General update - February 28, 2009 -

The kitchen is almost done. We just need to put the trim on and get a refrigerator.

I finally went to an ear doctor for my itchy, flaky ears. After 2+ years, I couldn’t take it anymore LOL.

While there the doctor though he felt my thyroid was enlarged so he ordered an ultrasound. He called the other day and told me yes I had a goiter on the left like he felt (I still see the old text book in school with a big bubble in some guy’s neck) but the other side I apparently have multi nodules and a possible parathyroid. I have been resisting the urge to google needlessly. I went to Mayo clinic’s site and got some information that has eased my mind a bit only because I don’t have any symptoms so more than likely they take a wait and see approach. I need to find an endocrinologist now, one who won’t rush to surgery. I am a bit freaked out about that and from what I read in my case (as I know it) it shouldn’t be necessary. Also I am a bit unsettled that I now have an official medical condition and a bit worried about what else might be lurking unbeknownst to me.

One thing I did read on one site I did google before I stepped away from the computer was that a lack of energy, lack of focus and memory problems are a symptom of hyperparathyroid. I am such a slug who doesn’t want to ever do anything and I am sure I have expressed here how I feel like I can’t focus, that I must have ADD. And lately I have been worrying about my memory. It is always exasperated after seeing my sisters and wondering why I don’t remember half of what they remember from childhood. Interesting if a medical condition is to blame.

Work has been good and busy. That said, the severe state of the economy still has me worried. I lose my job, we are screwed. It is a good thing I am in with a health care company, it is one of the industries that is thriving. Well it was until yesterday. Abbott’s stock is down $6 in two days. I am not sure what Obama has in his package that is influencing the sell off. I hope it is just knee jerk and it will come back up.

I have been contacted by a greeting card company. They want to use my picture of Pam’s cat drinking a beer. Because they only want to use the body (with a different head) they can only offer me a flat rate for 5 years of $800. SOLD!

The Flight of the Conchords are doing their thing and making me laugh during all the bad stuff going on in the world. Thank you guys! They came out with their 2nd season. While I don’t have HBO to watch their show, someone is posting their songs on Youtube every week and the songs are better then last season. I got tickets for the Baizes and us to go see them in May. Should be fun even if we can’t actually see them because all I could score was crappy seats.

I don’t think I have mentioned my new life saver when it comes getting to work during bad winter weather. The train! I don’t know why I never realized this before. Probably because I use to work in a building 3 miles off site but now that I am in the main building I take the train. I walk over to the train in the morning and a shuttle bus waits when I get off in Libertyville. It does get me to work 30 minutes late (and it leaves my normal quitting time) but it is pretty nice. I was feeling like the invisible girl in the red coat as the train conductor on the way home never took my ticket and the other Abbott-eers on the shuttle bus are cliquey. I have been getting to know a neighbor better. Hollace use to play with her daughter in the park and we would see them at the beach (they live across from the lake). Anyway, very nice woman. She has been taking the train every day for 3 years now. I doubt I will do that but it is nice on occassion.

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Hollace update - February 28, 2009 -

I wonder why I took so long to write here. I had things to say but couldn’t bring myself to write anything.

Hollace turned 10. She is quite the character. For her birthday she was asking for a box of saltine crackers, a bag of limes, erasers and a kimono. She got all of that except a kimono. Hollace is into erasers as in making community of people out of them. She says she has over 100 of them now. She has kids in her class donating to her collection. Last weekend she drew an elaborate 2 page map of the land these eraser people live.

I bought some half sized index cards last week and Hollace has now seen the potential of those and started drawing what she calls creature cards. I guess they could be compared to Pokemon cards. She draws a picture on the front and some facts about them on the back. She is always asking how to spell words for them. She now has a few from other kids in school that she invited to make a card for. Apparently she has turned this creature thing into a club and has collected 15 names of kids from her class. I ask her what her club is going to do and she doesn’t know, nothing. She just likes collecting names.

Hollace is trying to be that quirky kid. So far it seems like it is going well for her and that kids like her. She wants to be known as weird. I don’t know about that though. Whenever we go to a store, Hollace feels compelled to go all Forest Gump on me by just blurting out to the sales clerk, “I like erasers” (or whatever she likes that day) in this out of touch voice. Like I said, it is Forest Gump like. She told me tonight after we left Target that she doesn’t care if that comes off as weird. She likes weird.

While Hollace seems to be liked (she likes all the girls in her class except one that is mean) and has several friends in class that are boys, she has yet to be invited to a birthday party.

We had her party 2 weeks ago. We only invited 4 kids and 5 of he cousins. We went to the ceramic place we went last year. Only one of the girls showed up. Two of them said they forgot and one forgot to tell her parents (we didn’t have her address to mail hers). The one that showed up lives in the neighborhood and her mom dropped her off at our house since they were expecting a party there for Daytona 500. I am so hung up trying to avoid Super Bowl Sunday for a party that I bumping into Dayton 500 instead.

Meghan, the girl that did show up, gave Hollace money for a gift and an invitation to go shopping with her to Black Market Minerals for gems which is Hollace’s other obsession.

The next day (Monday, no school because of Presidents Day) Meghan came over for a playdate. I was excited that she would have a friend who could come over regularily. Then that afternoon the did the shopping trip.

Not a good thing. They were gone for 5 hours. Meghan brought another friend and they spent most of the time at the mall hitting all the clothes store. Hollace hated that, so not her thing. When they brought her home, the mother said she didn’t think Hollace had a good time.

I just Hollace can hold her own in middle school where being different like that and wanting to be weird will make you a target.

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