Catching up...

It's been a busy couple of days.

First, let me update you on the stray dog.

Meet Desi. I called the vet on her tag Monday morning and her owner called me even before I'd hung up with the vet. As it turns out, Desi belongs to the SnoConeMan! Mr. SnoCone and Mrs. SnoCone work full time, but also have a SnoCone trailer that they take to various festivals, fairs and what-not locally. Saturday, Mrs. SnoCone was about to groom Desi, as it had been a while and we'd had a recent flea outbreak with the drizzle of rain. She's managed one swipe of the clipper when Mr. SnoCone told her it was time to go set up for the PrideFest downtown. She put the dog outside and she and her hubby left. Desi then proceeded to dig under the fence and escape. The thunder of the storm that never came spooked her, which sent her out into the street in front of my car.

Desi's mom was devastated when they got home and discovered her furbaby missing. And relieved when she discovered that not only was she found, but had been well cared for too. We have been offered free SnoCones for life. She cried and hugged me when Desi came home, then made me a sugar-free lemon-lime and strawberry snocone. It was delicious. I have long thought that they made the best ones I'd ever tasted. They make their own syrups and believe me - they are superior.

Much as I liked Desi, I'm glad she's back home where she belongs. Her family loves her and she loves them. Our second dog will make itself known when the time is right.

Who's that looking over Andy's shoulder?

Andy came home for Father's day and brought his lady-friend Miss W with him. Andy plays his cards very close to his vest - I had no idea this person even existed until Mom called and said he was bringing home a girl. In fact, I rolled my eyes at this news. In recent years, Andy has pretty much ensured that no lasting relationship would occur by dating women who were very young. So imagine my delight at discovering that Miss W was, in fact, a real grownup in her mid- to late-thirties!

Henceforth, she will be known as "Red". She admitted some trepidation at the prospect of meeting the family. We are a large, loud bunch - and we have been called intimidating by more than one person. When asked why she agreed to such a crazy thing, her response just made us love her more. She said, "I was a little nervous, but when Andy talks about you all, it's with such love and joy. That's really rare. And I knew I had to meet you all." She then proceeded to learn more about us and told us some about herself. No grilling, just conversation.

We like her. Andy seems to like her quite a bit. And she likes Andy. I really hope this one works out. Andy needs love. Who doesn't?

The required picture of people taking pictures. Matt has a new cell phone with - you guessed it - a built-in camera.

These are my Father's Day gifts to Dad. I had help getting the book from Angela at The Lurchers, and I found the bottled Ty Nant (bottled in Wales) at World Market. Dad almost cried. We each had some water and he settled in to see exactly what it was that he didn't know about Wales.

This made me laugh. I'm not the only one who has diabetes in my family. I have it, my Mom has it... and her cat Chester has it. Chester's needles are kept in the green beans bag. Yes - my mom recycles!!!!

And finally, crossover information from my weight-loss blog:

50... the new 30

Yep. It's been a little while since I checked in. Honestly, there hasn't been much to report. The gall bladder thing has definitely slowed my exercise to a standstill, since any exertion at all (including vaccuuming or lifting things) seems to result in near-immediate nausea and pain. So it's been a very long month - who knew I'd MISS exercising so much?

But because of my rather enforced excercise idleness, I've really been keeping an eye on my diet and trying not to overdo anything. There were some rather wild fluctuations over about five pounds, but have settled back at my lowest weight now.

Surgery is scheduled for Thursday and I can't wait!

I had pre-op today, filled out forms, had the blood taken from me again. I call tomorrow to see when I should show up at the hospital.

Then I went to my doctor for my regular yearly physical. There I discovered that despite the water-loading I did for the bloodwork, I've actually lost another two pounds since last month! That's official, baby! Once this gall bladder is out and I'm healed up, watch out world!

We went over the results of my last round of medical tests and bloodwork. My dexa scan came back normal - the osteopenia is gone. My diabetes numbers are looking better, my cholesterol is doing well, but my LDL is still too high. We're going to try Pravachol every other day and see if that does the job. And, joy of joys, he's putting me back on birth control pills! He wouldn't let me take them when I was smoking (you know... old lady, blood clots, etc), but I've been quit for three and a half years and they can really help with some "female" issues I've been having. Hurray!

We were talking and I said to him that by the time I'm 50, I'll be in the best shape I've ever been in, thanks in large part to his stubborness and encouragement and diligence. He's been my doctor since I was 30 and we haven't always gotten along, but he's been my health conscience for a long time and is one of the main reasons I'm still alive. He blushed and said that there aren't many people who can say that they're in better shape at 50 than they were at 30, but he's proud that I will be one of them.