Wired and ready for action

That's not an old cell phone on my hip. It's a TENS unit, supplying electrical impulses to my shoulder/arm - confusing the insistent painful areas. They've been screaming "pay attention to me!" Now they have competition. Hooha! I hope I don't drop the thing in the toilet. I received it Friday at the Physical Therapist's office. I've been electrocuting myself all weekend.

I survived week 1 post shoulder manipulation. I don't want this blog to be a pity party. But it kinda is. If you don't want to read this Debbie Downer post, click the X at the top right NOW. The blog IS about my life - which has been somewhat sucky lately - I've had a few rough months. Finally, however, I've been diagnosed! And I have an appointment with a specialist at the University of Iowa Hospital in a couple weeks. The crap I've gone through - colon problems, swollen legs, pounding heart, anxiety and now the worst - frozen shoulder - all the result of a wacky thyroid.

I'm so glad there is finally a diagnosis. My husband (Saint Pablo) is too. And I'm glad I have a machine to help with pain. Things are looking up! I am talking about my problems for all my relatives and others who might have these symptoms. Hyperthyroid can cause many things. Be on the lookout!

Fire station - from a former Mercury car dealership. Looks old but all state of the art

The roof of the CR Library is green - growing plants absorb rainwater

I spent the first part of the week at a conference in See the Rabbits - AKA Cedar Rapids. My mother grew up there and we'd go see my grandparents and cousins there when I was little. I always wondered where the rabbits were! CR went through a terrible flood in 2008 and is just now re-emerging from that event. I went on a walking tour of the new LEED certified (that means very environmentally friendly) central fire station and library (where my sis-in-law Mary Goldsmith works). Very cool places - they are doing it right there.

The conference was excellent - I was able to talk with a number of industry people and stakeholders. Our consultant few in Wednesday a.m. to do a session on goal setting and metrics with me. We had over 25 people attending and we used new technology that involved voting with cell phones. It went well. I was beat when I got back to DSM - a lot of face time!

Saturday was game day baby! I attended wearing my new apparatus. It helps me go longer between pain pills. The day was one of the most perfect tailgating days that we've had for a long time. Abby Conover was there with doggy Grover. She was our first babysitter, arriving with a "safe sitter" certification and folder. Tailgating was a good time - McKims, Kevin and Kari, Laura and her mom Ann. It was a nice crowd.

Dwight, Abby, Marilyn, Phil

Nearby our tailgate, the band played Happy Birthday for this group

check out our little cutie patootie photo bomber

Cyclones win! It sure is fun to get a W. Of course it wasn't easy - it never is with our team. But I love hanging with these people on a beautiful day.

On to next week. Things are looking up.

Oh that pie

I decided Bishop's Buffet needed its own blog. When I was a kid, and we'd travel to See the Rabbits (a/k/a Cedar Rapids), to see by Mom's parents, Pops and Grandma, we'd often go to Bishop's Buffet. For me, the highlight came at the end, when I could get the helium filled balloon that came with little feet attached. I'm picturing Grandma in her mink stole...me with my balloon, rubbing it on the stole's tiny lil minky head.

I'm sure it wasn't easy for Mom track of what we each were getting - four girls and all. At Bishop's, you'd pick up your tray and select items as you pushed the tray along the metal ramp. They always had fancy schmancy looking jello - cubes with whipped cream in a parfait glass. But no - I was not allowed to select that! Bishop's had helpers at the end of the line to carry trays to your table. Those were the days.

When I got older, we kept up the Bishop's tradition at Westroads, the new (it was the late '60's) "upscale" shopping mall in Omaha. My fave meal consisted of their french dip with au jus (a man in a tall chef's hat prepared it!), fat french fries, and Bishop's Chocolate Pie for dessert. I could get all that in the "short line" (they also had a full service line where you could select from many more entrees).  But I would get so full that sometimes I couldn't eat all of the delightful pie - and its crumbly graham cracker crust.

What a waste! The picture above doesn't do it justice. Oh those chocolate curlie cues. Good memories of my childhood often seem to include food.