A great weekend and a bit of a reprieve coming up...

Just got back from a quick trip to Reno with my sister.  We went to the bingo tournament, didn't win the big bucks- in fact we didn't win at all...but we spent some nice time together and got to sleep in today and relax before coming home.  Had an impromptu dinner invitation to Diane & Mike's - Bill had spent the entire day up there watching football, playing with the kids, swimming and it was a beautiful day!! Could we finally be getting our Indian Summer in October??

Mom is hanging in there- she is done with the IV treatments until we see the Doctor on the 10th...however, she is not eating well, she has been experiencing a few other side effects and we are hoping that she does not have c-diff again.  If she does it's no where near the caliber that she has had in the past, so I am fairly sure that it's just a non-related reaction to medication and/or to her eating habits.   Right now Imodium seems to be helping.  I think if it was C-diff, that would not help the situation that quickly.  Hoping that the wounds continue to heal and need to keep a close eye on them this week, while changing the bandages twice a day.  The bandage changes are extremely painful for her, but they have to be done.  My brother handled them this weekend while I was gone and he said it was really difficult.  I guess I've just developed a thick skin having been doing these bandage changes for months.  I don't take pleasure in causing her pain, but unfortunately it's just a by-product of what needs to be done.   I keep focused on the big picture- we are trying to save her leg!

I spent a good deal of time this weekend going over Body Pump 83 and am very excited to teach it Tuesday night to my Gold's crew.  I need to take some time out tomorrow to run through it one more time with my barbell and "let it rip".  It's a great release with great music and choreography.  

I finally have made some head way on Christmas shopping- I started to freak out last week realizing that it is almost October and I had made very little progress in this direction.  I am trying to make sure that I keep things economically lean this year.  No splurging, no expensive spoiling of anyone.  We have to save money for our remodel projects that are soon going to be underway.   Really trying to stick to this oath!   I really am in denial though that it's October and soon will be 2013.  Although I am really ready for a fresh new year, 2012 although not a bad year for me personally- it has just been filled with too much pain and suffering for the ones that I love.  I'm over it!

Starting to plan our trips for 2013...we have Maui in the plans for January and hopefully Palm Springs for March- just waiting confirmation on our dates..still on the fence if I'm going to attend the Vacation.com conference in Orlando in June.  Thing is if I go, I would want to combine it with another "vacation" aspect and a cruise would seem like a likely choice, but there just aren't any sailings that fit into the schedule and Bill can't be gone too long from work.   I could go ahead to the conference without him- but it's at Disney World and there are free time events- I'd want him with me for those..so I don't know, need to figure that out or brainstorm on an alternative "vacation" we can tack on for a few days afterwards or before hand.  The conference starts the day after our 7 year wedding anniversary and we normally go away for our Anniversary.   The rest of the year is up in the air and I can't think that far ahead although I am expecting a 50th birthday trip for Mike and perhaps even a Destination Wedding sometime next summer for a very special couple.  We'll see.

For now, still have to finish up 2012 travels- which will be a visit to Bill's family this coming weekend and then a quick trip to the East Coast for my cousin's wedding at the end of the month.  Both extended weekend trips- the kind that are whirlwind and tucker you out easily because you blink and they are done.  Had thought that I was going to try to go to Disneyland for my birthday this year but in lieu of that, I got a ticket to see Barbra Streisand in concert in November at HP.  Her tickets are RIDICULOUSLY expensive, so I decided to go alone.  Bill didn't have a burning desire to see her and I couldn't justify having him go at the cost of the tickets.  However, a friend of mine saw my post on Facebook and she went and bought a ticket herself, so we'll drive together and hopefully go out to dinner before hand.  It happens to be on her birthday, so I'm looking forward to celebrating with her and getting to know her better.  She used to be a participant in my Friday spin class and then became certified last year.

Ready to attack this week and it's a short one with loads of things to accomplish!  Travel work for one,  3 classes to teach, 2x a day bandage changes for mom, pack for AZ, go shopping for tiles and pick that out for bathroom remodel #1!   Now off to bed!