Today's good thing: we had nice, calm Easter here, and did the usual: laundry, garbage, dishes, and I spent a little time outside. It wasn't all that cool in the sun, but the wind was up and it was pretty cool on the porch. I mostly sat on the porch, but I did plant some seeds: zinnia, morning glory and marigold.

The bad thing, obviously, is Robbie's heart attack. Thank you all for your prayers.***

*** My SIL texted me and said my brother had a heart attack. They were in Madison, NC for his job, and last I heard, they were transferring him to Winston-Salem, and he was awake and alert.

Today's good thing: it's been a busy day. I got a tire put on, made an eye doctor appointment for J, did laundry, paid the electric bill, went by Walmart, watched the birds and squirrels and dragonflies and lizards, talked to my BFF, had to call a wig company about the wig I ordered for my aunt, and made dinner.

I also talked to my aunt, who doesn't sound too good. I told her I would come up Thursday when I'm off.

I texted Robbie yesterday to tell him the worse news about our aunt. He called me after I got home and said that I sprang this on him, since it was the first he'd heard of it. Excuse me? I called him first when my aunt showed me the place on her breast, hoping he might call her an dhelp convice her to go to the doctor. Then when she was officially diagnosed, I called him to tell him that, and that they would begin chemo after she got her port-a-cath. I asked if maybe he had been drinking the other two times. He said no, he hadn't drank in 6 months. I don't believe that, but that's beside the point. He said a lot of stuff that didn't make sense. He told me he broke his foot falling over wood after he got back from hunting, while wearing snake boots. Last night he said, maybe I did tell him, since he "fell off the ladder", he had trouble remembering stuff. I don't know if this is a separate accident or what. In any case, he says he's going to try and visit soon. I'll believe it when I see it.

I talked to Jan today and for once I got to whine and moan and complain. I told her I couldn't remember the last time I wasn't worried about something... bills usually. Property taxes are looming again(last year's this time), we're still catching up the truck payments. And this with my aunt has really hit me hard, I was complaining about that too, losing all my mother figures. I worry about my own health as well. I'm always sore and aching from work and I always worry, what if it's not just from work? And then I Google it and scare the shit out of myself.

I dread what's ahead for my aunt. I've been thinking a lot about what Mom went through and what J's mom went through. I always thought my uncle would go first - - he has so many health problems, and my aunt has always been... not healthy(she was my grandmother's last child, born when she was in her late 40s, and was sickly as a child), but she hardly ever got really sick. I'm just... ugh.

I'll update LJ.

We went to visit the family yesterday, and got a late start, as Robbie called about the time we should've been getting dressed and gathering everything to leave. He got his cast off yesterday, stitches out and a new walking cast. I got into a gun debate with him. He has some nutty conspiracy theories, like they're making the gunpowder in bullets so it's only good for a year(wtf?), Obama will be weakening US defenses in the next 4 years, then he's moving to another country, he's going to take away all our their guns... I told him he needed to detox from Fox News.

We had lunch with my aunt and uncle, and my aunt's cold is back. She fell asleep in her chair after lunch and so did the rest of us. So after lunch, a nap, and some conversation, we headed on to J's dad's.

Larae was already home. She was watching Disney Channel when we arrived, she said hello when we said hello to her, we sat at the kitchen table and talked to J's dad, and then we said goodbye to her when we left. We had no other interaction with her. Apparently she never makes dinner for the girls, they fend for themselves, and last night, Eve, who failed first grade and is repeating it, needed help with her spelling and Larae wouldn't do it, so I helped her. She did well, actually, she's very good at sounding out words. It just annoys the shit our of me that Larae has these amazing girls and doesn't seem to appreciate that at all.

But anyway. J's dad broke up with his girlfriend Friday night. Her grown son, who was in a really bad motorcycle accident a few years ago, lives with her, and he likes J's dad a lot. He told J's dad that Sheila is seeing another guy. So, J's dad just got up and left. Now he's going out of town this week to visit his brother to get away from it all.

We left there and headed home, and Elouise called as soon as we got to Hazlehurst. She got a job! It's at a Dollar General, but it's in Alamo, which is a long drive on some deserted roads. But she hopes to transfer to Uvalda soon(about 12 miles away). We had to go by Walmart to pick up yet more plastic containers and a few groceries. As soon as I hung up with her, Robbie called back, but he kept it short.

We finally made it home, where I had another PayPal scare. A weird attempted charge for one cent, to cheaporshoes.com. I changed my password, but I called, because I was worried it was my PayPal debit card again. Coincidentally, I used it Friday night at Fuji's, which is where I'd just used it last time this happened. The guy said no one had attempted any charges with my card, it was just my PayPal account, and that there had been a good bit of suspicious activity from that site and they were dealing with it. So, I didn't have to cancel my card this time.

We watched some Young Turks and I went to bed.

So far today, I've done laundry, tried to call Ms Betty(no answer, getting a little worried), and Jna called me to tell me she's in Alabama to visit Skye.

I don't think I've updated on Jan in a while. She talked to Sherry and demanded to know where they stood, if she should wait for Sherry, and Sherry told her again, no, don't wait. A few days later, she told Jan she was dating someone. So Jan might finally be letting go, and she's going to give Skye a chance. I don't know Skye, but I hope she's good for Jan and that they can make it together.

J's up now, we're watching Young Turks again, and I feel so lazy!

Everyone please pray and think good thoughts for my brother Robbie. He broke his leg in 3 places last weekend. He's having surgery tomorrow to get it put back together with some pins and screws. And in true Hilliard/Spires fashion, this happened Saturday night and he waited until Sunday to go to the ER. *sigh*

My brother Robbie is a grandfather, as of last Saturday. His stepdaughter Angel, had a boy, Eric Lee Russell, 7 lbs, 2oz. I'm having a lot of fun with this - - he isn't happy with me calling him Grandpa. Chrisey is thrilled to be a grandmother, though.

I'll be offline for the next few days. We're finally, after promising for over a year, going to visit my brother in Florida. We'll be leaving early in the morning and coming back Sunday afternoon.

You guys behave while I'm gone, and I'll check in when I return.

I had my 3 month chemo follow-up appointment yesterday. All is well, apparently, and unbelievably, I have lost 12 pounds. I figured I had *gained* even more than that. I'm still anemic, but I've always been anemic.

My friend Jan went with me, and we had planned to go shopping afterwards. So, as we left Hawkinsville, the car died, I coasted over to a parking lot, and turned it off. After a few minutes, I turned it back on, but I was spooked so we went straight to Jan's, and I called J, who called my mechanic, who said to bring it on. Jan's mom followed us to the garage, then we took her car and went to Dublin. No word today about what's wrong. We're borrowing Jan's mom's spare car until we get ours back.

My brother and his wife are trying to adopt her brother's kids. The mother abandoned them and the father is a career criminal and drug user. Well, they've gotten to the fingerprint and background check part. And they told them today, an active warrant showed up here,for Robbie, for DUI. Now they aren't even allowed visitation until this is cleared up. My sister-in-law is very upset. Robbie asked me to call and see what I could find out, but I was told it was after 4:30, and the woman who can get into the computer had gone home. So I have to call back tomorrow. He did get a DUI when he was 18, but he paid everything, took the class and got his license back. Mom knows that for a fact. So, I have to try and find out, and let them know.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, wolfens has started a 100 word drabble tree on rat_and_bear. The theme is summer. Go check it out.

My husband got the Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines game yesterday. It's the one that is based, or that Kindred: the Embraced was based on. He was playing as a male character, and how much did I squee when he told me he had to seduce a guy so he could suck his blood? J just informed me he did *not* seduce the guy, he *persuaded* him. Whatever. I stand by my statement.

And my brother called tonight to tell me again they're moving up here. He says he wants to find a place in the country, between Macon and Atlanta, which will put him much closer to all of us. He plans to bring his wife's mom and dad, too, as they're in poor health, and that was one reason they've been reluctant to leave Florida before. I hope it works out, because I'd love to have him closer, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Hurricane season is upon us again! So far all we've gotten is rain - - all day yesterday, all night last night, and it looks like it's about to rain again. We've also had a little wind and thunder, but nothing too bad.

My brother called yesterday, first to let me know they were heading to his mother-in-law's, further inland, to wait out the storm, and then last night to tell me they were back home, without power, but also without any serious destruction. And he's started his annual "I'm moving" rant. But he didn't last year, and I don't expect him to this time, either.

I hope everyone else in the path of the hurricane escaped without injury and destruction, too.

J and I went to see Fantastic Four yesterday. And I've decided 12pm on Sunday is the best time to see a movie. There were 15 people, in 6 groups, in the theater, and they were all blessedly quiet.

( Possible FF spoilersCollapse )