So here's the short of it, 
Happy New Year!  (we lost Mom for awhile tonight)

And here's the long

Happy New Year to everyone! 

It's hard to believe the first decade of the 2000's is coming to an end.  It has really been an amazing 10 years.  I can hardly even imagine what the next 10 will bring. 

Tonight we scheduled to celebrate with Mom and cousin Mia with an early dinner.  Neither of us - well three of us counting Mom, have any great plans to stay up to see the ball drop - so early dinner and then an early bedtime was the plan.  We were going to be at the house at 5:00 and plan to eat about 5:30.  As Mia would say we put together a small feast, and both she and Mom were bringing things.  I asked Mom to bring some Raspberry sherbet which is usually pretty easy to find this time of year.....

At a little after 5:00 Mia arrived - before Mom, now that's unusual.  A little later Alan said he saw Mom's car and went out to the driveway to help her carry in some things, but she wasn't there.  We both wondered if she had gone to the grocery store.  I called her cell phone and got no answer.  It actually went straight to the voice mail!  By 5:30 I was starting to get a little anxious since she wasn't answering the phone.  We waited until about a quarter til, and Mia offered to go see if she saw Mom's car in the grocery parking lot; it wasn't there.  Alan got in his car and started checking to see if she was stranded somewhere on Brainerd Road.  It was dark... I couldn't imagine where she could be and it was 6 o'clock. 

My phone rang, Alan said he had just seen her pull out of the parking lot at Bi-lo!  She arrived a little after 6:00 much to my relief and a little fussing!  She had gone to Bi-Lo to get the sherbet and then she realized that she had forgotten her pocket book.  So she went back home to get it.  That must have been when Mia was at the grocery.  Then Mom went back to the grocery store and got the things she went for.  Her phone didn't have a charge, so she had plugged it in at home and didn't have it with her. 

I'm so grateful that she was OK and that it was just a mix up.  We ended up having a nice dinner and a nice visit, and it's almost 10:00 and everyone is gone.  I'm going to try to get to bed early.  I'm still feeling pretty yucky.  I know that it will take another day or so for the medicine to kick in and I know that if I get plenty of rest it will help the healing process!  So no ball drop tonight.

So Happy New Year. 

So here's the short of it, 
I drove!  and I'm yucky sick. 

And here's the long

Well, I tested out driving today.  I went to WalMart, where I probably spent too much time on my feet although it was certainly a short trip for this woman who usually spends too much time in any grocery store I'm in. (that might be post worthy someday).  Anyway, I got in a few things to fix up a nice New Year's dinner celebration and a can of the obligatory black eyed peas for tomorrow.  Mom went with me - I think she needed a few things as well, and she wanted to make sure I was driving OK.

My second stop was to my doctor.  By the way, I just absolutely love my doctor.  She's pretty young, which is what I was looking for because I hope I'll be able to stay with her the rest of my life - of course she may retire when I'm in my late eighties.  I'll cross that bridge then.  Anyway, it was quite a project, as I thought it would be.  Get into the car, take off the boot.  Drive to the destination..  Put the boot back on before getting out of the car. So I had an extra stop in there to stop at home and drop off the refrigerated things before going on to see my doctor. 

Now the reason for this doctor appointment.  I have an awful cold!  With the holiday weekend coming on, I thought I'd just better get myself some medicine and right now, this doctor won't prescribe any antibiotic without an exam.  My head is full of that awful dark, viscous mucous.  I'm having trouble sleeping because no matter which way I put my head I get stopped up and can't breathe.  My throat is sore, and I'm a bit headachy.  So I'm starting a prescription for a penicillin drug tonight, and hopefully I'll be very much on the mend by the time we are scheduled to go back to work on Monday!

Right now, I'm going to bed.

So here's the short of it, 
I've had a full day and am already imagining sleeping in....

And here's the long

Two doctors today.  First with Alan for his Botox shots.  I tease him that he has the youngest looking neck and shoulder of anyone I know.  Actually the Botox is the only treatment that has given him any relief from the neck and shoulder pain that began after our car accident that year.  Gosh it's been awhile.  Then this afternoon I went with Mom to see the PA at her hear doctor.  She's been having pain in her back which radiates down her arm and what she describes as a "pinchy" feeling in her chest near her heart.  He determined that it is not her heart, but most likely a problem with her rotator cuff.  That was a big relief to hear.

This afternoon and evening I finished up what we hope/think is the last proof reading of Dad's World War II memoir.  I've been working on it for several days. I'm glad to have finished it.  And I'm eager to have it available for people who would be interested.  It's still so hard for me to believe that he is dead.  But I will have to say I'm one lucky woman to have had Gene Howard for my Dad - and really lucky that he took time to write down so many things.

I don't have to get up tomorrow!  Let's see if I can sleep in.    

So here's the short of it, 
I graduated from the knee walker to a cane!

And here's the long

Right now I'm sitting with my foot propped up and iced without my boot on and being very thankful for my great doctor's appointment today.  Dr. Robertson is very pleased with the way my ankle is healing.  He says that it looks great!  At the beginning of my appointment, the nurse was taking all my information and she said "now, have you been making sure not to put any weight on it?"  I thought, Oh No.  I understood that I could put just a little weight on it if I was very careful and I had the boot on, etc.  So I got worried that I had misunderstood and that I might have done something to hurt my ankle.  So I was so relieved when he looked at the X-Ray and told me I was doing well!  He showed us the spot where the bone is beginning to knit and graduated me from the knee walker!

Yes, I can get rid of the knee walker - and with my boot and a cane I can do pretty much whatever I want.  I'm not supposed to put more than 50% of my weight on my foot.  I've got some foot exercises I'm supposed to start doing when I take off the boot in the evening to ice it which I'm still supposed to do every evening.  I'm also supposed to keep it propped up when I can.  Of course walking with the cane is a whole lot slower than whizzing around on  my knee walker, but I'm so glad,  Yes, so glad. 

Now here's the very best news.  I can drive... I CAN DRIVE!   I'm so excited.  I know Alan is relieved too that he no longer has to chauffeur me everywhere.  I have to take off my boot to drive and then put it back on before I get out of the car.  So driving will certainly be a project.  I'll have to give myself extra time on the front end of every trip to make sure I have time to get into the car, get my boot off and then when I get to my destination, taking time to put the boot back on and get into the building. I have a few days to figure that out before heading back to work next week. 

So here's the short of it, 
Warmer weather is coming and company is heading home.

And here's the long

It's beginning to get warmer, the snow is leaving, and I'll have to say, I'm getting pretty tired of this hobbled existence.  I'm eager for my appointment with Dr. Robertson tomorrow.  I'm hoping to hear that I can have a little more mobility than I've had so far.  I'll have to admit that over the last couple of days I've not stayed on my knee walker like I could have.  Especially when I've been in the kitchen, I've spent some time "walking" on that right foot.  I'm pretty sure I'm OK. I just have this feeling that my bones are healing fine.  I did have trouble getting comfortable to sleep last night.  I'm hoping that tonight I'll get a better sleep. 

Tomorrow Russ and Greg head back south - Russ to Florida and Greg to Montana.  Liga is headed for a week in Colorado, and Alan and I will be right here! I'm glad that I've got the rest of the week before heading back to work.  If I can get permission to put some weight on my foot, I've got a list a mile long of things I want to get done.  We'll just have to see.

I had a great e-mail tonight.  Several years ago, we hosted Christina, a young woman as an exchange student from Germany.  Then the next summer, she and her sister came back and spent a few weeks with us.  We kept in contact from time to time but it's been quite awhile since we've had any contact.  Today I had an e-mail from her including pictures from her wedding last spring!  What a treat to be back in touch with her.  I'm looking forward to staying in touch. 

It's getting late here in Chattanooga - I think I'll head to bed.  

So here's the short of it,
What a nice day after Christmas. 

And here's the long
 Well, Greg and Russ are still here at Mom's til Tuesday.  Today Betsy, Elizabeth, and Elijah drove up for the afternoon.  Mom made a great late lunch.  Real Christmassy.  Chicken, dressing, garden green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce - pumpkin pie, pound cake - just a great feast.  Valdis and Mia were both able to join us.  We missed Josh, but he had some reports that had to be done for work and needed to stay and get those completed.  Of course the afternoon wasn't all about Elijah, but as far as good pictures that I was able to capture on my phone, those of him in the superman PJs over his clothes and of his Uncle G helping him "fly" were the ones that came out.  It was a nice afternoon.

 

Superman, Elijah, flies courtesy of Uncle G!!

It was a great day after Christmas.  

We are thinking about Shelley, Lou, and Max, and Daniel, and all of Marjorie's family.  They are in Philadelphia for the Bris for their cousin, J.D.'s new baby Mose Abraham, and it is snowing up a blizzard there.  Be safe all of you!

So here's the short of it,

A white Christmas here in Chattanooga - almost unheard of!

And here's the long.

And so this is Christmas!

 It began to snow early this morning.  Alan was up at 5:30 and it hadn't started yet, but by the time I got up we already had more than an inch!  I didn't even get out in it.  I sure don't need any more opportunities to add to my injuries!  Thank goodness Alan took Sophie out for a few minutes and later this afternoon, she got a one time around the circle walk with Valdis and Kalie.  I cannot wait until my ankle is healed enough that I can take her out for her daily walk again!

At  Mom's this morning before the snow was over. 

Out our front door, not long after I woke up.  We ended up getting about 3 or 4 inches.  It's still there and we are expecting more tonight and tomorrow.  The main roads are mostly clear tonight, but they will freeze and make driving difficult.  Liga's work shift is over and she's here for the night with Dexter.  




Merry Christmas all my blog buddies! 

So here's the short of it,

Today we made a quick trip to Atlanta for a Christmas Eve visit. 

And here's the long.

For the first time in lots of years, we drove down to Atlanta on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day.  Neither Liga nor Valdis was able to go tomorrow - but Liga could go today since she had the day off.  So we went today instead.  We had a short visit with Betsy and Wayne.  Elizabeth and Josh and Elijah were there and there were a few neighbors who dropped by as well.  Then it was over to Steve and Pat's house for a short visit with everyone there.  We got to see everyone except Ben, Meredith's fiancee as he had already left to make it home to his family for Christmas.

We went to Pisgah Methodist Church for one of their 6 Christmas Eve services at 4:30  - one of those really big new churches, with a huge choir and an orchestra  It was an impressive service.  Then following the Steve Howard family tradition, we went to a Japanese steak house for Christmas Eve dinner.  Wayne and Betsy and all came to join us and we had a great evening.  Elizabeth and Josh came in a bit late.  When they got to their seats, Josh just insisted that Elijah take off his coat.  He was standing up on a chair and off came the coat and there he was with a shirt that said, "I'm going to be a big brother".  It was a great Christmas Eve announcement!

We missed having the rest of our crew there.  Shelley, Lou, and Max; Daniel, and Valdis - but we were glad to have as many of us together as we did. 

We're back home now and have snow in the forecast for tomorrow.  If it snows, it will be the first Christmas since I've lived in Chattanooga that I remember us having a "white Christmas".

Merry Christmas to everyone.

So here's the short of it, 
It's Honey Nut Stollen time.  

And here's the long

 So I got started about mid-morning.   I use a quick rise method - combining the yeast with a third of the dry ingredients and then adding the warm liquids and beating it very well. 

Yes, this recipe used every one of those eggs!  It's a very rich wonderful dough!

Then all the rest of the flour is added and I let the dough hooks go to town kneading the dough for about 10 or fifteen minutes.

Next the dough goes into a huge greased bowl and gets covered. It's allowed to rise in a warm place until it doubles in bulk.  Today Aunt Joyce and Daniel came by for a visit and we went down to Mom's for lunch, so I punched it down once and let it rise again while we went for lunch since I wouldn't have had time to finish it up.

After it rises, it's time to make the loaves.  It gets punched down and divided.  Today I doubled the recipe and wanted fairly good sized loafs, so I made it into 8.  It could also make 10 or 12 just depending on the size you wanted.

The honeyed nuts go on the inside before it gets folded over and sealed up!

It has to rise for another 30 - 45 minutes, and then it goes into the oven and cooks at a fairly low temperature for 30-35 minutes.

After coming out of the oven, it needs to cool for a bit.  Now the trick here is to make sure that Sophie doesn't decide that she just wants to have one for a snack.  She's the first dog we've ever had who was big enough to counter cruise!  She's on very good behavior, but if you leave her in the room by herself, she will help herself to whatever she finds.  Some of my loaves cracked today.  It will still be really good, and the icing will cover the crack, but I like it better when they all come out like that third one - all sealed up and nice.

The loaves have to cool down quite a bit before the icing goes on, or it just runs off.  Once the icing is on, the decorative nuts go on.  This year, I decided to make extra honeyed nuts and use them on top.  Usually I just put a few whole pecans on the top.  I think I like this better.

Here they are.  Eight Honey Nut Stollen Loaves.
They're going into gift bags - some to Atlanta.  And yes, one is right in our refrigerator - nice for breakfast on Christmas morning. 







This recipe came from one of my very first bread cook books, and it's a recipe I've been making at Christmastime for many years.  When I look for Stollen recipes online, I don't really find anything like it, but it's a favorite, so I keep on making it.

So here's the short of it, 
There is some sadness in this joyful time of year.

And here's the long

This afternoon, Mom, Russ, Greg, and I went to the Cemetery.  It's still so hard.  Christmastime was one of Dad's favorite times of the year.  When we were children, he would take his big army boots and go outside and make "Santa Footprints"  around the chimney.  Some years there'd be bits of hay strewn about, or what looked to a child's eyes just like reindeer tracks in the snow.  And for sure we'd try our best to stay up to see if we could catch Santa.  And it seemed that just as we nodded off, there Dad would be whispering that if we'd be really quite and tiptoe downstairs, we might just catch Santa.  We'd dash downstairs to see all the toys left under the tree, to hear him saying, "you just missed him".  Oh how magic he made it! 


Mom made a beautiful arrangement for us to take to the cemetery.  It's made entirely of plants from the house here in Chattanooga that the two of them made into a wonderful home once they moved -  Nandina berries, Holly, and a bit of Hemlock.  Greg was the first to say how much Dad would like that - that all the things came from "their place".

So here's the short of it, 
To blog or not to blog.

And here's the long.

I've been giving some thought to ending this blog.  It was such a good place for me to detail the days of my life as I struggled with the effects of chemotherapy and radiation.  I had such a hard time talking about what was going on with me, but the words came easily enough on the blog...so it was a way to share what was happening without having to talk about it.  Those days are becoming more distant and the memories are fading - life is much more normal and the blog has become more like just an end of day check in.  Of course because of my work, I write little about it.  My interactions with children and parents are confidential, and I can't/won't write about my interactions with teachers because most of that is not for public consumption either - so I'm left to write about my day minus the real meat of work details.  I end up writing about my mood, our family, or the season.  So I'd been thinking that it's time to put an end to the blog and do something else each evening during what's become "blog time".  But today my sister-in-law, Myra, called to check in because I haven't blogged for a few days.  So one more time, I'm pulled in and make at least a short term commitment to continue blogging for another length of time.  I'm not sure what direction this will go.  That we'll have to see.

So here's the short of it, 
Little Katie is married. 

And here's the long

Today I've done lots of reflecting.  Of course with my boot and either crutches or knee walker to help make everything I would want to do a project, it's easy to do less and reflect more.  Not long after we moved here 23 years ago, we got new neighbors across the back yard - the Marlers.  They've been such nice neighbors over the years.  You know the kind you can always count on to put the dog back in the fence if it gets out while you're not at home, or to call and tell you if something doesn't look quite right. They had an adorable little girl, and Joy was pregnant with their second little girl, Aimee.  Today Katie - the oldest, got married.  It was a lovely wedding and Katie was a lovely bride- and today is a lovely day to have a wedding.  Wow, little Katie is married.  She's the same age as Liga and Valdis.    

Her groom, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was 17 months old.  Don't you know his parents must have wondered in those months following his diagnosis if they would ever live to see this day.  So this was a celebration and time to take a moment to think about the crusaders against cancer - those people who spend their days and weeks chasing the dream of a time when every young person who has cancer will also have a day when they can stand with their partner and make a promise of a life together.  I am grateful for their work!

So here's the short of it, 
Work is done for two weeks.  

And here's the long.

Today was the last day of work for two weeks.  How nice to work a teacher calendar! I'll have to say that today was not particularly productive.  I'm in a stuck place on a project and can't really get unstuck-- so I'm thinking that all the time to cogitate and just be away from it over the break will be a good thing.

What a great time - the looking forward to a series of days where I don't have to think of work.  Of course, I'm miffed that I'm all hobbled up by this broken ankle so I won't be able to do most of the things that were on my list - that list in my head that I'd been toying with. So maybe I'll get in some more relaxing - or maybe some reading -- or maybe a movie or two -- suggestions???

So here's the short of it, 
We had another snow day today -- well I guess ice day.  And I had a good report from my oncologist.

And here's the long


Hamilton County Schools were cancelled today.  We had what the weather people call freezing rain.  And today I had a lesson in the difference.  Sleet freezes in the air and falls to the ground as ice.  Freezing rain falls as rain, because there is warm air above cold air.  It doesn't get cold enough to turn to sleet, but when it hits the frozen ground, it turns into ice.  Well, that's what we had around here!  And we didn't really get it nearly as bad here in Brainerd as in some other areas of the county.  It was nice on two counts - an unexpected day at home, and a 1/2 sick day I didn't have to take. 

Today was my 6 month check up with my oncologist, Dr. Schlabach.  It was really a pretty good visit.  My blood counts were normal.  He checked the bone density that had been done at the end of my treatments in light of my broken ankle, and said it was very definitely in the solid normal range, so the break isn't because of weakened bones. I felt like my appointment today was at an optimal time - he was just back from his yearly oncology convention and had the latest information to share.  I left feeling very well taken care of.  I didn't really learn any more than in previous visits -- but there is something so calming and present about Dr. Schlabach's manner.  We stopped over in the infusion room and had a quick visit with Lori.  She was a really great source of strength for me during my treatment time. 

This afternoon, I was home, instead of my expected work.  That was good!

So here's the short of it, 
My broken fibula is healing well according to the doctor.  

And here's the long

I had my first follow-up appointment with my broken ankle doctor, Dr. Robertson this afternoon.

When they took the splint off, I was so surprised to see how swollen my ankle, foot, and even toes were.  Of course my whole foot and lower leg has been encased in all that wrapping so I couldn't even see anything.  Dr. Robertson explained that all the tissue surrounding the bone excretes liquids when an injury to a bone occurs.  In addition there is apparently lots of under the skin bleeding - well not lots, but more than us lay people would imagine.  This all serves to swell the appendage and make a "natural splint" designed by our amazing human body to keep us from moving.  Anyway, I'm all swollen up. 

Here's today's x-ray.  I don't really know what I'm looking at, but here's what I was told.  The small bone is the fibula - I actually do remember that from high school biology.  Coach Adams made us memorize all the bones of the body, and there was a real skeleton in the back of the room - one of the two rooms on the front lower floor of the high school.  Those two diagonal lines are the break, he says he can tell it broke from a twisting motion.  Of course, I don't even remember it twisting.  He says it should hurt quite a bit.  It does hurt some, but not to the extent that he seemed to indicate it would.

Anyway, I'm doing so well, that he's put me in a "boot".  That should make showering easier.  Actually, not the project of getting ready to shower, since I have to take off the book; take off the ace bandage; get into the shower without putting much weight on my foot; and reverse the process when I'm done.  It's just that while I'm in the shower, I won't have to worry about getting the cast wet and I'll be able to wash my foot and leg! 

I haven't figured out the boot exactly yet.  Pretty soon after I got home, I redid it because my toes were cold and I wanted to put a sock on.  It's too tight - I've loosened it a couple of times, but don't have it just right yet.  I'll work on it tomorrow some more, and if I still don't get it, I'll call or go by for some help. 

We've got icy conditions here in Chattanooga.  No school tomorrow.....

Maybe tomorrow it'll work out to sleep in. 

So here's the short of it, 
This broken ankle makes almost everything a project!

And here's the long

Mom made us dinner tonight; her always good salmon patties, some scalloped potatoes, and mixed vegetables.  It's really nice to have that kitchen stuff done.  This foot in a splint really makes everything I do such a project. 
So here's how to have cereal.  I put the cereal and milk into a small corningware bowl with a lid.  I put the milk in and put the lid on.  Check the seal twice!  Put the covered bowl and the spoon into the bag I have on the front of my knee walker and push myself to the table or the den whichever place I've decided to eat.  If I want something to drink, I put it into a thermos and put it into the bag as well.  Once I've arrived at my eating destination and get off the knee walker and at the table, I fish out the bowl, the spoon, the thermos - and there I have my cereal.  

Here's another - unloading the dishwasher.  First of all I get the knee walker in a position so that I can get the dishwasher door open.  I sit on the kneewalker and unload the dishes putting them on the counter.  I put them in sections so they are easier to put away.  Then I close up the dishwasher and work in sections getting stuff put away. 

I'm know that I'm learning lots from this experience, and one of the things I've learned is how much I've taken for granted my ability to physically do things.  I can't even really take out my compost now. 

Thankfully, I don't really have to do any of these things.  Through all my illness last year and even this year as I've not been "back to normal" and now with this stupid leg thing going on, Alan pitches in and just does anything that needs to be done.  I just like to try to do some things - no I feel like I need to do some things. 

I'm hoping that tomorrow when I see Dr. Robertson I get some good news about the progress of this ankle. 

So here's the short of it, 

Comcast is back up and running. 

And here's the long

Today we finally had a Comcast service call from a young man who actually knew what he was doing and got us up and going!  He was diligent and really seemed to care about getting us back up and going - a first from all the interactions we've had with them since this went out.  I believe his name was Greg.  They need to promote him to train the other service people! I can't believe I'm really on my computer now instead of making do from the phone!

We had a SNOW DAY today!! And I did really sleep in.  I made it until 8:30 - sort of.  I was up about 4:00 with a leg cramp - in both my legs.  I was able to stretch out the one that's not in a cast, but I just had to let the one that's in a cast ease out on it's own! It's ached all day long from that cramp, but this evening it seems to be gone.  Finally, about 6:00 I got up and took some Tylenol because my ankle had started hurting.  That let me doze off and on for another couple of hours. 

I didn't even poke my nose outside today.  Chocolate Sauce for the neighbors is done.  Laundry is done.  A little pick up in the back room is done.  A bit of sitting around and putting the heating pad on my back is still going on.  It's been a good day.  Tomorrow we get an hour delay.  Snow days and bad weather delays, certainly not one of the reasons I wanted to be an educator, but one of the benefits for sure.

We are supposed to have more really bad weather coming in on Wednesday, but at this point it's not predicted to arrive until afternoon.  Then it's going to warm up on Thursday, so we may not miss any more school this week. I've got a full day tomorrow, and lots to get done to make up for missing today. 

I'm keeping busy.  I'm trying really hard not to let this bummed up ankle keep me too inactive.  It's amazing what all I use my foot and let to do.  I'm so glad to have a week and a half of the original 6 weeks gone! 

So here's the short of it;
What a good day.

And here's the long.

Well, the sleeping in didn't happen, but it was a good day nonetheless.

It's amazing how much longer everything takes with this bummed up ankle!! This morning I got beef stew going in the croc pot and then took a long shower. What an ordeal showering is! But it felt great. I've been doing just a real quickie so I felt somewhat indulged!

By early afternoon the snow had started and by late afternoon school had been cancelled! I'm looking forward to a "snow day" tomorrow!

Mom, Liga, Valdis, and Kalie were over for supper and a nice visit after.

Wonder if I'll be able to sleep in tomorrow.



-- Post From My iPhone

Here's the short of it;
Still no Internet... Grrr.

And here's the long.

Still no Internet! Alan called Comcast yet again. He's talked with them at least 4 times and he's been over there twice. Today after being on hold for many minutes and getting no satisfactory service offered - he told them we would be finding another provider.

Liga also called tonite with a story about bad customer service with Comcast. It's too bad she has to use them in her apartment complex!!






-- Post From My iPhone

Here's the short of it;
Home today

And here's the long.
I took a sick day today and stayed home this morning - then to a doctor appointment this afternoon. I went to a meeting that's been scheduled for about an hour.

I think I needed that time away from work. I'll get back at it next week!


-- Post From My iPhone

Here's the short of it,
It's only Thursday and I'm so worn out!!

And here's the long.

Liga was my assigned chauffeur this morning. She took me to work and hung out because I was supposed to go to a meeting in Red Bank. It got cancelled- thank goodness I checked email before leaving. So she just hung out with me and drove me over tonite central office before she went to work. Then Mom did pick up duty to get me home. We spent the evening at a Christmas thank you celebration at Elmcroft with Mommy Anne. Now I'm home and am absolutely exhausted!! I'm going to take a sick day tomorrow. I have a quick meeting in the middle of the day, but I'm sleeping in and taking my time in the morning!


-- Post From My iPhone

Here's the short of it;
Another internetless night!
AND more complaining.

And here's the long.

I feel pretty unproductive with this cast/splint whatever it is. I was able to work at the office all day today, but just having it be a project to pick up something from the printer is a pain in the ankle.

Lunch - if I had been able to go out to grab lunch and had decided to have something from my stash of soup and crackers it would have been nothing. But having to eat soup and crackers because I can't drive a half mile to get a take out makes it a pain!!

I do try to keep myself focused on all the good. It's a break, but not a bad break. It hurts, but not too much for Advil or Tylenol to manage. I can't just go somewhere, but the knee-walker makes it much easier than it could be - and I'm getting a bit better on the crutches! I'm pretty limited, but family, friends, and colleagues are really pitching in to make it as easy as possible on me. AND - if all goes well only 5 more weeks!

-- Post From My iPhone

Here's the short of it;
Still no Internet here at home!

And here's the long.

I think I must have more lessons to learn about something. Maybe I'm supposed to be working on patience - or maybe it's about not being so stubbornly independent.

Today one of my colleagues who was going to the same meeting in our most northern elementary school came and picked me up and took me there. She dropped me off at our Hickory Valley Office. Then at the end of the day, Alan picked me up. It's not even been a week.

Here at the house Internet has been up and down all day Alan says. Unfortunately, tonite it's been just down. I'm not happy!




-- Post From My iPhone

Here's the short,
Comcast is not making me happy.

And here's the long of it.

Our Comcast computer service has been spotty all day Alan says. I had it up for awhile this evening, but not long enough to blog!

EPB is looking pretty good about right now. Everyone I know who has switched to EPB is really pleased with it.






-- Post From My iPhone

So here's the short of it, 
I really don't like this ...

And here's the long

I can't believe the weekend is already almost over!  I suppose I'll be complaining for 6 more weeks about this bummed up ankle.  No weight on it at all means that I'm really handicapped!  Thank goodness I've got a great family to pick up the slack and help out.  Alan really steps up to the plate when I'm in trouble like this.  Liga came over today and was a a big help.  At dinner last night Valdis really pitched in and helped with everything as well.  Mom made dinner for us again tonight - her wonderful vegetable beef soup.  And Mia cooked an extra chicken so we have dinner for at least a couple of nights this week.  How wonderful. 

I'm not allowed to get this splint wet, so I haven't been in the shower this weekend.  Yucky, right!  Well, I've been doing the old fashioned bath like our folks used to do with the Water Pitcher and bowl - except I have hot running water and a sink with a drain!  I'm going to wrap this splint up really good tomorrow morning with a garbage bag and get a really good shower.  I'm looking forward to that for sure. 

Tomorrow I'm planning a full day in the office.  Alan will take me and pick me up.  I'll be there without a car.  I don't like this.....   I guess my independent steak is going to make this no driving rule pretty difficult. 

So here's the short of it, 

Tonight was the 4th night of Hanukah...

And here's the long

  

Tonight we had a nice Hanukah diner.  Mia and Clyde joined us and brought a wonderful roasted chicken and root vegetables.  Parsnips, carrots, celery, mushrooms - I loved the parsnips.  Mom came and brought green beans from this summer's garden - they were yummy.  We provided the latke's - there were lots and not many left over!

 We had such a nice time.  Liga came as well as Valdis with Kalie.  They were both such a big help, since my foot really has me handicapped.  After a great dinner and gifts, we had a rousing game of scrabble.  Liga beat us all by a pretty big margin.  We are demanding a re-match!

Lots of love around our house tonight - wishing the same at yours. 

So here's the short of it, 

 I'm the lucky recipient of so much medical genius this last year.

And here's the long

Another genius! Crutches are really hard for me.  I'm not very steady on them and they hurt my hands and my underarms.  But this Knee Walker is another story altogether.  It's not perfect by any means.  My knee actually hurts, and I can tell it's taking a toll on the weakness in my back.  But it is so much better than trying to do it all on the crutches.  So kudos to whoever the person was who was playing with their kid's scooter and had a lightbulb! 

Thanks to Liga and Alan and my assistant principal friend today who made sure that I got to all my work locations today.  I'm tired, my foot hurts, my leg is achey and I've taken advil that's making me sleepy.  I'm going to bed and hope that I can get some good sleep tonight.

So here's the short of it, 
I am Sophie's job.

 And here's the long.

Today at work, I was describing Sophie's reaction when I fell the other night.  I think I said something like ...she was really useless, she just kept walking around instead of barking or running off to get Alan like Lassie used to do when Timmy fell in the well.

My colleague, who is quite a dog person, said, "Lynn, she was just doing her job.  If you were a sheep and got injured out in the woods or the pasture, she would have stayed with you and kept the wolves and bears from getting you!"  That gave me a new appreciation for Sophie's response.  My sister-in-law, Myra and I were talking tonight and she and I got a good chuckle out of that.  For sure Sophie made sure no crickets got me while I was there on the laundry room floor!  Anyway, I'm pretty sorry for saying that Sophie was useless.  She was just a three month old puppy and I was pretty sick when we got her;  she took me on as her charge immediately.  She definitely thinks of me as "her job", however she defines that including sleeping right next to me every night and keeping guard over me when I've fallen and can't get up!

I actually had a pretty good day today.  Although there's just a hint of pain at the edge of my mind - mostly the Tylenol and Advil are keeping me pretty comfortable.  I have a knee walker and I'm certainly better at getting around on it than I am with the crutches.  I'm not very good with the crutches AT ALL!

This morning Alan took me to my office, and I cancelled my afternoon meeting that was somewhere else.  I've got tomorrow covered, so that will get me to the weekend!

So here's the short of it, 

It's fractured.

And here's the long

Last night at 10:30 my right foot slipped out from under me as I made the step down into the laundry room.  I took a pretty nasty fall.  I couldn't get up and Sophie was pretty confused about why I was on the floor.  Alan had been asleep for awhile - but  he heard me yell about the third time and came running.  I think it scared him to death! 

Dr. Robertson

I decided to try and make it through the night instead of sitting all night in the emergency room, so Alan helped me to bed and got me settled in with a big ice bag and a couple of Advil.  I was able to sleep off and on, but found it almost impossible to get to the bathroom - which "someone of my age" has to do at night.  Anyway this morning my doctor wrote an order for an x-ray which I had done at Memorial Hospital.  Not long after that I had a call from my doctor sending me to The Center for Sports Medicine.  Dr. Jason Robertson looked over the x-rays. 

Here's the result.


Fracture in the Fibula just above the ankle joint.

No Driving for 6 weeks - maybe 4 if I'm lucky.

No weight on the foot to avoid surgery.

Come back in 2 weeks.  


All in all I'm pretty lucky. 



We were out from about 10:30 until nearly 5:00 this evening.  Mom saved the day by making potato soup for dinner and bringing it up to the house.  Great to have her so close by at a time like this.