Did Your Grandma Make Mincemeat?

Hubby and I are happily spending Thanksgiving alone, just the two of us. Like we have for the past few years. Both our families are in parts of the country where snow is flying right now. Fourteen degrees today where my parents are in Idaho, and they expect ice and snow in Portland tomorrow. It was 31 just a bit ago when HUB spoke to his Mom. My Sis texted me awhile ago, that it was snowing and blowing with ice already everywhere. We had 80+ here today, but expecting a cold front to blow down from up North tomorrow. We are supposed to see the 50's. Ah...Thanksgiving in Texas.

Not much cooking, we got our smoked turkey and Brisket from the B-B-Q joint just up the road. Also a double load of the dreaded Green Bean Casserole. Ugh We usually make a few desserts(weakness for both of us) and this year HUB requested Mince Meat Empanadas. So I had to run out to the store this morning in search of the stuff since I hadn't found it yet. Needless to say, the store was a madhouse, with gridlock in every aisle, especially the baking aisle. So everyone was calling out what they were searching for. I said "Anybody seen MINCEMEAT?" Well, at least 5 young people said, "I don't even know what that IS". The only peeps who knew were the old ones like me. Had to flag down an employee and even he didn't know where it was except he thought they got some in. We finally found it, and it was waaay more expensive than I thought it would be..but after all that I got it anyway. So he will get his empanadas. Anyhow, when I was a kid my Grandma made her own canned mincemeat, mainly for my Dad, it was his favorite. I wouldn't touch the stuff because it had MEAT in it. This new stuff may have some beef broth or something like that in it. It won't matter anyhow, since I still won't be eating any. So, I wonder if anybody's Granny makes mincemeat in this day and age. I seriously doubt it.

Here's my favorite vignette from the B-B-Q place.


Happy Thanksgiving! We are going to a movie tomorrow at noon, then Texas football tomorrow night, and a nice long week-end of football, more football.

One Month Since My Surgery

I can't believe it has been a whole month since my surgery. I've been in a slow-motion time warp. The biggest part of the day is spent doing exercises, then having to take a nap. Since I'm now down to two days a week at PT, I really have to focus on making sure I get all the exercises in at home. Emily(my therapist) showed hubby some things that he can do at home to help me....the massage part in particular. Although he doesn't do it quite like she does, it does help. I'm starting to get impatient with how long this recovery is taking. I've missed a lot of events and doing things I really want to do because I just don't have any energy. The weather is starting to cool off and I want to be out doing things. But if I do, I get so tired that I can't enjoy myself.

A friend of Hubbys gave us football tickets for tonight, and I would have liked to go, but I knew that I would be worn out just getting there, then hubby would worry about me. So I sent him off to the game and I will stay home and veg. on the sofa. Well, I may watch a bit of the game, and I did muster up the strength to make me a snack. Here it is, one of my favorite things. Crispbread with smoked turkey, Havarti with dill, and an ice cold beer. So I have that waiting for me as soon as I do a few more exercises!

Fall is Finally Here

41 Degrees This Morning! Yay! Slept with the window open last night and an extra comforter on the bed. I always feel better as soon as the cool weather arrives. I drove myself to Physical Therapy for the first time this morning. It was a little uncomfortable, but I have soooo much more movement than I had just last week. It seems to be improving a bit each day. After PT I went to Starbucks and Target. Guess what, all the Christmas "stuff" is up, out, and all over the place. Well, it is just around the corner after all. No new Christmas stuff for me, there is not a thing I want nor need for decorations...so these darn retailers better not be trying to tempt me with those little paper mache' forest creatures that I have been seeing in all the catalogs!
Oh, but I do love looking at all the new scarves, hats, and fall accessories. I have wanted some of those fingerless gloves for quite some time. They have them in many styles and colors. I succumbed to buying something that wasn't even ON SALE...and got these cute arm-warmers! I'm not quite sure what the point is, they are just cute, and maybe I really liked the way they look with my new nail polish.

BOO! HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This gal looks like I feel after two solid weeks of intense physical therapy. Actually she looks BETTER than I do. My hair is ragged, I have no make-up on, the only difference is my tears are just tears, not bloody ones. Even though they feel like it and I have several bruises from the work-outs I've been getting. Every day for an hour, then home for a nap, then wake up and do another hour exercise at home, then again before bed. I had an evaluation on Friday. I get to decrease to two times a week at Rehab, but must do an hour every day at home. So, it is paying off, but, darn...I am exhausted. All I want to do is sleep. I guess it is part of the healing to be tired. I'll do 4 weeks on the new schedule then be evaluated again.

I've missed out on several fall festivities that I like...Halloween, and Dia de los Muertos. But guess what? A year goes by so fast that it will be time for them again before we know it. Next stop...unpack the giant Christmas tree and drag that stuff out again. And the beat goes on. Actually there are a LOT of festivities going on in November that I think I can manage, so it's not too bad.

Don't eat too much Halloween candy! I've worked my way through a large bag of M&M peanuts this past week. No appetite for food, but still want me some CHOCOLATE! Did you know that M&M peanut now comes in dark chocolate too?

It's a Full time JOB

Today was my fourth session in physical therapy. I've had 3 different therapists so far. Emily is a tiny little thing, but very strong. The exercises she has had me do have seemed very easy, but her massage technique is very good. The second day I had Aaron, and he is a bruiser! I recall him from before, when I went there for therapy with my broken ankle. He really worked me over, and pushed me way beyond what I thought I was ready for, and it hurt. But I felt better afterwards. All three days I have come home and taken a long nap though. Today I had Robert, and he is very gentle, didn't work me nearly as hard as Aaron did, but his manipulation technique was pretty intense. I was feeling a lot of pain, but also had more energy than I have had any day so far. Today is the first day I haven't had to come home and collapse in a heap on the bed! I am pretty sore though, and have ice on my shoulder right now. I guess it is helpful to have different therapists instead of the same one every time. They all have just a wee bit different technique. It seems my range of motion is pretty good so far for only having 4 sessions. I see the Dr. tomorrow and I think he will agree.

Coming out of the fog.

I'm recovering nicely from surgery. I can type with only one hand as my left arm is trussed up in a sling. Remember I said I was preparing to sleep for 3 or 4 days straight? When I woke up from the surgery I could hear my hubby and the nurse talking, scheduling my physical therapy evaluation for the next morning. YIKES! I got home from the hospital at 8 p.m. on Wednesday and was in physical therapy at 9:15 the next morning. That was a bit of a rough day, then day two I felt a little better. Yesterday I felt like I got hit with a ton of bricks. Besides going to PT every single day for 2 weeks, I have exercises to do at home, every two hours. So much for my plan of enjoying a lot of sleep. Let's see, I can sleep for two hours, do my routine, then sleep for another 2 hours. I haven't eaten much, have no appetite, but at least this time I didn't get nauseous and throw up for days. They gave me something extra in my I.V. to prevent that. Even though I am in quite a bit of discomfort, it is still not as bad as the pain was before I had the surgery, so I know it is going to get better bit by bit. Well, I've used up some of my sleep time writing this, and my pain pills are kicking in, so it's back to bed for awhile.

Countdown to Surgery

Yay! I am finally getting this rotator cuff surgery out of the way. It's been bothering me for far too long, and has gone past the point of where exercise or physical therapy relieves the pain. I did my Pre-Op stuff yesterday, so all I have to do is walk in there tomorrow and get it over with. I told the DR. I wanted him to give me all the drugs the law would allow, and I planned on sleeping for the next few days...LOL Besides pain killers, he wants me to take a sleeping pill. I've never taken them before, except for the occasional OTC thing like AdvilPM. So reluctantly I said I would take the Lunesta throughout the recovery from my surgery. Hmmm..he did not give me that when I had my ankle surgery. Anyhow, I took one last night, just to see what kind of affects it would have. I was still awake 3 or 4 times in the night, just like I normally am. I am not sure I slept any better or sounder, but I think you probably have to get it built up in your system. I will use everything available to make sure I am not going to suffer in pain.

I've got everything prepared for a very long nap anyhow! A stack of magazines by the sofa, and another by the bed, just in case I can't sleep. A few art supplies and a sketch pad, just in case my muse decides to make an appearance. I fixed a tray with all the TEAS on it so Hub can find the right ones. I'm making another attempt to take an herbal vacation. We also took a tour of the pantry...I tease him about having tunnel vision. He will think we are out of something and open a new one, when the one he should have used is right in front of him. Oh well, he is going to be my nurse and he really does take very good care of me, so I can't complain about having several packages of the same things open at once, can I?.

We are off to the store to get a few last minute food items. I need to find some soothing foods, as the anasthesia always makes me really nauseous, I guess it does that to most people. Darn, I guess spicy tortilla soup is out of the question for a few days. I'll be back online in a few days.