Sorry I've been AWOL so long! I thought once school started I'd have some time to myself again but things keep piling on...with oldest daughter a senior we've been neck-deep in college visits and all that application/scholarship process. Thankfully, most of the paperwork is finished, interviews and auditions are scheduled and all will be completed by Dec. 1, so we'll know by the end of December where she is accepted to. Then we'll send in the financial forms and see what kind of financial aid package the different schools offer us, and go from there. Whew!

I've also been working on a project of my own, I'm planning to open a booth in a local antiques mall as soon as they get a space available. Dealing in antiques/collectables/vintage goods is something I've always wanted to do, and this seems like the only way for me to physically be able to handle it. With TOS, RSD, depression and major fatigue, I couldn't handle my own shop, and it wouldn't be a good financial decision anyway - I risk very little going into an established mall. And I've decided that e-Bay is out, because the time involved to post enough items each week to make it reasonably worthwhile surely would be too much for my TOS/RSD to tolerate. It has taken so much time and effort to get to a place where I can think of doing something I enjoy again, and possibly making a little income, I don't dare upset the applecart and end up back at square one in bed with my pain out of control - not gonna let that happen!

So, a couple days a week, when I feel up to it, I get out of the house at the crack of 10:00 or 11:00 (LOL) and hit a couple of estate sales, garage sales or thrift shops seeking undiscovered treasure. I've found some really nice things, some really interesting things and some pretty, um, unique things, LOL! Most of it small stuff, anything big gets loaded and unloaded for me, but I have misjudged a couple times and carried medium-sized stuff I shouldn't have - and paid for it after!! I will have a couple people to help me set up my booth though, so I'll behave myself, and after that I will just add/change items out once or twice a month, and dh will be my heavy labor. I'm hoping to get this all done before Christmas, but it just depends when they have the space. Meanwhile I have lots of pricing to do.

I have an appt with a new DR tomorrow, finally replacing (I hope) my PCP. My HMO no longer accepts the medical group I was with, and I've been unhappy with his care for a long time but my lawyer didn't want me to leave til my vaccine compensation case was settled. Since that happened finally last spring, I'm free to move, just haven't been sure what to do. This Dr. is local, small-town, but associated with a big group. My husband has been going to him and likes him, says he always spends lots of time with him, really listens. Best thing to me is, his Dad is a Dr, and this guy practiced with his Dad til he retired. I like that because I think the older Drs. had a much better all-around education, and a feel for what practicing medicine should be about, then the average Dr coming out of the med schools the last few decades. So we'll see - hopefully this Dr is one of the good ones. I just hope he doesn't decide not to take me because of the meds I'm on - I hope that's not going to be a big problem in finding a new Dr.

It was a good summer pain-wise, warm and surprisingly NOT humid, which is weird for the MidWest. Getting chilly now though and pain and coldness are already on the increase - I just REALLY don't like winter anymore....

Hi to all - Di, Tam, Anne, Gibbrn, Jo55, dabbo, Mark, dolfinz, - and gypsymom, good to see you post again, sorry you're back cause the pain is worse And hey to all I didn't mention by name, old friends and new!


beth