SYCMU

Is that a Dingle Berry?

It was the best of times, it was the worst, of times, it was the time that children toiled, it was the adventure to Dingle.  We started at Heuston Station later than usual due to the limited bus/tram/train schedule, which to me seemed stupid.  You have a major holiday and most of the transit workers are off. Never the less, we headed from the hotel to Dublin in a taxi once again trying to get to there well in advance.

When we got to the station there was plenty of time to relax and get breakfast. Unfortunately I predicted Tragedy with Kaila’s unfortunate timing of spilling Hot Chocolate over herself.  Dad and I moved away before the spillage.  We knew it was going to happen and we decided to look at the newsstand.  Fortunately for us nothing was spilled on anything else just Kaila. 

So after a change of clothes, we got on the FIRST CLASS train, which meant comfortable seats. Nothing else, just comfortable seats and we headed to Mallow.  We had to change trains in Mallow to head to Tralee where we had to take a bus to Dingle.  Our bus arrived in Dingle at 3p as it took 6 hours to get to Dingle. 

Now during the trip I had to deal with fighting nieces, screaming because one 6 year old had something the 4 year old NEEDED to have.

I watched a movie and tried to sleep. Tried, because it wasnt going to happen. Everytime I felt comfortable…

“MOMMY, DADDY, UNCLE SEAN!!!!”

It was funny the first 30 times of the trip , now it was ANNOYING.  I think the singing of High School Musical 3 was the straw that broke the camels back. 

We headed off the bus and started up the hill to the Bed and Breakfast.  This was the longest 500 Meters EVER.

“I don’t want to go up the hill, why do we have to go up the hill?”

“Carry me Uncle Sean.”

Now I’ve been telling everyone that I knew thatI would be the pack mule of the trip.  And I was right OOOOOo so right.   I was carrying my Mom’s bag, as well as my stuff up the hill. I’ve been really worried about Mom lately because I think she’s torn something in her left knee.  I’ve tried the entire trip to help her as much as I can, but I think she doesn’t want anyone to know how much pain she is in.  I am trying to do the best I can but she’s being a pain.

We arrived at Greenmount House and what a view it had of Dingle Bay, so beautiful, so Wonderful.  I was ticked that it took so much time to get there, but loved the end result. 

We went to the linen shop that Mom and Kiri visited ten years ago and between the two of them, they nearly bought out the store.  You know that you are spending a ton, when the shopkeeper throws things in for free. I got some stuff and I thought of some people I could get stuff for, but I couldn’t find the “Right Gift”.

We then went to Ashe’s for dinner and planned out how we could spend the next day.

I really hadn’t gotten anything for me this trip, but I had planned to change that the next day.

After a delicious Salmon meal with bread, veggies and mussels and two bottles of wine between Mom, Todd, Kiri and I . I headed back up the hill with kids in tow. Kiri and Dad spent the time argung who would pay for the meal, and I was just trying to leave the restaraunt after we almost had a nuclear winter with Kaitlin breaking her water glass “cause it slipped”.  When the bartender brought Kaitlin a new glass with two straws, a shamrock stirrer and a handle I counted to four in my head.  Kaila looked and looked then started to WAIL! “WHERE’S MY GLASS?”  After going to the bar and getting her an equivilent set, Kaila was mollified for a short time but had reached her tired end.

As she melted down, we walked up the hill, Mom in pain, Todd following, and the kids wanting to be carried up the hill.

When we almost reached the top of the hill I had the kids look for the cows in the dark, since on the way down we saw three cows.  Then as we approached the B&B last 30 meters I had the kids run. They weren’t allowed to run all day, but now, RUN! So as I ran and they chased me Mom followed with a semi forced smile.  I knew then we were in trouble.

We got the kids in the bath and Mom and I waited for Dad.  We talked about Joanna and what our plans are. 

That nightmare over I headed to the room and while everyone got changed, I just watched the water. The dark skies and the incredible stars everywhere was amazing, I thought I was in a planetarium, but in the end it was just Dingle.

Off to a new adventure…

Tonight is watching the Arenacross bikes/atv’s practice then catch a quick dinner with Joanna and Kristi.

Then off to embarass Erica at her birthday party at Louie, Louie’s.  My personal wish is to make sure her ass is up on stage doing “Joy to the World.” HE HE EHHAHAHA (Evil Grin!)

Then its home and to take a nap before making sure work doesn’t blow up for the time change!

To my friends without jobs, I am thinking of you and praying for you tonight and tomorrow.

For my friends who want to discuss politics I’m scared right now where our country is. I was talking to my friend Kenn Goldblatt and we were discussing where we thought the final dow bottom would be weeks ago.  I said Dow 6900, he said Dow 6000 to Dow 5000.  I wasn’t sure. Read more…

Time to fill out the page…

ISSUE 1

Billy knows what it’s all about…

Recently the following people have asked me a question:

My boss Jay,

one of my good friends Mike Dalby,

his wife Kym,

my intern Kristen,

coworker David,

best friends Joe,

his fiance Ann,

Joanna’s friend Sean,

Joanna’s friend Michelle

my poker buddy Wawfuls aka Marshall and

one of my best friends Mitchell  and Kerri all have asked me and Joanna

THE QUESTION!

And I have the answer for you all. Read more…

No obvious gall stones but …

the doc still wants to remove the growths.

Ok, I’m going to say it only once.  I have lipomas in me.  Its how I carry my fat.  Ten years ago I had one removed and it was found to be benign. Before Christmas I had a massage because of the stress of the holidays and work.  I had an unsually large amount of stress in my back.  When the therapist was relieving the stress in my back she noticed a twinkee sized lipoma on my left size near my ribs subcutaneously.

“You should have that checked out,” she told me.

So I did, first thing when I returned from vacation was go to the doctor, and he examined me.

“Didn’t we have one of  these removed?” the doc asked me as he checked my records.

“Yes, ten years ago,” I said not really worried cause he said then not to worry about them.

“Well, I used to not be worried about these lipomas, but last year I saw a woman who had lipomas just like you.  We had them removed because they were causing her pain and one of them was cancerous.  I learned from her to take these seriously because she died after a 6 month painful battle. I want to send you have a surgical consultation,” that was said to me as he prescribed the usualy antibiotics for my sinus infection.

I haven’t been sleeping well since that pronouncement.

Yesterday I went to go see the surgeon.  And he was amazed by the number of these lipomas I have.  BUT he wasn’t concerned about the stomach or the back.  He was more concerned about a mass of these lipomas on my upper right arm.  He addressed a umbilical hernia that I had and said that all could be fixed in an outpatient treatment.

“We should schedule it this week,” he said.

There was no option, no delay.

But after examining me he wanted me to have my gall bladder checked.  So this morning I went had blood work done, as well as an ekg.  Nothing funnier to a radiologist tech than asking “Mamm, is my baby going to make it?” while she is looking at the screen.

She tried not to laugh but failed.

After research and the great consultation by Doc Chako, I have nothing to worry about. They are nothing, I have nothing to worry about and I will be back at work on Monday.

Mom and Dad are coming up to make sure I am ok after the surgery and also to probably throw stuff away in my house.

If Doc Chako isn’t worried, then I’m not worried.

I just didn’t want to tell everything until I knew more than what I did the last couple of days.  And Marshall, I’m still expecting my money.

Yes!

Yes, it is a New Year and I would normally do a lot of things, but I changed my mind and did nothing today. Yup, NOTHING.  Joanna and I had a wonderful dinner last night at Stella’s, she had the Shrimp and Scallop Linguine while I had a sausage and cheese stuffed manicotti.  One of my best friends Joe Woodyard and his fiance Ann were in town and we spent the night playing games, Cranium, even though the clay had died on us we had a great time.

Then the challenge came.  We started to play hearts and the tossing of the queen of spades was everywhere as no one wanted her.  I made a valiant effort to shoot the moon and was denied by Joe who then uttered the words…

“No one will shoot the moon tonight.”

The challenge was there and I had to take it.  I had the ultimate hand to start 6 hearts and a three low with the top three hearts after the queen and 4 of hearts were passed to me.  I also had the Ace and 4 of spades and ace king of clubs plus the Top 3 diamonds.  I knew that if I could get the biatch first then it would be mine.  After taking the first trick with the King of clubs I through out the 4 of spades.  If the queen wasn’t given to someone else, then I was home free.

Joanna and everyone sloughed off and when someone lead with spades and I through the Ace out, I thought Joanna’s eyes were filled with glee and she through it down.

Then I started the punishment!

When it was all done, Joe knew he was doomed.

“You let him shoot the moon!”

Actually Joe, you did.

Never put something in my mind that can’t be done.

This morning Joanna made sausage balls and I made bacon and eggs and we fed Joe and Ann before they started the trip to hell, I mean Kansas.  By the way, I love you guys, but K-State SUCKS!

After we said out goodbyes this morning and Joe and Ann were on their way at 11A we went back to sleep.  I mean who VOLUNTARILY gets up at 8 a New Years Day?  We slept till 3 and then Joanna went home to get stuff accomplished at the apartment while I got up to watch the second half of the Nebraska Clemson game.  Dad and Mom stopped watching it after it was 14-3 and I kept calling them, trying to get them to watch it.

Finally I tempted dad and he and I were excited when Nebraska won.  I am glad they won because Dad believes in Bo Pelini.  He did a great job versus Texas Tech this year and I am dreading the return trip to Nebraska.  Bo does good.

I called Joanna and we went to Dinner and a Movie.  We saw Yes Man.

I would like to say that I hated the movie, but I can’t.  There were people in the movie saying Yes! everytime someone in the film yelled yes.  That got annoying but the film is cute.  It’s a one watcher though.  Some of the bits, you just can’t see happening again and again, though Persian wife finder dot com, now that’s RICH!

I give it the standard 3 stars.  Not enough to make me see it again, but I would recommend people go see it.

Tomorrow I work during the Cotton Bowl. UGH.