War zone?

Sunday, Jan. 17, was the first time in a long time that I didn't have to go in to work. Vicki Atkinson came back to work Friday. It was so nice to have her back.

So, I stayed at Mother's longer than I usually would. Don-Mike came home earlier than usual. He pulled out his M*A*S*H collection & stuck a DVD into watch. He received the whole collection for C-mas 2008. He was really surprised. I would love that collection, but it's a little pricey.

M*A*S*H was the only TV show I watched for years. When I was pregnant with the boys, I watched it at least once a day. I was put in the hospital about 4 weeks before my due date for 3-4 days with each boy. I had to have the door to the hall closed & I couldn't watch TV. I did, however, watch M*A*S*H. I couldn't read either because my eyes were so blurry from the toxemia. After the boys were born & they were brought in to my room to feed, M*A*S*H came on. Both boys turned to the TV set when the theme song came on.

Anyway, this particular episode was episode 7 from season 3, "Checkup." It aired Oct. 22, 1974, so I obviously didn't see it the first time around, because in October 1974 I was in Bloomington, Minn., on my mission. I caught it several times in reruns, but I have never related to it like I did that night.

Everyone had to have a checkup. Trapper John refused to have a checkup. He confided to Hawkeye that he had diagnosed himself with a  "duodenal ulcer." Supposedly an ulcer was a ticket home. The ulcer was confirmed. A farewell party is set up. Just as the party is starting, Radar breaks the news to Trapper that there is a new Army regulation. He is not going home, but going to Tokyo General for treatment, then will be reassigned.

Trapper is understandably upset & rants to Radar, "This place GAVE me the ulcer!" To which Radar softly confides, "It gave me the runs."

I laughed, but here's the sad thing. They are in a war zone, in a mobile Army surgical hospital, sometimes behind enemy lines, patching broken bodies, under enemy fire & sometimes friendly fire. Stress gave them an ulcer & the runs.

So, what is my excuse? I could rant right along with Trapper about my own home & family, "This place GAVE me the ulcer!" And I can confide right along with Radar, "It gave me the runs." Is my home a war zone? Sometimes I feel like it is. Sometimes I wonder if my problem is simply post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

However, I've developed a new coping mechanism to go along with the runs & the ulcer. My old nemesis, the migraine headache, is back. I'm hoping it's just the low pressure from the inversions we've been having this winter that is bringing on the headaches again.

I snagged this picture from cachevalleydaily.com I'm sure it was a red burn day, but it gives new meaning to "yellow" burn days.

Getting lost in a book helps me to zone out. I need to get through these non-fiction books though, so I can enjoy being transported to another place & time.

Freecycle.com

I have discovered freecycle.com. We have a chapter here in Cache Valley. So far, I've netted a garbage sack full of kids' coats, hats & mittens. I've also spoken for 2 sets of sliding closet doors. I don't know if we can use them or not, but we'll get them & see. We just have to get a pickup to Logan to pick them up. I'm hoping we can do that tomorrow.

The Kiwanis Club is having a Coats for Kids drive. As far as I know, this is the first time they've done it. I saw a boys coat offered in Clarkston on the Utah-Idaho Freecycle group. I jumped at it. We emailed back & forth & I told her what they were for. So, she dug a little deeper & came up with the garbage sack full. I dropped those off today. Sandra Tondini, the person collecting the coats, said that she has had several garbage fulls all day today. Her pickup cab is full. I think they have a twin cab. I'm so thrilled that they are getting such a good response & that I helped contribute. She also said that the clothing will be taken down to a dry cleaners & will be cleaned & mended if needed.

I hope they do it again next year. If I had all year to work on it, I could knit or crochet some hats & scarves. I remember doing some mittens for my kids & myself. They were huge & didn't fit very well. I'd like to start knitting again. I started reading Debbie Macomber's series about Blossom Street & love the knitting patterns she's given in each book. I remember knitting used to calm me. Which reminds me, I signed up for an online stress relief course through Don's insurance & the new class is posted each Wednesday. I wonder if I did last week's homework.

Stress is one of my big health concerns. Mother asked me not too long ago what I had to be stressed about.

One of the things I've started doing again is keeping ONE list & not little lists strewn all over. Another reminder, I left it out in the car!!