Kristie's Craziness

All the random things in life that I think we should talk about.

Recent Posts

  • Fall Allergies

    Fall Allergies

    It’s way too early for me to be awake. I’m talking 2 hours before my alarm goes off and I have to get ready for work, too early. Unfortunately I was having a bizarre dream and woke up needing my inhaler, which I haven’t done in years. That makes me wonder if I’m sick or is this just allergies?

    What I’m Allergic to This Time of Year

    Ragweed

    This plant grows everywhere, but is especially prominent in the Midwest and along the East Coast. A single ragweed plant can produce 1 billion pollen grains. We have a field on our other lot that has lord knows what growing in it. That along with the fact that Michigan has had an exceptionally warm fall, means these plants get an extended pollination period this year.

    Mold Spores in Wet Leaves

    We all know that in autumn the leaves fall off the trees. The next step in the natural process is decomposition to nourish the soil for spring. It’s a beautiful example of the earth rejuvenating itself, but it’s also a great place for allergies to start.

    Mold likes to grow in damp, shady areas. Leaves that get raked but not bagged, or even ones the blow in the breeze and end up piled under a pine tree are the perfect breeding ground for mold after a good rain. Then that fall wind kicks up again and blows all those mold spores into the air.

    Out here in the country no one rakes and bags leaves. They do run them over with their lawn mowers though, which is another quick way to toss spores into the air.

    Dust

    This is a year round allergen for most of us. I have dogs who bring in dirt and dust from outside. I live on a dirt road where cars kick up dust all day long. It’s a part of life.

    That part just got bigger though. We started packing in the basement last weekend. It’s been an act of purging things we have no idea why we saved and finding things we forgot even existed. The area under the stairs has proven to be particularly dusty. 🤧

    Treatment

    I’m pretty old school when it comes to dealing with my allergies.

    1. Close the windows and stay in doors on windy days. Minimal exposure means minimal symptoms.
    2. Benadryl! I hate taking a pill everyday but sometimes the symptoms become too much and I reach for the Benadryl. Bonus, I get a good nap as well.

    That’s it. I hope this helps you identify what ails you. I also hope you feel well enough to enjoy the final days of Halloween season.

    Take care

    Kristie

  • Common Autumn Illnesses

    Common Autumn Illnesses

    There is a reason I named this blog Kristie’s Craziness. It’s because I wanted to write something that feels real rather than something that’s focused and moves on a linear path. In my experience, life is crazy. It changes direction often, and you just need to roll with it.

    Case in point: I had planned to spend the rest of the month filling your feed with fun last minute Halloween countdown posts. Instead, I woke up with a barking cough, a throat that feels like I swallowed razor blades and body aches so bad that I don’t want to move. 😷🤒 So I thought I’d take a new path and look into what’s going around.

    I feel miserable

    Any parent knows that when summer ends the kids go back to school, germs start flying and the whole house gets sick.

    My little germ monster

    Top 4 Common Autumn Illnesses

    The Common Cold

    Believe it or not, sometimes when you get sick, it’s just a cold. After all the COVID lockdowns and deaths in 2020 people went into panic mode and treated every sniffle like the black plague. It’s semi understandable, but unnecessary.

    Symptoms of the Common Cold

    • Congestion
    • Coughing
    • Headache
    • Runny/Stuffy Nose
    • Sneezing
    • Sore Throat
    • Watery Eyes

    A good indicator that it’s just a cold is that your symptoms feel centrally located above the neck. You may be contagious, even if you’re “feeling better” so be vigilant with hand sanitizer and personal space.

    COVID-19

    Covid is weird because symptoms vary in severity and in general as well. My husband and I both had it at the same time in 2021, but with very different issues. He had a cough and slept for what felt like a week. I had the cough, and a fever but bounced back a little quicker. It’s never a bad idea to get tested if you have concerns

    Possible COVID Symptoms

    • Body Aches
    • Congestion/Runny Nose
    • Cough
    • Diarrhea
    • Fatigue
    • Fever/Chills
    • Headache
    • Loss of Taste/Smell
    • Nausea/Vomiting
    • Shortness of Breath/Difficulty Breathing
    • Sore Throat

    COVID cases are expected to rise again as the weather gets colder. Be vigilant about how you are feeling and take care of yourself.

    The Flu

    Flu season starts in October, so now is a good time to get your flu shot. I schedule my daughters’ physicals for this month instead of in the spring where their birthdays are so they can get theirs.

    Flu Symptoms

    • Body Aches
    • Cough
    • Fatigue
    • Headaches
    • Possible Fever
    • Sore Throat
    • Stuffy/Runny Nose
    • Vomiting and Diarrhea (more common in children than adults)

    Getting a flu shot does not guarantee that you won’t get the flu. It should lessen the severity of your symptoms, which is important if you or your child have underlying conditions like asthma, autoimmune disorders or spend a lot of time with elderly grandparents who can’t fight off the virus as well anymore.

    RSV and Bronchiolitis

    This is what my daughter had a week ago and is more than likely what I have now. This virus shares many symptoms with the common cold but leads to more breathing restrictions and tightness in your chest.

    RSV Symptoms

    • Coughing that can lead to wheezing
    • Decreased Appetite
    • Fatigue
    • Runny Nose

    I’ve been using my inhalers more often while I deal with this round of illness. I’m also pushing a lot of fluids and making sure to rest. Hopefully tomorrow is a better day.

    Take care of yourselves.

    Kristie

  • Halloween Playlist

    Halloween Playlist

    We are less than a week away from Halloween. My kids are in countdown mode and have thrown me on the band wagon with them. So let’s make a playlist!

    I shuffled through Pandora’s Box of Music on my hard drive and tried to keep the list to an even 100 songs. I failed.

    Instead I ended up with 140 songs that should make any Halloween Party feel fun and spooky.

    Halloween Playlist

    1. Witchcraft – Frank Sinatra
    2. Old Devil Moon – Mel Torme
    3. Monster Mash – Bobby Pickett
    4. Sinister Stomp – Bobby Pickett
    5. Love Potion No. 9 – The Searchers
    6. I Put a Spell on You – Nina Simone
    7. The Witch – The Sonics
    8. Boris the Spider – The Who
    9. Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead – The Fifth Estate
    10. People Are Strange – The Doors
    11. White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane
    12. Sugar, Sugar – The Archies
    13. Miles Runs the Voodoo Down – Miles Davis
    14. Superstition – Stevie Wonder
    15. Killer Queen – Queen
    16. The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
    17. Black Betty – Ram Jam
    18. Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
    19. Scary Monsters – David Bowie
    20. Ghost Town – The Specials
    21. Graveyard Stomp – The Meteors
    22. Halloween – The Misfits
    23. Stray Cat Strut – Stray Cats
    24. Super Freak – Rick James
    25. Ghosts – Japan
    26. Puttin’ on the Ritz – Taco
    27. That Old Black Magic – Dave Brubeck
    28. Thriller – Michael Jackson
    29. Human Fly – the Cramps
    30. Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell
    31. Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr.
    32. The Killing Moon – Echo & the Bunnymen
    33. Weird Science – Oingo Boingo
    34. Overture from The Phantom of the Opera – Andrew Lloyd Webber
    35. Pet Sematary – Ramones
    36. Witchcraft – Book of Love
    37. Black Cat – Janet Jackson
    38. Feed My Frankenstein – Alice Cooper
    39. Happy Phantom – Tori Amos
    40. Harvest Moon – Neil Young
    41. Closer – Nine Inch Nails
    42. Zombie – The Cranberries
    43. Supervixen – Garbage
    44. Sweet Dreams – Marilyn Manson
    45. Everybody – Backstreet Boys
    46. Crystal – Stevie Nicks
    47. Endlessly – Mercury Rev
    48. Rollercoaster – B*witched
    49. Candy – Mandy Moore
    50. Scream! – The Misfits
    51. I Want Candy – Aaron Carter
    52. Vampires – Godsmack
    53. Feeling Good – Muse
    54. Get Ur Freak On – Missy Elliot
    55. Smooth Criminal – Alien Ant Farm
    56. Autumn Shade II – The Vines
    57. The Chronicles of Death – Good Charlotte
    58. They – Jem
    59. Toxic – Britney Spears
    60. Walking with a Ghost – Tegan & Sara
    61. Helena – My Chemical Romance
    62. I Just Wanna Live – Good Charlotte
    63. One Word – Kelly Osbourne
    64. Starlight – Muse
    65. This Is Halloween – Marilyn Manson
    66. Welcome to the Black Parade – My Chemical Romance
    67. Candyman – Christina Aguilera
    68. If I Was Your Vampire – Marilyn Manson
    69. Killer – the Hoosiers
    70. Where Do Monster’s Go – Nekromantix
    71. Body – Mother Mother
    72. Decode – Paramore
    73. Disturbia – Rihanna
    74. Full Moon – The Black Ghosts
    75. Graveyard Girl – M83
    76. Reach Out – Hilary Duff
    77. Walking on Air – Kerli
    78. Bad Romance – Lady Gaga
    79. Fresh Blood – Eels
    80. She Wolf – Shakira
    81. Soul Cake – Sting
    82. Sugar – Flo Rida
    83. Trouble Is a Friend – Lenka
    84. Frankenstein Rock – Eddie Thomas
    85. Haunted – Taylor Swift
    86. Kill Everybody – Skillerex
    87. She’s My Witch – Radiacs
    88. Cannibal – Tally Hall
    89. Crystal Ball – Grimes
    90. Dirty Paws – Of Monsters and Men
    91. E.T. – Katy Perry
    92. Mr. Moon – Eisley
    93. Wild Ones – Flo Rida
    94. Body Electric – Lana Del Rey
    95. Die Young – Kesha
    96. Madness – Muse
    97. Raise Hell – Brandi Carlile
    98. Run Boy Run – Woodkid
    99. Satan Is Her Name – Steve King
    100. Dark Horse – Katy Perry
    101. Legendary Lovers – Katy Perry
    102. The Monster – Eminem
    103. Ritual – Ellie Goulding
    104. Take Me to Church – Hozier
    105. Teenage Creature – Lord Luther
    106. Cry Murder – Sumo Cyco
    107. Dead to Me – Melanie Martinez
    108. The Devil in I – Slipknot
    109. Ghost – Ella Henderson
    110. Glory and Gore – Lorde
    111. Once Upon a Dream – Lana Del Rey
    112. Superstition – The Birthday Massacre
    113. Wild Ones – Bahari
    114. Black Magic – Little Mix
    115. Like a Killer – Sumo Cyco
    116. Mad Hatter – Melanie Martinez
    117. Sugar – Robin Schulz
    118. Uma Thurman – Fall Out Boy
    119. Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea – XYLO
    120. Bones of Man – Equador
    121. The Magic – Lola Blanc
    122. Murder Song – Aurora
    123. Raise Hell – Dorothy
    124. Wicked Ones – Dorothy
    125. The Beautiful & Damned – G-Eazy
    126. Moonshine Freeze – This Is the Kit
    127. Rabbit Hole – Eisley
    128. A Witch’s Tale – Peter Gundry
    129. Candy – Doja Cat
    130. The Dead – Riot Ten
    131. Useless Sacrifice – DEATH DECLINE
    132. Anthem – Michael Abels
    133. Bet My Brains – Starcrawler
    134. Graveyard – Halsey
    135. Masquerade – Lindsey Stirling
    136. As Above, So Below – In This Moment
    137. Sour Candy – Lady Gaga
    138. Season of the Witch – Lana Del Rey
    139. Demons – Doja Cat
    140. Vampire – Olivia Rodrigo

    Let me know if any of the links are incorrect, or if you think I missed any songs. Adding another ten to make an even 150 would be great!

    Kristie

  • Cat Costumes

    Cat Costumes

    It’s that time of year folks; when all the crazy cat people come out and put their babies in costumes. It’s me!!! I’m a crazy cat person.

    I am not amused!

    This year we are just reusing Savannah’s old vampire costume, because I don’t need anything extra to pack, but next year…. Let’s just say I’m making a list.

    Here are some of my favorite costumes:

    Kitty-Up:

    The whole family could dress up in a rodeo theme. It would give Hannah another reason to wear her cowboy boots.

    Kitty-saurus

    The product description says dinosaur, but I keep thinking dragon. Maybe it’s the extra set of eyes. 🤷‍♀️ Either way I like the idea of having my cat look like he is about to defeat the knights of the round table.

    Cat-icorn

    I was obsessed with unicorns as a kid, so why not dress my gender challenged cat up as one now. He has a girl name, Savannah, and we believed he was a boy for 18 months when he went to get fixed. I can totally imagine him learning to use the horn as a weapon against the dog.

    Cat Bat

    When my youngest son was 4 or 5 he dressed up as ManBat for Halloween. The memory of his fake deep voice saying, “I’m ManBat” still makes me smile. So why not give my cat bat wings and see if he deepens his meow.

    Spider Cat

    My beagle is a spider this year. I think there is something super creepy about these arachnids, so it’s fitting to have one for our celebration each year. Plus next year I can put up our decorations and pose the cat with our giant animated one in the yard.

    Taco Cat

    I may need to worry about Elvis trying to eat the cat, but this is too funny not to consider.

    Bunny Cat

    I’ve seen more realistic bunny costumes, but that would be dangerous with my dogs. They have been known to jump the fence to chase bunnies. I like this costume because I can skip the ears and dress him as a grumpy old man, go full Peter Cottontail.

    Cowardly Lion

    To be fair, my cat would be less cowardly and more ticked off, but that might make him appear more ferocious.

    Cat Chef

    It worked for Remy in Ratitouille, so why can’t it be a fashion statement for the cat. I mean he already has knife claws and a snooty palette.

    I was trying for an even 10 costume ideas, but nothing else jumped out at me. Maybe when I’m actually shopping something will, or maybe one of you will have an amazing idea to share.

    Let me know your favorite costume idea in the comments.

    Have a spooktacular week.

    Kristie

  • Book Review: Murder in an Irish Village

    Book Review: Murder in an Irish Village

    I owe you all an apology. I had every intention of reading If I Should Die Tonight by C.C. Avram. Instead I ended up starting an entirely different series, called Irish Murder Mysteries by Carlene O’Connor. With all the changes and stress in my life right now, I just needed some light reading. I know. You’re all thinking there’s something mental about me finding murder mysteries to be light reading. The first book in the series is Murder in an Irish Village.

    Amazon Description:

    In the small village of Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, Naomi’s Bistro has always been a warm and welcoming spot to visit with neighbors, enjoy some brown bread and tea, and get the local gossip. Nowadays twenty-two-year-old Siobhán O’Sullivan runs the family bistro named for her mother, along with her five siblings, after the death of their parents in a car crash almost a year ago.

    It’s been a rough year for the O’Sullivans, but it’s about to get rougher. One morning, as they’re opening the bistro, they discover a man seated at a table, dressed in a suit as if for his own funeral, a pair of hot pink barber scissors protruding from his chest.

    With the local garda suspecting the O’Sullivans, and their business in danger of being shunned—murder tends to spoil the appetite—it’s up to feisty redheaded Siobhán to solve the crime and save her beloved brood.

    My Opinion

    I was incredibly thankful for the pronunciation and glossary at the beginning of this book. I would have butchered the names and misunderstood a lot of the slang in this book without it.

    Siobhan has more on her plate than most 20 year olds. She had plans to go to college, but is instead raising her siblings and running her parents’ business. When the brother of the drunk driver who caused her parents’ deaths shows up and tries to extort money from her, it’s almost enough to send her over the edge.

    Finding him murdered in the bistro the next day makes things even worse. Siobhan’s brother, James, is the prime suspect, even though he was too drunk to have committed the crime. And of course the police seem more intent on making an easy arrest than actually solving the crime.

    Siobhan decided to save her brother and solve the mystery. She starts talking to her neighbors around town, but instead of eliminating people, her list of suspects keeps growing. I guess that proves you don’t ever really know anyone.

    I solved the mystery when the threatening note showed up in the bistro after the locks had been changed. I’m not sure what took Siobhan so long. It could have cost her and her family their lives.

    I can’t wait to spend more time with this family as the series progresses. I promise the next book I will review is Murder at an Irish Wedding. I just downloaded it from the library.

    Let me know what you think.

    Kristie