He's more productive at work which makes him happy, the boss happy, and in general...everyone happy. Anyhow, I'm actually starting to like this routine. I find myself getting more done, and I feel more energetic. My late mother in law (God rest her soul) would be proud. She taught me a lot about keeping house and the 'art of being a good wife'. When my husband asked me to marry him my answer wasn't yes or no it was "I can't cook".  His answer was "We shall have to remedy that." (Said in true Mel Gibson 'Braveheart' fashion).  This Valentine's morning I was unprepared... meaning David's Valentine's gift was not wrapped and still hidden in my unused purse next to the kitchen table. Don't ask. David, on the other hand, was. I don't know how he found the time with his crazy schedule this week, and commenting to me that he had not found the time to find me anything and he felt bad. Yeah right. Out came a medium size gift box with a silver heart on it... with a card. The card was beautiful, made me cry. Inside the box was a collection of freshwater pearl bracelets of every color... beautiful. Pearl is my birthstone. Yup, he's a keeper. Not because of that though. 

The past almost 19 years have not been easy. We've been married for almost 17. Apart for a year while I was still in the Navy and he had already retired and moved to CA to start his college and job and find a place for us to live. For you young ladies in love, young love. Marriage is work. It's not all flowers and romance and sex. It's communication, respect, friendship, teamwork, and unconditional love. David and I have been blessed to have our faith at the center of our marriage, without it I don't believe we would have made it sometimes. We've lost our baby, I lost my mind (breakdown and diagnosed with bipolar disorder), both of his parents died of cancer within seven years of each other, we've had to move twice, we've lost jobs, we've supported each other through college... Through it we have grown so much as a couple. 

Why I'm here....

I am a house frau and proud of it!

Why is it that a majority of the articles I have found regarding being a home maker/house wife always put kids in the picture??? I don't have children, but I am a home maker and proud of it, but ignorant people still give me the look when I say I'm a home maker. The look that says.... you don't have any children so what do you do all day??? Put down your lighters you feminists, this is MY choice. I had a career, but I didn't let it define me. I am ME, a creative, happy, strong woman who chooses to stay at home and manage her household along with other things. One of them writing, I am a blogger. So when you meet a woman and she says she's a home maker, don't dismiss her because she's not part of the 'working world'... she is, we most certainly are.

I have been researching further and have found some more blogs and sites for women who are home makers without children. I have found a few. Came across a very disturbing site... 'The Stepford Wives'. Oh HELL to the NO. While I love my husband, and enjoy my home making lifestyle, I am NOT a maid or Mommy to my husband's sometimes mess. I have read on there that they don't mind picking up after their husband's, that's all well and good, but I was not put on this Earth to let my husband make a mess and expect me to clean it up simply because I stay at home and don't have a career out of the home. Nor do I dress to please my husband... what the heck is that all about?? After years in the Navy I have earned the right to dress how I please when I am in my own home. My husband didn't marry me for a fashion show, or to be a mindless robot bound to 'serve' my husband. Don't get me wrong, I like to do nice things for my husband but I'm not going to drop whatever I'm doing the minute he hits the threshold of our door to bring him a drink and his slippers. He's a big boy, he can do things on his own. Yeah, he's worked a long day, but that doesn't mean he needs to be waited on hand and foot. We're partners in this marriage, and while my career isn't outside the home, we still respect each other's space as well as take care of each other's needs. I am a Christian woman, but I have a hard time with that whole 'submissive' movement that many Conservative Christian wives are a part of. God gave us free will, a mind, a soul and spirit. My husband loves me because I can think for myself, that we can have intelligent conversations that are outside of the realm of figuring out what he wants for dinner. I may be exaggerating what I saw on that site, but that was all my first impression. 

To the girls out there, there is so much for you to do now.... college, military, careers, marriage, motherhood. The wonderful part of it is now that you have a CHOICE that is yours and no one else's. I've done it all, minus the motherhood. Unfortunately my body had other ideas. I used to let the fact that I wasn't a mother consume me, only because that's what I felt my family and peers expected of me. I got over it. I am no less of a woman because I do not have children. I am not selfish either. Yeah, I've been called selfish and a 'sinner' because I had a hysterectomy at a young age. My reasons were my own, medically and personally. I am blessed with a wonderful family that consists of my husband and myself and our two kitties, Tybalt and Trinket. Don't let other's people ignorance define you. Embrace who you are, not what people expect of you.