Finally, writing like I mean it…

Remember when you were a kid and you had an idea of what you wanted to be when you grew up?  Did it happen?  Mine sure didn’t.  I’ve had 20 other “be’s” since I started working at sixteen. 

Although I’ve done what I’m passionate about – writing - over the years – wrote for a local newspaper back in 1985, wrote and edited newsletters, wrote copy for web sites, and on and on – I’ve never dedicated myself to being a writer and making that my career.

My second oldest son asked me a few days ago, “What are you waiting for”?

Finally – I admit it, I accept it, I believe it, I’m a writer!

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We’re dieting seriously

My hubby Joe and I started the Physicians Weight Loss Center FAST plan on January 26, 2009.  As of February 4, I have lost 11 pounds.  My goal is to lose 126 pounds.

The Physicians Weight Loss Center we are working with is located at 605 E. Alexander Street, Plant City, Florida 33563.  It is owned and operated by Dr. Joseph L. Richter, M.D. and Peggy Richter, R.N.

Although the center is located in Plant City, the area served is much larger.

The center will have its Grand Opening on February 11, 2009.  The Plant City Chamber of Commerce will provide a Ribbon Cutting at 10:30 a.m. that day.  Come out and taste some of the foods used as part of the weight loss plans they offer.

I’ll keep you up to date on our progress.

Facebook

Facebook me!

YouTube

I finally broke down and started using my YouTube account.  I was getting hounded about not having my videos posted that I took during Christmas, at Michael Holland’s first city commission meeting and Emily’s baby shower.  Here’s the link…   www.youtube.com/virtualcherub

Enjoy!  (Remember, I’m new to both the Flip and YouTube uploading!)

Updates in my first post since last year!

I have been very naughty when it comes to writing on my blog.  Fortunately, Santa didn’t think I was too naughty!

I received a Flip Mino video recorder and a flash for my Canon Rebel.

The inauguration and my youngest son’s 24th birthday were both yesterday, January 20th.  We will celebrate Geiger’s birthday this Sunday with his girlfriend Andrea.

I did not watch the inauguration or festivities before or after.  It all seemed to be set up as a half-time show and I don’t watch those either.  I did watch the Josh Groban YouTube video of “My Country tis of Thee”, only because he is my favorite recording artist.

It’s cold here tonight – 37 degrees F – and my doggies are all in their warm spots sleeping.  The cat is on the back of my chair in the livingroom.  Our fish pond outdoors is faring for itself.  We unplugged the pump so the water is not cooled off by cascading down from the antique pump that sits about three feet out of the top pond.

My hubby is at work and says it’s pretty slow – only the homeless coming in so they can be in a warm place.  (Joe is a RN at TGH.)

The surgery I had done last year to have a spot removed on my shoulder came back as all suspicious tissue removed and the big cut area healed great and the scar is fading gradually.  Not that I’m really concerned about the scar.

Went to a baby shower last weekend for my friend Emily.  She is having a girl.  The baby shower was nice and fun, but it’s the first time I’ve ever been to any type of shower where there was no cake.  How weird is that?

It’s time for us to renew our cell phone contract and get new phones.  We’re adding my second youngest son, Gary, and keeping me, Joe and Geiger.  We are looking at the new phones online and will be going into a T-Mobile store to check them out in person.

Went to see Michael Holland be sworn in as a City Commissioner in Eustis, Florida.  It was great!  Spent the night at their house and came home the next morning.  He is going to be an enormous asset to that community.

Christmas Giveway – Register and enter daily for a chance to win!

Sent to Melissa, my niece, Nov. 11: surgery today, weight, diabetes, sleep

The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can’t help it. –Leo Rosten

I got home around 5:45 pm.  Saw Dr. Boehm at 12:45 to discuss how I felt.  I saw him last week.  Joe suggested I might be having symptoms of diabetes.  (Mrs. Boehm told me to tell him to stick to being a nurse and quit trying to be a doctor!)  So I went in and talked to him and he found my BP okay (usual 120/70), all my meds okay, thrilled that the Alli gives me nice bm’s with no accidents, etc.  We discussed my previous labs and the sugar was a tiny bit high, nothing to worry about.  Discussed my thyroid and diabetes family history.  Said I’m not likely to be diabetic, but we’ll go ahead and send me for labs since it’s been awhile.  Weighed me, I yelled that can’t be right, he looked like his eyes were going to pop outta his head, and he said maybe there is more of a chance than I thought.  Sent me right over to Quest.  I had gained 20 pounds since the last time he weighed me and now I weigh a fraking TWO HUNDRED FIFTY POUNDS.  (Think of writing that across a check.)  I’m to call him in the morning for results.

The loss
of the dream
Leaves nothing
the same.
— Langston Hughes, “Beale Street”

I went over immediately and had 8 tubes drawn.  My favorite phleb was there.  I watched her stick me from start to finish.

 

THEN, I had a pink spot that had to be removed from my shoulder, I think I may have mentioned this, and today was the day for that surgery.  I went in, had to wait a long time, then the doc’s assistant came in to prep me.  I assured her they were not cutting off my whole shoulder – the amount of stuff she pulled out and set out made me wonder!  Once she had everything set, he came in and marked the area he was cutting.  I didn’t realize that huge area was a playing field!  Then she came back and put the LIDOCAINE in six spots, I watched again, start to finish.  She asked if I was in the medical field since I watched.  I told her I would normally have to be strapped down by several people to do that – I just recently changed.  (Today!)  Then when it was dead, the doc came in and wiped it all down again after gloving up, then took his scalpel and cut a piece out while I watched that was about 2” x 1” at least.  That was neat!  There was a lot of fat in there…  She dabbed blood, then after the meat was in the jar, he started cauterizing the entire area.  That was really weird to watch!  Cooking me up!  After all of that, he stitched me inside and then outside.  How cool was that!  She cleaned up and medicated me and then put a big bandage on and told me to do the same every day and come back in 2 weeks for the outer stitch removal and to make sure they got it all.

 

I did not faint, get dizzy or anything else.  I guess all these years of watching medical shows have finally gotten to me!

There is only one success–to be able to spend your life in your own way.
—Christopher Morley

Things have been really weird for me lately.  I told Dr. Boehm that I am still very depressed and shouldn’t be, since good things have happened.  I am still working on getting my sleep back to normal and in fact, did not sleep at all last night.  He thinks once the sleep is fixed, I’ll feel 100% better.

 

So that’s what’s up with me.  You?

All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them.”
— Isak Dinesen, in Hannah Arendt, THE HUMAN CONDITION, 1959

Tim did his speaking in Key West yesterday and he said it went wonderfully.  I am so jealous!  Where did he get all this talent?  J

http://www.readinggroupguides.com/content/index.asp

Love you!

Robin J

Disappointment on November 4, 2008

My choice for president did not win.  I am very disappointed.  Although I will support the new president because I’m an American and that’s what good American’s do, I won’t like it.  I don’t trust him.  There is no “on the job training” that replaces experience.  I would like to be proven wrong about him, but my gut tells me that won’t happen.

The Election Results for Michael Holland!

Michael shakes hands after giving live radio interview at the celebration party!

My very good friend and family member, Michael Holland, won his bid for City Commissioner in Eustis, Florida.  See www.hollandforeustis.com.  Woohoo!!!

This election is of historic proportions!

I voted last week in Plant City.  It’s the small town next to our even smaller town of Dover.  We normally vote at a little church, but with early voting, this was held at City Hall.  Wow!  The line was long!  I waited over an hour to get into the room with the voting booths.  My primary care doctor and his wife, both personal friends, were also in line.

 

If you did not have the chance to vote early, no matter what, VOTE ON TUESDAY, November 4th!  You will be part of one of the longest and strangest political battles in your lifetime.

I am praying my choices win.  I’ll be in Eustis, Florida on Tuesday, sign waving, rooting and celebrating with my very good, longtime family member, Michael Holland, who is running for the Eustis City Commission seat 3.  Woohoo!  Go, Mike!  Go, Mike!  www.hollandforeustis.com

 

Joe’s knee surgery

Joe underwent surgery on his left knee yesterday at Tampa General Hospital (TGH) where he works as a RN.  Dr. Garlick of Florida Orthopaedic Institute in Brandon (they have offices all over our area) is his doctor and surgeon.  He is also very young looking and very qualified.  Dr. Garlick did an excellent job!

This is the contents of the email I sent to family and friends about how the day progressed with Joe from revcovery on…

He’s fine, just in pain and taking drugs for that.  He was talking non-stop when I got to recovery – My knee really hurts – then they would give him Versed and he still complained – twice this happened – then they gave him morphine and his non stop comments changed to this really feels better – and then in the truck – this feels better than I expected – non stop.  I was laughing my ass off at him, alternating with wanting to stuff something in his mouth to shut him up J.  He talked to the nurses every second and about every topic.  He was totally stoned.  When they told him he was going home and we were getting him ready, he was fine.  When he was all signed out and I was given instructions, the bags were ready to go, he kept asking when he could leave.  They told him four times he was ready to go.  I tried really hard not to laugh out loud at him, but I doubt it would have mattered.  He is at his computer right now eating cereal and asking me things we discussed yesterday several times.  I’m sure he’ll ask me again.  He is taking Oxycodone for pain and Phenergan (sp) for nausea.  I have never seen him so confused and forgetful.  He is talking about his pain and how powerful it is.  We are going to run a couple of errands – he keeps insisting and it was all I could do to prevent it yesterday – and him getting in and out of the truck is an adventure in itself. 

Dr. Garlick is gorgeous and a great doctor.  So young.  He came out immediately and told me what they found and did and I can’t remember more than a word or two.  He mentioned tendons in front and back and that causes the stabbing pain, torn meniscus, major arthritis…  Joe will have to find out more.

I just explained the whole day and night to him.  He didn’t remember anything.

Oh – he doesn’t remember this, but we unwrapped the knee and changed the bandages – his knee looked great – only 2 places where they did the scoping – and a few stitches in a knot in both places.

Up until about 45 minutes ago, he didn’t remember much about this morning, either.

 

 

Port Townsend, Washington

Joe and Robin in front of the cottage.

Joe and I took our long overdue honeymoon (two years) and vacation in April 2006.  We had a wonderful time!  We went to Seattle and did the site seeing thing for five days. 

We stayed in Port Townsend at “Aunt Jenny’s Guest House” for the other five days.  I wish we could have stayed there the entire ten days!  Visit the web site for more info and to see photos of the guest house.  When we got back to Seattle, we’ll be staying at Aunt Jenny’s again!

http://auntjennysguesthouse.com/

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The Election is coming! Only 25 more days!

Early voting is from October 20 – November 1.  I will be doing so week after next.  I will be in Eustis supporting Michael Holland in his campaign to get elected on election day. 

If you can’t get to the polls on November 4th, get your vote in early so you’re sure you don’t lose out on the chance to participate in the biggest election of our time.

Visit your local Supervisor of Elections site to get your early voting locations.  Ours here in Hillsborough County, Florida: http://www.votehillsborough.org/

Homebrewing Freezer

My hubby has been brewing his own beer since October 2007.  He’s had a kegerator for several years and now gets to tap his own beer. He thinks he’s in heaven! 

He recently decided to go all the way – brewing from scratch, rather than from kits.  He’s been accumulating the supplies and equipment he needs.  Today we bought a used freezer from a nice guy in Wesley Chapel named Mark.  It’s a small chest freezer and looks to be in excellent shape.

He’s waiting for another piece of equipment to arrive.

Oh!  And he’s been giving our dog, Rocco, tiny bowls of beer every so often.  He thinks he has a really close drinking buddy…   grrrrrrr….

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LinkedIn

Visit and join the LinkedIn Professional Business Networking site. See my page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/robinrichter

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