A New Kitty Hiding Spot
Christmas 2010 Orchestra Concert
Hurray! The embed worked! So, here is a compilation of the pieces Helena's orchestra performed for the Christmas concert this year! Merry Christmas!
Carol of the Bells/Greensleeves
Deck the Halls
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Fiddle Like the Dickens!
Sorry for the late start on that last one! I had been saving seats for the boys (who came late to the concert), when a couple asked me for the seats. I decided to give them the seats, because I wasn't sure if the boys were going to make it after all and there were so many people standing. It was a WELL attended concert!
Carol of the Bells/Greensleeves
Carols of Olde
Deck the Halls
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Fiddle Like the Dickens!
Sorry for the late start on that last one! I had been saving seats for the boys (who came late to the concert), when a couple asked me for the seats. I decided to give them the seats, because I wasn't sure if the boys were going to make it after all and there were so many people standing. It was a WELL attended concert!
Testing the YouTube embed feature
I thought I'd try uploading my videos of the kids concerts to YouTube, then placing the embedded code here on my blog, just to see if it works. You see, the blogger video system really doesn't work well, and can't handle videos longer than 5 minutes. Most of the music played by the band and/or orchestra last between 5 and 7 minutes. The piece I am testing this on lasts over 11 minutes! By the way, this is not actually Helena's orchestra. It is the next level up. If this works, I'll post Helena's concert and Will's concert.
This piece is the Symphonic Suite to the Lord of the Rings.
Enjoy!
This piece is the Symphonic Suite to the Lord of the Rings.
Enjoy!
The Provo Tabernacle
Early this morning, the Provo Tabernacle caught fire! The blaze was a 4 alarm fire and destroyed the building.
So, what is a 4 alarm fire?
The alarms are a designation of how many units of firefighters had to be called out to deal with a fire. The 'first alarm' is the unit that first responds to the call. A unit can be multiple trucks and firefighting crews. If the fire spread, or is difficult to contain, a 'second alarm' is sent out and additional units from another firehouse are dispatched. Subsequently, a 'four alarm' fire, is one that took substantial time, man power, and resources to control and contain, and was the fourth call for aid on one fire.
Can the ratings go higher than 4 alarms?
Yes, though you don't hear of it very often.
I remember being thrilled with the beauty of the Provo Tabernacle when we went as a family to a Christmas concert there several years ago. Here is a picture montage of the Tabernacle then, and now.
This is a photo of the Tabernacle as it looked before the center bell tower was removed in 1950. The bell tower proved to be too much burden for the engineering of the roof, which sagged under its weight. The building was condemned twice before an architect came up with a solution to safely remove the central tower.
So, what is a 4 alarm fire?
The alarms are a designation of how many units of firefighters had to be called out to deal with a fire. The 'first alarm' is the unit that first responds to the call. A unit can be multiple trucks and firefighting crews. If the fire spread, or is difficult to contain, a 'second alarm' is sent out and additional units from another firehouse are dispatched. Subsequently, a 'four alarm' fire, is one that took substantial time, man power, and resources to control and contain, and was the fourth call for aid on one fire.
Can the ratings go higher than 4 alarms?
Yes, though you don't hear of it very often.
I remember being thrilled with the beauty of the Provo Tabernacle when we went as a family to a Christmas concert there several years ago. Here is a picture montage of the Tabernacle then, and now.
This is a photo of the Tabernacle as it looked before the center bell tower was removed in 1950. The bell tower proved to be too much burden for the engineering of the roof, which sagged under its weight. The building was condemned twice before an architect came up with a solution to safely remove the central tower.
The Tabernacle as it looked before the fire. This building was one of the oldest in the state, dating back to the late 1870's and was on the national historic registry.
The Tabernacle this morning. This photo was taken not long after the roof caved in. Apparently, fire fighters felt they finally had the blaze under control enough to go in and finish extinguishing it, when the fire chief decided it was just too risky and kept them out. Just minutes later, the roof came down!
A BYU movie crew was filming a concert in the Tabernacle last night. According to the news media, a million dollars worth of electrical movie equipment was still in the building and was destroyed in the fire!
The Smells of My Commute
Yes. Weird, isn't it? To be talking about smells? Yet, every day we are assaulted by a myriad of scents, some pleasant, others... not so much.
As I set out for work this morning, I caught a whiff of a quintessential winter aroma in the Mountain West. It is the smell of coal stoves burning. You might think that one is a stink, but it is not! Oh! The memories this scent evokes!
When I was a child living in the Pacific Northwest, coal stoves were rare. Or, if someone burned one, the moisture in the air dampened down the scent. But, I have a childhood memory of Christmas in the Rockies, at Grandma and Grandpa's cabin. There, in the mountains above Black Hawk, Colorado, the snow was DEEP, the air was bone dry, and the coal stove was a welcome gathering place to warm your hands and dry your socks after a long day of snowmobiling, sledding, and playing. I remember the icicles were as thick as my leg and connected the roof to the ground in a glittering sheet of lacy ice. I remember Dad and Uncle John working for hours to turn a regular old snow ramp on the sledding hill into a solid block of icy adrenaline pumping, death defying adventure! Uncle John pulled out the blow torch to shape it just right, while Dad alternated layers of snow and water. I remember Mom insisting the boys wear a helmet when attempting to go off it.
On another year, and at a different cabin in the Colorado Rockies, I have memories of Uncle John (and Uncle Les, I think) building snow maidens who were... ahem!... rather well endowed. Sleeping in the attic all together with my siblings and cousins in a pile of cots and sleeping bags. Trina getting her finger smashed when the trap door to the attic fell on it. She had a brace on her finger Christmas morning that she used to rip her presents open faster! On that same vacation, my little brother, Peder, crashed on a toboggan, causing a panicked trip to the emergency room, a bit of reconstructive surgery, and lots of stitches to his tongue! Oh, and years of orthodontic work in the years to come. Yeah, fun times.
And the smell I associate all of those memories with is that of a coal burning stove. Just one whiff and all those memories and many more rush to the surface. That is the power of smell.
Of course, along my normal route to school I have to pass right by a mink farm. That one is definitely a stink and there are no pleasant memories to associate with it. I am glad that the speed limit on that road is fast, so I can pass it by quickly!
Then, when I walk into the school, there is the ubiquitous smell of... I can't really describe it! A combo of school lunch, paper, copiers, and ... and ... just SCHOOL! Finally, my classroom. It smells like art! Crayons, oil pastels, paint and erasers! That is a great smell!
As I set out for work this morning, I caught a whiff of a quintessential winter aroma in the Mountain West. It is the smell of coal stoves burning. You might think that one is a stink, but it is not! Oh! The memories this scent evokes!
When I was a child living in the Pacific Northwest, coal stoves were rare. Or, if someone burned one, the moisture in the air dampened down the scent. But, I have a childhood memory of Christmas in the Rockies, at Grandma and Grandpa's cabin. There, in the mountains above Black Hawk, Colorado, the snow was DEEP, the air was bone dry, and the coal stove was a welcome gathering place to warm your hands and dry your socks after a long day of snowmobiling, sledding, and playing. I remember the icicles were as thick as my leg and connected the roof to the ground in a glittering sheet of lacy ice. I remember Dad and Uncle John working for hours to turn a regular old snow ramp on the sledding hill into a solid block of icy adrenaline pumping, death defying adventure! Uncle John pulled out the blow torch to shape it just right, while Dad alternated layers of snow and water. I remember Mom insisting the boys wear a helmet when attempting to go off it.
On another year, and at a different cabin in the Colorado Rockies, I have memories of Uncle John (and Uncle Les, I think) building snow maidens who were... ahem!... rather well endowed. Sleeping in the attic all together with my siblings and cousins in a pile of cots and sleeping bags. Trina getting her finger smashed when the trap door to the attic fell on it. She had a brace on her finger Christmas morning that she used to rip her presents open faster! On that same vacation, my little brother, Peder, crashed on a toboggan, causing a panicked trip to the emergency room, a bit of reconstructive surgery, and lots of stitches to his tongue! Oh, and years of orthodontic work in the years to come. Yeah, fun times.
And the smell I associate all of those memories with is that of a coal burning stove. Just one whiff and all those memories and many more rush to the surface. That is the power of smell.
Of course, along my normal route to school I have to pass right by a mink farm. That one is definitely a stink and there are no pleasant memories to associate with it. I am glad that the speed limit on that road is fast, so I can pass it by quickly!
Then, when I walk into the school, there is the ubiquitous smell of... I can't really describe it! A combo of school lunch, paper, copiers, and ... and ... just SCHOOL! Finally, my classroom. It smells like art! Crayons, oil pastels, paint and erasers! That is a great smell!
First Day Back at the Gym
I am still coughing. A lot.
I am getting depressed and frustrated all at the same time. I decided that I just can't wait any longer for this cough to go away. I just HAD to work up a sweat! Oh, how I had missed it! Isn't that funny? Missing jogging on the treadmill and sweating like a pig? There is something about keeping my heart at an elevated rate that just makes me insanely happy at about the 30 minute mark. It is indescribable.
I wasn't sure if I would be able to sustain my heart rate for very long before my lungs closed down, so I took it easy. After all, this was my first time back in almost a month!
Happily, I was able to keep it up for 45 minutes, and even was able to increase my speed towards the end. I was a bit disgusted that I only managed a 5K in that time, but I plan to go again tomorrow and do better.
I am coughing a bunch again tonight, but I am not going to let that stop me from going to the gym anymore, since exercising doesn't seem to make the coughing worse.
Hurray!
I am getting depressed and frustrated all at the same time. I decided that I just can't wait any longer for this cough to go away. I just HAD to work up a sweat! Oh, how I had missed it! Isn't that funny? Missing jogging on the treadmill and sweating like a pig? There is something about keeping my heart at an elevated rate that just makes me insanely happy at about the 30 minute mark. It is indescribable.
I wasn't sure if I would be able to sustain my heart rate for very long before my lungs closed down, so I took it easy. After all, this was my first time back in almost a month!
Happily, I was able to keep it up for 45 minutes, and even was able to increase my speed towards the end. I was a bit disgusted that I only managed a 5K in that time, but I plan to go again tomorrow and do better.
I am coughing a bunch again tonight, but I am not going to let that stop me from going to the gym anymore, since exercising doesn't seem to make the coughing worse.
Hurray!
The Longest Week of the School Year
Yes. That is right. Every moment of this week just seems to drag on and on!
You might think that the last week of the school year would feel the longest.
Nope. It is the week before Christmas Break that claims that dubious distinction.
Ah! The kids are so hyper! Not only are they excited about the break from school, but they are doubly excited about the prospect of Christmas! It makes them so distracted that, academically speaking, the entire week is a complete waste. In terms of discipline, it is a disaster.
So, each class period feels like it lasts twice as long, yet the kids won't settle down to learn anything of real value.
Two days down. Three to go.
You might think that the last week of the school year would feel the longest.
Nope. It is the week before Christmas Break that claims that dubious distinction.
Ah! The kids are so hyper! Not only are they excited about the break from school, but they are doubly excited about the prospect of Christmas! It makes them so distracted that, academically speaking, the entire week is a complete waste. In terms of discipline, it is a disaster.
So, each class period feels like it lasts twice as long, yet the kids won't settle down to learn anything of real value.
Two days down. Three to go.
Is it Ever Too Early to Live With Regret?
Last night, Will had a holiday band concert. Helena couldn't make it because she had a Latin club activity, and Bill couldn't get off work in time to make it, either. So I went by myself. His band played very well, then he and I ducked out early so he could go home and catch up on homework.
While at the concert, I sat next to another former 'ballet mom'. Her daughter was in Helena's ballet class years and years ago, but quit before the training got very intense. I don't think her daughter ever managed to earn her pointe shoes. The other mom had a son the same age as mine who was also in the band program. Of course, everyone around here has someone in the band program!
We got to talking and she asked me if Helena was still dancing. After telling her about Helena's decision to quit when the pressure got to be too much, she reminisced about an older dancer she remembered who had a private tutor to get her through her high school classes in order to free up more time for ballet.
That dancer is actually currently the principal dancer for Utah Regional Ballet, Rachelle Jardine. One of the sweetest girls I have ever met.
Well, anyways, although Will didn't mind the others missing his concert (since he is only playing an instrument under duress and his heart is not in it), they both felt bad for missing it. So, once everyone was back home, we went out to eat to 'celebrate' Will's concert.
While eating dinner, I mentioned what this other 'ballet mom' had said. It is no secret that the most serious dancers push all else aside in order to focus fully on dance. Helena commented that she wished she could have done that, too, but knew we would never have allowed her to.
And here is where we play "what if?" Would I have bent over backward to rearrange her life, lighten her school load, so she could have stayed in dance? The truth is, it would have been nearly impossible when she was 15 (the age she was when she quit), because I couldn't drive her around during the day.
However, if she had stuck it out for one more agonizing year, I probably would have helped her lighten her load somehow once she was 16 and driving herself.
And here is where regret comes in.
Do I regret letting her quit?
Absolutely not! Our relationship has improved drastically since she quit ballet. I have gotten to spend lots more time with her over the past two years that has been very precious to me. I am less stressed about the constant strain on our family finances. And, truthfully, with the politics and money involved, the studio and company had already chosen their 'darlings', and Helena wasn't one of them. Bottom line, I got my daughter back.
Does she regret quitting?
I think so.
I am sorry for that. I don't want her to live with regrets so soon in life. I hope she realizes that URB is not the only dance company or opportunity on the planet, and that she doesn't have to go crazy all out in dance in order to enjoy it. I am hoping that when she registers for college, she can sign up for some dance classes there, and maybe get a minor in dance, just for the fun of it!
In the meantime, stay tuned for a post with the video of Will's band playing "The Polar Express"!
While at the concert, I sat next to another former 'ballet mom'. Her daughter was in Helena's ballet class years and years ago, but quit before the training got very intense. I don't think her daughter ever managed to earn her pointe shoes. The other mom had a son the same age as mine who was also in the band program. Of course, everyone around here has someone in the band program!
We got to talking and she asked me if Helena was still dancing. After telling her about Helena's decision to quit when the pressure got to be too much, she reminisced about an older dancer she remembered who had a private tutor to get her through her high school classes in order to free up more time for ballet.
That dancer is actually currently the principal dancer for Utah Regional Ballet, Rachelle Jardine. One of the sweetest girls I have ever met.
Well, anyways, although Will didn't mind the others missing his concert (since he is only playing an instrument under duress and his heart is not in it), they both felt bad for missing it. So, once everyone was back home, we went out to eat to 'celebrate' Will's concert.
While eating dinner, I mentioned what this other 'ballet mom' had said. It is no secret that the most serious dancers push all else aside in order to focus fully on dance. Helena commented that she wished she could have done that, too, but knew we would never have allowed her to.
And here is where we play "what if?" Would I have bent over backward to rearrange her life, lighten her school load, so she could have stayed in dance? The truth is, it would have been nearly impossible when she was 15 (the age she was when she quit), because I couldn't drive her around during the day.
However, if she had stuck it out for one more agonizing year, I probably would have helped her lighten her load somehow once she was 16 and driving herself.
And here is where regret comes in.
Do I regret letting her quit?
Absolutely not! Our relationship has improved drastically since she quit ballet. I have gotten to spend lots more time with her over the past two years that has been very precious to me. I am less stressed about the constant strain on our family finances. And, truthfully, with the politics and money involved, the studio and company had already chosen their 'darlings', and Helena wasn't one of them. Bottom line, I got my daughter back.
Does she regret quitting?
I think so.
I am sorry for that. I don't want her to live with regrets so soon in life. I hope she realizes that URB is not the only dance company or opportunity on the planet, and that she doesn't have to go crazy all out in dance in order to enjoy it. I am hoping that when she registers for college, she can sign up for some dance classes there, and maybe get a minor in dance, just for the fun of it!
In the meantime, stay tuned for a post with the video of Will's band playing "The Polar Express"!
6 more days!
YES! Six more school days until Christmas Break! And only 4 of those are actually worthwhile. The last two days are consumed with assemblies and parties.
I am glad, because I very much need a break! I know we just had Thanksgiving Break, but since I was sick for that entire break, I went back to work more worn out after the holiday than I was before it. This time I will have two whole weeks to build myself back up again.
And as an added perk, after the Christmas holiday, I will only have two weeks left with this group of classes! Then I will be DONE with teaching the youngest students for the rest of the year! I am really looking forward to having the older kids!
Oh yeah, as a side note, BYU and the district student teacher placement liaison contacted my principal (and me) with the name of my prospective student teacher. Of course, I wrote it down at work and can't remember it off the top of my head. Drat! It was Kellie ... something. Hmmm.
I used to mentor Art Education student teachers from BYU every year... when I taught in Orem. This is the first time BYU has requested a placement now that I am out in the boonies. I sure hope my student teacher is a local girl that lives near the school, so she doesn't have to deal with a beast of a commute! What are the chances of that, though?
6 more days
6 More Days!
6 MORE DAYS!!!!!!!
I am glad, because I very much need a break! I know we just had Thanksgiving Break, but since I was sick for that entire break, I went back to work more worn out after the holiday than I was before it. This time I will have two whole weeks to build myself back up again.
And as an added perk, after the Christmas holiday, I will only have two weeks left with this group of classes! Then I will be DONE with teaching the youngest students for the rest of the year! I am really looking forward to having the older kids!
Oh yeah, as a side note, BYU and the district student teacher placement liaison contacted my principal (and me) with the name of my prospective student teacher. Of course, I wrote it down at work and can't remember it off the top of my head. Drat! It was Kellie ... something. Hmmm.
I used to mentor Art Education student teachers from BYU every year... when I taught in Orem. This is the first time BYU has requested a placement now that I am out in the boonies. I sure hope my student teacher is a local girl that lives near the school, so she doesn't have to deal with a beast of a commute! What are the chances of that, though?
6 more days
6 More Days!
6 MORE DAYS!!!!!!!
Stress
So. The doc says 'reduce stress'.
That's not going to happen.
Being the mother of teenagers makes that little statement impossible.
Most of the time I have a wonderful time with my kids and we have built a lifetime of fantastic memories to fall back on when times are tough.
That's a good thing, because sometimes living with teenagers is the pits.
When things don't go well and tempers flare, my stress level skyrockets. When their grades slip, my stress level goes up. When they are out on the town with friends and my imagination gets the better of me (drat that imagination, anyways!), worrying about their safety, my stress level goes up.
I get so frustrated when one or both of the kids let their grades tank. Then it becomes crisis city around here until they manage to somehow scrape by with a passing grade. I remind. I harass. I yell. I ground. I confiscate. I send them to school early. I insist they stay after. I STRESS.
I have tried all sorts of reward systems for good grades, including paying them weekly for good marks. No matter what I try, we are still riding this roller coaster. I want off.
The kids think I don't understand how difficult school is.
They are wrong. I understand very well. If I went to high school now, it would be very easy for me because I have a well organized brain that has been trained in study habits and organizational skill through SEVEN years of college work, over FIFTEEN years of work experience, and SEVENTEEN years of parenting. If I went back to high school with my 15-17 year old brain, however, I would struggle just the same as my kids are doing now.
A teenage brain is foggy. It is still forming connections. However, the connections made at this age are not as strong as those made when you are little. That makes learning harder. The material being presented is new. So new that it doesn't stick in the brain easily. Therefore, it takes MORE WORK to learn when you are a teen than at any other time! To make strong connections, you have to learn, practice, learn it again, practice it again, and again, and again, ... and again! That is why repetitive homework is actually so beneficial in high school.
And then, at this time when learning is harder and takes longer, teenage years are full of distractions! Friends take on a much more important role. There are places to go and things to do with those friends. Who wants to stay home and puzzle over math or science? Or, if your friends are unavailable, there is always youtube, facebook, and video games to play with.
You can see the temptation. After a long day of schoolwork, a little no-brainer play looks much more appealing than tackling homework.
Here's where I have to step in and be the bad guy. I have to be the enforcer. I have to limit time with friends. I have to take away toys. I really hate that. You really think I like it when my kids hate me for being so mean? It is stressful. I cried myself to sleep last night. I have to wonder if my mom ever did?
So, no. The stress level is pretty much going to stay where it is until the kids move out. At that point, it will either go down, or up. I really don't know which. I guess that depends on the kids.
Hmm.
That's not going to happen.
Being the mother of teenagers makes that little statement impossible.
Most of the time I have a wonderful time with my kids and we have built a lifetime of fantastic memories to fall back on when times are tough.
That's a good thing, because sometimes living with teenagers is the pits.
When things don't go well and tempers flare, my stress level skyrockets. When their grades slip, my stress level goes up. When they are out on the town with friends and my imagination gets the better of me (drat that imagination, anyways!), worrying about their safety, my stress level goes up.
I get so frustrated when one or both of the kids let their grades tank. Then it becomes crisis city around here until they manage to somehow scrape by with a passing grade. I remind. I harass. I yell. I ground. I confiscate. I send them to school early. I insist they stay after. I STRESS.
I have tried all sorts of reward systems for good grades, including paying them weekly for good marks. No matter what I try, we are still riding this roller coaster. I want off.
The kids think I don't understand how difficult school is.
They are wrong. I understand very well. If I went to high school now, it would be very easy for me because I have a well organized brain that has been trained in study habits and organizational skill through SEVEN years of college work, over FIFTEEN years of work experience, and SEVENTEEN years of parenting. If I went back to high school with my 15-17 year old brain, however, I would struggle just the same as my kids are doing now.
A teenage brain is foggy. It is still forming connections. However, the connections made at this age are not as strong as those made when you are little. That makes learning harder. The material being presented is new. So new that it doesn't stick in the brain easily. Therefore, it takes MORE WORK to learn when you are a teen than at any other time! To make strong connections, you have to learn, practice, learn it again, practice it again, and again, and again, ... and again! That is why repetitive homework is actually so beneficial in high school.
And then, at this time when learning is harder and takes longer, teenage years are full of distractions! Friends take on a much more important role. There are places to go and things to do with those friends. Who wants to stay home and puzzle over math or science? Or, if your friends are unavailable, there is always youtube, facebook, and video games to play with.
You can see the temptation. After a long day of schoolwork, a little no-brainer play looks much more appealing than tackling homework.
Here's where I have to step in and be the bad guy. I have to be the enforcer. I have to limit time with friends. I have to take away toys. I really hate that. You really think I like it when my kids hate me for being so mean? It is stressful. I cried myself to sleep last night. I have to wonder if my mom ever did?
So, no. The stress level is pretty much going to stay where it is until the kids move out. At that point, it will either go down, or up. I really don't know which. I guess that depends on the kids.
Hmm.
Envy
Four years ago, when we were still in the thick of ballet and I was just another 'ballet mom', I was sitting together with two other 'ballet moms' at a cafe table in the foyer of the Rose Wagner Theater in Salt Lake City, chatting while we waited for our dancers to finish up a dress rehearsal. One of the other moms was enumerating the many hassles of moving from a larger house to a smaller one now that they no longer needed 10,000 sq. ft. and she was finding it hard to decide which furniture to keep and which furniture would look best in the new 5,000 sq. ft. house she was moving to.
Of course, I just sat there and smiled and nodded my head. I wasn't about to point out that at the time of the conversation, I was living in a 1,000 sq. ft. house, that my furniture was ratty and old, or that I had to trek through unfinished basement areas to get to my bedroom. I was definitely NOT a typical 'ballet mom'. Just so you know, 9 times out of 10, a ballerina comes from an affluent family. My daughter was the 10th ballerina.
I will admit now that I envied that woman. She was nice. She was pretty. She was a VERY well dressed stay-at-home mom who seemed to have it all.
A year later she was dead.
We were all very shocked. It was so sudden and unexpected. The funeral was beautiful and we were very sad for her younger girls, who now had to grow up without a mother.
Her name was Michele MacNeill. We were told at the time that she was recovering from knee surgery when a blood clot traveled to her brain and instantly killed her. That turned out to be a lie.
Over the course of the years following her death, all sorts of disturbing information came to light about her husband. I won't bother writing about all of it here, but if you are curious, here is a link to the KSL reporter's investigations into Martin MacNeill. The Utah County Attorney's office is now considering charging Martin MacNeill with his wife's death! The woman I knew!
As I read all the past history of their marriage that is now coming to light, I realized (yet again) that looks can be deceiving. Would I want to live in a huge house, have lots of money while married to a monster? OF COURSE NOT!
I don't get bitten by the green bug of envy very often, but when I do, I am going to think of Michele.
I am so grateful for my little home and especially for my husband, who may be quite rough around the edges, but is still a great guy!
Of course, I just sat there and smiled and nodded my head. I wasn't about to point out that at the time of the conversation, I was living in a 1,000 sq. ft. house, that my furniture was ratty and old, or that I had to trek through unfinished basement areas to get to my bedroom. I was definitely NOT a typical 'ballet mom'. Just so you know, 9 times out of 10, a ballerina comes from an affluent family. My daughter was the 10th ballerina.
I will admit now that I envied that woman. She was nice. She was pretty. She was a VERY well dressed stay-at-home mom who seemed to have it all.
A year later she was dead.
We were all very shocked. It was so sudden and unexpected. The funeral was beautiful and we were very sad for her younger girls, who now had to grow up without a mother.
Her name was Michele MacNeill. We were told at the time that she was recovering from knee surgery when a blood clot traveled to her brain and instantly killed her. That turned out to be a lie.
Over the course of the years following her death, all sorts of disturbing information came to light about her husband. I won't bother writing about all of it here, but if you are curious, here is a link to the KSL reporter's investigations into Martin MacNeill. The Utah County Attorney's office is now considering charging Martin MacNeill with his wife's death! The woman I knew!
As I read all the past history of their marriage that is now coming to light, I realized (yet again) that looks can be deceiving. Would I want to live in a huge house, have lots of money while married to a monster? OF COURSE NOT!
I don't get bitten by the green bug of envy very often, but when I do, I am going to think of Michele.
I am so grateful for my little home and especially for my husband, who may be quite rough around the edges, but is still a great guy!
Yup, I'm still sick.
I went to the doctor on Saturday morning. Yes, he was actually in on a Saturday!
I am still coughing, though I am slowing getting better. Too slowly. I am antsy to go running and I can't until my lungs are back up to it. This weekend I bought some winter running clothes so I can go trail running, which is much more fun than running on a treadmill at the gym. I got two sets of long sleeve base layers, some long, warm runner's socks, and ear warmers. I want to try them out! Go away, cough!
Anyways, I also went to the doctor because the staph infection is back. Aurgh!!!
I asked the doc if the bronchial infections and the recurring staph might both have a root cause of a suppressed immune system. He agreed.
Ha! I could be a doctor!
Okay, maybe not. He recommended echinacea, added rest, and reduced stress factors to boost my immune system. I hope that two out of three will do the trick, because I am not very good at reducing stress.
Meanwhile, I am on two new antibiotics + a renewal of the same topical antibiotic as before.
One of the antibiotics he gave me was in liquid form. That was a first for me. I drank it all in one dose. The doc said that most courses of antibiotics are taken over 7-10 days and add up to around 1.5 grams of total drug. The liquid suspension he gave me contained 2 grams in one shot! I have high hopes for that one.
Of course, he failed to mention that such a strong dose would have side effects. Namely, diarrhea. Ugh.
And, of course, right about now you are wondering why in the world you are still reading this. Sorry.
Anyways, the other antibiotic is the normal 10 day course of an amoxicillin.
Someone else told me I should be eating lots of yogurt and other pro-biotics to offset all these antibiotics; you know, to replace the good bacteria being killed off along with the bad.
And to top it all off, the doc said that if I come down with one more infection this season, he's going to order a gamma globulin shot. Ooh, doesn't that sound fun?
I am still coughing, though I am slowing getting better. Too slowly. I am antsy to go running and I can't until my lungs are back up to it. This weekend I bought some winter running clothes so I can go trail running, which is much more fun than running on a treadmill at the gym. I got two sets of long sleeve base layers, some long, warm runner's socks, and ear warmers. I want to try them out! Go away, cough!
Anyways, I also went to the doctor because the staph infection is back. Aurgh!!!
I asked the doc if the bronchial infections and the recurring staph might both have a root cause of a suppressed immune system. He agreed.
Ha! I could be a doctor!
Okay, maybe not. He recommended echinacea, added rest, and reduced stress factors to boost my immune system. I hope that two out of three will do the trick, because I am not very good at reducing stress.
Meanwhile, I am on two new antibiotics + a renewal of the same topical antibiotic as before.
One of the antibiotics he gave me was in liquid form. That was a first for me. I drank it all in one dose. The doc said that most courses of antibiotics are taken over 7-10 days and add up to around 1.5 grams of total drug. The liquid suspension he gave me contained 2 grams in one shot! I have high hopes for that one.
Of course, he failed to mention that such a strong dose would have side effects. Namely, diarrhea. Ugh.
And, of course, right about now you are wondering why in the world you are still reading this. Sorry.
Anyways, the other antibiotic is the normal 10 day course of an amoxicillin.
Someone else told me I should be eating lots of yogurt and other pro-biotics to offset all these antibiotics; you know, to replace the good bacteria being killed off along with the bad.
And to top it all off, the doc said that if I come down with one more infection this season, he's going to order a gamma globulin shot. Ooh, doesn't that sound fun?
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