Sometimes it's hard to self-motivate, especially when there's no one here to see my efforts and/or appreciate them, like, for instance, cooking meals. Why bother? If I go to the Oriental take-out, a meal lasts me 3 days that I don't have to cook and/or think about buying, prepping, and then cooking a meal. If I get a $10 pizza from KMart, it not only tastes really good, but it also lasts me for about 4 days of meals. But I've had some wake-up news in my life recently, so it's time to get off my ample ass and do some things that haven't been done in far too long.
Today is Day One. I emptied 6 drawers in my headboard bureau, one of which was filled with socks. Now how many pairs of socks can one person wear? Evidently, I 'd need a pair of socks and without rummaging through the existing socks in the sock drawer, I'd go buy a new pair -- or six, since they come in nice big economy packs these days. End result: I had enough socks to make it through an Ice Age! I decided to keep 4 dozen assorted, including whites and colored and patterns, some with just feet and others with tops, and the rest are in a huge plastic bag in the back of the RAV to donate to Angel View. I can't remember the last time I wore a scarf, so I kept 4 assorted scarves and put the rest into a box to donate. Ditto the rest of the drawers, which are now almost empty.
I'm not sure how many days I'll be able to face this daunting task, but it gives me time to ponder what is coming next in my life, as well as listen to "my" music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, as well as one of my favorite groups, El Divo, and one of my favorite female artists, Norah Jones, whom I had forgotten as her CD was way down on the pile. I've already listened to Elton sing "Electric Boobs," as it was sung in that wonderful movie about the girl getting married and her sister has to do all kinds of errands for her and she and the fiancé get a little tipsy in the bar and they sing Electric Boots at full volume… yeah, not all memories are coming all the way back!
Tomorrow, I'm going to face my other dresser, and then I'm going deep into the closet, which will be a two-day task. I have things in there from when I was in college (whisper) 50 years ago. I have one dress I bought for work (whisper) 25 years ago and never wore. And the beat goes on … .
I figure that once I make progress with one room, I'll be more inclined to do another. I have a neighbor who comes in every couple of weeks to do a deep clean, and she said she'll help me in the kitchen as I'm not even going to contemplate standing on a step-stool to empty cabinets. If you think the things in my closet have been there awhile, I have stuff on the top shelf of the cabinet that has probably been there for at least a decade! Yeah, really. When I broke my back, I gave up standing on things to reach high shelves, and that's been quite a while ago. I'll just bring the trashcan into the kitchen and make it a two-step process: she climbs and hands me things and I toss them into the dumpster.
Deep down inside me, I keep thinking that maybe if I get a handle on this place, maybe I won't have to relocate. If moving isn't such a daunting task, maybe I won't feel as if I have to move to get out from under what it's taken me quite a while to create: one big MESS!
So, rest and relax and then work on Day Two. Meanwhile, I wish the dogs could dance with me as "our" music has a beat and a lot of pep. Not like that crap kids listen to today. Aahh, that felt good!
Showing posts with label ketchup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ketchup. Show all posts
Monday, March 11, 2019
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Doggone Good Decision
When I was told that the vet recommended Sparkle's leg be amputated, I was flummoxed! I've never heard of a fractured bone leading to amputation, especially in a dog, so I decided to take some time to think the decision through based on Sparkle's use of her leg.
When Sparkle first came into my family, she was limping almost all of the time, and carrying her leg high up when walking and running. I thought about what I might do to change that and decided to massage her leg and hip where the bone had been broken and healed without treatment. Sparkle liked the attention and stayed quite still while I was treating her, so I got in a good 15-minute massage each day, and some days, twice a day. I noticed that her holding her leg up wasn't the issue it was at first, and within a couple of weeks of the message, she was mostly walking on all four legs. She still held the broken leg up when she trotted or ran, so we had some work to do.
I've been massaging Sparkle's leg for about a month now, and she seldom holds it up, even when she's running. She has a nice firm stance and isn't favoring the leg at all. I'm convinced that there is no need for an amputation and will continue to massage her leg/hip until she uses the leg when she runs. She is such a joy in our lives and I want to do what's best for her, which seems to be helping her to regain complete use of her injured leg!
When Sparkle first came into my family, she was limping almost all of the time, and carrying her leg high up when walking and running. I thought about what I might do to change that and decided to massage her leg and hip where the bone had been broken and healed without treatment. Sparkle liked the attention and stayed quite still while I was treating her, so I got in a good 15-minute massage each day, and some days, twice a day. I noticed that her holding her leg up wasn't the issue it was at first, and within a couple of weeks of the message, she was mostly walking on all four legs. She still held the broken leg up when she trotted or ran, so we had some work to do.
I've been massaging Sparkle's leg for about a month now, and she seldom holds it up, even when she's running. She has a nice firm stance and isn't favoring the leg at all. I'm convinced that there is no need for an amputation and will continue to massage her leg/hip until she uses the leg when she runs. She is such a joy in our lives and I want to do what's best for her, which seems to be helping her to regain complete use of her injured leg!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Winding up the Week
This has been an interesting week, with little bits of this 'n that to keep it moving from one day to the next, including the reno of my bathroom shower, the site of the infamous fall last December.
Construction is tricky: no matter how detailed the plans, how thorough the process, the amount of materials purchased and on-site, the project always takes twice as long and goes over-budget! This project is no different. What I want is a basic tiled shower with two improvements: one, raise the shower head, which has always hit me right between the eyes, and two, move the shower head to the inside wall, on the same side of the bathroom as the toilet. By relocating the shower head, I can access the shower from the limited floorspace not occupied by the toilet and may (and I emphasize may) avoid a future fall. And, I wanted tile, not a prefab plastic surround.
Not fancy, just functional. My guys bought all the materials -- except not enough pvc pipe fixtures to relocate the condensation drain from the air conditioning unit on the other side of the bathroom wall. This piece of pvc pipe flopped loose behind the previous prefab surround, but had to be dealt with before any other step could be undertaken in the new tile shower. Next, we discussed the bench (I guess every shower needs a bench), and had to decide on both size and placement. I didn't like the look of a square box under the water handle, which would remain on the outside wall, and, in my opinion, provide me with an obstacle course. After discussing alternatives, I agreed to a smaller bench angled across the corner of the shower stall on the outside wall. Of course, there wasn't enough wood to reconfigure the bench, but, fortunately, I had bits and pieces from other jobs in the past couple of years, so he was able to cobble the new bench together.
Then, the little "box" inside the shower, the one that holds shower essentials, needed to be planned and framed in. Once that was completed, I realized that one small box was not adequate, so we added another box -- except the guys had not provided the contractor with adequate wood. This time, we took apart a wooden delivery pallet and reused the 4x4 frame. Then, we had to insulate the outside wall, except there was no insulation in the pile of material in the garage. Then, we needed to change the plan to put a 12x12" tile inside the little shower boxes because ... the guys bought 13x13" tiles, not the 12x12" tiles they told Rob they bought, and that was a different problem to work through (I simply went back to the big box store and bought 2 more sheets of the 2" tiles that will become the floor: problem solved, and no extra time spent cutting and fitting 13" tiles!!).
The biggest issue was the 13" tiles because the tile man spent a long time marking off the tile placement without checking the size of the tile first. Then, one of my guys called to tell him to include the band of glass tiles (in a separate box under the other two kinds of tiles) -- and that threw off all the new markings for the 13" tiles. The tile guy was far beyond frustrated, but he's a pro, so he sucked it up and stuck it out. At 7 pm last evening, knowing that he was driving back in a pouring rain storm, he finally called it quits for the day without quite reaching his goal.
The dogs complicate strangers in the house as Daisy runs like hell the instant she sees an opening. We spend too much time playing "Where's Daisy?" as the workers come in and out of the garage, but the rule is: you let her out, you go find her and bring her back home. Sure, the dogs can be outside when it's not raining, but it's been raining. I know Daisy was cold yesterday, especially after she came into bed with me and burrowed all the way under all the blankets, then curled up right next to my back to keep warm. I don't think she moved last night and was still huddled up next to me when I woke at 5 am.
Yesterday, I also had to contend with asthma issues, probably triggered by the "hot mop" guy who doesn't hot mop to water-seal the shower before framing and tiling. He used a propane torch to heat the tar paper and mold it in place, which generated a noxious odor. I kept all of the doors closed and the windows open, so thought it would not be an issue, but when I reopened the house yesterday for the next stage of the construction, there must have been more fumes than I could smell. By noon, I was done in, no energy, unable to breathe, relying on my inhaler to function. I tried to spend time outside, but it was so cold and windy that the fresh air didn't help my breathing issues. I canceled my class, which I seldom do, because it was not going to happen yesterday, and trundled off to bed as soon as Rob left.
Today, the tile guy says he will finish, one way or another, as he has another job tomorrow. This afternoon, I'm going to stay with my friend who had lung surgery for his cancer last week, while his wife goes to work, so will leave Rob to his business. My friend will probably sleep -- and I just may join him!
The good news is that I've made remarkable progress on one of my "using up yarn bits 'n pieces" afghans. This one is circles of various colors bordered with solid black in a granny square design, then made into 4x4 tiles sewn into strips that are sewn together to form the blanket. Once I have this middle part completed, I'll add another wide border around the outside and be done. Then on to the next using up yarn project already in progress: the knit squares made of half varigated and half solid colors. I'm stumped on how this is going to go together and look okay, but I'll get back to it after I finish the granny squares afghan.
It's been a long week, but each day has had interesting bits to it, so I simply keep on keeping on.
Construction is tricky: no matter how detailed the plans, how thorough the process, the amount of materials purchased and on-site, the project always takes twice as long and goes over-budget! This project is no different. What I want is a basic tiled shower with two improvements: one, raise the shower head, which has always hit me right between the eyes, and two, move the shower head to the inside wall, on the same side of the bathroom as the toilet. By relocating the shower head, I can access the shower from the limited floorspace not occupied by the toilet and may (and I emphasize may) avoid a future fall. And, I wanted tile, not a prefab plastic surround.
Not fancy, just functional. My guys bought all the materials -- except not enough pvc pipe fixtures to relocate the condensation drain from the air conditioning unit on the other side of the bathroom wall. This piece of pvc pipe flopped loose behind the previous prefab surround, but had to be dealt with before any other step could be undertaken in the new tile shower. Next, we discussed the bench (I guess every shower needs a bench), and had to decide on both size and placement. I didn't like the look of a square box under the water handle, which would remain on the outside wall, and, in my opinion, provide me with an obstacle course. After discussing alternatives, I agreed to a smaller bench angled across the corner of the shower stall on the outside wall. Of course, there wasn't enough wood to reconfigure the bench, but, fortunately, I had bits and pieces from other jobs in the past couple of years, so he was able to cobble the new bench together.
Then, the little "box" inside the shower, the one that holds shower essentials, needed to be planned and framed in. Once that was completed, I realized that one small box was not adequate, so we added another box -- except the guys had not provided the contractor with adequate wood. This time, we took apart a wooden delivery pallet and reused the 4x4 frame. Then, we had to insulate the outside wall, except there was no insulation in the pile of material in the garage. Then, we needed to change the plan to put a 12x12" tile inside the little shower boxes because ... the guys bought 13x13" tiles, not the 12x12" tiles they told Rob they bought, and that was a different problem to work through (I simply went back to the big box store and bought 2 more sheets of the 2" tiles that will become the floor: problem solved, and no extra time spent cutting and fitting 13" tiles!!).
The biggest issue was the 13" tiles because the tile man spent a long time marking off the tile placement without checking the size of the tile first. Then, one of my guys called to tell him to include the band of glass tiles (in a separate box under the other two kinds of tiles) -- and that threw off all the new markings for the 13" tiles. The tile guy was far beyond frustrated, but he's a pro, so he sucked it up and stuck it out. At 7 pm last evening, knowing that he was driving back in a pouring rain storm, he finally called it quits for the day without quite reaching his goal.
The dogs complicate strangers in the house as Daisy runs like hell the instant she sees an opening. We spend too much time playing "Where's Daisy?" as the workers come in and out of the garage, but the rule is: you let her out, you go find her and bring her back home. Sure, the dogs can be outside when it's not raining, but it's been raining. I know Daisy was cold yesterday, especially after she came into bed with me and burrowed all the way under all the blankets, then curled up right next to my back to keep warm. I don't think she moved last night and was still huddled up next to me when I woke at 5 am.
Yesterday, I also had to contend with asthma issues, probably triggered by the "hot mop" guy who doesn't hot mop to water-seal the shower before framing and tiling. He used a propane torch to heat the tar paper and mold it in place, which generated a noxious odor. I kept all of the doors closed and the windows open, so thought it would not be an issue, but when I reopened the house yesterday for the next stage of the construction, there must have been more fumes than I could smell. By noon, I was done in, no energy, unable to breathe, relying on my inhaler to function. I tried to spend time outside, but it was so cold and windy that the fresh air didn't help my breathing issues. I canceled my class, which I seldom do, because it was not going to happen yesterday, and trundled off to bed as soon as Rob left.
Today, the tile guy says he will finish, one way or another, as he has another job tomorrow. This afternoon, I'm going to stay with my friend who had lung surgery for his cancer last week, while his wife goes to work, so will leave Rob to his business. My friend will probably sleep -- and I just may join him!
The good news is that I've made remarkable progress on one of my "using up yarn bits 'n pieces" afghans. This one is circles of various colors bordered with solid black in a granny square design, then made into 4x4 tiles sewn into strips that are sewn together to form the blanket. Once I have this middle part completed, I'll add another wide border around the outside and be done. Then on to the next using up yarn project already in progress: the knit squares made of half varigated and half solid colors. I'm stumped on how this is going to go together and look okay, but I'll get back to it after I finish the granny squares afghan.
It's been a long week, but each day has had interesting bits to it, so I simply keep on keeping on.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Dramatic End to the Week
This has been a long week as my back, which had been coming along nicely, decided to "freeze" again, making it impossible to sit/stand/recline and/or walk. I gulped Aleve and surrounded my back/hips with ice, but time seems to stand still when it's impossible to wait for the pain to subside. PT helped, but not much at the time I needed it to work really, really well.
Then, before going to teach my first class Wed, I took a photo to the hairdresser, showed it to her, explained that I have been growing my hair out so I could have it styled "just like this photo." I made sure she knew that I did NOT want my hair cut, but reshaped, but walked out looking as if I have attacked my hair with the manicure scissors ... again. I don't like bunches of hair covering my ears, preferring to have hair that is shaped to accentuate the shape of the sides of my head, rather than approximating Bozo the Clown's profile. I wanted my hair to stay the length it was when I arrived, not be chopped off all over my head. I held up the photo when we were finished and asked if she really thought there was any resemblance between what I asked for and what she did, but that did not go well. At all. Again.
Yes, it's just hair and it will grow back, but I really HATE having to go through the growing it out every single time I trust someone to trim my hair and/or make a style I really want to wear -- but they seem unable to achieve. If I had wanted to look like I do, I would have used the manicure scissors and saved myself the $30 and the aggravation.
Last night, B came over to take some measurements for upcoming home improvement projects. As he was playing with Daisy, Mia sauntered over, Daisy growled, and Mia went beserk. She grabbed Daisy by the neck, growling ferociously, and began shaking her like a dust rag. I thought she was going to bite Daisy's head off before I could grab her choke collar, choke her, and get her to drop Daisy, who ran for the safety of anywhere else. I locked Mia in the garage, then went to find Daisy, who was way outside in the dog run, scared to death and shaking like a leaf.
Mia only got skin and hair, so there was very little bleeding, and when I let Mia back into the house about an hour after the incident, the dogs were rubbing noses and licking each other, so whatever set Mia off was gone. However, this morning I took Daisy to b'fast, just in case, and left her in the car while I socialized with my friends. I brought Daisy a piece of chicken fried steak, which she pounced on and devoured before returning home.
At PT, my therapist was able to work out my back/hip issues, so today has been a good day. I've watched what dvr'd this past week and did some knitting, while Daisy has been curled up in my lap. I'm sure she's sore from the shaking, as well as the ferocity of the attack, but she and Mia are getting along fine today, even sharing a patch of sunshine on the patio this afternoon.
Finally, my friend's niece died very suddenly during the night from sepsis. She hadn't felt well early in the week, took a rapid turn for the worst yesterday and was taken to the ER via ambulance, but the doctors could not save her. M is on her way home to comfort her mother and her brother, as well as all the other family and friends who have to deal with the loss of this young woman much too soon and much too suddenly.
One day at a time, dear Lord. One day at a time.
Then, before going to teach my first class Wed, I took a photo to the hairdresser, showed it to her, explained that I have been growing my hair out so I could have it styled "just like this photo." I made sure she knew that I did NOT want my hair cut, but reshaped, but walked out looking as if I have attacked my hair with the manicure scissors ... again. I don't like bunches of hair covering my ears, preferring to have hair that is shaped to accentuate the shape of the sides of my head, rather than approximating Bozo the Clown's profile. I wanted my hair to stay the length it was when I arrived, not be chopped off all over my head. I held up the photo when we were finished and asked if she really thought there was any resemblance between what I asked for and what she did, but that did not go well. At all. Again.
Yes, it's just hair and it will grow back, but I really HATE having to go through the growing it out every single time I trust someone to trim my hair and/or make a style I really want to wear -- but they seem unable to achieve. If I had wanted to look like I do, I would have used the manicure scissors and saved myself the $30 and the aggravation.
Last night, B came over to take some measurements for upcoming home improvement projects. As he was playing with Daisy, Mia sauntered over, Daisy growled, and Mia went beserk. She grabbed Daisy by the neck, growling ferociously, and began shaking her like a dust rag. I thought she was going to bite Daisy's head off before I could grab her choke collar, choke her, and get her to drop Daisy, who ran for the safety of anywhere else. I locked Mia in the garage, then went to find Daisy, who was way outside in the dog run, scared to death and shaking like a leaf.
Mia only got skin and hair, so there was very little bleeding, and when I let Mia back into the house about an hour after the incident, the dogs were rubbing noses and licking each other, so whatever set Mia off was gone. However, this morning I took Daisy to b'fast, just in case, and left her in the car while I socialized with my friends. I brought Daisy a piece of chicken fried steak, which she pounced on and devoured before returning home.
At PT, my therapist was able to work out my back/hip issues, so today has been a good day. I've watched what dvr'd this past week and did some knitting, while Daisy has been curled up in my lap. I'm sure she's sore from the shaking, as well as the ferocity of the attack, but she and Mia are getting along fine today, even sharing a patch of sunshine on the patio this afternoon.
Finally, my friend's niece died very suddenly during the night from sepsis. She hadn't felt well early in the week, took a rapid turn for the worst yesterday and was taken to the ER via ambulance, but the doctors could not save her. M is on her way home to comfort her mother and her brother, as well as all the other family and friends who have to deal with the loss of this young woman much too soon and much too suddenly.
One day at a time, dear Lord. One day at a time.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Ecstatic!
Out with the old; in with the new. What a difference a new power strip makes!!
My new TV began randomly turning off and then back on, beginning with the recent thunderstorm that rattled through our area. I didn't think too much about it until I also lost the "guide" function that allows me to look at the day's offerings and set up to DVR that which I will watch tomorrow. Curious, I got down on the floor, a huge undertaking when one cannot bend one's knee, nor put direct pressure on it, and saw that the power strip was blinking. Deciding that was, indeed, not a good sign, I drove across the freeway to the big box store's electronics' department and bought both a new strip for the media center and for the laptop computer--just in case, ya know.
Wow, I am totally ecstactic with my new strips! The picture on the new TV is so sharp and crisp, and the remote device works much quicker than it was. I know that bad weather affects the cable input off the surrounding poles, but I had no idea that a bad power strip could also affect electronic performance. Guess I just wasn't thinking in the viagra vein ... boosting the performance of an old, tired piece of equipment.
Also, I had the carpet cleaners come in, for which I believe I paid the technician's monthly mortgage payment. I had no idea just how expensive it could be to remove pounds of dog hair from carpeting, tile floors, and a huge wrap-around couch. The good news is that my house smells much cleaner than it has recently, especially since Crazy Dazy was reluctant to go outside to potty during the storms. The tech told me that the solutions used during the cleaning help to dissipate the odor of urine, but also discourage pets from returning to the spot again. However, in my living room, there are many acres of unspoiled carpet left to soil, and winter is just beginning.
I enjoyed sitting outside for the 2 hours the cleaning took, reading a good book by Rick Mofina, The Panic Zone. I picked up my first Mofina novel as I was drawn to the name (how fine is he? Mo-fina!), but I've read several as he writes a good story that would also make a good movie, especially if Matt Damon is looking for work. The Jack Gannon character is more clever than smart, and more determined than daring.
The dogs aren't too happy with spending the day outside, but until the carpets and the furniture are dry and I've brought back all the scatter rugs for their most favorite nap areas, they are staying outside. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and all too soon it will be too cold to enjoy so many hours sitting in the sunshine. Besides, I haven't quite finished my Mofina and still have a couple of hours of daylight left to do so. Priorities, people!
My new TV began randomly turning off and then back on, beginning with the recent thunderstorm that rattled through our area. I didn't think too much about it until I also lost the "guide" function that allows me to look at the day's offerings and set up to DVR that which I will watch tomorrow. Curious, I got down on the floor, a huge undertaking when one cannot bend one's knee, nor put direct pressure on it, and saw that the power strip was blinking. Deciding that was, indeed, not a good sign, I drove across the freeway to the big box store's electronics' department and bought both a new strip for the media center and for the laptop computer--just in case, ya know.
Wow, I am totally ecstactic with my new strips! The picture on the new TV is so sharp and crisp, and the remote device works much quicker than it was. I know that bad weather affects the cable input off the surrounding poles, but I had no idea that a bad power strip could also affect electronic performance. Guess I just wasn't thinking in the viagra vein ... boosting the performance of an old, tired piece of equipment.
Also, I had the carpet cleaners come in, for which I believe I paid the technician's monthly mortgage payment. I had no idea just how expensive it could be to remove pounds of dog hair from carpeting, tile floors, and a huge wrap-around couch. The good news is that my house smells much cleaner than it has recently, especially since Crazy Dazy was reluctant to go outside to potty during the storms. The tech told me that the solutions used during the cleaning help to dissipate the odor of urine, but also discourage pets from returning to the spot again. However, in my living room, there are many acres of unspoiled carpet left to soil, and winter is just beginning.
I enjoyed sitting outside for the 2 hours the cleaning took, reading a good book by Rick Mofina, The Panic Zone. I picked up my first Mofina novel as I was drawn to the name (how fine is he? Mo-fina!), but I've read several as he writes a good story that would also make a good movie, especially if Matt Damon is looking for work. The Jack Gannon character is more clever than smart, and more determined than daring.
The dogs aren't too happy with spending the day outside, but until the carpets and the furniture are dry and I've brought back all the scatter rugs for their most favorite nap areas, they are staying outside. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and all too soon it will be too cold to enjoy so many hours sitting in the sunshine. Besides, I haven't quite finished my Mofina and still have a couple of hours of daylight left to do so. Priorities, people!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
A Helping Hand
As I stood up to go to my first class Wednesday morning, I heard my phone ringing deep within my purse. Deciding that I had time to take a quick call before starting class, I answered. B told me that he was at loose ends today, so he was coming to my house to do the gardening in the front yard. I was speechless: my front yard was so overgrown that doing yardwork was going to be a huge undertaking. I demurred, explaining that B didn't have to do that, but he said, "You cannot do it, but you'll try to do it, and then you'll hurt yourself again. Forget it: I'm on my way."
My front yard was so overgrown that there was no longer a path through the vegetation; half the sidewalk was hidden under the creepers; the brick outline of the middle section was completely covered in sand; and the front door could no longer be used as either an entrance or an exit as it was ferociously guarded by an out-of-control bougainvilla bush!
Believe me when I say I was flabbergasted when I drove into the driveway at the end of my workday. B was working with his Lady L, and both of them were covered in sweat and sand. The piles of debris were huge, the result of cutting down all the vegetation to stumps with a few leaves clinging valiantly to what's left. The pathway through the front yard is now so wide that troops could hold maneuvers!
B told me that if I blogged about it, I would exaggerate, and I told him "no way," I'll just tell the truth about the massacre at Liza Land. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Okay, so the translation is actually wow: the front yard looks so good! I cannot believe how much work they did and what a difference it makes in the landscaping.
B and his Lady came back Thursday to finish up (yeah, there really is that much gardening to do), including shoveling up the doggie doo in the doggie run. We should have had a pool on how much product there is since I haven't been out in about 2 months. I do know that there is so much poo that I can smell it from the front yard, not a good way to impress the neighborhood.
I was at the dr office in the morning for my final injection and a consultation to determine if a partial knee replacement is in my future or a life of constant nagging pain from the torn meniscus or a middle ground that I can live with and not have to take pain pills every 4 hours. We're coming up on a full year since the injury, and that's too long to live with constant pain and increasing knee instability. Basically, the injections have done for the bone erosion what they are going to do, with maximum benefit coming in another 4 weeks. The effects of the injection will slowly wear off as the lubricant is absorbed into my body, at which time I'll have the torn meniscus repaired again, and then have a partial knee replacement or another round of injections. Perhaps there will come a day -- soon -- when I'll be able to keep up my own house and property again!
I not only am thankful to B for being a part of my life, but I am also grateful for the help that B gives repeatedly and always with a smile. Thanks, B, and your Lady L.
My front yard was so overgrown that there was no longer a path through the vegetation; half the sidewalk was hidden under the creepers; the brick outline of the middle section was completely covered in sand; and the front door could no longer be used as either an entrance or an exit as it was ferociously guarded by an out-of-control bougainvilla bush!
Believe me when I say I was flabbergasted when I drove into the driveway at the end of my workday. B was working with his Lady L, and both of them were covered in sweat and sand. The piles of debris were huge, the result of cutting down all the vegetation to stumps with a few leaves clinging valiantly to what's left. The pathway through the front yard is now so wide that troops could hold maneuvers!
B told me that if I blogged about it, I would exaggerate, and I told him "no way," I'll just tell the truth about the massacre at Liza Land. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Okay, so the translation is actually wow: the front yard looks so good! I cannot believe how much work they did and what a difference it makes in the landscaping.
B and his Lady came back Thursday to finish up (yeah, there really is that much gardening to do), including shoveling up the doggie doo in the doggie run. We should have had a pool on how much product there is since I haven't been out in about 2 months. I do know that there is so much poo that I can smell it from the front yard, not a good way to impress the neighborhood.
I was at the dr office in the morning for my final injection and a consultation to determine if a partial knee replacement is in my future or a life of constant nagging pain from the torn meniscus or a middle ground that I can live with and not have to take pain pills every 4 hours. We're coming up on a full year since the injury, and that's too long to live with constant pain and increasing knee instability. Basically, the injections have done for the bone erosion what they are going to do, with maximum benefit coming in another 4 weeks. The effects of the injection will slowly wear off as the lubricant is absorbed into my body, at which time I'll have the torn meniscus repaired again, and then have a partial knee replacement or another round of injections. Perhaps there will come a day -- soon -- when I'll be able to keep up my own house and property again!
I not only am thankful to B for being a part of my life, but I am also grateful for the help that B gives repeatedly and always with a smile. Thanks, B, and your Lady L.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Vacation Part IV: Collage
As much as I hate flying, my flights this trip were excellent: not just on-time departures, but across the board early arrivals. I was actually seated in the aisle seats I reserved, although on the last leg, I should have given my seat up to the mom and her son separated from her 2 daughters, who were seated next to me behind her. However, I took a quick look, decided she had her hands full with the youngest son, and got the girls seated, buckled in, and ready for take-off. I did reprimand them a couple of times, gently and quietly, when they infringed on my space and kicked the backs of the seats in front of them, as well as the mini-fight they had halfway through the flight (sisters, ya know?). I helped them with their free drink and snack Mom provided, and they finally wound down and slept for the last hour plus. That time, I didn't mind them infringing on my space as it was quiet and they were so cute.
I am going to pitch a bitch: I had to pay $15 both ways for my very small suitcase to be transported with me, which I would not have minded had EVERYONE been treated equally. I was told that my suitcase was "oversized," which is NOT a fact as it fit into the wire rack, but the gate attendant thought that it was a snug fit that could cause problems once I was on-board as bags cannot be placed parallel to the aisle, but have to fit perpendicular, wheels toward the aisle (which my suitcase does). No, I didn't read that on the list of rules, but my bag was gone and I was paying the penalty in cold, hard cash.
Once I was seated, I watched an endless stream of travelers come on-board with very large suitcases that took up an entire overhead bin lengthwise, not wheels toward the aisle as I was told, as well as "under seat" pieces that had to be stored overhead as they, too, were too large to fit under the seat in front of them. Is an exception made if the person appears to be on a business trip, as that appeared at first glance the reason so much carry-on was allowed for certain travelers. If the rule states what is allowed and any traveler exceeds that standard, the bag should be checked and paid for by the traveler, not winked at because the person is a frequent business flyer. The flights were so incredibly full that overhead bins were filled by the first 2/3 of the passengers, which totally angered those in the aisles with bags they intended to carry on, but now had to check. However, once they got the bags on-board, they did NOT have to pay the $15 fee to check them, which appears to be yet another loophole in the who has to pay standard!!!!!
Again, I don't argue with fair, but I was tagged for $30 extra for service that I did not need, while others didn't have to pay for service for which they should have been charged. If there's going to be a rule, enforce it or forget it: it should not be first on-board get a free pass to stuff the overhead bins with their luggage, while the rest of the travelers get the hassel.
Whatever. I found my suitcase at the baggage claim, located my car in the parking lot, and picked up Mia, who was glad to see me, but had to first find the big chunk of chewy bone she intended to steal from Thor, who didn't seem particularly upset at her theft. I'm going to take care of Thor next weekend so his parents can go to Vegas for a birthday celebration. Mia patroled the property last night, then flopped onto her ratty green shag rug and blue pillow on the floor by my bed, exhausted. Several times during the night she touched my hand with her tongue, but that was just to see if I was still here. She does much better with her separation anxiety since I've been away a few times, but returned home, so that's a relief. I had crashed about 9:30 as I was tired after 2 weeks of having intense fun and being on the road for a full 12 hours to return home. Once my internal clock resets, I'll be fine, but that's going to take a couple of days.
About the garage: oh, wow (I'll take photos when my camera is delivered: ironically, I mailed some things that wouldn't fit into my suitcase). There are still boxes (I didn't want to just toss out everything), but there are shelves to hold them. Above the washer/dryer, B put the wire shelves, which are wide enough to hold the products that I usually store above that area. I have a new mini-workbench, with both my pegboard above it and shelves next to it, rather than the old tossed out cabinet I rescued off the street and used for doing projects. The big plastic shelving my son gave me is in a unique corner just right for it (I actually assembled the shelves and put it there several months ago, when I was going to do the project myself), but now it's organized and useful. I still have my school files, but a few boxes, not 30+ years of files. There are boxes with pots/pans, as well as photos, etc., but now I know what's in them and will go through them one at a time. And, I can park the car with room to spare on all sides of it! And I have a working light over the washer. And a hose hanger. And ... deep gratitude for a project done that was well past the time of doing.
Today, it's off to the post office to pick up the held mail, write bills, buy groceries, and decompress. I'm going to work on updating my syllabi for the fall classes, but that's a fun job, as well as necessary, because I look forward to returning to the classroom when it's a couple of classes, rather than a full schedule. I have a few handwork projects I'm working on and will catch up on missed TV shows while I do so.
Vacation has ended, but there are still a couple of trips pending, so I can ease back into the old and familiar and savor what's left of the summer.
I am going to pitch a bitch: I had to pay $15 both ways for my very small suitcase to be transported with me, which I would not have minded had EVERYONE been treated equally. I was told that my suitcase was "oversized," which is NOT a fact as it fit into the wire rack, but the gate attendant thought that it was a snug fit that could cause problems once I was on-board as bags cannot be placed parallel to the aisle, but have to fit perpendicular, wheels toward the aisle (which my suitcase does). No, I didn't read that on the list of rules, but my bag was gone and I was paying the penalty in cold, hard cash.
Once I was seated, I watched an endless stream of travelers come on-board with very large suitcases that took up an entire overhead bin lengthwise, not wheels toward the aisle as I was told, as well as "under seat" pieces that had to be stored overhead as they, too, were too large to fit under the seat in front of them. Is an exception made if the person appears to be on a business trip, as that appeared at first glance the reason so much carry-on was allowed for certain travelers. If the rule states what is allowed and any traveler exceeds that standard, the bag should be checked and paid for by the traveler, not winked at because the person is a frequent business flyer. The flights were so incredibly full that overhead bins were filled by the first 2/3 of the passengers, which totally angered those in the aisles with bags they intended to carry on, but now had to check. However, once they got the bags on-board, they did NOT have to pay the $15 fee to check them, which appears to be yet another loophole in the who has to pay standard!!!!!
Again, I don't argue with fair, but I was tagged for $30 extra for service that I did not need, while others didn't have to pay for service for which they should have been charged. If there's going to be a rule, enforce it or forget it: it should not be first on-board get a free pass to stuff the overhead bins with their luggage, while the rest of the travelers get the hassel.
Whatever. I found my suitcase at the baggage claim, located my car in the parking lot, and picked up Mia, who was glad to see me, but had to first find the big chunk of chewy bone she intended to steal from Thor, who didn't seem particularly upset at her theft. I'm going to take care of Thor next weekend so his parents can go to Vegas for a birthday celebration. Mia patroled the property last night, then flopped onto her ratty green shag rug and blue pillow on the floor by my bed, exhausted. Several times during the night she touched my hand with her tongue, but that was just to see if I was still here. She does much better with her separation anxiety since I've been away a few times, but returned home, so that's a relief. I had crashed about 9:30 as I was tired after 2 weeks of having intense fun and being on the road for a full 12 hours to return home. Once my internal clock resets, I'll be fine, but that's going to take a couple of days.
About the garage: oh, wow (I'll take photos when my camera is delivered: ironically, I mailed some things that wouldn't fit into my suitcase). There are still boxes (I didn't want to just toss out everything), but there are shelves to hold them. Above the washer/dryer, B put the wire shelves, which are wide enough to hold the products that I usually store above that area. I have a new mini-workbench, with both my pegboard above it and shelves next to it, rather than the old tossed out cabinet I rescued off the street and used for doing projects. The big plastic shelving my son gave me is in a unique corner just right for it (I actually assembled the shelves and put it there several months ago, when I was going to do the project myself), but now it's organized and useful. I still have my school files, but a few boxes, not 30+ years of files. There are boxes with pots/pans, as well as photos, etc., but now I know what's in them and will go through them one at a time. And, I can park the car with room to spare on all sides of it! And I have a working light over the washer. And a hose hanger. And ... deep gratitude for a project done that was well past the time of doing.
Today, it's off to the post office to pick up the held mail, write bills, buy groceries, and decompress. I'm going to work on updating my syllabi for the fall classes, but that's a fun job, as well as necessary, because I look forward to returning to the classroom when it's a couple of classes, rather than a full schedule. I have a few handwork projects I'm working on and will catch up on missed TV shows while I do so.
Vacation has ended, but there are still a couple of trips pending, so I can ease back into the old and familiar and savor what's left of the summer.
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