Not my week. But could be worse

I love this picture. It can mean so many things. Hopefulness, hopelessness, courage. Depends on the kind of mood I am in. Today I am seeing it as sad. Teary kind of day.

It has been a hard week. Bad stomach flu, and finding out that my husband needs needs knee surgery. (Kind of a what else can else go wrong kind of week). I stayed away from meeting with my family today so that I didn't get them sick. I was so sick monday and tuesday that I didn't get out of bed for over 24 hours. Just to go (run) to the bathroom. I know TMI. Did read your blogs on my NOOK though between sleeps.  I know my husband's surgery isn't serious, Thank God, but there is 3 things wrong with his knee so 3 surgeries in one. Not sure when it will be as he was suppose to see the dr yesterday and the dr was running late so had to reschedule for monday. He saw the PA who told him that he needed surgery (after the dr read the MRI and told her to tell him this news)  but can't schedule it until he actually sees the dr. Why not schedule the operation and cancel if needed. Don't know why the wait. but at least his knee can be fixed. My birthday is tomorrow. I have to work, but that is o.k. as my Dh has to work also. It WAS his weekend off but.... his monster boss took it. She steals a lot of his weekends. He had made plans on what we were going to do for my birthday, but it will have to wait. At least the places he planned to take me are going on for a few weekends. Festival of Lights, Nutcracker at the Paine Museum. She said that he can have off next saturday...but not holding my breath.
Just have to remember the good things:
A husband who loves me even in the mood I was in today. Crabby and snappy. ( I did apolagize)
Family who loves me.
My dogs who make me laugh and hug.
A good job. Even though frustrating at times :~
No storms like so much of the rest of the country.
Just life in general as so many have it way worse then I do.
Here is to a better tomorrow. Hugs, Teresa

Give me thunder, Give me fireworks, but....

DON'T give me a football game! If we get exited about a Packer football game Tanner jumps on the couch and stares into the corner. Thunder storms don't scare him at all (even though you had to hold his paw if he has to go out in the rain, doesn't like rain in his face at all). Fireworks don't bother him at all. We aren't loud at all during the game...but if we say go, go, go or touchdown he jumps up on the couch and hides his face. After a couple of minutes he stares at Jeff like he is saying enough of that. Then runs over to him to be petted. Until the next play! Just don't lay on that end of the couch as he will sit on you. No matter what body part is there. Head, body etc.  That is his corner when the game is on.  

Last night I made pineapple up-side down cake for Jeff. Gluten Free. Turned out good. I used a gluten free yellow cake mix (man that stuff is expensive) for a start and added from there. Luckily we can find enough for him to eat in regular food. If we had to buy all Gluten Free we would go broke! But sometimes you have to splurge. You would be surprised to see what all has gluten in it. Even some meats if they has solutions added. We buy certain brands of chicken as we know that no solution is added to it. Goes for other kinds of meat also. Then check on the gluten web site often to make sure nothing has changed. But he feels so much better since he was diagnosed and started eating right for him. Of course I can't eat a lot of his kinds of foods as they are high in carbs. Like breads, cookies, etc. Which I shouldn't be eating anyway. I have been kind of lax with my diabetis diet and have to get back on track.

Pretty dark and gloomy today...but it is November in Wisconsin. I can't believe that it is the 20th already! Christmas will be here before we know it!

Chicken veggie soup in the crockpot. I make plenty so that we have some to freeze. Starting to smell really good in here! I freeze a lot of food. Especially things that Jeff can eat. That way we always have something good for the times we are in a hurry. Plus Jeff can pull out abaked chicken breast or something when I have something that he can't have. Better then him having a hot dog when I have pizza.

Well a few things more to do. Hugs, Teresa

Nature in slow motion...WOW!

http://www.youtube.com/v/xHkq1edcbk4?version=3++++

 

I love this one. Really close up shots of birds and bees. Like a ballet!

Not much going on around here. A lot colder then it had been. Guess we have to admit that winter is on it's way. :(  The yard looks so different with all the perennials cut back. When you go from over 300 perennials down to stubs it looks very bare out there! But I did just buy a pray plant that is very colorful. It has pink, white and green stripes. I need to take a picture to show you how pretty it is. It is also a burguny color on the bottom of the leaves. Now to repot it. I really need to have house plants especially in the winter. A little green goes a long way.

They say change is good, but....we are going through so many changes at work now with the new managers that it getting everyone very stressed out. Our hospital brought in an international company to manage us housekeepers. All of our areas have increased. They go by square footage. You should be able to clean so much square footage in so much time. NO MATTER what you run into! O.K. enough whining! I hope you enjoy the video. I did! Hugs, Teresa

Textures and colors

I just love the textures and colors of birds and animals. Can a color be a texture? Sometimes it seems to be.
This picture is of pea hen feathers all fluffed out. (Is pea hen one word or two?) Look how downy they are underneath!

Another pea hen. This one has color which makes me wonder...can color be a texture? Or just make things look textured! 

Look at this giraffs face. If that isn't textured I don't know what is!

Now talk about color and texture! Wouldn't you think that the wattle would just get in the way. No real purpose, just something hanging in front of his beak. Of course maybe it is attractive to the female turkeys. Who knows and how would we ever know.

Turkey feathers all puffed up to impress the female turkey. Interesting view. Pretty even without the tail spread out.

Of course we can't forget the fancy little top knot. 

Look at the difference between the mane and coat.

The pattern is so perfect.

From the hard horn to a soft coat. This guy actually felt more like velvet.
I wonder how God came up with his ideas on how to make each kind of bird and animal different? It just amazes me to see the differences in feathers and fur/hair textures and colors. That is what I enjoy about taking pictures. It makes a person realize the small things in life. Hugs, Teresa