My Best Life

Flowers from my backyard

This afternoon I spent a little time in my backyard with Trixie the Wonder Dog. She was sniffing for squirrels (the bane of her existence) and I was after pretty flowers. It's been so long since I had time on a beautiful spring day to just BE, I wanted to capture the moment, the flowers and share them with you. I also want to keep the memory for myself.

I collect unusual ceramic pieces, or ones that speak to me in some way. This particular tea pot belonged to my Grandma Celsi and I inheirited it when she died. I like the contrast in colors between the punch of yellow, shiny and smoooth, and the tangle of flowers. And of course, the flowers are my favorite color.

Happy Spring!

Detour! Weekend at the Hospital

Here's my best view: Yes, it's a chest x-ray! I love pictures where you can't tell that I have a double chin!

Thursday night, I went to bed with a severe, stabbing and radiating pain on the right side of my back, right around the lower ribs. No matter what position I got in, I couldn't get comfortable. I should have known better than to try to ignore the pain. I woke me up in the middle of the night several times. The last resting position I can remember working was sitting nearly straight up in bed, propped up by five pillows. By 5:00, I gave up.

I got up, walked the dog, blogged, made a cup of tea, and got ready to go to the emergency room. I have a pulmonary embolism, otherwise known as a blood clot in my lung. I've had one before, and recognized the particular pain that I was experiencing. PE's can be deadly. Indeed, many people who get one don't survive the ride to the hospital. I was lucky this time, and last time.

So, instead of going to "Defending the Caveman" at the Temple for Performing Arts  tonight with my boyfriend, I'm wearing a silly hospital gown and blogging. I'll probably be here until Monday afternoon. I am really bummed by that, especially since I am so busy right now.

A lesson I can share: Get yourself checked out by a doctor and have yourself tested for "Factor 5 leiden mutation." If you have this mutation, you should not take birth control pills, smoke, or sit for long periods of time, because it will increase your likelihood of having a clot.

My treatment in the hospital includes getting sbuccutaneaous shots in my stomach, taking blood thinners, and generally getting poked and prodded a lot.

Hello, I'm Alive!

I'm sorry I haven't written lately. I've been working to get another blog off the ground and wanted to give it the time and attention it needed.

Please come to see the new blog...it's at www.thedemomemo.com. I became the author after meeting Easton Ellsworth at SOBCon07. The folks at Know More Media have been wonderful to work with and really provide every opportunity for their bloggers to be successful.

I've also been extremely busy at home. With two newly licenced drivers in the house, I'm trying to coordinate and play referree! Also, work has been extremely busy, with new client projects and presentations, as well as getting ready for a short vacation to Washinton, D.C. next week.

Hope you all are well. I'll be resurrecting this blog, as well as Public Relations Princess.

Have a great Sunday and a great week!

Tales From the Yard Sale

I had a gigantic yard sale today. You know the old saying..."friends help you move, but real friends help you move bodies.." I would argue that the best friends are the ones who help you successfully execute a yard sale.

My early bird helpers were Chelsey and Cole, who woke up at 6:00 a.m. and hauled dirty bed frames and boxes out of the garage and set up them all over two driveways. They were moving a little slow despite the Krispy Cremes I procured, and I was a little crabby. Then my boyfriend came over to help. Thank goodness he showed up at the exact moment he did because there were a few things that needed strength that us girls just don't have. He also came back after the sale to help me move a few things back into the garage.

Then my blog coach Mike Sansone showed up with a breakfast pizza from Panera. I didn't get to sit down and eat a piece of it until 10 a.m., but it was the perfect snack. Thanks, Mike.

My parents saved my ass today. They both showed up at 6:30 and stayed until after noon. Mom ran around and priced stuff all morning and dad helped with cashier duties. This was a neighborhood yard sale, so there were literally dozens of people in my yard at one time. When it finally slowed down mid-morning, Dad was there to chat with me.

My biggest pet peeve about the people who come to garage sales? The ones who show up early. Commonly referred to as "early birds," these are the folks who are on a mission. They are looking for a particular do-dad, gadget or antique. They swoop in, whether you are ready or not. I saw a couple parking their car and walking up the street a full 45 minutes before we opened. I headed them off with a ..."we're not open yet." Yet they just kept walking toward the sale tables. That is just rude. So I told them we were not opening the sale until 8. Period. The couple wheeled around, headed back toward their car and said..."We won't be back." Fine! See ya, wouldn't want to be ya.

They came slinking back an hour later...suckers!!! I welcomed them with a sunny, "Glad you could make it back!" They didn't buy anything. These types are professional garage salers and either don't buy anything, or when they do, they offer you half-price.

My favorite customers, by far, were a family of Latino immigrants. They bought a ton of stuff and had the cutest and most well-behaved children I saw all day. They even came back to buy something they'd seen earlier and took advantage of my "take it, please!" sale during the last hour.

All in all, it was a great day. I didn't make as much money as I wanted, but hey...I got rid of a mountain of stuff and got to spend the entire day in the glorious 75 degree sunshine.

My Pet Peeve

I have a pet peeve. It's restaurants and bars that don't have hot water in the restrooms. When your hands are cold, there is nothing worse than washing them in cold water.

The restaurants in Des Moines who do not have hot water in their bathrooms include: Jimmy's American Cafe, Mezzodi's and Coach's Corner.

For optimum cleansing, warm water should be used. Employees use those same restrooms...

Bye Bye Alford

Steve Alford is leaving as head coach of the University of Iowa men's basketball team. Sports nuts are all saying, "Good riddance" and I say, simply, "Who cares?"

I just don't get the cult of worship that surrounds coaches. We pay them as if they are personally shepherding their teams to heaven each season.

I think politics is much more important and exciting. But that's just me.