Hurry Up Already

I'm so very anxious for tomorrow to get here.  I know its still officially 13 hours away and more like 20 hours until we hit the road.  I can't wait to start our vacation together.

We need this vacation.  I need this vacation.

I need to leave behind my cares, my worries, my responsibilities for a weekend.  I need time to just play and relax.  I know J needs the same.  Time together as a couple to discuss where we are headed on our next leg of the journey.  I've got three whole weeks with him and I plan on doing everything possible.  Ocean, Volcano, mountains, and foreign country are all on the agenda.

Last night I asked J to do a photo dump of his camera to his laptop so that he has more space for all the photos he will take.  He still has pictures from last year on the camera that he has yet to upload!  And no he didn't do it last night, maybe tonight he'll get it done.  Me, I keep my camera a blank slate and upload it often.

I'm bringing my camera with me on the trail ride and to the 18 hole championship putting course.  I'm thinking its sort of like mini putt but I'll know more when I get there.  I've only played mini putt once and lost my ball on the first whack. The ball went way over the fence and landed in Gaslight Village.  I'm way too strong on my swing to putt and need to learn how to golf.  I was the same with tennis and I'd lodge the ball in the chain link fence behind my opponent.  Okay same problem with volleyball as I'd knock out the ceiling tiles in the gym.  I need to learn to go easy and use a lighter touch.  This is going to be a challenge for me and I'm ready.

I have to say that I am a bit scared of the horseback riding.  Last time I was around a horse was last year and that was to groom and bathe one.  Riding, eh its been a long time.  I don't like thinking about taking a fall off a horse, did that the first time I ever rode.

The bags are packed, house sitter is confirmed, I'm ready to go. 

Back In The Saddle Again

J agreed to the horseback riding and we set the date and time for this particular event.  We are going to the Eagle Creek Ranch, (photo from their website) before we even check into the Enzian Inn. 

Several phone calls were made back and forth between us and the ranch to schedule a private ride.  Its a holiday weekend and they were pretty booked up already when we made our call. 

I haven't ridden a horse since I was 16 and J hasn't ridden in about 8 years.  Its not like we don't know how but it is more like we are rusty.

I rarely road with a saddle folks.  I rode bareback with reins.  I'm not sure about being able to handle the feel of a saddle under my butt.  J told the lady that I'd need a couch type horse.  Gee thanks J.  He meant it in a good way.  I need a sturdy, easy going, wide butted mount.  Because I'm prone to back troubles and last night it started up again I'll be needing that gentle mount.

Eagle Creek does have weight limits for its riders.  Rather daunting though I did get on the scale today and I'm still way under the max weight of 240 lbs, I'm not yet my ID card weight, though not far from it, and it scares me.  What if they take one look at me and say I'm too fat for their horses?  The lady we talked to said that if I look to be overweight they'll deny me a ride or cut short the private ride.  What if I'm not my 5'7" when I get there?  If my back is bothering me overly much then I do have a tendency to shrink up to 1.5 inches.  That would put in close to the other borderline weight for a person under 5'6".  Yes they have weight and height imposed limits, not just weight alone.  So its possible, though doubtful, that I just might get denied a mount.  Like I said I'm not that fat and unless I binge eat in the next two days I don't think I'll get denied.  Still.....

Look I realize that a saddle and tack weighs about 40 pounds but seriously I'm not that fat and I know horses can carry two people at a time for a few miles without blinking an eye.  Even J was scratching his head on that one.  He can't figure out why they'd set the weight limit so low either.  Maybe its their insurance?

"What are the age and weight limits for horseback riding?

Age six is the youngest we can take on a trail ride (our insurance doesn‘t allow double riding, nor do we consider it safe). If you’re over 18, we don’t ask your age! For most riders, our weight limit is 240#, although that should be adjusted down and up according to height/weight proportions. For persons under 5 foot six inches tall, the weight limit is 200#, to accommodate their horse height and saddle size requirements. About 10 pounds per inch of height added is a good guideline for what will work well above and below those limits.  For those about 6 feet in height or taller, we can sometimes extend the upper limit to 250#. If that still sounds limited, consider the U.S. cavalry used to have a weight limit of 140#!"

Friday we'll be on horseback by early afternoon for a 6 mile ride at a walking pace, I hope.  Gee I really hope he doesn't expect me to break into anything like a gallop.  Its been way too long for that sort of stuff.  At least they provide helmets in case I feel the need for one.  With my crummy balance I might need one and a pillow tied to my butt too so that when I land it hurts less.

Reservations

I was up late last night searching the internet for a better place to stay while in Leavenworth.  I had made reservations at one motel that J really liked because it was cheap.  I don't mean cheap in a good way either.

No the reviews of the place were mostly about how horrible the place was, including broken window latches, dirty sheets, dirty towels balled up in the bathroom.  Reviewers complained about the supposed breakfast buffet that was nothing more than one waffle iron, cold cereal and stale danish.  They also complained about the motel staff that was rude, inefficient and that no one was working at night.  I had to cancel that reservation, it was making my stomach burn with anxiety thinking about it being such a dump.  So I called them up this morning and canceled.  I just couldn't picture myself sleeping for two nights in a motel that potentially had rats and bed bugs.

J learned to be cheap.  I'm not talking frugal.  I'm frugal.  J is cheap.  Of course he isn't cheap when he wants something.  J thinks that buying in bulk, think products from China, is a good deal rather than buying a quality USA made item that costs a bit more but comes with a warranty.  It really is the most irritating trait he has.  Because its a learned behaviour its not like its going to change without a lot of help.  That is where I come in.  I was taught by my frugal paternal grandmother that you need to buy quality goods and services or you'll waste your money on shoddy goods by having them break easily.

Last night I was up until 0200 hrs reading reviews on the web for other places to stay in Leavenworth.  Thankfully I found a place. With the holiday weekend being the weekend we start our vacation and Leavenworth celebrating the Kinderfest this weekend finding a place to stay was tricky.  The place I made the new reservations at was my first choice all along.  This place has a hot breakfast, omelets made to order, fresh danish and other breads, sausage and other meats, all of which is included in your stay.  This place has two pools, one indoor and one outdoor with a jacuzzi too.  For $60 more per night than the should be condemned  motel we are getting a big room with two queen sized beds, the single queen bed room was $5 less per night so I opted for the bigger room.  Oh and the stay also comes with complimentary use of the putting green.  I come from a family of golfers and its a darn shame that I never got to play the game.   I really look forward to staying at the Enzian Inn.

"Enzian guests are invited to enjoy our indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, table-tennis room, racquetball / basketball / wally-ball court, and fitness room.
A complimentary round of golf at Enzian Falls Championship Putting Course is also available for each guest. The course is open mid April through October and provides an entertaining challenge for the golfer and non-golfer alike. Equipment is provided."
 

I haven't read one bad review for the Enzian Inn.  Its close to down town which will be ideal for us since we plan on shopping.  Maybe I can get cheapskate, I mean J, to kick in for some horseback riding over the weekend too.

I do love my husband.  I just want him to realize that sometimes if you want to enjoy life you need to pay for quality time outside of the home.  I know he'll get a better night's sleep in the hotel I chose versus the one he chose.  I know I'd sleep a lot better with the knowledge that the door and window locks actually work and that no bugs will be crawling over me in my sleep.

The Enzian Inn is also on Facebook.  Check out the photos of the place for yourself. 

Maybe we'll even get the chance to do some horse back riding.  I've found a place with good prices meant for the inexperienced like me and the experienced like J.  So I'll try to talk him into it tonight.

On a really happy note, they are now putting down the sod on my lawn.  Finally I might see that hideous wire fence be removed from my back yard and the wooden one put back in place.  Its been torn up since Easter Monday.

Negative And A Negative Equals A Positive

Photo by me of my poppies in bloom.

My husband is a pessimist.  I'm an optimist.

My husband has a higher than normal IQ.  So do I.

Somehow my husband thinks that if we have a child our high IQ's will create a child dumber than a box of rocks.  I think otherwise.  I think that with our patience and education our child will have an advantage.  That is if we get the chance to have a child.

The bleeding has stopped.  The pain has not stopped.  Last night I was so nauseated I thought I would lose my dinner.  The fertility drugs always cause havoc with my digestion.  I'm still hoping that I will indeed end up pregnant this cycle.  But I plan ahead for that negative.  Maybe J's pessimism is starting to wear down my positive out look.

Its now CD 16, 6dpO, and 8 days till testing.  We want to get out of town and do some sight seeing.  I have to realize that this cycle could be a failure and I must plan the vacation we want to take around the fertility treatments.  With J's training schedule finally being known it means that I have just one more cycle to try until he leaves.  I have to take advantage of any time we have together.  Sure I could have his sperm frozen but if I can avoid that added expense then I will.

So with our calendar planned out around a possible next cycle we made the reservations for our first part of our vacation journey.  I have a house sitter on call and she is fine with taking care of everything here for us.  I'll have no worries about dead plants when we get back or leaving my house unattended.  All with be fine as if we never left, I hope.

We have booked a two night stay in a lodge at Leavenworth.  Neither of us have been there, though we've been planning on going since last October.  Training issues caused us to cancel that trip last year.  So we rain-checked it for the coming weekend.  If you want to check out what there is to do in the area along with us click on the following link; www.leavenworth.org

Yes I'm taking a risk with all the pain I'm in.  I realize that an ovarian cyst rupture is quite possible.  But I need this vacation.  We need this vacation.

I'm already planning our next getaway.  J would like to head to southern Washington.  I chose Eastern this time so after his choice I'm choosing the beach, Westport, which is on the western side because a friend told me that agates are easily enough found while walking on the beach.  Of course that will just leave a return trip to northern Washington of which we did last year.  There is still a lot to see up north, a lot that we missed last year.  We never got to walk the Dungeness Spit because of weather and the fact that its 5.5 miles long one way.  No cars are allowed on that road either.

In-between the overnight trips we plan on taking several day trips depending on how I feel.  I'd love to do the Seattle Underground but its walking on uneven ground for miles.  We'll see how I feel when we get the chance for that trip.  We might sneak in a train ride in Chelais while heading out to one of the gun shops J wanted to visit.  But I'm more inclined to seek out the antique shops while he looks for guns.  If we have time for it we'd like to check out Moses Lake, Lakewold Gardens, and the Museum of Flight.  J's been to the Museum of Flight with his family but that was about 16 years ago.

Things that I never got to do as a kid but always wanted to do are on my list like mini putt and go-karts.  Much as I love camping, I'm no longer in shape to do so and J just detests camping in all forms.  He'd rather stay at a B&B and with comfort in mind I think I do too now.

Getting To My Happy

Finally I'm ready for the weekend.  I'm ready to get my own Happy on.

Its not going to be easy to find my happy today in the midst of chaos.  J flooded the bathroom when he didn't put the shower curtain liner inside of the tub.  Fun time cleaning that one up with several soaked towels and two soaked bath rugs.  Add on two loads of laundry to my domestic responsibilities today.

Part of I-5 is closed and will cause a three hour delay in getting anywhere north of JBLM for the weekend.  They are working on the bridge that takes us into the town area we like to shop in.  I wanted to head out to the craft stores this weekend and find a hook I needed for a project.

I'm still having pain and bleeding.  I'm now 4 days past ovulation with 10 days until I can test.  At this rate I'll not know if I get implantation bleeding or not. 

I'm really going to search long and hard to find my happy this weekend.  The day isn't even half over so I still have another 36 hours to this weekend and I plan on making the best of it.

My hanging tomato plant broke.  I still have five more tomato plants in the ground.  Usually I just do the tomato plant in the hanging basket.  With not enough warm weather this Junuary (Junuary = January weather + June) my veggie and fruit crops aren't producing well and some not at all.  So I've decided to buy some more potting soil and start over in that particular hanging basket with some flowers.  Better than nothing, right?

Looks like the weather is going to hold and I'll be able to go to a green house and flower cage to select my plants after all.  It wasn't looking so good before with the dark grey clouds.  Just yesterday I was wishing for a nice thunder and lightening storm.  We got the thunder and rain but no lightening.  Still it did remind me a bit of summer in NY but not to the scary awesomeness I'd of wanted.

So that's all I have for today.  I'm off to go find my happy today.  I won't stray far due to the pain but I'm still going to go have some fun or die trying.

And So It Continues

Photo by me two years ago.  Tree frog on my sunflower.

I haven't slept yet and its now 0643 hrs.  I tried to sleep but the pain kept me awake.  I even took a hot bath before trying to retire for the night.  No luck.

Tylenol isn't cutting the pain.  Oh and the bleeding picked up. 

My vacation plans are now out the window.  I had already decided to fore-go the cruise to Alaska because of the fertility treatments.  Now it looks as though I won't be able to go far at all.  I'll have to stay close to home and near the hospital if the pain and bleeding continue.

I'd love to just get the heck out of Dodge for a few days.  I need to escape the house.  But even a bump in the road right now causes extra pain.  J won't mind spending three weeks at home but I will.  I really looked forward to our vacation.

In the beginning we had planned on taking a trip out to Yellowstone.  Then it became a cruise to Alaska.  Now I'll be lucky if I can take a day trip to the beach.

I'm not looking for pity.  I'm looking for understanding.  I just don't understand why I have to suffer when trying to get pregnant.  I don't understand why this whole process has to be so difficult.

I'm angry.   I'm cranky.   I'm in pain.

Looking out my window behind my computer monitor is often relaxing when I'm this upset.  Sometimes it can be rather amusing.  Other times it can be quite shocking.  Right now I see cat and bird.

Silly hummingbird is trying out all four plastic flowers on the feeder.  Is it thinking one is more tasty than the other?

The neighbor's cat is grooming itself in the front window.  Does that make it an exhibitionist or me a voyeur?

3 days past ovulation and 11 more until testing.

I want my Summertime.  I want the heat of the long summer days and bonfires on the beach.  I want to put my bare feet up on the dash of the truck while J is taking us for a drive.  I want to hear the crickets and frogs at night as I fall to sleep.  I want the thunder and lightening storms of summer.  I miss seeing lightening bugs, we don't have them here on the west coast.  I miss surfing in the back of J's pick up truck.

Guess What I've Got?

Pain and bleeding.  I called my RE this morning and found out what the cause is right off when they returned my phone call a few minutes later.  The cause of my pain and bleeding is none other than OVARIAN CYSTS!  Yet again I have to suffer through another round of dealing with this crap.

It hurts to get horizontal, it hurts to have sex, it hurts to sneeze.  I'm now 2 days past ovulation and I was told that I know what to do.  Well what that means is that:
1) no more sex
2) no more jiggling
3) no more trampolines
4) take Tylenol and hope the pain goes away---yeah right
5) no heavy lifting

I'm about ready to scream and not just from the pain.  Seriously I only used the clomiphene citrate 1/2 a tablet daily for 5 days like instructed.  The RE's office nurse explained to me that even though the ovidrel made the eggs release from the follicles they decided to fill back up with fluid becoming corpus luteal cysts of large proportion, yet again.  She said that I seem to be prone to them.  Because for the next few days the fertilized eggs will be trying to implant they aren't going to do any poking around inside of me to check the size of the cysts unless the pain becomes too unbearable.  If it does I'm to go to the ER.

Last time I had a 9 cm cyst rupture and ended up going to the ER.

I just have one question....Why can't getting pregnant be easy for every female that really wants to get pregnant and hard for those that don't want to have children?

I'm cranky folks.  The pain is getting to me too.  I'm just glad I have on hand some percocet from last time.  I might need it again before this is done.