MORNING COMMUTE:
The train this morning is short. It has been short all this week. The train also broke down and we had to wait for another train at the Timonium station. This made me late.

This evening I have to go over my sister’s house to pay the mortgage. I could not pay it online yesterday because the money had not processed into my fathers account until this morning. Now I have to find out if I have to pay the property taxes or if they have been paid already through the mortgage company. My goodness Ive made myself responsible for a house I do not live in! Have become Aunt Julia! Aunt Julia is a Great Aunt I never personally knew but knew she paid property taxes for property our family owned in Virginia. Property, I might add, that she did not live in.

MORNING COMMUTE:
Today, I have on blue jeans, a dark blue hoodie with a heather grey sweat shirt peaking out, and Doctor Scholls Attribute shoes

WALKING LOG
STEPS....15650
MILES....4.94
CALORIES BURNED....619

MORNING COMMUTE:
Late again for work. What is going wrong? I saw the bus drive off. I think just to be safe I should go back to walking down the street. I have more of Dad’s bills to pay. The big one being the mortgage and gas and electric which is over a thousand dollars. This is a big day for me. The lions share of scary bills are scheduled to be paid today.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on blue jeans, a turqouise v-neck sweater, and Reebok Walk Steady shoes.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....11380
MILES....3.59
CALORIES BURNED....460

MORNING COMMUTE:
This morning I am late for work. The train that arrived was short a car. Later in the day I visited Dad. I finally fed him. He ate all his fish. It was real fish not any of that fake square fish fillet stuff. Got home and had anxiety attacks over the bills that have to be paid for dad.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on blue jeans, a blue funnel sweater, and Doctor Scholls Attribute shoes.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....12416
MILES....3.91
CALORIES BURNED....492

SUNDAY
Today, I missed Church. I feel sad because I missed one of my favourite services, Springfest. By the time I was in the vicinty of Church if I had gone in I would have been 40 minutes late. The latest I am willing to show up is 35minutes. So to make up time before visiting hours started for Dad I went to Druid Hill Park and walked around the Reservoir twice in my shiny black leather lace up shoes. The majoriy of people there were dressed in tennis shoes and sweats. I did it twice because I saw many postings around the path that seemed to indicate that the circumferance was 4miles around. According to my pedometer after my first walk around I was just at 2miles. In order to get it close to 4 miles I walked around a second time. Then next I went to the library to return library books. I did not bother to finish Mr Darcy Takes a Bride. I hated it. It had no relationship to the Jane Austen novel and it was too sexually graphic. Jane Austen would never approve. Next I went to visit my father. I was there a couple of minutes before Darlene and her sisters showed up. They told me of the plans for the family reunion that they worked on in the meeting I missed. Then I got home and watched the latest episode of Doctor Who. The Sonatorium Solution? Also today Carlos finally came over to visit Dad. Im glad that he finally made it over. I was beginning to feel that maybe he did not care about Dad.

SATURDAY
Today, went to the MVA to get a new state ID card. I need to get one before I go to Social Security to tell them about my father’s situation and his need for a representative payee. Hopefully, the person they will designate as his representative payee will be me. Also today is the first meeting for our family reunion committe. Darlene told me that she would drive me over there. I told her where I would be at today. I had intended to stay in the area until Darlene showed up to take me over Karen’s house for the family reunion meeting. Unfortunately, I started to feel sleepy and felt it best to go home instead of wait for Darlene. On the way home I saw Kip on the bus. It seemed as though nearly everyone on the bus knew him.

Also later in the day I used baking soda and vinegar to clean the kitchen sink pipes. I think I have a grease build up. Also continued working on the census for 1930 Maryland for Ward 15 for the Genforums free geneology website.

GAIL’s FRIDAY VIDEO

*** GLAMOROUS by FERGIE***

Today’s song straight off of my iPod/iTunes list is Fergie’s Glamorous. I really like this song a lot. It sounds so, Glamorous. It makes me want to go off and charter a private jet and ride a limo somewhere. Then I remember that Im just a regular working stiff and can barely afford a car....

MORNING COMMUTE:
The train arrived at 6:10 pulled off at 6:13 It looks like Im going to be on time for work this morning.

Today I plan on watching Moonlight. Finally! A new episode will air. I hope they do not cancel the show like my other favourite new show the deceased, Journeyman.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today its a turqouise day. I have on a turqouise hoodie, and a turqouise and ecru tie dyed looking short sleeve top along with black slacks. On my feet are Reebok Walk Steady shoes.

MORNING COMMUTE:
When I got to the light rail station my heart began to fill with anxiety as I immediately noticed that there was an usually large amount of people at the station. I counted 21 people waiting for the Northbound train. All of these people could only mean one thing, the previous train was late. When my train finally showed up I was horrified to find that it was one car short. Then the train stayed at the North Avenue stop for an unually long time. I thought that maybe the train had broken down. Then just as we were about to head to the Warren Road station the train stalled again. After a while the driver came to the other end of the train and drove us back to the Timonium Station. I was horrified. I was going to be late. The station was overflowing with people. I was not sure if the new train that came down the tracks could hold all of us. It did and I was late today and it was not my fault!

After work I visited my father at Future Care Nursing Home. He did not open his eyes. I wonder if he is doing that because he is mad at me. When doctors and nursing staff would come in he would open them and respond to there questions.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on Doctor Scholls Attribute shoes, blue jeans, a pink blouse, and a black button up cardigan sweater.

MORNING COMMUTE
This morning I am on time for work. I thought I would be late. I could not find my badge. So I had to hunt around my apartment to find it.

I like this new light rail driver the one from last fall would either arrive extremely early or on time. Nine out of ten times they would arrive earlier than the posted MTA schedule which caused me nothing but constant vexation. This new driver arrives on a schedule that meshes nicely with my morning bus.

ANXIETY
Im starting to feel a lot of anxiety. It started yesterday when my sister called my cell phone to tell me what the lawn man would charge to mow the lawn. It was in the middle of work. This was not a serious emergency worthy of interupting my work flow. I was frightened that something serious might have happended to my father.

Im also feeling anxious about finances since paying last months mortgage on my fathers house I have no extra money. My sister wants me to pay half for the lawn about 42.50 each. I have to get a new Maryland State ID card about $20. I told my cousin I would be going to the Golden Corral with them for family reunion planning about $10, dentist appointment about $30. I will probably have to cancel the dentist appointment. I want to schedule it on one day where I can do a two-fer, dentist and doctors appointment because I need a refill on my Metformin.

My tooth started aching this morning I think the pain is stress related. Could not fall asleep last night was having panic attacks afraid the refrigerature would break down or that I would have to call a plumber for the sink. Im sure in the end everything will work out. I have to start exercing again I miss it.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on a red cardigan sweater, red and white pin striped blouse, blue jeans, and Athletic Works Joanie running shoes.

MORNING COMMUTE:
This morning I am on time for work. It is cloudy outside. I pray that everything works out for my father.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on blue jeans, and a pink and white hoodie.

Today I used an FMLA day to take care of more of my fathers business. Since I had the Power of Attorney signed I had a lot more things to do.

HAPPY 4-20!
Today I went to Church where today they are continuing on with there best of series. The reason being is that our co minister husband and wife team will be retiring in June and they thought it would be nice to revisit some of there favourite sermons.

Todays revisted sermon was Ode to Joy, based on a story by Unitarian minister Robert Fulgham’s escapade as a celebrity guest conducter in a symphony that was in the middle of turmoil. It was very good. The only downer for me was when the congregation was encouraged to sing the words to Ode to Joy at the end and I heard that damned pipe organ! I swear the guy who plays it likes to put extra flourishes on notes. His playing is just too over the top. It just did not sound good. It completely ruined it for me. It turned a nice light hearted sermon that featured snippets of Beethoven into a rapidly downward spiraling descent into hell.

Top rectify the pipe organ laden nightmare that occured during this morning I have posted below the late great Leonard Bernstein conducting Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony also known as Ode to Joy. The video starts off with Bernstein talking about the symphony for about three minutes then after that its pure musical ecstacy.

Leonard Bernstein Conducts Ode to Joy

SATURDAY
This morning I woke up around 8am. Just as I predicted I would go to sleep in daylight and wake up in daylight. I did not feel disoriented when I awoke. The only time I felt disoriented was when my sister called me at 11pm last night.

Later in the day I got dad to sign the power of attorney document. He was in dialysis, the notary was also a social worker from the hospital.

Afterwards I went to my sisters house to pick up the remaining checks. She coerced me into staying. While there I heard a very animated conversation between her and her son. I had no idea that Little David was so aware of all that was going on around him when he was young. He turns 18 next month.

GAIL's FRIDAY MUSIC VIDEO

Adagio for Strings, Opus 11 by Samuel Barber


Today's video is Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. It fits the mood I am in today. I am feeling very sad today because my father is back in the hospital. Adagio for String is a part of my vast cd collection. My cd collection spans various genres of music from classical to punk rock.

DAD IS IN THE HOSPITAL AGAIN
I was up all night in the hospital with dad in the emergency room. He was sent there because he was having difficulty breathing and became non responsive after I had helped him to sit up. I suppose the blood must have rushed to his head too fast after spending so many weeks lying down in a bed.

I did not leave the hospital until 3:35 in the morning. I walked home. I was afraid for my life. I usually wake up around 4:30. I was late for work. I used hippie deodorant that had no anti-persperant elements. I did not like feeling wet under my arms. I also don’t think the deodorant was very effective. I felt like I smelled horrible all day despite using deodorant. I hate to throw away products after I spent money on them. I suppose I will use the hippie deodorant on the weekends.

The lawyer came by the hospital after 4pm. He dropped off the power of attorney papers. He said that it was likely that there was a notary in the hospital who would notarize everything for us. I left out around 5pm and promptly went to bed I felt hungry so I ate a sandwich. I also ate a sandwich which was my lunch when I was visiting my father. My stomach was actually growling hungry before I went tot bed. My sister woke me up with a phone call around 11pm. She told me that Lisa had dropped off the remaining checks. Oh before I left the hospital I tracked down a notary. She said she would be working tommorow and that she would bring her notarizing equipment with her.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on blue jeans, a beige and white floral shirt, and Nike Walk Steady shoes

MORNING COMMUTE:
Looks like Im on time for work this morning.

HEALTH
My teeth are starting to ache again. Also this morning my right hand started tingling. I hope it is nothing serious.

MY FATHER
Last night my father was moved to his new nursing home. It is a million miles better than the place he was at before. The place looks very modern and state of the art. He has a flat screen high def TV in his room. His room mate is a double amputee.

I like this place a lot. I hope we can afford it. Happy to hear that he will be getting physical therapy again. He has gotten very stiff since his stay at Maryland General. Hopefully his condition is stabilizing and I will not have to use up any of my FMLA time.

Today I meet with the lawyer I have hired to help get his paperwork in order; Power of Attorney, possibly his will, and Healthcare Power of Attorney. I have been talking with him over the phone for the past two weeks. Today is the first time I see him face to face. He told me that he has to leave from the office early today because he has to meet his parents at the airport. This is the day I pay him. Tomorrow my father meets him to set up the Power of Attorney. I have to ask the nursing home staff what time he will be done with dialysis and if they have a notary on staff.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on a black turtleneck, stone washed jeans, and Doctor Scholls Attribute tennis shoes.

MORNING COMMUTE:
I am on time for work. However, I have a major knot in my stomach because I will have to ask for a lot of days off this month, I have to meet with the lawyer about twice, I also have to go to the bank for my father, and I have a dentist appointment to make. That’s three days I have to leave out early and one day I have to take off. I feel uncomfortbale having to work on a reduced schedule because of my Dad’s illness. I have to do things like get his bills paid off before the due date.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on a tan coloured lycra top, blue jeans, and Reebok Walk Steady shoes.

MORNING COMMUTE:
Today, I am on time for work. I do not feel as scared as I did yesterday because I am on time. Also today we have overtime.

THEY ARE MOVING DAD AGAIN
Today while at work I got a text message from my niece. They want to move my father to Future Care Nursing Home. I have never been there before. I hope it is a better place than the place he was at before. All I can do is pray that everything will work out.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on black slacks, and a powder blue top zip up that has a white t-shirtt peaking out. One my feet are Athletic Works Joannie running shoes.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....10397
MILES....3.28
CALORIES BURNED....392

MORNING COMMUTE:
Late this morning. The train was short a car. I feel scared because Im late. Earlier this morning I could not find my walkman. It turns out I left it in front of the door so that I would easily find it.

VISITED DAD
While visiting Dad after work. I exercised his legs again. He is trying to get them agile enough to sit up in bed. I hope that he will be able to do it.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on Doctor Scholls Attribute shoes, blue jeans, a purple flannel shirt, and a black cardigan.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....11195
MILES....3.53
CALORIES BURNED....435

Today, I went to Church then visited Dad at the hospital. Afterwards I went home and watched the second episode of Doctor Who, The Fires of Pompei. The episode aired the previous evening on the BBC. It was an OK passable episode. It was highly watchable just not too thrilling.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....9338
MILES....2.94
CALORIES BURNED....325

SATURDAY VISITS
Today, I finally visited my sister to pick up my father’s mail. Afterwards I visited my father at Maryland General Hospital. They moved him to a new room that was very small and noisy. My cousins Darlene, Lawanna and Michelle were there. Learned that Lawanna has spinal problems. I found out when I noticed that she was walking with a cane. I had no idea so I gave her the one chair in my fathers hospital room. I wonder how long her spine has been troubling her?

Afterwards I went to the Super Walmart and bought grooceries. Total I had to pay out of pocket was 1.50 I used my 25 giftcard to pay for the rest.

TV on the INTERNET

Explanation of the Adipose Creatures on Dr. Who


Last night I watched the final episode of Torchwood and finally the first episode of Dr. Who with his new companion, Donna. The name of the first episode of the new season is Partners in Crime. It was nice to see him with a companion in her 40s. Catherine Tate, as Donna Noble did a splendid job.

And another thing, I absolutely loved the uber cute baby Adipose aliens. The Adipose are comprised of human fat. And damn are the cute. I want one! I can not wait until they become available as toys.

So now Dr.Who has Adipose creatures that are on par with the Tribbles in the 60’s classic Star Trek series. I hope that the Adipose do not grow up to become evil. They are perfect just the way they are. We need more cute harmless creatures in the universe.

I also loved the season ender to Torchwood. It was filled with action. I hated that they killed off Owen and Tosh. It was nice to see Captain John back. Felt it was stupid that Captain Jack had to put his brother Grey into a state of suspended animation. You know one day down the line Grey will break free and hatch more plans to destroy Jack.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....14367
MILES....4.53
CALORIES BURNED....557

GAIL’s FRIDAY MUSIC VIDEO
A-Punk by Vampire Weekend

Today’s video is another song pulled right off of my vast iPod/iTunes collection of songs. Heck, all the videos for Friday are culled from my collection. Today’s featured song is called A-Punk by Vampire Weekend. They are a New York based group formed when the members were students at Columbia. Overall, I love there Afro Pop sound. I also love there preppie polo shirt look. I do have to admit when I first ran across this group I was intrigued by there name. I was pleasantly surprised when I finally heard there music.

MORNING COMMUTE
It looks like Im on time yet again. I did something potentially risky. I caught the bus. After I got off the bus I ran down to the light rail station. Luckily, the train had not arrived yet.

DAD UPDATE
Spoke with a lawyer yesterday and he felt the best thing in my situation would be to get a Power of Attorney. I talked with my father and he is OK with me being responsible for his bills. The lawyer said the document itself should cost $35, lawyer fees should be less than a hundred dollars. He also said that after the document was signed it would go into immediate effect. Meaning that once all the i’s and t’s have been dotted and crossed I could go out and open a checking account for him and deposit his pension and social security checks into it. I would even have the authorization to sign his checks to pay his bills.

I am now worried about something Lisa mentioned called a spend down. Does this mean the government is going to seize his checks and the house that he owns that my sister lives in? I do not want my family to loose that house to the nursing home and have my sister, her daughter, and two adorable small grandchildren move out and become homeless.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today, I have on blue jeans, a beige and white short sleeve floral Hawaiian shirt, and Reebok Walk Steady shoes.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....11724
MILES....3.70
CALORIES BURNED....458

MORNING COMMUTE:
Looks like Im going to be on time this morning. I did something a little risky this morning. I took the bus. After I got off the bus I ran down the street and caught the train in the nick of time.

DENTIST APPOINTMENT & DAD
Yesterday I had a dentist appointment. My new dentist told me that my 16th tooth was rotted all the way through and could not be saved. I like her, she said a phrase in Latin, Tempest Fugit, which I immediately recognized as Time Flies. I wonder if she went to City like I did? At City you have to take Latin and learn the pledge of allegiance in Latin. I am not sure if the school is still Latin focused. Anyway, my first visit to her office was free. I have to pay for my next visit when she extracts the tooth. In the meantime she gave me antibiotics and a higher dosage of Motrin than Ive been taking.

On the way out of the dentist office I saw a Lawyers office and asked if they would handle walk ins they let me in. I told them about my father’s situation with us sitting on 8000 in checks that we cannot cash to pay his overdue bills. He told me he could handle it for 1000. I felt that was a bit steep. I thanked him and walked out. I need a solution to this before the bills become due on the 30th.

I then visited my father. He was much improved after his second treatment of dialysis. His voice did not sound as weak as it previously did. He actually spoke in complete sentences that you could understand. In other words he sounded like his old self again. He was also much stronger. He was reaching for things and holding things that were previously too heavy for him. The only thing was that after having dialysis he was very tired yet strong. It is my understanding he will be moved to a new nursing home that has a dialysis center in it. My niece recommends Future Care Nursing Home. I will have to speak to his hospital social worker see if she can offer any solutions as to what to do about the bill situation. I want this whole thing settled or close to a solution before the end of the week.

KML SHOWWho was the idiot radio suit who decided to have traffic and weather every 15 minutes on KML? This is tres stupid. It breaks up the spontaniety of the show. I wonder if this format change means that the suits are trying to drum KML off the station?

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on a blue and white striped blouse, blue jeans, and a black button up cardigan sweater. On my feet are Athletic Works Joanie running shoes.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....12343
MILES....3.89
CALORIES BURNED....471

MORNING COMMUTE:
This morning it looks like I am on time for work. I walked and ran down to the light rail station. I feel too nervous to wait for the bus. I do not want to get fired. If that happened I would not be able to help my family. Right now things are difficult for my family with all that is going on with my father and his illness.

MY FATHER
So far so good. I visited Dad after work. He does not remember having surgery but he does remember waiting to have surgery. According to his nurse he had dialysis yesterday. I asked him but he does not remember. One would assume that a person would remember having dialysis done. I asked my one of my two nieces who is a nurse and she said that most likely it was done after he had surgery and was still out of it. He is supposed to have another dialysis treatment tomorrow. I may or may not be able to visit him today after work. I have a dentist appointment. A couple of weeks ago I chipped a tooth and now that tooth is causing me trouble. I probably either knocked out a filling or a tooth needs to be taken out or I need a root canal. Im not sure if I should feel worried about the dentist because the receptionist on the phone was British. They are stereotyped as having bad teeth. Yeah, this coming from a woman who likes to watch British TV shows on the internet.

TV on the INTERNET
Only today with all that is going on have I realized that I missed watching the season opener of Doctor Who. This season his companion is going to be Donna from last years Christmas special. I also have to see the season ender of Torchwood. I have already seen the season ender of Ashes to Ashes.

WHAT IM WEARING:
Today I have on beige khaki pants, a red and white striped blouse, and a red button up cardigan sweater along with black leather lace up shoes.

WALKING LOG
STEPS....12773
MILES....4.03
CALORIES BURNED....500

WALKING LOG
STEPS....13358
MILES....4.21
CALORIES BURNED....525

WALKING LOG
STEPS....7107
MILES....2.24
CALORIES BURNED....291

WALKING LOG
STEPS....11191
MILES....3.53
CALORIES BURNED....394

WALKING LOG
STEPS....8003
MILES....2.52
CALORIES BURNED....296

WALKING LOG
STEPS....11656
MILES....3.67
CALORIES BURNED....449

WALKING LOG
STEPS....8460
MILES....2.67
CALORIES BURNED....304

WALKING LOG
STEPS....7116
MILES....2.24
CALORIES BURNED....286

WALKING LOG
STEPS....392
MILES....0.12
CALORIES BURNED....0