Rounding first base, heading for second!

What is a beta level?

Apparently a beta level is the level of human growth hormone that you have inside you, and during early pregnancy, the doctors like to see the number, whatever it is, double in 48 hours.

So last Tuesday, I go in and have blood drawn, and then again on Thursday. Today, after much persistence with my doctor's office in calling, they finally give me the results:

Tuesday: 1508
Thursday: 3608

VERY good signs, indeed. And my progesterone is NICE and high. (Their words, not mine.)

So, score one for the panicked pregnant one. First base is mine! Second base will be if I see a heartbeat, third base will be making it to the second trimester, and home, of course, will be holding my child in my arms.

I'm still feeling great. No morning sickness other than a general icky feeling first thing in the morning that could be caused by I-don't-wanna-get-out-of-bed-itis, and I'm starving. Today after my first inspection, I burned rubber getting to a Subway for another one of those roast beef sandwichies on Italian herb and cheese bread. (Very tasty, by the way.) Then, it was off to Fort Worth to look at a nasty house with sour milk in the fridge, a smell that I still can't quite seem to get out of my nose. I need a shower.

The good news from the dishwasher search...we managed to find one, a stainless steel Frigidaire Electrolux, for not very much and it is going to be delivered and installed on Friday.

The next home task is having our diseased willow in the back removed and a new fence put up since ours gets more and more deteriorated every day. It looks like total crapola, and it's only a matter of time until a strong wind (storm season is upon us) blows it down or shreds it. We asked our very cute Mexican neighbor who runs a landscaping and fencing service out of his home to come give us an estimate. He is a sure bet...he has put up three fences on our street within the last two years, and we've gotten to watch how each one of them has weathered and lasted. It was enough for us. He quoted us $1,000 to remove the tree (YIKES), $600 to stain and treat the fence, and the rest of the quote is forthcoming once he completes his measurements. I can't really blame him on the tree...it's 40 feet tall, it is very close to our house and our neighbor's, and the branches stretch over both houses. The last quote we got two years ago was $1,250, so this is a bargain. He's going to come tomorrow to measure and then will call us with the final price, and then I need to hike down to the city office and get a permit.

I've said it a million times...it SUCKS being a Texas homeowner. Hopefully, this will be the only fence that we buy in this house.

Anyway, that's it for now. Off to walk on my treadmill, await the yummy Chinese food that is on the way, and then shower off the nasty sour milk feeling and stitch quietly until bedtime. I have nowhere to go tomorrow other than lunch with a contractor pal...oh, what bliss! So what if it's going to be insanely busy?!