Here it is, July 4th already! After the days being the same for so long, time is really moving along now, or so it seems. In my neighborhood last night, you would think that it was the 4th. A nd, people don't know how to shoot fireworks! They are buying the aerial ones and putting them in the middle of the street. Those did make it into the air. Then, I suspect with alcohol giving a helping hand, they just started lighting them and throwing them...at cars and houses and in neighboring yards. They were far enough from me that I was safe, but a couple of them came pretty close. After that barrage stopped, a car took off quickly from there and I suspect they were after more fireworks. But, I went to sleep and don't remember hearing anymore. So, tonight should be interesting. Mouse did not like the sounds. He didn't mind the thunder we had, but he did not like the fireworks. 

I finally have my door hung! Ryan, Joe and Kayden came yesterday and got it hung. They are going to come back next week, it may just be Joe and Kayden, and start to get the siding back on. I didn't want them working today because I know that Joe and Mistie are having a cookout and Ryan and Amanda are packing to move closer to his farm job. Kiyann helped me in the house yesterday and is coming back this coming week to make sure everything is ready for next week-end. I imagine people are going to all be arriving on Friday, with a couple coming on Thursday. It seems like my to-do list of things that must be done before next week-end just keeps getting longer and longer.

I went to the dr. this week. I had an area of welts come up, on my upper chest. I thought that maybe a spider had gotten into bed with me, or a skeeter and had a nice meal. But, after 4 days of intense itching, and then smaller spots appearing on the backs of my hands, I decided I'd better get it checked out. What we do know is we don't know what it is. It isn't shingles as it crossed the midline. They only appear on one side or the other. The nurse practitioner thinks it might be poison ivy, but there are no pustules. And the ones on my hands only go to just past my wrist bone and have started to migrate to the underside of my arm and the pad of my thumb. I've also noticed that the knuckle on my right index finger at my hand is swollen and sore, as is my right big toe, which hadn't hurt for months, and my right hip, not down my leg, just my hip. After doing some research online, and I know, that can be very dangerous, I do believe it is a flare of psoriasis brought on by a flare of psoriatic arthritis. Now, I've not been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, but I have brought it up to the dr. several times and just get poo-pooed. But, I have every symptom listed for it. It has probably been brought on by the stress of getting things ready for the memorial next week. I would think that the stress of the 6 months Bill was in the hospital would have brought on the stress hives, but I didn't have a single spot. I haven't felt especially stressed but Bill's daughter suggested that it was subconsiously acknowledging that this was one of the last things I could do for Bill. And maybe that's true. Anyway, I got some hydrocortisone cream and some hydroxyzine pills since I'm not supposed to take prednisone. (It gives me a rash). But the hydroxyzine made the itching more intense so I stopped taking that. And I'm being bad. Bill had some low-dose prednisone left that I kept and I've been taking 1 a day along with Benadryl every 4-6 hours. If I could still get Zantac I would take that too. That combination works wonders on hives. It is a little better this morning so maybe I'm getting a handle on it.

Bill has spent the last couple of days back at the crematory. To switch urns, it has to be done there as the urns have to be sealed. She also picked up the little bag of fine ash to put into my bracelet. She thought she would be able to get them back to me yesterday, but didn't. I told Kiyann he was having a sleep-over!

I need to go through my jewelry today and see if I have a plain gold chain that I can put his wedding bands on. I've had them on my key chain and I'm afraid they're going to get beat up or come off and get lost. So, that's on my list of things to do now too. Like I said, it just keeps getting longer and longer.

That's it, I think. The memorial service has been set and some family members are opting to wait to come until the graveside service. They are thinking that it is the actual funeral since it will have the military rites with it. And that's OK for them to think of it like that. There still isn't any time for it set yet, as they are still closed.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday. Celebrate this great country of ours, with all of it's ugly past, along with the good. I still wouldn't want to live anywhere else!