June 29, 2012 Friday Afternoon

Spent last night watching the last to episodes of Million Dollar Listing LA.  I do like all three of the guys they follow on this show and love the homes they sell.  Would love to live in one of those million dollar homes for even a couple days.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM after a little lovin.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Decided to drive to Kohl's Department Store to buy a sofa cover on sale starting today for the bedroom couch.  Got the cover and even got another 20% off from a scratch off the clerk gave me.  Got home and put the couch cover on the couch.  Looked great.  Decided to quickly go to Pick N Save and buy some salad and fresh produce for the weekend.  I was gone no more than 15 minutes.  I walk in the house and I look at the bedroom couch new cover and one of the dogs had thrown up all over it.  Jeez, can I not buy anything nice for this house?  Got it cleaned off and in the laundry.  Ten minutes later and look and another puke pile on the living room couch.  I see now why people don't allow their pets on the furniture.  Sure would have been a nice rule today.  Got that couch cleaned.  Thankfully I have a sheet on that couch also so the dogs don't ruin the leather.  So that sheet went into the laundry with the new couch cover.  I am sure it is because of the heat, even though the dogs are in the air conditioned house almost all day.  Went to lunch with the guys.  Had a great lunch as usual.  Actually had 8 of us show up today, the more at lunch, the more to talk about.  Came home and took a nap with the dogs.  Thankfully my mom called at 3:30 PM or I could have slept the day away.  It is hot again in Milwaukee today.  Not as bad as yesterday, but still close to 90 today, not as humid.  Just making salads for supper tonight.  No plans this weekend.  Will most likely go to a few festivals and take Tony's mom out for breakfast Sunday morning.  Have a great weekend everyone.

June 28, 2012 Thursday Afternoon

Spent last night watching Dogs In The City and then America's Got Talent.  Went to the bedroom around 9 PM to watch the last of the TV since Tony was falling asleep on the couch by 8 PM.  Turned off the TV and went to bed around 10:30 PM.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Noticed shortly after Tmny left for work that he had forgotten his cell phone.  Called him and told him I would go get some breakfast at McDonald's and drop off his phone at the shop.  You would think a simple trip to McDonald's would be drama free.  Not here in the ghetto of Milwaukee.  In the drive through at the McDonald's near Tony's shop, there are two order taking machine lanes that then verge into one to go to the pay window.  As I was proceding after I gave my order, the line was backed up.  As I was finally able to pull forward, the 'women' in the SUV started trying to cut in front of me and yelling F words at me.  This with three small kids in her car.  I opened my passenger window and told her I gave my order before her and she was in back of me.  She continued to yell at me as I made my way in front of her.  When I got to the pay window I asked the lady at the window if I was in front of the lady in back of me's order or was she suppose to be in front of me.  I wanted to make sure if I was wrong I appologized.  The order taker lady collecting my money told me my order was taken first and the lady in the SUV should be in back of me.  I put my car in park and opened my door to be able to look at the lady in back of me telling her that I did not cut in front of her like she had accused me of in F words.  I then asked her if she wanted to appologize to me after using all the four letter F words with the kids in the car, considering she was wrong.  She again used some four letter words telling me 'she's nots going to fuckin appolize' and I should 'fucks off'.  I paused and then told her she 'was setting such a good example to the kids' and proceeded to the next window to get my food.  Got my food and dropped off Tony's sandwich and cell phone, telling him the story.  Jeez, people in Milwaukee are so damn rude it makes you not want to leave the house or move to a different city.  I am sorry if this story offends anyone, but unless you live in a lower income part of a city, you have no clue how bad it is getting.  People are just so damn rude and lack any of the manners I was taught.  Spent the rest of the day reading a book I started a day ago called 'Daytime Drama'.  It is a soapy gay murder love story.  I am over half way finished since I have spent the whole day reading the book, not venturing outside in the 90 plus degree heat.  It is so damn hot in Milwaukee I think the city must be on fire like out west in Colorado, with all their wild fires.  I am sure they would rather just have the heat than the distruction.  My heart goes out to them, it sounds like it is just horrible in the western USA with the fires.  It is beginning to look like most of the 4th of July fireworks around the area will be canceled due to it being so hot and dry.  The grass is brown it is so dry here from lack of rain.  Made some salads for supper tonight and will make something light to go with them.  I am sure Tony will come home, take a shower, and be snoring on the couch again by 8 PM, working in this heat today.  The one baby Mourning Dove has left the nest for good and is under the bench next to the pond like the parents have done in the past.  It will spend a day or two there until the parents move it to the back yard.  Still no sighting of the baby that flew the nest early.  Just saw a weather report for the next week and it looks like it will continue to be in the 90s or close to.  Guess th air conditioning is going to be on for a while.   Sorry if any spelling errors, spell check doesn't seem to be work the last few days on Blogger. 

June 27, 2012 Wednesday Afternoon

Last night we did drive all the way to the south side of town for a car show.  No car show.  Last year this Culver's had a car show every Tuesday night.   Got supper at A&W and drove home.  Spent the night watching a couple episodes on the DVR of America's Got Talent.  Went to bed around 10 PM and did the loving thing before falling asleep.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Found myself in the bathroom soon thereafter to throw up again.  This is happening way to often.  I am taking antacids and saltine crackers when I wake up at night.  That used to be enough, lately it is not.  When I go back to my HIV doctor the end of June I will have to address this with him.  It can not be good for my stomach to be throwing up most mornings.  Spent the early morning watching the last of the two Mourning Doves leave the nest.  One left last night before it got dark.  I do not think the parents were happy.  The other baby stayed in the nest until this morning and then flew up to the neighbors window cill, where it sat for an hour.  Then the two parents came into the side yard and I watched them work the baby back into the nest.  It was so cute.  The two birds cooing the whole time, comunicating to the baby.  The one baby is still in the nest again as I type this blog today.  I think the other baby was a rebel and wanted to leave home sooner.  Went grocery shopping and as I was shopping I found myself setting down coupons rather than buying the item.  Only spent $30 on fresh produce and stuff.  Must be the heat.  Dropped off the groceries and put them away.  I then got back in the car and went to Little Ceasers Pizza and bought a $5 pepperoni pizza to take to the shop to eat with Tony, also dropping off some popsicles with him and the guys.  Ate lunch with Tony and then came home to get out of the heat.  Took a two hour nap with the dogs.  The temperature now says 84 degrees.  It is suppose to get to 94 today and maybe 100 tomorrow.  I plan on not leaving the house again until Friday, which is suppose to be again in the 90s.  It is just too damn hot outside.  Gave Tony a little speach before I left the shop telling him I didn't want him in this heat and if he feels dizzy to just come home.  Gave the guys a talking to also telling them to keep and eye on 'the old man'.  Making a dinner salad with meat for supper tonight since it is so hot.  Will make a chicken pot pie to go with the dinner salad.  Most likely we will just stay home tonight since it is so hot outside.  Tony will be in no mood to go anywhere working in this heat all day.  Tomorrow I might just clean the basement, not leaving the house.  Here is a video of the parents feeding the remaining baby this morning after they got it back into the nest.

June 26, 2012 Tuesday Afternoon

Yesterday afternoon I went for a long walk along the river.  As I walked I noticed how dark blue the sky is.  Yah, I knew it is always blue, but not a cloud in the sky and a deep deep blue.  Stopped at Pick N Save on the way home from my walk and bought some yellow cakes to go with the strawberries we bought the other day.  Figure I will make strawberry short cake for dessert to go with the ribs, noodles and french style beans.  Tony got home around 6 PM exhausted from work, being a Monday.  We spent the night watching episodes 2 and 3 of True Blood from this season.  Finished off the night watching the horrible show called Glass House.  Went in the hot tub for a while before going to bed around 10:30 PM.

This morning I was up at 6 AM to feed the dogs and give Vito his shot.  Read a little of the morning newspaper before I went outside and quickly cleaned the pond pump filter.  Figure I will cover the pond today so I have to have the pump working and not clogged.  Showered and went to my 9 AM dental appointment at ARCW.  On the way in the building I ran into the girl who works on the CAB with us and we had a long talk about my concerns.  She encouraged me to continue with the board and come to the next meeting.  I think I might just do that, and was happy we cleared the air.  Had my teeth cleaning and checked, no cavities or problems.  Picked up some more bread at the pantry for the rabbits and came home.  Took a two hour nap with the dogs which just made me more tired than I already am today for some reason.  I did not sleep well last night.  Hot one minute, cold the next.  Covered the pond with the netting because the baby Mourning Doves are sitting at the end of the nest and no parent is around.  I have a feeling between the temperatures heading to the 90s and being 'the day', that the parents will most likely push them from the nest tomorrow morning or the next day for sure.  They are ready to fly.  Hopefully now, with the netting over the pond the first flight will be a safe one.  Will most likely go to a car show tonight since the rest of the week is going to be too damn hot even at night.  This Summer has been so hot.  I can just imagine what July and August will be like, hotter.  Wrote a letter to the Milwaukee Journal editor today about a 'perspective' that was in the paper today about 'President errs on gay marriage'.  The perspective made me so mad I had to write in and give my opinion.  It talked about how he can understand blessing an animal or a car, but can not understand gay marriage.  WTF?   Went on to say how 'this expression of love can only be considered perverse and unnatural'.   Later saying 'Its really the church's decision anyway'.  Might just make it in the paper in the next days. I wrote:

In response to Dwayne Lee’s perspective on ‘President errs on gay marriage’.

Dwayne writes that he can ‘understand praying for the health of a pet or sustenance of a car’ but he does not believe gay people can ‘love’.

He goes on to say ‘but to say they are loving brings the entire expression of love under higher scrutiny...this expression of love can only be considered perverse and unnatural’.

I have been with my partner for over 23 years. Our relationship is as committed and loving as any relationships I know. Heck, we have been together longer than most ‘loving’ marriages last. To say our love is ‘perverse and unnatural’ only tells he has never met my partner or I, or many of the other committed same sex couples.

Maybe Dwayne should get out more and meet some committed gay couples. He will soon see that we are as loving and committed in our relationship as anyone in a ‘straight’ legal marriage.

Reading further, Dwayne says ‘It’s really the church’s decision anyway’. I agree. The church I attend would be happy to marry me and my partner if it were legal in Wisconsin. In fact we had a Holly Union almost 20 years ago, and yes, it was in a church. So all Dwayne really seems to say is HE doesn’t agree with gay marriage, because my church does.

 

Will most likely not get printed, but we will see.  It makes me so mad when people think gay relationships are nothing.  We love like anyone else and deserve the protection marriage offers. 

June 25, 2012 Monday Morning

Friday night we spent the night watching TV and then the movie Playback.  It was not a good movie and glad I did not waste the money at the theater.  Went to bed after a dip in the hot tub around 10:30 PM.

Saturday morning we were up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  We left the house by 9:30 AM so we could have some breakfast and then go to Best Buy to buy Tony a new flip cell phone.  Had a nice breakfast at this little coffee shop next to Best Buy.  Stopped in at a grocery store in the strip mall and then into Best Buy.  Of course they also did not have any cell phones that were the flip style.  All Tony or I do is make phone calls.  We don't text or have a need for any more than a simple phone call.  The phone companies want you to get the advanced phones so you then have to pay a higher monthly fee just to have the service.  Right now we pay $35 a piece for our phone service and like the low fee.  Walked out of Best Buy empty handed.  Decided to go back to the Sprint store on the way home and order one from their store since I tried last night to buy a phone online and got an error message saying to 'visit one of their stores'.  At the Sprint store the clerk told us one of their stores on the other side of town has the phone Tony wanted.  Got the stores address and phone number so we can go there later or on Sunday.  Went home and after spending some time with the dogs we decided to check out the Locust Street Block Party.  Walked around for a bit and ran into the owner of our favorite Italian restaurant which is right where the block party is.  She told us to come back later after we feed the dogs and 'dinner was on her'.   Walked around for a little while longer and then went home since it was getting a bit hot outside.  Spent time at home and eventually fed the dogs supper.  After we fed the dogs we went back up to the block party for supper at Palermo Villa and then walked around and listened to some of the bands at the block party.  Got home a little before 9 PM and after watching some TV we went into the hot tub for a little soaking.  Went to bed after a little lovin.

Sunday morning we were up at 6 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Made some eggs, bacon and toast for breakfast as I read the morning newspaper.  Walked up to the Sunday corner market a couple blocks away and bought some fresh cut flowers.  Came home and put a cell phone on hold at the Sprint store on the other side of Milwaukee.  Left the house and finally after 3 days of searching for a new cell phone for Tony, he got one.  Should have just gone to this Sprint store first, the clerk was so helpful.  Got lottery tickets and gas and headed home.   Stopped off at Sam's Club which is a big wholesale store, always dangerous.  Ended up spending over $200 on things we 'had to have', yah, right.  Drove home and spent the rest of the day setting up the new phones and shoe rack, two things we bought at Sam's Club.  Made the meatloaf and mashed potato's we bought at Sam's Club for supper, along with a salad.  Spent Sunday night watching the movies The Hangover 2 and Journey 2.  Both were OK, Hangover being the better of the two movies.  Went to bed around 10 PM after a little dip in the hot tub and some lovin with Tony.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Picked some fresh black berries from the vines out front and put them in my Life cereal for breakfast.  Remember as a kid going out black berry picking just to get out of the house.  We sometimes had buckets of them, making jam and freezing them.  Spent the morning cleaning and doing laundry.  On my fourth load of laundry.  All the bedding and blankets including the dog blankets.  I then broke down and cleaned my bathroom.  I hate cleaning bathrooms and usually just let Tony do it.  Gave it a good cleaning.  In the 70s today in Milwaukee.  Will most likely do a little more cleaning and then take a walk along the river since the weather is so nice.  Might stop at Pick N Save for a couple sale items I can carry back home while walking.  Going to make some beef ribs we bought at Sam's Club for supper tonight.  Will make a side and a salads to go with the ribs.  Tomorrow morning I have a dental cleaning appointment.  Will be nice to get them cleaned now that I have quit smoking cigs. 

June 22, 2012 Friday Afternoon

Last night Tony and I went out for supper at The Tracks, which is a bar that serves food a couple blocks from our house.  I had the rib dinner special, which was so good.  Tony had the Mo Burger, a 1/3 hamburger with sliced roast beef and mushrooms.  Walked back home and put on a movie.  Watched the movie Wanderlust.  What a horrible waste of a movie.  You would think with the stars in this movie it would be much better.  At times it was down right boring.  Went into the hot tub as Tony sat on the chair outside the tub.  Tried to get him in but he was not in the mood.  Went to bed around 10 PM.

This morning I was up at 6 AM, throwing up in the bathroom sink.  Nothing solid, just bile as usual.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Kali is officially off the antibiotic.  Read a little of the morning newspaper before I got in the shower so I could leave the house by 8:30 AM for my 9 AM check in at St Marys Hospital for my stress test.  Got there on time and was in the room hooked up and ready to go by 9:30 AM.  Spent almost a half hour then waiting for the doctor to come down and perform the test.  Lasted about 11 1/2 minutes on the treadmill.  When the doctor said it was about to go faster I told him I had had enough.  Was told the average person goes for 9 minutes, but there is no time refrain and one can go for an hour never beating the machine.  The doctor seemed happy with what e saw on the screen and sent me on my way telling me he sees no heart problems.  Had a feeling this would be what I would be told since the pain has gone away since I quit smoking three weeks ago.  Came home and soon left to pick Tony up to go to lunch with the guys and then go buy Tony a new cell phone since his is not working since he went swimming with it on Sunday at my sisters house.  The Sprint store had a bunch of regular flip phones on display, but of course none in stock we liked.  The clerk then had the nerve, at the Sprint store mind you, to tell us we can get a better deal on a phone at Radio Shack or Best Buy.  Wouldn't Sprint love to know there own employees are telling customers to go somewhere else to buy a phone rather than their own store.  So we went to Radio Shack across the street and after looking at what they had and waiting 15 minutes for help with no end in sight, we left to go to Best Buy another day.  Drove Tony back to work and decided we will go to Best Buy tomorrow to look for phones.  We both only need a regular phone, we don't text or do the Internet on the phone.  A nice camera and video with the phone with be the only thing I would like.  Hell, our eyes are so bad from being so old we can't read a text on a phone.  Came home and took an hour nap with the dogs before getting up and making myself a cup of coffee and writing today's blog.  Tony said he was looking forward to doing nothing tonight so it will be a night of TV and hopefully the hot tub.  It is in the 70s today in Milwaukee with a nice cool breeze off the lake, perfect.  The Mourning Doves made it through the heat wave, both seem fine.  When I was out back last night watering the plants I saw a little little baby bunny go hopping into the brush.  Must be another rabbit nest out back.  I have two rabbits from this year that come daily after 4 PM to eat carrots and bread I put out for them.  Guess there will be more rabbits soon, if the cats don't get them.  Hopefully no more rats.  No real firm plans for this weekend.  We do have a block party all day on Saturday just up the street which we go to each year and have fun, so we will go there at some point on Saturday, most likely after we feed the dogs supper so we can eat supper there at the block party.  Suppose to be in the 70s all weekend and beautiful.  Have a great weekend everyone.

June 21, 2012 Thursday Afternoon

Last night as I was looking at the back yard through the cameras and I saw a rat come up the back sidewalk and go into our side yard, most likely under the wood deck.  This made my skin crawl since we had seen a rat in the front yard this past week under the bird feeder.  So I put a pack of rat poison under the deck to hopefully kill the rat.  Spent the rest of the night watching a couple episodes of Million Dollar Listing LA.  The way they live out there is unbelievable.  The houses are awesome.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM after a little lovin.

This morning I was up at 6 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito and Kali their meds.  Tony left for work around 7 AM.  Around 8 AM Stella was going crazy out on the side deck so I went out to see what all the fuss was about.  I look out by the pond, in the area the dogs can not get into, and I see this 4 inch rat having seizures and convulsing, most likely from eating the rat pack poison I put out last night.  I look and sure enough the pack is not where I left it.  Watching this rat die a slow death was not my idea of a good time so I decided to drown it in a bucket of water and put it out of it's misery.  Scooped it up with the dogs pooper scooper and put it in a bucket of water, holding it under the water with the pooper scooper.  Now I don't like mice and rats but this is not my idea of a good time or anything I want to be doing.  It took what seemed like forever for this little rat to stop struggling under the water, air bubbles coming out, until he stopped moving, then moved again, holding him down longer and then he was dead.  YUCK!   Took the whole bucket and threw it in the garbage with the rat in the water.  Not happy I just ended a life, even though it was a rat, so I went to lay down for a while.  About an hour later, around 9 AM, Stella is once again trying to get under the deck and deck boards.  I call her into the house and go out to see what the fuss again is about.  I swear to God I just about died when I saw two more rats dieing from the poison.   My skin was just crawling since one of the two was as big as a squirrel.   I get shivers up my back just typing this story now.  Was able to pick the little dead rat out from under the deck with a long stick.  Bagged it and tossed it in the garbage.   Couldn't see the bigger one anywhere.   Took a shower and had to leave the house at 11:30 AM to go to my noon board meeting with ARCW.  Got to the meeting at 11:45 to find the room filled with people, not on the board, eating all the pizza that was for our meeting.  There were a few corner pieces left in the box as I looked around to see all these low life people with 3 or 4 inches of pizza on their plates for the free food and meeting.  Really just there for the free food.  I basically said 'screw this' and left before the meeting even started.  The last two meetings have been open to the public and it seems all that does is bring in the low life's for the food.  I was pissed as I drove home since I wasted my day around this damn meeting.  Got home and figured I better find this last big rat or it will die, rot and smell.  So I had to climb under the deck and sure enough found the big huge rat.  As I tried to pick it up I could tell it was still alive and breathing, but hardly moved.  I got it into a plastic bag, shivered from the whole experience and threw the little rodent in the garbage with the other two.  WTF?  Do I have a rat nest in my side yard.  Makes me sick to my stomach and I will have this gone.  I put more packs of poison out if there are more, which is likely since it seems like a parent and two babies.  It was like a fricken horror movie.  Laid on the couch with the dogs for a while.  Just called Tony to tell him the story of the rats and my meeting and ask him if he feels like going out tonight for supper since I just don't feel like cooking.  Will go to Tracks, a bar two blocks away, for the Thursday night Ribs special.  Tomorrow morning I have my Stress Test, which is going to be a waste of money since I feel fine now.  Going to go take a nice long walk before Tony gets home from work.  Hopefully I won't run into any more rats along the river as I am walking.  YUCK!

June 20, 2012 Wednesday Dinner Time

Tony and I spent last night watching the first two episodes of Falling Skies that started up again on Sunday on TNT.  I do enjoy these alien shows.  I went in the hot tub for a little while after we watched the shows.  Went to bed around 10 PM.

This morning I was up at 6 AM throwing up in the sink before I could even feed the dogs.  Serves me right since I forgot to take an antacid before I went to bed or when I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.  Fed the dogs and gave Kali and Vito their meds.  Only two more days of Kali's antibiotic.  Went back to bed for an hour after Tony left for work.  Got up and did a little outside with the leaf blower.  It has been windy and the tree has been shedding branches and leaves all over the back yard.  Could only be outside for so long since it is again very hot in Milwaukee today.  Went grocery shopping after I stopped at McDonald's for a bacon egg and cheese bagel.  Bought a lot of freezer items on sale.   Must be the week for ice cream products to be on sale because my freezer is now full with them.  Won't have to buy ice cream or ice cream products for a while now with today haul.  Spent the afternoon finishing the book I started last week called Halfway Home.  I really enjoyed this book.  It was very sad being about a guy having HIV in the 90s with about one year left to live.  I was in tears the second half of the book.  Very hard to read a book when your crying.  Was mad the book ended where it did, hopefully if the book was a true story, the guy lived long enough to benefit from the HIV drugs that finally came out in the late 90s.  How horrible it must have been to have this disease back when all you did was wait to die knowing there was nothing else to hope for, seeing everyone around you with the disease dieing.  Very sad we lost so many good people from HIV and AIDS.   Finished the book around 3:30 PM and started making supper.  Making a frozen lasagna and salads for supper.  Tony will come home tired from working in this 94 degree heat.  He says he spent most of yesterday in his air conditioned office paying bills, but he can't hide in there for more than a day with the other guys working out in the heat.  I did drop him and the guys off a huge meat sub and a couple boxes of Popsicles on my way back home after grocery shopping this morning.  Will most likely just stay home in the cool air watching TV tonight.  Not much could get me out in this heat.  Tonight a cool front comes through dropping the temperature in the 80s tomorrow.  I am very worried about the Mourning Doves.  The babies have hardly moved all day and they should be feeding nonstop at this point being a week old.  If it is 94 degrees outside, it must be 110 under the black Batmobile.  If they can just make it through the night.  I think the heat is baking them.  The parent bird looks stressed and worried and the babies hardly move in the nest all day.  Hopefully they are just conserving their strength in this heat.  Once they leave the nest for the Summer I am going to paint the car white, or maybe pink, so it doesn't attract the sun and hopefully not so much heat under it.

June 19, 2012 Tuesday Afternoon

Tony came home last night before 5 PM because of the heat.  It was 92 degrees in Milwaukee yesterday.  I don't know how anyone works in this heat.  Spent the night watching TV from the DVR finishing off the night watching Glass House, which is just horrible.  We do watch Big Brother and enjoy it, never missing a season.  But this show is just horrible.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM after the news on TV.

This morning I was up at 6 AM since I had to be at the doctors office by 8:45 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave the two their meds.  Left for the doctor's office at 8 AM and got there in time for my appointment.  The nurse took me into the exam room and said the doctor would be in in just a minute.  You always wonder what a new doctor is going to look like and be like.  I was very happy when this young good looking doctor walked in and shook my hand, introducing himself.  Made getting up and out of the house this early worth it.  After we talked for a while 3 Xrays of my back were taken.  The doctor then told me from the Xray that he can see the problem in my lower back.  I honestly can not remember what he exactly called the problem, medically wise.  But said physical therapy would be a great way to help with the problem.  He then gave me the information to call the office for physical therapy.  I asked him how old he was.  The doctor looked at me and asked me back, how old do you think I am?  I told him 28, he said he is 38.  We talked for a while how he worried about looking too young and when we got to talking about the fact he has no grey hair he told me that will change soon with the twins coming.  Stopped at Tony's shop on the way home to spread some cheer and came home to the air conditioned house.  Spent the rest of the morning reading the book I started last week.  I really like this book and have not had a chance to read anything since last Friday.   I feel so sorry for the Mourning Dove and babies.  Since it is 92 outside it has to be even hotter under the black Batmobile the nest is under, baking in the sun.  The parent is constantly feeding them probably to keep them hydrated.  The parent bird does look a bit stressed to be honest.  I hope they make it through this heat, we have one more day of it before the temperature drops 10 degrees to the 80s.  The two guys with WE Energies showed up on time at 1:30 PM to do the Air Sealing Test.  Both guys were handsome and not your average Joe The Plumber looking type.  They sealed the back door with a door they made and put a huge fan in it to suck out the air of the house.  Then they use their gauges to see how much air is flowing and where it is coming from.  I guess doing this they can see where we are loosing heat or cool air from holes in the walls / floors and places not sealed properly.  I figure since it is all free anything they can do to lower our electric bill the better.   They are now filling the holes and then will test again.  Places like where plumbing comes down into the basement and the clothes drier vent hose are examples of where they are sealing things up better.  Tony will come home tired from working in this heat again tonight.  I will make dinner though at this time I have no idea what I will throw together.  Will most likely spend the night indoors in the air conditioning not venturing out in this heat that is suppose to last through tomorrow.  Stella keeps wanting to go outside and then she plops down on the ground in the sun.  It's too damn hot outside so then I have to get her back into the house.  It's like she doesn't feel it until she comes back in the house because then she lays in front of the kitchen vent to get as much cool air as possible while she pants.  Will make my first physical therapy appointment after the Energy guys leave.  Will have to see what it is going to cost me out of pocket before I actually schedule an appointment.  I am not sure how much or if any physical therapy is covered on my state funded health insurance.   So far I have not had any problems or major surprises.  The hot tub is all ready for use tonight at a nice cool 95 degrees.  I figure I will keep it at this temperature to use all Summer and turn it hotter in the winter.  Hopefully Tony and I can try it tonight for the first time.

June 18, 2012 Monday Afternoon

Friday night after we ate Tony and I went for a long walk along the river.  I enjoyed it.  The beer I brought for Tony helped him try to enjoy it.  Came home and we watched the movie Thin Ice.  It was not a good movie, very boring.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM.

Saturday morning we were up at 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave the two their meds.  Spent the morning doing things around the house.  Gave Vito a hair cut.  It turned out OK.  Only got bit a couple times.  LOL.  Around noon we went to have lunch at a little Mexican restaurant here on the Eastside.  Had a nice lunch and came home.  Took a long nap in the afternoon with the dogs.  After we fed the dogs supper Tony and I went to a car show on the south side of town.  Drove the green monster car.  Of course something always goes wrong with this car and the minute I put the CD in the CD player, it ate it and would not play or let it come out.  Had to listen to the radio which I rarely do.  Had a nice dinner at the car show and hamburger restaurant it was at.  Drove the long way along the lake front home.  Spent the rest of the night watching the movie True Adolescents, which was just as bad as the movie we watched the night before, bad.  Went to bed around 11 PM.

Sunday we were again up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave the two their meds.  Spent the morning reading the newspaper.  Around 10 AM I went to Pick N Save to buy the weekly lottery tickets and some food items to take to my sisters house for the afternoon.  Spent the day in her pool and with the folks for Father's Day.  Was great to see my parents and spend the day swimming.  My sister has a huge estate and pool.  We had so much fun swimming.  Their dogs swim in the pool and play nonstop.  It is so cute.   Left their house around 4 PM so Tony could get home to show a car he is selling at 5 PM.  The people did come to see the car but did not buy it.  Would have been nice to spend another hour in the pool.  Spent the night watching the movie Creature, and then some episodes of Happily Divorced before going to bed around 10 PM.  I was very tired from the swimming, but it felt good.  Here is a video of me playing with the dog in the pool at my sister's house (I could live here all summer).  Notice the water falls as the camera pans around the yard:

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave the two their meds.  Did some setting up outside in the glass room off the dining room.  Cleared out what was in the room to make room for the new hot tub (new to me) from my sister.  When we were at their home yesterday they asked if we wanted their two person hot tub for free.  Of course we do, Tony went with an employee at noon today to get it at their home.  When Tony got home with the hot tub my two tenants pulled up in the driveway home for the day from work because of the heat.  I was so happy because this ment two more people to help carry it to the hot tub room.  Took a lot of work but we got it in the room.   Tony went back to work and I filled it with water and got things back together in the room.  Hopefully by tonight I can use it?  Tomorrow for sure.  Unfortunately, when I helped move the hot tub from the truck to the room I pulled my back out bad.  Just took a pain pill.  Tomorrow morning I see my back doctor, good thing with all this pain.  Tony will come home so tired tonight working in the 90 degree heat.  Will spend the night in the air conditioning enjoying the TV and dogs.  Tomorrow morning I have my doctor appointment and then in the afternoon the energy company is coming back to finish their inspection and whatever they are doing.  Going to the couch to sooth my back.  Hopefully before I go to bed I can use the new hot tub.

June 15, 2012 Friday Afternoon

Spent last night watching the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2.  It was OK.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM after the news on TV.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave the needed meds.  Brushed Kali's teeth about a half hour after she ate.  Spent the morning reading the newspaper and after my showered I got back to the book I start yesterday.  I am a very slow reader and it takes me almost an hour to read about 25 pages.  Have to admit I am really liking this book and the story.  Went to lunch with the guys.  Tony did not come since he had a lot going on at the shop and said he was stinky from working so hard.  Didn't want him sitting at the table all sweaty and smelly.  He will eat with the employees since he buys them lunch every Friday.  Came home and laid down for an hour listening to music on the bed with the dogs.  Got up and as I drink a cup of coffee I got back to my book, finishing the chapter I started this morning before I went to lunch.  After I post I will make a couple salads for supper tonight.  Will heat up the left over spaghetti from the other day for Tony.  The salad will be enough for me since I had a bacon chicken sandwich and fruit for lunch.  I have lately been ordering fruit rather than french fries, being a healthier choice I guess.  Windows are open and it is about 80 degrees with a nice cool breeze off the lake.  I turned the air conditioning on when I left for lunch but while we ate lunch the wind direction changed to off the lake and it cooled things down a bit, so I turned off the air conditioning when I got home and opened all the windows.  Suppose to be a hot weekend here in Milwaukee.  The only firm plans we have are to go to my sisters house for Father's Day.  I set it all up.  Since it is going to be so hot and she has this big estate near my parents house,  I called her last night and planted the idea to have us all at her house and she thought it a good idea.  So Sunday we will spend a couple hours in a pool which I love.  I grew up with a pool in the back yard as a kid every summer.  Got my pond vacuum via Federal Express late yesterday that I ordered on Monday.  Gave it a try last night and it seems to do what I want it to do.  Will wait until next week to give the pond a good vacuum and use it with all the attachments that came with it.  The pond fish will be so happy.  The Mourning Dove egg or eggs did hatch.  I saw the parent bird feeding a baby this morning.  They pretty much are on schedule with each laying.  Lay the egg, two weeks later it hatches, two weeks later they fly.  Have a good weekend everyone.

June 14, 2012 Thursday Dinner Time

We did end up making it all the way to A & W Restaurant and then the car show in Franklin with the monster truck car this time.  It seemed to run great.  Here is a picture of it in front of Tony's Auto Body Shop.  They picture date is wrong, but this is when it was being restored. 

The car is so high off the ground I feel I need a step ladder to get in and out of it.  It also makes a lot of noise.  People definitely turn and look as you drive by.  I have a feeling this is why Tony likes it so much.  Stopped off at the Menard's across the street from the car show and bought a few items before heading home.  Watched a little TV before going to bed for some lovin and then to sleep about 10:30 PM.

This morning I was up by 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave them their meds.  Spent the early morning reading the newspaper, cleaning the pond filter and other little things around the house prior to WE Energies coming at 10:30 AM to start an energy assessment of the house.  The two guys showed up on time, changed a couple faucet spouts and the thermostat upstairs to a programmable thermostat.  Only took a half hour and then they left telling me I would get a call to have the second part of the assessment when they seal the doors or something.  Not sure, but I figure it is how they then measure how efficient the windows and doors are?  Time will tell.  They also checked for any gas leaks or carbon monoxide leaks, none.  After they left I started one of the many books I bought at Pridefest over the weekend at a Rummage Sale table.  Each book was less then a dollar so I bought 5 of them.  Started one of the books today titled Halfway Home.  Got about a third read this afternoon.  Story seems to be about a person with HIV in the early 90s.  So far it has been good and I am going to finish it.  I don't usually read books but have been getting into it lately sitting outside enjoying the yard and nice weather.  Figure reading is not a bad thing.  Around 2:30 PM I put down the book and went for a long walk along the river.  My pedometer says my walk was 4937 steps, so over 2 miles.  Making some pork ribs, baked potato and corn, with a salad for supper tonight.  Will most likely spend the night at home watching TV.  It got to 70 degrees today in Milwaukee.  Much warmer south of us here along the lakefront.  Perfect weather day.  Tomorrow should be the day the Mourning Dove egg or eggs hatch.  Tomorrow will be two weeks.  Still don't know how many eggs are in the nest.  Last night before we went to bed I looked out into the back yard where I throw bread for my baby bunny that lives in the back garage.  There were 2 baby rabbits and a big rabbit.  Smiled and threw more bread out for them. 

June 13, 2012 Wednesday Afternoon

Tuesday night Tony came home from work around 4:30 PM.  When I asked him why he was home so early he said 'because I can'.  Not sure if I liked that answer but was happy to have him home.  I wish he would have called and said he would be home so early, I wouldn't have cooked so we could go some where.  Ate supper and spent the night watching TV and the movie Rogue River.  The movie was OK, entertaining enough.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM after the local TV news.  Asked Tony before we went to bed if he called the court to see if the papers can be faxed to them rather than us driving out there again in a month.  His response was 'did you'.  I said to him, 'no, I didn't get the ticket'.   Guess that means he didn't call.

This morning I got out of bed a little before 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito and Kali their pills and shots.  Spent the early morning reading the Milwaukee Journal newspaper.  Showered and left the house around 9:30 AM to get some breakfast at McDonald's and then to Pick N Save to do the weekly grocery shopping.  Almost everything I bought was on sale with coupons or both and I saved 1/3 on the total bill.  After I got home I started working on mixing the next music mix.  Spent the afternoon mixing and listening to it.  Did lay down for an hour with the dogs and listen to the final mix, I think it turned out pretty good.  Will hopefully get it fine tuned and put on my blog by tomorrow morning or during tomorrow sometime.  Not cooking tonight since we are again going to attempt to go to a car show with the Chevy Monster Car Truck thing Tony has.  Hopefully the third time is the charm?  We have tried twice before to go to a show with this car only to have it not working right and turning back home.  Will most likely eat at A&W before the car show since I love A&W restaurants, not only their root beer but their food.   All depends on what time Tony comes home from work tonight.  Thankfully it still stays light out until around 8:30 PM.  In the high 60s today in Milwaukee.  A bit cool with a breeze off Lake Michigan again today.  Suppose to warm up from here forward being in the 90s this weekend again like last weekend.  Tomorrow I have a person from our gas and power company coming to the house for the morning to do an energy assessment of the house.  I figured since it was free and they called me I would have it done.  Might get some free stuff and some helpful hints to lower the bills each month.  Will have to lock up the dogs and listen to them bark the two hours the guy says he will be here tomorrow.

Saw this in the newspaper the other day and thought I would pass it on.  Here's what the dying say are their greatest regrets:
1.  Not having lived their own lives. Not truly living ones own life but living life for someone else or how someone else wanted you to live.
2.  Not having invested more in important relationships.  Dying folks regretted having so occupied themselves with work or other pursuits that they failed to spend more meaningful time with children, family and good friends.
3.  Not having honestly and respectfully expressed their feelings.  This leads to resentment and bitterness.
4.  Not choosing to be happy.  Guess we fail to recognize that, to a large extent, being happy is a choice, not a matter of luck or circumstances.

June 12, 2012 Tuesday Afternoon

Went to my heart doctor appointment.  The doctor checked me over, said my EKG was normal and that my blood pressure is at 140 over 90, which is high.  Doctor figures / hopes it is just because of the chest pain.  Scheduled a tread mill stress test for a week from Friday although the doctor does not think it is my heart causing this pain.  Referred me and made an appointment for next week with an Orthopedic Back and Spine Specialist.  I figure I might as well keep going here trying to find the pain since I am pretty close to my health care deductible for the year by now with all these tests I have had.  Should be fun when the bills start coming.  So more tests and appointments in the weeks ahead.  Tony got home a little after 4:30 PM from work.  When I asked him if he had the paperwork for court he said he did, had them in his hand as he was leaving the shop, but now can not find the paperwork.  I just shook my head as he got in the shower.  Left the house around 5 PM in rush hour traffic to get to Franklin Court to clear up the insurance issue and ticket for it.  We pulled in the parking lot and it was empty, not a good feeling here.  We went inside and asked at the window about court starting at 6 PM.  The window clerk said there is no court on Monday's.  WTF?  If only we had the paperwork right?   After a little conversation we figured since Tony knew it was the 11th, and court is on Wednesday nights, it must be July 11th for court, not June.  I swear to god one of these days I am going to kill Tony.  I then asked the clerk if the paperwork can just be mailed or faxed and she said we should call the court during the day.  When I asked Tony if he had checked into this he looked at me like I was an alien or something.  Wow, what a concept, fax the paperwork they need rather than drive all the way to another city in rush hour traffic.  I swear sometime Tony would be lost without me.  Will be interesting to see if Tony called the court today to check on this,  any bets?  I was a little pissed at this time and we figured we would stop and eat at this restaurant we saw on the way called The Steakout.   I knew it would be an expensive steak but figured Tony owed me.   Well, it turned out to be the best steak and meal I have had in memory.  The Steak Fillet was the size of a softball, so tender and juicy.  Tony's Prime Rib was 2 inches thick and cut like butter.  On top of all this the daily soup that comes with the steaks is French Onion Soup with the crusted melted cheese and crouton under the cheese.  I LOVE this kind of French Onion Soup.  I was in heaven and wished I could take a couple home.  Of course the bill with tip for the two of us was $88, but it was the first time I spent that kind of money on a steak and felt I got my money's worth.  We will definitely be eating there again on the 11th of July when we go back to court, if we have.   Got home a little after 8 PM and spent the night catching up on some TV shows and watched the first new episode for the season of True Blood on HBO.  We got free HBO for the weekend so I DVR'd it.  Will have to download each episode from this point out throughout the season since we do not have HBO TV regularly.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM after the local news.

Got up this morning a little before 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave the two their meds.  Spent the morning reading the newspaper for a while.  I then broke down and ordered a pond vacuum for the pond in the side yard.  I had been looking at pumps or sump pumps figuring I could make a pond vacuum out of it.  After pricing sump pumps and then finding a great vacuum on sale on the Internet for half price, I order the vacuum for under $200 from Doctor Fosters and Smith Pond Supplies.  The pond has to be vacuumed or drained and cleaned.  I figured this was the least painful option.   Dragged the lawn mower around to cut the grass between the road and sidewalk.  It is so dry in Milwaukee and hopefully this little bit of grass will just die from the heat and I won't have to cut it again for a while.  I hate dragging the lawn mower around the block since we have no front entrance to get it from the back alley garage to the front any other way but to take it around the block.  One of these days a police officer is going to stop me thinking I stole it of something.  Around noon I took a long walk along the river trails ending at Pick N Save to buy some lettuce and fruit.  Will buy more tomorrow when I go and do the coupon shopping.  Just needed some lettuce to go with the spaghetti I am making for supper tonight.  Drove to Walgreen's and picked up a prescription and a couple items on sale in this weeks flier.  It is in the 70s, sunny with a breeze in Milwaukee today, perfect!   Will most likely just spend the night watching TV and stay home tonight with the dogs.

June 11, 2012 Monday Afternoon

Friday night we spent the night at Pridefest.  Had a great time.  Got to the festival grounds a little after  7 PM and left around 11:30 PM.  Both of our feet from walking were killing us.  Belinda Carlisle from The Go Go's was very good.  Didn't remember all the hits she and the Go Go's had back in the 80s.  Was nice to hear them again.  Was also interesting to hear her say she has a gay son 'and wouldn't want it any other way'.  The crowd went nuts.  Bought a bunch of stuff at the tents selling tshirts and rainbow items.  Ended up buying a new rainbow flag for the front flag pole and a couple tshirts.  Of course when we got home and unpacked the bag, there was only one of the two tshirts.  Guess Tony never put his in the bag and it must still be at the tshirt stand.  Will check on Saturday and hopefully the clerk will remember us and give us the Tshirt that should be still there.  Went to bed shortly after getting home.  I could not fall asleep for over an hour still pumped up from being at the festival all night. 

Saturday morning we slept in until about 8 AM, which is rare for us.  Fed the dogs and gave the dogs their meds.  It was to be in the 90s in Milwaukee on Saturday and Sunday.  The central air conditioning is on.  We spent the morning going through Tony closet and clothing.  Making piles to go to goodwill and piles to just throw away that he never wears.  Of course the throw away pile was much smaller than the 'wash again' pile and I ended up spending Saturday and Sunday doing at least 7 loads of laundry.  A little after 1 PM we went down to Pridefest for the afternoon.  Headed right for the Tshirt shop and the clerk remembered us and had our Tshirt off to the side waiting for us to return and get it.  That was easy.  Walked around for about 2 hours before it was just to damn hot and time to go home until the sun goes down and it gets a bit cooler outside.  Grabbed bags and bags of lube and condoms for our tenants and Tony's employees figuring they are not cheap and the guys would be happy to have them.  Got home around 4 PM and spent some time with the dogs before we headed back down to the festival around 7 PM.    It was still hot but much better with the sun setting.  Spent the night walking around the festival enjoying friends, music and some drag shows.  Taylor Dayne was suppose to come on stage at 10:15 PM.  By 11 PM we finally said the hell with it and headed for the dance tent.  Why the hell can't gay events ever start on time.  Why is it always on 'drag time'.  Circled back to hear her sing a couple songs.  Was not happy.  Note to 70s and 80s groups or bands:  When you give a concert we want to see and hear the song like it sounded when we fell in love with it years ago.  We don't want you to change the words, beat and tempo so you can't even recognize the song.  Both the songs she sang didn't even sound like the hits she had with them.   Went back to the dance tent for a while before heading home.  Got home around midnight, showered, watched a little TV and after some lovin we went to bed.

Sunday morning we slept in again until about 7:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave the dogs their meds.  Read the Sunday newspaper, made some breakfast and we were out of the house by 11 AM.  Seems on this date the big Locust Street block party always falls on Pridefest Sunday.  We end up splitting the day between the block party and Pridefest events.  Watched the beer run at the block party.  Can not believe anyone would run around the Eastside in this heat for beers at the local bars.  Over 1300 people in the beer run.  It is always a popular event with people in costumes and just fun fun fun.  Went back to the house a little before 1 PM so we could be at the Pridefest Parade by the time it started at 2 PM down 2nd street in the Third Ward.  Went to one of the gay bars to watch the parade and met our friends from lunch there.  Parade lasted over and hour and was entertaining as always.  Thankfully between the big umbrella I brought and the shade from a building we made it though the afternoon watching the parade in the heat.  Got home a little before 4 PM and headed back up to the street festival two blocks away from our house on Locust Street.  Had a couple drinks and some food and between coming back home to feed the dogs and going back to the festival again after they were fed, we finally settled in at home around 7 PM, feet sore and hurting.   Was a long weekend of walking.  Tony and I managed not to kill each other all weekend and only had a couple moments when things got tense.  Though, as we were walking back home for the last time Tony looked at me and said, 'oh yah, Monday I have to be in Franklin court at 6 PM'.   What?   After asking for more information I found out Tony got a ticket a couple weeks ago driving the monster car and has to go to court Monday night at 6 PM in Franklin, which is southwest of Milwaukee.   Of course this started an argument because I then started thinking why I was not told of this ticket, what the hell was he doing in Franklin a couple weeks ago, and so on.  Of course Tony did not like all the questions I felt I had a right to know the answers to.  I am still not sure I know all the story but will find out when I go with him tonight for court.  Tony got all defensive when I asked questions.  I finally made him stop and look at me as I said to him:   "Tony, every night when you come home and we are sitting watching TV I ask you how your day was and if anything I should know about.  Why I was not told a couple weeks ago you got a ticket is not sitting well with me.  Did we change the rules in this relationship that we keep things from each other?   If I got stopped by a cop and got a ticket wouldn't you want to know or shouldn't I tell you about it?  So why did you not again tell me about this?".    He had every excuse in the book and got very defensive.  I honestly think something is going on here more than I know.  I then went on to tell him if this is the course of our relationship where we go and do anything we want and don't tell the other where we are or what we did, I am not going to be happy going forward, AND NEITHER WILL YOU!   WTF?   Shouldn't a husband be told these things, if nothing else in friendly night time conversations.  If we are changing the rules of this relationship shouldn't I know?    Told Tony I will not be in a relationship with someone who keeps things from me.  He then said "but I knew you would be mad".  I then said:  " So any time I think your not going to like what I did or what happened, or what I am about to say, in my day I should just not tell you?"   Told Tony I will not play this game and things better change.  What the hell is going on with Tony?   Not liking things the way they are lately.   Did he forget this is a relationship, a partnership, a marriage?   I always thought if you have nothing to hide, why hide what you did or happened?  Spent last night watching TV on the DVR before showering again and going to bed after some lovin at 10 PM.

This morning I was up a little before 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave the dogs their meds.  Went back to bed until about 9 AM.   Got up and started reading the newspaper and cleaning up around the house.  Things really pile up on the dining room table and stuff when you just have fun all weekend.  I have to get in the shower and get ready for my 2:30 PM heart doctor appointment.  I honestly thought of canceling it because I think I need to see a back doctor, not a heart doctor, but since I still have some sharp pains around the chest / heart area I think it best to just go ahead and see him and rule out anything heart related before I move onto the back, chest, and rib pain.   Hot and humid again today in Milwaukee.  Storms coming later today with a cool front.  Looking forward to the relief from the heat.  Will let you know tomorrow what the heart doctor says and what happens with Tony and court tonight, should be interesting.

June 8, 2012 Friday Dinner Time

Yesterday after I posted I went to make some salads and start supper only to find the rest of the bag of lettuce I thought to use for a salad was turning brown.  Decided to not make supper and go out for dinner.  Figured Tony wouldn't mind walking three blocks up the street and having some Italian food since they have a bar.  As long as Tony is getting served he is happy these days.  Tony got home around 6 PM, showered and we went to the restaurant for supper.  You can still cut the tension with a knife at times between us.  During supper Tony told me when I asked him if the green car was running better, told me it was, because he drove it an hour or more to the state border and an hour back home after getting some parts.  Conversation went down hill from here when I asked why he would take off over 2 hours to drive his car to the state border to get parts and not call me to let me know.  Explained to him I don't understand his reasoning and why he would drive so far with a car that could break down.  Of course he then took it wrong and started to ask me about leaving Milwaukee.  Finally the conversation ended when I said, 'Tony, if you were a traveling sales man I would understand you going around the state driving, but I would want to know about where you are going for the day if you did this.  Being an owner of an auto body shop I would not expect my husband in the middle of the afternoon to be near Illinois and not know where he is'.    He then accused me of being controlling.  I then asked him if I was to one afternoon drive north to Green Bay or something for the day, wouldn't he want me to let him know since he would probably assume I was at home.  He agreed.  It's just a matter of keeping each other in the loop as to where we are and what is going on.  Jeez, it's like if I say something is black, he says it is dark blue.  After supper we walked home no talking.  Got home and I looked at Tony and told him to watch the dogs, I was going for a walk.  Had to get away.  Took an hour walk at dusk around the river trails.  Came home and watched the movie The Devil Inside which was not good and I can't even remember what it was about typing this.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM with a 'goodnight' to each other.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and Kali her pill.  Brushed Kali's teeth a little after she was done eating.  Asked Tony what he thought his schedule was today since we are planing an early lunch with the guys and then all going to the friends father's funeral.  Since Tony will need to change out of his work clothes and take a shower, I was just wondering what time he was going to be home and stuff.  He barked out to me that he plans on being home and showered in a little while.  I then pointed out to him it was a simple question and that a simple answer not being so damn mean when he answers would be nice.  Tony left for work.   Around 10 AM Tony called me at home to say he was not going to make lunch and would meet me at the funeral.  I asked him why the plan had changed and that I would rather drive to the funeral together as a couple.  I asked again why and he said he had too much work.  When I pointed out that maybe he shouldn't have taken a two hour drive yesterday afternoon and would be able to give me an hour for lunch, well, you can imagine how that went over.  Tony got the point and did come home around 10:45 AM, showered and we left for our 11:30 AM lunch with the guys.  Had a good lunch and went to the funeral afterwards following each other in the cars to the church.  Good lunch meaning we didn't say much to each other but had fun with the other guys.  Gave our condolences to Paul and his partner and family at the funeral.  Stayed for a while and left before the service so Tony could go back to work.  Came home and he changed back into his work clothes and left the house.  When he was leaving I asked if the plan was still to go to Pridefest tonight.  He barked out 'yah'.  It is now about 85 degrees in Milwaukee.  Took a 2 hour nap this afternoon in the air conditioned house.  Getting too hot here in Milwaukee.  Would be looking forward to the Pridefest weekend if Tony and I were getting along better.  I do think there is something underneath the surface that I don't know about.  Even one of his employees the other day told me Tony is an asshole lately to work for and wondered if there is something he should know bothering Tony.  So there might be something else going on here I don't know about.  Maybe another mid life crisis on his part?   Hoping to go to Pridefest tonight and see Belinda Carlisle from the 80s group The Go Go's.  Tomorrow Taylor Dane is at the Pridefest singing.  Will most likely go for a while in the afternoon Saturday and back again at night, depending on how hot it is outside.   Sunday we have to divide our time between a block party the next block over and the Pridefest parade at 2 PM.  That's all if I don't melt in the 90 plus hot humid heat this weekend and Tony and I don't kill each other.

June 7, 2012 Thursday Afternoon

Called Tony last night around 5:15 PM at the shop to see if he was coming home and we were going to the car show.  The employee said he just left and was on his way home with the muscle car.  He then asked me what the hell is wrong with Tony.  I asked him what he is talking about and he said for the past few weeks Tony has been unbearable to work for and asked if something is going on he should know about.  I told him Tony has been an asshole lately and I think it has a lot to do with the fact he is jut not happy in his own skin these days.  From getting old to being almost blind and gaining so much weight, I think he is not happy.  He can not even read street signs his vision is so bad, and that is with glasses.  Amazing he passed his last drivers exam.  Told the employee I hope it passes soon but they have my back and would try to get Tony to be nicer.  Tony got home last night with the green monster truck around 5:30 PM.  Our intent was to go to a car show with it on the south side of town.  Tony showered and we got about 4 blocks down the street and the car starting acting up and not running properly, again.  I looked at Tony before we got on the expressway and asked him to just take me home since I did not want to be stranded, broken down somewhere on the way to the car show.  If you remember, this is what happened last weekend.  Tony was very mad.  Not at me, but at the car.  He said it ran fine all day today.  I swear he was just about in tears he was so mad.  Came home and decided to just go down the street and have $1 hamburgers and french fries at the local bar.  Came home and spent the night getting caught up on the last 3 episodes of America's Got Talent.  Went to bed around 10 PM.  Things are getting better since we touched legs in bed.  LOL.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Kali her pill and Vito his Insulin shot.  Brushed Kali's teeth a little after she ate.  After I fed the dogs I looked outside the front window to see this pick up truck and a guy dumping branches on the side of the road in front of the property in foreclosure across the street.  Tony ran outside to tell him he could not just dump this crap here.  Well it got ugly and we ended up called the police.  The police came around 7:30 AM, which is really good for Milwaukee Police, just as the guy was dumping his 5 load of branches and tree parts.  Told my side of the story and then the owner of a property down the street came to explain the trees were from his yard and he was dumping them here for pickup.  I explained he can dump them in front of his own yard for the pick up since I know it takes sometimes weeks for Milwaukee to pick up piles like this.  I finally walked away and the dumping stopped.  I am still waiting to see if what got dumped gets picked back up, as of now it has not.  They did move the pile back in the field which means it will most likely never get moved.  Got showered and decided to go to Walmart here on the Eastside.  The Walmart has been recently expanded and now has a grocery department.  So I decided to go to our ghetto Walmart here and check it out and hopefully buy a list worth of items.  Ended up having a pretty good experience except for the $10 gift card they say was never activated and not working.  Ended up buying among the items two pool air mattresses and 4 king size pillow cases to cover them.  I figure I can use them on the floor on both sides of the bed while sleeping so if Vito falls off the bed at least he falls to an air mattress and not a hard floor.  I can always tuck them under the bed when we are not sleeping or using the bed.  The things I do for my dogs.  Heck, much easier to be safe then sorry down the road if Vito gets hurt falling off the bed because he is blind.  Shopped for about 2 hours.  I figured if I was at the store I might as well check it all out.  Totally new layout.  Stopped off in front of Tony's shop and gave him a bag of freezer pops for him and the employees to enjoy in hot weather that is coming.  Also gave him the Walmart gift card that he gave me to use and asked him where he got it.  Guess he got it last year when he signed up for a year at Sams Club.  Will have to find out why the card was never activated and is worthless when it should be $10.  Came home and unpacked everything.  Blew up the two air mattresses and put the pillow cases around them.  They will work perfectly to protect Vito if he falls off the bed.  Hopefully the pillow cases on them will help them not pop if Stella or the other dogs walk on them.  Made a single microwave pizza for lunch and took a 2 hour nap.  Had the air conditioning on and just turned it off since the wind switched off the lake and now is about 72 degrees rather than 80 degrees it was earlier.  The air will most likely go on tomorrow and for the weekend since it is to be 90 degrees for the weekend.  Making some salads and an Oncore dinner for supper tonight.  Figure it is the last time I will cook until Monday since we will eat at Pridefest all weekend.  Hoping I can get Tony to go for a walk tonight since I did not go on one today.  My middle back still feels like someone pour concrete in it.  It is so stiff about 6 inches wide from one side to the other right across the middle of my back.  Sure wish it would go away.  Tomorrow we are having an early lunch and then all heading to the funeral for a friends father who passed last weekend.  The funeral is from noon until 2 PM tomorrow afternoon.  Will post again tomorrow after I get home from the funeral.

June 6, 2012 Wednesday Afternoon

Tony came home from work a little before 5:30 PM last night, driving our truck.  Said hello to each other as he walk in the door.  I had his usual cup of coffee ready and warm for him to drink.  Eventually I pulled his salad from yesterday out of the frig and told him it was his and that the pizza pan frying on the stove was supper.  I ate a few pieces of pizza and a bread stick.  Around 6:30 PM I told him I was going for a walk.  He said 'OK', which I figured ment he did not want to come along.  That was fine with me because I hated the sitting in silence thing that goes on after a fight.  Had a great walk along the river.  Didn't see any deer.  The next time I walk the paths I am going to take a pick of some kind with me to get the glass out of the trail from broken bottles.  I can just imagine dogs that are with there owners must cut their feet on the glass.  I actually last week walked the trail with a garbage bag and picked up the garbage here and there along the trail.  Last nights walk was 4610 steps according to my pedometer, in a little over an hours time.  Got home and we started a movie.  Watched the movie Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol.  Neither of us enjoyed it.  Some of the thing they have Tom Cruise doing in these movies is so unbelievable it takes away from the movie.  This was one of those movies.  Was glad when it ended.  Watched the sad news that the state recall didn't go the way I would have liked.  I hate being in a state that is starting to lean Republican.  Wisconsin was always a Democratic state.  Lately it scares me.  Our Governor  named Scott Walker thinks he can just do things and ' divide and conquer ' as he puts it.  I like working together to solve thing better.  But, with that said, so far what Walker did to our state is working.  Unfortunately it is on the backs of the working middle class and poor, and would be happy to ship every gay person from the state.  Giving big tax breaks to the rich and companies.  Time will tell if it will work.  I can live with Walker fulfilling his term.  That way we can see if he has done good or harm.  Less than two years in this economy is a hard test, not unlike what Obama is dealing with.  Just my opinions.  we might have picked up a Senate seat in the recall which would be good because then we would have a Democratic majority in the Senate holding back Walker's Republican ways.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM.

This morning I was up at 6:00 AM when I heard the power go out.  Sounds funny to say 'heard the power go out' but when the air cleaners stop and battery chargers start beeping you know the power is out.  Came back on and I laid in bed until close to 7 PM watching the clock in the bedroom flash 12:00 waiting to be reset.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot, and Kali her antibiotic pill.  At least Kali takes her pills wrapped in food of some kind.  Stella will pick out the pill and spit it out no matter if it was wrapped in steak.  Tony left for work and I mentioned to him that maybe we could go to a car show tonight on the south side of town.  A usual Wednesday night car show we have not yet been to this summer.  Figure I am trying to make an effort.  Heck, if I can get out of cooking it is worth it even though I have no interest in car shows other than the people at the show, if you know what I mean.  He said he will try to get home early so we can do just that.  Brushed Kali's teeth which she seems to tolerate.  I might not be cleaning her teeth but I have noticed her mouth is cleaner and she has stopped licking all around herself.  So the teeth brushing is helping with the skin problems and her not licking with a dirty mouth.  Her teeth still look horrible, but she is 14 years old.  Spent the morning doing things around the house.  Went to ARCW to pick up my monthly prescriptions and food from the pantry.  It is a sunny 70 degrees outside with a slight breeze off the lake.  Very nice day.  If it could only always be like this.  Want to let you know I do go back and read all the comments that are given.  Appreciate all of them, thank you.  At least I know someone is reading my thoughts and my life.  I wish I could say the pain is gone.  It is in the middle of my back.  My lungs also feel raw, most likely from not smoking.  I at this point still plan on going to my heart doctor appointment on Monday but honestly think it is more a lung or back problem than anything else.  But I have to start somewhere.  It is rather uncomfortable and my back sometimes feels like it is going to just double over, it is a weird feeling.  I can't keep taking muscle relaxers and pain pills for this.  I save those as 'happy pills', not pain pills.  LOL.    I still have not figured out how many eggs are in the Mourning Dove nest since there is always a bird sitting on the nest when you look at the camera on it.  I figure next week Thursday or Friday the egg (s) will hatch again.  This pour mother bird sure didn't get much of a break from the 2 that just flew the nest a week before she laid these eggs.  Have to mention 2 music artists in my rotation right now.  I do like dance music.  The two CDs I repeatedly listing to are The Wanted and Adam Lambert's newest CD Trespassing.   Both are quite upbeat and very good.  I never was an Adam fan so it does surprise me how much I like his latest CD.  Got to get the laundry in the drier and run the vacuum around the house before Tony comes home.  This weekend, as I mentioned, is Pridefest in Milwaukee.  We always hope for good weather.  Looks like we will have no rain, but in the 90s Saturday and Sunday.  I don't do 90s well and it hopefully will be cool at the Pridefest grounds since they are right on the Milwaukee lakefront.  I can always layer clothes, but taking them off and showing skin and sweating  ....   I'm getting to old for that and I am feeling my age.  Plus I am not as 'pretty' as I was years ago.  ;)

June 5, 2012 Tuesday Afternoon

Late yesterday afternoon I went to the dollar store, Big Lots and then picked up the $10 box pizza special from Pizza Hut for supper.  On the way home I drove past Tony's shop and noticed our truck not there at 4:20 PM.   It was not there an hour ago when I drove to the stores either.  So I called Tony on my cell phone at the shop to see if he was there and where our truck is.  When I called Tony at the shop he was there, so I asked him where our truck was since I did not see it out front.  That is when the BIG FIGHT began.  He told me Jerry has it and is driving it for the next couple days while work is done on his car.  I honestly lost it.  A little back ground to the story.  For one, I don't like when Tony borrows either my car or our truck to people without asking.  Without asking being the key words.  He has other cars he can borrow and if they are not drive able he can simply tell them he does not have a car.  Otherwise Tony can call and ask if I have plans with the truck and if it can be borrowed.  We have had this fight before.  I would not just give one of OUR cars or trucks to some for the night without asking my husband.  It is simply out of respect.  This time it was not just the fact that he borrowed it for the night without asking again.  It was that he borrowed it to Jerry.  I used to like Jerry.  About 2 years ago Jerry invited Tony and I out for dinner to thank Tony for work he had done on a car then.  I tolerated Jerry but never really liked him.  At dinner Jerry had the fricken nerve to look at me and say the rudest thing you could and would say to someone.  Mind you, I knew there was a past between Tony and him, but was always told 'nothing happened'.   So after being lied to for over 10 years from Tony that nothing happened between them,   when Tony was in the bathroom Jerry had the fuckin nerve to lean over and say to my face with this huge smile and smurk:  "I got to tell you, the best sex I ever had was with Tony.  I will never forget it because his sperm was so good and the first I ever swallowed".    WTF?   It is one thing to say we were intimate, dated, seeing each other, had a relationship,  but to say what he did, just to get under my skin like he had done in the past was too much.   I was very upset and left dinner and told Tony then I never wanted anything to do with Jerry every again.  So finding out Jerry was driving my truck around town made me sick to my stomach and I wanted my truck back NOW, not tomorrow.  Fuck, I still have not even drove this truck yet and this asshole who had to point out how he swallowed Tony's cum is driving it before me.  Much less driving my truck period.  I was furious.   Screaming match back and forth on the phone.  Eventually I told Tony to either get my truck back from Jerry or not come home tonight.  I ment it.  By 8:00 PM I figured Tony was simply not coming home.   When he called me from the shop to see if I had changed my mind I lost it again.  He came home and we had this big huge screaming match fight.  I actually am hoarse today from the yelling.  It took everything we both had not to start swinging at each other the fight was that intense.  I told Tony I could not believe he could borrow our / my truck to this asshole who said this to me.  It was disrespectful, rude, and so many other things.   And if I choose not to have Jerry in my life, so be it.  He then is not to be driving my truck.  Tony walked out of the house around 9 PM and said he was walking to get the truck and might come home.  My last words were to not come home without the truck.   Tony came home around 10 PM.  I was in bed.  Tony showered and without a word came to bed on the other side of the bed. 

This morning I stayed in bed until 7 PM so I could feed the dogs and Tony would leave soon for work.  Tony was already out of bed.  We had another shouting match before he left for work.  I simply can not understand how someone can say what they said to me, and Tony doesn't understand why it would bother me or make me furious.  As Tony walked out the door I told him to go vote today since I will go by myself.  He left for work.  After reading the newspaper I went back to bed until about 10 AM when I heard Vito hit the floor.  Vito fell off the bed.  He seems OK.  Damn,  being blind I try to keep him next to me.  He knows the rules since he has fallen off the bed before.  He seems OK thank god.  It is a high fall since the bed is higher off the ground than a normal bed.  Showered and went to vote.  Came home and took a muscle relaxer since my back was hurting and feel like crap from all the yelling last night.  Of course that put me down for the afternoon sleeping.  It is now close to 4:30 PM.   Will just put the left overs from last night out for supper.  I am sure we will not say much to each other tonight and I might go for a long walk after he gets home just to get out of the house with him here.  I do know most will think I went over board with the fight, but I can not stand this Jerry guy for what he said to me and Tony knows it.  Tony asked me last night what he is suppose to say to Jerry when he takes the car back.  I told Tony to tell him the truth.  Tell him my husband doesn't want you driving his car since you made that terribly rude comment to him a couple years ago.   Hell, tell the truth, put the asshole in his place.   Why make it any other way than what it is.  I never liked Tony's past being put in my face and this one is one of those that just burns like hell when I see or hear Jerry's name.  Maybe it is the fact they both lied for years as we saw each other at get togethers and events, maybe it was the terribly rude comment he made, maybe, and I mean 'of course' it is BOTH.   The fact they lied about their history, and then the fact the Jerry has to throw it in my face the way he did with the words he used.  OK, I am ready for some comments.  Let me have your views on this.   Would love to hear how others handle hearing of their partners past sex.  Be kind, but honest.  I know the past is the past, so you dont have to go there.  Was it wrong for me to be upset for someone to say what they said to me?   How would you feel if someone said to you something like he said to me.  Would you like that?  How would you handle it?

June 4, 2012 Monday Afternoon

Brushed Kali's teeth for the first time after Tony got home from work.  She actually handled it all well and let me do it without a fight, with the help of Tony holding her.  Was horrible to see her teeth bleed like they did.  I brushed softly as told by the vet these first few times.  Friday night we watched the movie We Need To Talk About Kevin.  Very good movie.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM.

Saturday morning we were up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot, and brushed Kali's teeth.  She was once again very good and seems to actually appreciate it.  I would too if my mouth looked as bad as hers.  Tony brought home a show car so we could go for a long 45 minute drive with the car to a car show.  We got a few blocks away from home and the car was not running right so Tony turned around and we took my car instead.  I was actually enjoying the car.  Tony put this car on huge high tires so I did enjoy being so high up.  Looks like a Monster Truck Car.  Met some friends we have lunch with on Friday's at the car show.  Stopped at a couple rummage sales on the way home.  Found a beautiful 3 piece suit for myself, looks never worn, for only $2.  Since I need a suit and the price was right, I got it.  Fits me too a 't' which is good because a good friend of ours father died over the night.  We will be going to the funeral and will need a suit that fits me.  Took the long way home along the lakefront of Milwaukee.  Stopped off for a brat and soda at the boat docks.  After we were home for a while I talked Tony into going for a walk around the river.  Of course I had to add that we can stop for a margarita on the way back.  Something for him I guess since he does the walk for me.  Got home around 6 PM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and brushed Kali's teeth.  Made a T Bone steak, potato and salad for supper.   Tony fed his potato peels to Stella which would turn out to be a very bad thing.  Spend the night watching the movie eCupid.  It was a cute gay movie worth watching.  Went to bed around 10 PM after we put some drops in Stella's ear since it seemed to be bothering her. 

Around 1 AM Sunday morning Stella started moving around the bed.  We both thought she was trying to scratch her ear so we kept telling her to 'just lay down'.  Around 2 AM Stella went to the end of the bed and started to barf.  You know the sound.  Tried to get her off the bed and all I could do was get her to the end of it and watch her air vomit across the bed, down the dog steps and on the floor.  Jeez, its frickin 2 AM.  Must be the potato peel Tony gave here at supper time.  Tony took her outside while I turned on the lights to start the clean up.  It was then I realized why Stella was moving around the bed from 1 AM.  She had already pucked on the bed and we were all sleeping in it.  So after I got the other three dogs off the bed and safe, knowing they were clean, I changed the bedding, threw the dog steps out the back porch, and got Tony in the shower with Stella since she was possibly sleeping in puke and needed a bath before she could go back to bed. So Tony cleaned her up and we went back to bed, which was short lived.  Stella was not well.  Tony finally just got up with her around 4 AM and went into the other room while I stayed in bed with the other three dogs.  When I got up at 7 AM to feed the dogs and stuff Tony told me Stella was trying to eat anything green outside and he thinks she ate a plant from under the porch.  We fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot, and brushed Kali's teeth.  A little while later Stella was throwing up again and now she had this horrible rash on her stomach which was getting worse and worse and big red marks everywhere.  This happens every time she eats plants.  After I yelled at Tony for even letting this happen I started working on Stella's comfort.  Gave her an allergy pill which she threw up.  Spend the morning keeping an eye on Stella to make sure we didn't need to take her to emergency if her breathing started to show problems from swelling and the rash.  Took a short nap with all the dogs trying to comfort Stella.  Made and gave Stella some rice and hamburger which she enjoyed and did stay in her stomach.   Fed the other dogs around 6 PM, giving Vito his shot.  Made some steaks again on the grill with a salad.  Talked Tony into going for a short walk which we did.  I had to get out of the house since we had been home all day tending to Stella and the dogs.  Started watching a movie called Haywire and after an hour of watching we both decided to cut our losses and turn it off and watch something else.  Ended up going to bed shortly after that.  Stella slept like a baby and was happy to snuggle in between Tony and I and not have stomach problems.  Did I tell you I spent all day doing 6 loads of laundry because of all the mess Stella made?   Went to bed around 9:30 PM and watched some news and went to sleep.

This morning I was up at 6 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot, brushed Kali's teeth.  Stella's rash is gone, thankfully.  Kali let me brush her teeth with no help from Tony.  Just sat there like a good little girl.  She has not been licking since I have been brushing her teeth so I think this is going to be a good thing.  Spend the morning reading the newspaper and doing things around the house.  Around noon I took a walk to Pick N Save and bought a couple items and deposited a check at the bank.  Don't feel like cooking tonight so I think after I post this I will go to the $1 store and then to Pizza Hut for their $10 pizza, bread and sticks special.  Will just make a salad.  I am feeling better health wise.  Could it be because I have not had a cig in 7 days now?   Yup, on my 8th day today.  I am very proud of myself and feel so much better because of quiting.  It is not easy, but I am doing it.

June 1, 2012 Friday Afternoon

Spent last night watching the movie The Innkeepers.  It was very boring and nothing even happened in the first hour of the movie.  Ended the night watching the debate between the two candidates running for Governor in Wisconsin.  Went to bed around 10 PM.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Took Kali to the vet at 10:30 AM.  Got an antibiotic, a oral rinse solution, dog tooth paste and had a rabbis shot and exam, all for the low price of $138.  The doctor also said Kali has a heart murmur.   At 14 not much we can do but keep an eye on it.  Have to bath her every couple days and brush and rinse her teeth daily.  The teeth thing should be fun by the way her mouth looked, I was embarrassed.  She has huge chunks of tartar on her teeth.  Doctor even said we might want to have them cleaned again soon.  Of course that is not cheap and is over $500 - $1000 to put her under and clean the teeth.  And at her age it can be dangerous.  Came home and soon went to lunch with the guys.  Had a great lunch as always.  Came home from lunch and soon I went for my usual walk around the river and trails.  The doctor did call this morning to tell me my blood tests all came back normal.  My xrays also all came back normal.  So now I just don't know what the hell to think.  This pain is real.  Still waiting on the EKG and will see the heart doctor on the 11th if the pain has not gone away and I am still alive.  Making left overs and a salad for supper tonight.  Will most likely watch a movie.  Tomorrow we are going to a car show that Tony has talked about for some time now. It is out of town and we will be driving one of his show cars to it.  Hopefully it will be packed with good looking men for me to look at since the cars don't do much for me.  Not likely thought. 
Oh, the Mourning Dove is back in the nest.  Has been all night.  Think she laid an egg yesterday.  Jeez, she sure didn't take much of a break, the babies just flew the nest last Friday.
Have a great weekend everyone.