2011 Project 365 – Week Thirty-Five

This week my dad & Amy came to visit & we had a great time. I’m so glad they were here – Dr. M started back to school and I would have been so bored at home alone all week!

Sunday, August 21^st   

Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal. I don’t know why, but they just always look so annoyed by the hoi polloi.

Our cypress vine is in its element these days – just lovely.

Monday, August 22^nd

I had my post-op doctor’s visit on Monday. He released me to return to work next Monday – yippee! It was a gorgeous day – I took a picture of the clouds through the sun roof & then a State of the Bug picture – free!

Tuesday, August 23^rd  

The woodpeckers love the seed block.

Daddy & Amy arrived Monday evening. We spent some time hanging out on Tuesday & then went out for Mexican food that night.

Wednesday, August 24^th  

Daddy, Amy & I spent the day together. You can read about it here, but here are a couple of pictures from Young’s Jersey Dairy. I’m in an ice cream stupor here.

Daddy & Amy went to check out the Jersey cows.

Thursday, August 25^th       

The goldfinches are back! We haven’t seen very many this summer.

I had a couple of home health care visits scheduled, so Daddy & Amy went to the National Museum of the Air Force on Thursday. Amy’s first husband flew in a B-24 in WWII, so she was interested in checking out the planes on display. While they were there they bought this great coffee table book.

Friday, August 26^th

Daddy & Amy drove home today. Oh well, I guess they don’t actually live here. Darn. On the plus side, check out the weekly squirrel. I know that its compatriot on the ground really appreciates all its hard work!

Another State of the Bug picture in the “free” category. I drove for the first time since my surgery. It was a really exciting trip to the Walgreens to get dental floss, eye cream, & Vitamin E oil for my scar. And score! They had Brach's Mellowcreme Pumpkins at the register!

Saturday, August 27^th

We’ve started our 2^nd annual tomato ripening stations. Here’s the outdoor one, with just a few getting started.

And here’s the indoor one, with tomatoes just about ready to eat.

My lunch today – mini pierogi, zucchini from our garden, tomato from Daddy’s garden and garlic cheese curds from Young’s Jersey Dairy. Yum!

Go to Sara’s blog here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants. Have a great week!

Thankful Thursday

Obviously, I have a lot to be thankful for today. And I'm going to get to that in a minute. But first I'm going to whine just a wee bit (you have to admit I've hardly whined at all in weeks, so I'm due!). Yesterday I had a great day with Daddy & Amy, which I will describe below. But during to a visit to a restroom I finally realized the importance of paying attention to those yellow "caution the floor is wet" dealios. Did you know that the rubber bottom of a cane just slides right along on a wet tile floor? It was almost an oopsie-daisy situation, but I caught myself in time. BUT this morning my right shoulder hurts a LOT. Ouch ouch ouch! On the other hand my hip is just fine. So my maneuver to save it worked yesterday. [Note: for those of you concerned about the fact that this is the shoulder I had surgery on two years ago, do not fear - the sore part is in the (supposed) muscle, not in the joint. I say supposed, because, really, I guess it's technically a muscle, but have you seen my arms?]

OK, now, let's be thankful. I'm so glad that Daddy & Amy came up to visit. We've had a nice time together, and really that's what this post is going to be all about. Tuesday night we went out for Mexican food. Aren't they cute?

Yesterday, I took them on a mini tour of the area. First of all we went to Dr. M's campus. We saw the Bugly, but decided not to bother him since he was working. Instead we went to a museum on the campus. It was fun showing them around up there.

Then we stopped at Young's Jersey Dairy for lunch & ice cream. There was a meeting of the Red Hat Society there!

I love their TV setup.

We ate lunch inside, but decided to head outside to eat our ice cream. I love how the goats jump up on things to get people's attention. These are the most spoiled goats ever - they get lots of attention.

Here I am in a post ice cream stupor. And I was sensible - I just had one scoop. Amy ate an entire sundae all on her own - even though Daddy eyed it a couple of times.

Daddy & Amy had to explore the barn to check out all the Jersey girls. Here they are on the way back.

After Young's we decided to check out Clifton Mill. I sat on a bench while Daddy & Amy explored the water wheel and covered bridge. Here I am all pleased with myself for doing my sitting physical therapy exercises while I waited on them.

Has my face shrunk, or are these sunglasses extra huge today?

Here they are on the way back - I love how they're always holding hands.

Then we all came home and took a nap, after which we had a nice dinner. I fixed asparagus & potatoes, and Dr. M heated up the meatloaf we were given. And chopped a tomato. And cleaned off & set the table. And got our drinks. Hmm. I think my part of the meal was pretty puny in retrospect.

So, I'm thankful for a great day. For family and friends. For Dr. M (a thousandfold). For healing. And for all of you guys who read this stuff!

What are you thankful for?

Monday Miscellany - the Freebird Edition

Well, I'm just back from my post-op doctor's appointment, and other than wanting to show me the photos of what he did to my hip (thank goodness he couldn't pull them up!) my doctor had nothing much to say to me. He says I'm full weight-bearing and can use a cane now if I feel like it. I asked him if I could return to work next Monday (the 29th) and he said yes!

I'm Free!

Daddy & Amy are driving west on U.S. 35 even as we speak. They'll be here in about an hour and a half or so. I can't wait to show them around our neck of the woods. Maybe we'll even see some sheep!

2011 Project 365 – Week Thirty-Four

This week is all about the birds & blooms. I’ve enjoyed being home & getting better every day. To read more about my week go here and here.

[Please note: No Tax Time Pig pics again this week. S/he is located near where I work - about 40 miles south of here. So it will be another week or so before we have any updated pictures. Sob.]

Sunday, August 14^th   

Double lily looking beautiful.

Monday, August 15^th

Our next door neighbors brought us comfort food – chicken casserole!

Robin at Be Still and Know sent me a prayer shawl – isn’t she the best?

Tuesday, August 16^th  

More food from neighbors! I’m pretty sure that all of this came from their garden. She also brought over potato salad – yum!

Wednesday, August 17^th  

Dr. M’s university sent me flowers. So pretty!

That evening Dr. M & I sat outside and laughed at our back yard.

Thursday, August 18^th       

I love how the woodpeckers look like they’re working so hard for their food.

One final lily of the season – they’ve been gorgeous!

Friday, August 19^th

Terrible, horrible, no good day! I was SO SICK. I won’t go into details, but I will say that they’re not just whistling Dixie when they say you should watch your diet when you’re taking pain meds. This day I only ate about 40 goldfish & then Dr. M made this nice soup out of the basil & zucchini from our garden. He didn’t want to try to find the blender, but I kind of like the chunkiness.

Then later we sat out in the yard again. What a great evening! Here is a house finch & a chickadee being peaceable at the bird feeder.

The weekly squirrel – Ninja Squirrel!

We had the best time following this hummingbird around (with our eyes – I wasn’t roaming around the yard chasing a hummingbird!).

Saturday, August 20^th

Dr. M wandered around this morning taking pictures of the yard.

 Isn't this a cool spider web?

And here is the State of the Bug – Mavis & I are freshly washed (well I am – I had my first shower in almost two weeks today!) & reading a book together.

Go to Sara’s blog here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants. Have a great week!

Thankful Thursday

There is a lot to be thankful for these days. I haven’t quite gotten to the cane stage (I tried it a bit yesterday, but I’m still too wobbly), but I think I’ve made great strides in my recovery. What else am I thankful for?

     ·         Food! Two sets of neighbors have brought food by (chicken casserole & potato salad & veggies from their garden). We really enjoyed it a lot. Thanks!

     ·         More food! A couple of ladies from church made meatloaf for us. They’re in their 70s & one of them has just started chemotherapy for a return of cancer – and they had the nerve to apologize that we needed to come by to pick up the meatloaf. We enjoyed our outing a lot – sat & talked with them for a while & then returned home with our booty. (I meant the meatloaf – what did you think I meant?)

     ·         Dr. M’s school sent me flowers! They’re gorgeous – don’t you think?

     ·         I really like my two home health folks. I have one for physical therapy and one for nursing. They’re really nice and seem to be focused on getting me better quickly.

     ·         Last night I freaked out when I realized that my pharmacy didn’t refill my prescription for percoset – they gave me vicodin. I was sure there was an error until I realized that the vicodin was a different dosage than what I had before. Apparently my Dr.’s office decided to change my pain medication without telling me. Grrr. But I took the new meds last night & had the best night of sleep since before the surgery. So I’m not going to complain to the doctor in case it was a mistake & they make me start taking the other stuff again. Heh.

     ·         In non-surgical news, I’m really thankful for our back yard right now. Dr. M & I sat out there in the shade for a while yesterday & it was so pleasant. We kept laughing at these two doves on the power line – the male would skootch over to the female & she would skootch away from him. They probably moved a foot or so down the line in said manner. I could have watched that show all night, but she got tired of it & flew away.

So, what are you thankful for today?

Taking a Dip

Last night I dreamed.
I dreamed and it was
Chaos and Confusion
and you.

Well, the you
who inhabits
such dreams.
Diligently tending
the wounded
you sent me away.

You sent me away
and told me to swim.
Drench my pain and
bathe my boredom
with cool clear chlorine.

In my dream I felt
your love & concern
and a mother’s
impatience to get
me out from underfoot

Listening to my mother
for a change,
I slid into the water.

Monday Miscellany

Things are moving along just swimmingly at the Bug Household. Although I did hear the phrase "knotted plow line" muttered just a few minutes ago. If you'd like to make him feel a little more calm please visit Dr. M's blog today - he took some lovely moon shots the other day. Please, do it for me. Ha!

I seem to be recuperating by leaps and bounds. Dr. M & I are impressed with my therapy (so far just with him as the task master - haven't seen any sign of home health care yet). I'm having to remember that I still need to use my walker, which I take as a good sign. I'll bet I move straight to a cane by the end of the week.

My recovery is aided & abetted by the love I receive in the mail nearly every day. Here's my stash of cards:

Anne send the card on the bottom left, as well as a crossword puzzle book, a seek-a-word book (my salvation this week!), a James Patterson mystery and BROWNIES. Wow - those brownies are the BEST. My friend Bev sent a pack of cards of her original artwork, as well as one of her photo cards. See:

You should check out her artwork  - she's pretty fabulous. Another artist sent me a gift that arrived just today.

I had been feeling pitiful because no one had given me a prayer shawl & then Robin sent me one of hers! Thanks Robin! Isn't it lovely?

Several people had mentioned that I need a bag for the front of my walker, so I decided to see if I had any ingenuity left (after the great cane/paperclip escapade) & rigged up this little bag. Note my hair clip within easy reach should I have a MY HAIR IS TOO HOT GET IT OUT OF MY FACE emergency.

So we're doing ok. I think Dr. M's murderous impulses have been kept in check. Here is a picture from my afternoon constitutional yesterday. I look all calm, but in fact, I had a moment of terror as I realized that the cypress vine was trying to wrap around my arm. Yikes! and I'll bet you women know what my first thought was when I saw the picture: wonder how soon I can get a color appointment?

Have a nice day!