Art & Life of SwarDrawS

Just got the tax returns done. They were almost done I just needed to wrap it up and hit submit. You would think I would do it sooner if we got money back as we usually do. With the state return, because Hollace is in private school we get an education credit which is good for about $350 extra. Cool.

Today Hollace had a birthday party to go to. I dropped her off and then took off on a photo excursion. I have been uninspired lately, typical winter blahs, when it came to photography. Today I forced myself out to shoot something. In two hours I think I got a lot of new material to feed my photoblog and Flickr stream. I started out frustrated that everything I wanted to photograph was while driving down the road. It is never easy to just pull over and shoot it. Today I stopped anyway.

I decided to go into Libertyville and walk the quaint small town street. First though I had to try and find a barn I always see while driving the tollway. It had a nice message on it and interesting colors. I did manage to find it. I think now looking at it, it is a barn for the Girl Scouts or something. It is their colors and I swear that is their logo on the barn and the sentiment sounds all Girl Scoutie. It said, "Help other people at all times". Anyway, I got my shot and then some.

Yesterday I had my first appointment with Dr. Penny. At first I was worried because they seemed to forget my appointment. I guess if they would of remembered it they would of canceled it. It was Penny's first day in the office after being sick and was only working every other hour or something.

My first impression of Penny was not good but it turned out that she wasn't too bad. Better than the work therapist I tried the last time. She did get a little holy roller on me and apologized if it gets too much for me and to tell her to back off. She shys away from meds (which I do also) and she told me she is a short term therapist and 6 sessions (what EAP from work will cover in whole) should do it for me. Whatever, I just hope it works.

After work or rather after I picked up Hollace for after school care, we headed out to Salutos to celebrate a guy at work's new job out of CN. It was a little awkward but not too bad.

Today Dorothy got released from the hospital and is now in the nursing home. RAW comes home tomorrow after 10 days. Hollace while missed him isn't too thrilled because that means she has to go back to her own bed.

Speaking of which, I think I will join her now and go to sleep. We are going to try to go to the Lutheran church tomorrow. Hollace needs to deliver a thank you card to a girl there that wanted to buy someone something so she bought Hollace a rubber stamp book since it was just her birthday. They left it on our door last week. Also to avoid the Girl Scout leader wondering why we didn't make it to the front of the grocery store to sell cookies during tradional church time. I guess those Catholics just assume you will go to Saturday evening mass instead.

Posted by swardraws at 01:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

She had a triple bypass on Friday morning. She is doing fine. I always have heard that after one of those you get really cranky and Dorothy was no exception. The nurses were surprised how fiesty she was LOL. She kept pulling at her tubes and such and wanted her shoes so she could leave. She was out of it for a few days. At one point she mentioned a grandson in Louisiana. Huh? Either RAW has a son he doesn't know about or a sibling!

I guess today she was worlds better and tried walking. RAW is still down there and will be for the rest of the week. On Friday, Hollace didn't have school so I had to drag her to work. Since I was off sick on Thursday I really needed to get in the office to finish a job I could only do there. I worked the afternoon at home.

On Monday, Presidents Day, I already scheduled it off and of course Hollace had it off. We went shopping to Ikea to shop for her room. Today however reality. I guess until RAW gets home I will work 8:15 - 5 so I can get Hollace off to school. She will have to hang out in after school care until I can get her.

Because she was off sick on Thursday and had Friday and Monday off, she was buried in homework. It felt like she spent the whole night on it.

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Last night Tim called to tell me that 2.5 year old Mac is in the hospital after falling from a kitchen chair at breakfast and breaking his femur. My poor little dancing guy has to be in a body cast for 2 months now.

Posted by swardraws at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Grrrr, pay no mind to me, I just need to vent.

I got a Tivo box through DirecTv back in October where with the $100 rebate, the box is free. I filled out the rebate promptly like I usually do.

Never got the $100. They emailed me another rebate form to try again. I mailed that one out in December.

It should of came by now so I just called them again and they have no sign of that rebate form either.

WTF?

Everyone else I know who went in for this deal got their rebate quickly with no problem. I only mail things out in secure post office boxes and know how to address an envelope so I don't know what the deal is.

They did fix it for me when I just called though. They credited my account $100 so I guess I don't have to pay my bill for the next 2 months but I wanted the lump $100 to put on the credit card even though I long paid that bill back in October.

Posted by swardraws at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today I called in sick. Was prepared for a work at home day due to weather. The forcast was for icy mix. We got a layer of slush but it was more a rain event. I probably would of went into work had I not called in sick.

We all have a bit of something but more than anything I needed a mental health day. Then while Hollace was getting ready for school, she coughed too hard and threw up. That meant she was taking a sick day too. RAW had to go to Artworks to help them out so I ended up with Hollace. That said, I think I am mentally recharged. I needed a boost in creativity and by the end of the day I felt the juices flowing. I also was able to get a call in to the employee assistance program to help me find a therapist. I got an appointment next Friday.

Right before RAW came home from Artworks, RAW's aunt Geri called to tell us that his mom was being admitted to the hospital for heart bypass surgery. So now he is on his way over there (5 hour drive). Hollace doesn't have school tomorrow and I have a deadline tomorrow morning that I have to be in there for so she will be coming to work with me.

I sure hope Dorothy pulls through surgery tomorrow. I have no doubt, she is a strong 82 year old.

Posted by swardraws at 09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Monday Hollace turns 7. Where does the time go? Since that is Monday (a gym day, oh the horrors) we celebrated this weekend.

On Saturday me and Hollace headed out to Build a Bear for our annual trek to get an over priced stuffed animal. As per usual, she got a horse, not a bear, then to play in the castle in the mall. We then drove to the other mall for our lunch at Rain Forrest Cafe.

Today was the big party. I had 20 girls invited. Because it was Super Bowl Sunday, only 14 could come. Two of them had to leave an hour early for a Super Bowl Party. As usual, the party was at Art Works. All the girls had a good time as far as I could tell. Hollace raked in the loot including a Hello Kitty toaster! One of the little girl's mom had asked on our answering machine when RSVPing, what Hollace would like. I didn't call her back feeling kind of weird returning a phone call telling them what to buy my daughter. That mom who was black stayed at the party with an older eastern European woman who also acted like the mom. I couldn't figure them out. And guess what she finally decided on getting Hollace for a gift since I didn't call back with suggestions...$20. I guess she really needed the suggestion LOL

The only other adults that hung around the party besides RAW was Deb, Hollace's godmother who as usual took notes on gifts for us. And Sharon and Barb and her husband who I think is forced to attend these things against his will.

I know this is Art Works and Barb and Sharon's kids are Art works but I was hoping their older kids wouldn't come. Barb's poor husband could of stayed home with the over bearing Marcus. And Gabby who also is overbearing was ok. They did however sit in the middle of the table taking up spots for the real guest eating all the food and Marcus was driving me nuts begging me for a goodie bag before I knew if I had enough.

We came home and I went at it making cupcakes for Hollace's class tomorrow. I am beat, it is time to go to bed and recooperate on Monday.

On Monday, Hollace's actual birthday I will finally try and get to a Weight Watchers meeting. I tried last week but I couldn't get the times straight. The Monday meeting is 6pm and 7:30. Somehow I turned into either a 6:30 or 7pm meeting. I drove out there early for the 7pm meeting then realized it was 7:30 and newbies spend an additional 30 minutes which would of put me back home after Hollace went to bed and that was the night she lost her first tooth. I didn't want to miss that.

On Friday I went to my annual Gyn checkup. I guess I gained 30 lbs in the last year. She is testing my thyroid but I know it is all me and my crappy eating thing that is too blame.

Posted by swardraws at 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)