Back in October, I made an appointment with my eye doctor for the Saturday after Thanksgiving (#13 on my 18 for 2018 list). It had been a little over four years since my last eye exam. While seeing distance was still fine, my close up vision had changed slightly. I was having to hold whatever I was reading a little farther than usual. My goal for this visit was to examine my eyes, purchase new glasses, and inquire about contacts that would allow me to see close up and at a distance. During the glaucoma part of the examination, he noticed that my eye pressure was a little high and there was slight cupping of the optic nerve. While he was not overly concerned, he requested that I schedule a 30-2 test. That test is scheduled for this upcoming Tuesday afternoon. I did pick out some new frames, and my glasses should be ready on the 13th of this month. Unfortunately, I did not order contacts. I am not a good candidate for the distance/close-up combo because of my horrible astigmatism. I had a feeling the answer would be no, but I remained hopeful all the same. The last time I purchased contacts, they were for distance only. It was not a wise purchase since I read so much. I constantly had to use reader glasses which was a pain. The point of wearing contacts is to not wear glasses. However, I have been wearing glasses since the 4th grade, so I quickly built a bridge and got over it. I guess it boils down to vanity and the fact that I personally do not think I look great with glasses unless they are sunglasses.
In Other News:
Coach Levy and Andrew
Andrew’s Swim Banquet was held on Tuesday evening at Le Fleur de Lis in Ponchatoula. The food was delicious, the slideshow was wonderful, and the presentation of the awards was enjoyable. I am super proud of Andrew and the STA Swim Team. They are an incredible group of young people who swam well this year. They all lettered and were acknowledged for working together and putting in 100% at practices and the meets. Andrew received the Coach’s Award. He was both surprised and honored that Coach Levy chose him. It was a proud mama moment watching Andrew receive this award. Even though Andrew’s high school swim career has officially ended, he is still connected to the friends that he made, the accomplishments that he earned, and the satisfaction of being a part of a team. I’m happy that he went out for the swim team his junior year. I not only enjoyed watching Andrew and his teammates swim, but I also enjoyed becoming friends with the other moms. Thankfully, there is Facebook to keep up with them.
Over the Thanksgiving break, Andrew visited his ENT doctor because he has been struggling with congestion on and off for the last couple of years. She prescribed him two nasal sprays (one for the morning and one for the evening), ordered x-rays of his nasal area, and requested allergy testing. He took x-rays later that day, and I scheduled his allergy testing for this past Wednesday. Thankfully, the x-rays showed his nasal area is clear. No sign of infection. Sadly, the allergy testing revealed that Andrew is allergic to 15 of the 17 tested allergens. UGH! Of the 15 allergens, two are cat and dog. Double UGH! This means that he will start getting weekly shots for the next year. In addition, changes will need to be made at home, especially in his bedroom to help alleviate some of the allergy triggers. Thankfully, there are measures that can be taken to keep the allergens at bay. And, he does not come in contact with some of the allergens. Hopefully, with adjustments at home, the nasal sprays, and shots, Andrew will be less congested or not congested at all in the near future.
Today marks the first day of December and the last month of the year. This month is the last leg of my 18 for 2018 journey, and I have just seven items left on my list to complete before the end the month. Can I do it? I’m hopeful for completing all but two items which I’ll write about later this month. Did you, dear reader, fulfill the goals you set for yourself this year? You might want to create a 19 for 2019 list or something similar. Happiness!
“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.” ~ Thomas Henry Huxley
Today marks the end of the third quarter of 2018. We have completed three fourths of the year. The new year is just around the corner. Today is also the 8th anniversary of Comet, otherwise known as Tooty, becoming a member of the Loyacano family. Eight years ago today, Andrew and I rescued Comet as he was dodging traffic on Happywoods Road. We were on our way to school. Personally, I was not planning on keeping him. However, my hubby and Andrew had other ideas. No chip, no collar, no owner to be found. Needless to say, we kept him, and I am happy we made that decision. He brings us so much joy.
Tomorrow begins a new month. I have 12 items to complete on my 18 for 2018 list. I am confident that I will be successful in the remaining last three months of the year. I hope, dear reader, that you are succeeding with whatever goals you have set for this year. Enjoy the remnants of your weekend. Happiness!
Andrew is traveling to Germany, Prague, and the Swiss Alps with STA during spring break of 2019. He along with the other travelers were given the opportunity to work concessions at the LSU home games this football season. Each game, they will receive a percentage of the sales to help pay for their trip. Crazily, I also signed up to help. I have worked concessions over the years at STA for Barry’s cross country meets and at Southeastern for Andrew’s Boy Scout troop; however, nothing prepared me for working LSU’s concessions. Last Saturday was our first time working the concessions. Firstly, I had never been to LSU Stadium, so I was clueless about its size. A huge stadium equals a huge number of people. Secondly, we were understaffed for our first game. Thirdly, it was hot and humid. By the end of our shift, we were all extremely hot, thirsty, and worn out. All things considered, we survived and made some moolah. And, personally I thought it was fun. I enjoyed working with the STA crew and felt satisfied with the results of a job well-done. In fact, so much so, that I plan on doing it again.
I met my hubby for dinner during the week, and we ate at Kirin in downtown Hammond. We love eating at the sushi bar. Surprisingly, the restaurant was not too busy, and the sushi chef created the most fantastic dragon roll for me. Not only was it delicious, but it was beautiful. This was the first time in my sushi eating life that a roll was presented to me in this way. Angus, the sushi chef, actually made the roll look like a fire-breathing dragon.
The third surprise was on Friday after school. My hubby bought me beautiful roses to celebrate my first full week in my new position. They were waiting for me when I arrived home from work. It definitely made me happy. What a thoughtful and loving gesture!
This past Thursday, Andrew and I went shopping for school uniforms for the last time. It was the first of the “lasts” that we will experience in the upcoming school year. Soon, he’ll be taking senior pictures and applying for college. While senior year is an exciting time, it will be bittersweet (for me). Andrew is the baby, so my hubby and I will be empty nesters. Thankfully, Andrew will not be going too far away for college. He has decided to attend Southeastern in Hammond to earn his undergraduate degree in Biology. While he could easily live at home, he wants the “college experience” of living on campus. After talking to parents of college-age children and to college students who live away from home, I can see the benefits for him.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there who have earned that phenomenal title “father” in some form or sense of the word. A special shout-out goes to my daddy, Milton Walters, who I think is absolutely AWESOME. Yesterday, he, my hubby, and I spent some time celebrating him. Barry and I drove to River Ridge to pick my daddy up and take him to lunch. He chose Bobby Hebert’s restaurant on Veteran’s Blvd in Metairie. We started off with an appetizer, Fried Eggplant Sticks. My daddy and I both ordered the Bobby and Deke’s Mardi Gras Pasta (shrimp, crawfish tails, bell peppers and onions in a creamy alfredo sauce), and Barry ordered the Cajun Cannon Redfish (sautéed redfish topped with crawfish & mushroom cream sauce; served with vegetable du jour). Everyone enjoyed their lunch choices. Next, we visited Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream: Coffee Lovers Only for my daddy; Strawberry Blonde for me; and Peanut Butter Cup Perfection for Barry. YUM! Afterwards, we headed over to PJ’s for coffee and conversation. As a Father’s Day gift to my daddy, Barry made reservations to take him on a tour in July of the PT-305 in New Orleans. That particular boat also holds special meaning to Barry because of his own dad who is no longer with us. Apparently, he did some work related to that type of boat during World War II.
On Tuesday, I ordered a few more scrapbook supplies. I pulled some pictures from Andrew’s trip to Ireland, set up my Scrap’n Easel, assembled a laser die cut, and semi-laid out the page. Now that my room is set up specifically for scrapbooking, I can leave everything out and leisurely work on my pages. After lunch, I met a friend of mine, that I had not seen in a few years, for coffee. It was a nice couple of hours catching up with Angie. Visiting with her made me realize that I want to carve out more time this summer to connect with my friends that I do not get to see on a regular basis. Friendships bring an enormous richness of joy to one’s life; however, they need to be cultivated in order to flourish.
This past week has been an unbelievable week of proud moments for me. It started with Barry, Jr. graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University with a B. A. in General Studies. He chose not to walk at graduation which was initially disappointing for me; however, ultimately it was his decision, not mine, and I soon realized that walking across that stage is not for everyone and not walking does not make me any less proud of his accomplishment. Now, it is time for Barry, Jr. to embark on a new adventure. 
On Thursday morning, I attended Andrew’s Undergraduate Awards Ceremony at St. Thomas Aquinas. Andrew and I were both overwhelmed with all of the awards that he received. He was recognized in Physics, English III AP: Language & Composition, Theology III, and Computer Science. He received the Sacristan Award for serving at the school Masses. He received the St. Michael’s College Book Award for demonstrating a commitment to volunteerism and leadership in community service endeavors. He also received the Cash, Coudrain & Sandage Scholarship for embodying the mission of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School. WOW! While I am proud of Andrew’s achievements, I am most proud of how humble he was when being recognized at the ceremony and how humble he is in general.
On Friday morning, Andrew and the Class of 2019 had Senior Step Up Day. Four generous moms had shirts made for all of the students to wear. The students, driving their vehicles, paraded onto the STA campus and parked in the senior parking lot. It was an exciting moment for them.
The Kat Files 