Life-n-stuff.

Things have been pretty average around here, almost painfully so! But, things are also really good. I've just been spending a lot of time with my Mom, with Sarah, and with my Nieces. Mom's birthday has come and gone...she had a nice day! I'm glad I get to be here with her for that kind of stuff.

I'm still in home improvement mode...I started painting my childhood bedroom, the one I am going to use as a living room of sorts. 3 walls are already painted a nice sand color, and the accent wall will be a gorgeous red. I'm a little nervous about the sand color being a bit to pinkish for the red, but I'm sure it'll work out. If it doesn't look right, all I have to do is go pick another color! I'd like to do a simple Asian theme in there...nothing too crazy. I've heard of people painting their walls chocolate brown and red, but the room is far too small to put such a dark color on the walls. Plus, I'm looking for a place to relax...not a place to be depressed! Mom and I have been talking about what kind of flowers she'd like me to plant next year, and I can't wait to get started. I want a small garden in the front yard, and 2 gardens to mirror each other in the back. Mom also wants a rose bush. I blame my Cancer astrology and Sarah's new house for this "nesting" thing I'm doing. I like it though...it's fun!

Mom has a doctor's appointment tomorrow to see about getting that implant that may help her pain!!!! I'm so excited for it. She is so miserable sometimes (like today) and I think the implant would do a world of good. I hope she's a candidate for it and that it will help her if she chooses to get it.

After Mom's doctor appointment, I have to get my oil changed and go to IN! Joy and Ted decided to take Julie to a cabin and go camping, and I was invited to hang out and help out as needed. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun! They headed up there today, and I'll join them tomorrow. I took Julie out for a mall outing last week, and we had a blast! We took her transport wheelchair to make things easier, but Julie was doing SO much better than the last time I saw her. She was all smiles, she was walking much better, and she seemed more alert. She also fed herself almost a whole piece of pizza (which I had cut up) and that was awesome!!! Last time we went out, I had to feed her every bite she took. She also drank a lot. We looked at scented candles, clothes, and we ended up at Bath and Body Works for shower gel. They had a nice sale going on, so we walked (well, I walked. Julie rolled!) out of there with plenty of body wash. I understand Julie's wants a little more every time we hang out. At the mall, I was pushing her in the chair when she started leaning forward and grabbing her leg. I stopped and asked if she was okay, then realized she was feeling the hair on her legs, LOL! I said, "You want your legs shaved, eh?" and she smiled. I told her I'd tell her Mom, and smiled some more. She didn't lean forward the rest of the day. I just try to think like she does-what would *I* want if I were in her situation?? I make an effort to do the little things like keep her hair out of her face because she can't brush it away and keep our little 1-sided conversations rolling. I probably drive her crazy with my stories, but most of the time she smiles and/or laughs so that's nice. This little mini-vacation is going to be a lot of fun...I'm so glad Julie gets to do stuff like this. And it's an absolute pleasure hanging out with her and her folks.

I admit it...I'm flirting with a man. A big, sexy man. It feels good to flirt again, and it seems like it's being reciprocated. Since I've gotten more used to being here, I see that there really is a whole slew o' men that are still single and are really nice guys. I've opened my eyes back up to the opposite sex, and it feels good. Socially, I'm doing really well. I'm still having a little trouble with being *slightly* shy around new people, but everyone I'm meeting has been so much more than nice. I do realize that nobody is going to roll out the red carpet for me, so I'm making a real effort to be social and get to know people. All in all, things are good for me socially right now. In fact, the only worry I have about these new folks is that I might not be geeky enough, LOL! I'm a nerd in my own right, but I'm just learning about a lot of the stuff these people are into. Trying to maintain my individuality while getting to know people with different interests is kind of a tightrope thing, but I'm doing well. ;-)

I'm sure I'll post again sometime after I get back from the cabin on Thursday. Until then...