and then June slipped away into the abyss

As all days run together, I managed to while away the hours of the entire month of June. As I've mentioned, every year about this time, I get the blahs. It begins with the heat creeping in and the A/C having to run 24/7.  The non-stop rain and flooding was added to it this year.  Although the rain doesn't bother me, and would not have, if it hadn't been for such serious floods we had around here. The ground has become so saturated that now if we get a storm pass over, there is standing water in a matter of minutes. The above photo was taken on one of the days before another storm hit.

 My personal schedule has been yoga on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Most days I came home and collapsed into a 2 hour nap. Tuesdays and Thursdays were taken up with Physical therapy exercises and at least one Dr. appt. every week. Some days my knees feel almost normal, other days I am hobbling around like an old granny.  I did tell the Dr. I saw yesterday, that I now have a full time job, just taking care of myself!

Its a very mundane life around here. I have longed to do some artwork, but just haven't had the energy to even clean off my messy work table.  I walk into the room, have a look about, then turn around and leave.  Even hubby has suggested that I might not feel so gloomy if I'd create something. Wow, could he be right?  I suppose/know so. I guess I feel if I don't have any artwork to share, I have nothing to write about.

One really positive thing that we have been doing for a few months, is juicing.  Here's the usual morning juice.  Kale, celery, cucumber, lemon, ginger, and 2 small apples. It's my job to get the veggies prepped, then from the time Hubby takes over, running them thru the juicer and cleaning the juicer, the time is less than 10 minutes. Hubby really turned his nose up at the idea of kale..but with the other ingredients, you can't even identify a kale taste, so it's worked out well.  As long as we don't run out of apples. 

 

Now that we are into July, I am going to try to get with the program and get some creative stuff done.  Hubby will be traveling a lot this month, so I will have a lot of alone time. That means I can spread art supplies out all over the place and not have to pick them up in time for dinner.

 

She who works well under pressure

Well, I finally did a wee bit of artsy stuff and boy did it feel good! I've been running in circles for the past two months, and had not taken any time for making art. I did not even start a new journal this year, even though I had gotten supplies out and they have sat on my worktable all this time.

I've known all week that today would be my last day at physical therapy, and I thought it would be nice to take a little something to my therapist. But did I do anything about it, nope...  It kept percolating in my brain, even though I didn't know quite what I would do.  I knew it had to be something quick and simple. Finally last night about 7 p.m. I started running around like Chicken Little for awhile and almost gave up. But then  I grabbed a box of already in progress Artist Trading cards, but couldn't find a glue stick or an ink pad that was not dried up.  Yikes...I need to purge some supplies and reorganize what's left.  Anyhow, here's what I ended up with. Nothing to write home about, but it sure was nice to do something. Now that I am home, I need to clean up the mess I made while throwing things around.  The bottom line is, now I am jazzed about making stuff and am going to continue to finish some ATCs and maybe even start working on that journal. Sometimes all you need to do is say the heck with chores and things that have to be done and just MAKE TIME to create.  I know all this, why do I keep forgetting it?

The middle one is for Scott, my therapist.  Left and right are for Melissa the office gal, and Mariah the assistant, who loves owls.

How I let January slip through my fingers

January came and went and flew by in the blink of an eye.  I have spent the entire month going to Dr. appointments and to physical therapy 2 and 3 times a week.  The therapy seems to be helping, but it is very intense and wears me out, so I don't get much else done, except the exercises I need to do at home on the off days.

No artwork, nothing creative of any kind.  I feel like I am just keeping my head above water. I am hopeful that one of these days I will be able to get something creative done. Oh, here is one photo I took with my phone and did a cartoon effect on.  We have been eating a lot of clementines and mandarins this winter. They are sweet and juicy and easy to peel.

Christmas week 2014

 

And the sky turns to fire, December 22, 2014 sunset, out my front door

Christmas was very low key around here, and thankfully it is over.  I got really sad the few days
leading up to Christmas.  December 24th is/was my parents wedding anniversary.  It was a sad day for all of us, Mom especially.  But, she consoled her kidlets like she always has, and with a few tears and lots of happy, laughing memories, we made it through.

We've had a few days of really chilly weather, for Texas anyhow.  Rain, wind and dark days.  Hubby and I spent the week-end hunkered down in the house, reading and watching a few bowl games and a movie or two. Just being cozy.  Today it was starting to look like we might be getting low on food supplies, so we trekked out in the rain this morning to replenish the larder and get ready for the onslaught of more bowl games this coming week.

Christmas week also brought me an introduction to my new orthopedist, 2 cortisone injections, and a schedule for physical therapy.   Yikes! I found out I have bursitis in both hips and osteoarthritis in both knees.  The knee that had been hurting the worst was actually in better shape than the other one. Well of course I knew something was wrong, so the diagnosis was not really a surprise, more a shock since my Dr. in the past had always told me I showed no signs of arthritis.  Up to now that is... Well, some of it can be fixed or at least alleviated. He says the physical therapy will help my hips.  The knee...well, when he explained how the cushioning cartilage was gone...he said "the train has left the station, the horse is out of the barn, that bridge has burned, that ship has sailed, etc. etc.  Yes, he did, and a lot more of those that I can't remember.  He told me he will give me cortisone shots as often as is allowed, but that in a couple of years I would be begging him for a knee replacement. ????   I start physical therapy tomorrow, no time will be wasted.

Did I ever show you or tell you about the cute little garland I made a few years ago, using candy papers? These are the paper cups from the Ferrero Rocher candies.  I always save them, they make me laugh, and have such possibilities. The gold paper wrapping is nice to recycle too.  Fortunately, I did not buy any of those candies this year, I like them too much.  I did hang a wreath on the front door and put up a tiny table tree, but that was the extent of decorating around here.

Yesterday.....

On Sunday I had told Hubby I would bake something for him, but ran out of time. So yesterday around noon I decided to bake. It took me all afternoon to make a huge mess, bake, clean up the mess. I was exhausted by the time he came home. I was saved from cooking dinner by presenting him with this big plate of mincemeat empanadas. Actually he said he had a late lunch and wouldn't be wanting dinner. I probably could have only managed to lift a frozen din-din into the microwave. For some reason I was really tired yesterday. I had done ALL my physical therapy exercises, so I should have felt energized. Anyhow, a tall glass of milk and a couple of pastries were pretty good.

Building.


Cooling.


Finished.


Fortunately, I put a big bunch of them in a bakery box and sent him off this morning with them to share with the guys at his meeting. The rest of them I stuck in the freezer...after eating two of them. I do not do well at home alone with pastry in the house!!

Merry Christmas!

Well, everything that needed to be done has been done. Very simple Christmas around here this year. No travel, no company, just me and the Hub. A friend or two dropping in for a bite to eat or football watching. Lots of snacks and a little baking. I feel more relaxed than I can stand. I have been focused about 95% on Physical Therapy and just taking care of myself. Everything else has taken a back seat. Besides making a lot more rosettes, big and small, I've become addicted to sewing yards and yards of paper garlands, and hanging them everywhere. I've delivered both rosettes and garlands to the gals at Starbucks, the mail lady, the physical therapists, etc. I can't stop making them! And everyone thinks I'm so clever. LOL At least I'm doing something crafty and no pressure or deadlines. So I DO feel pretty clever!
This rosette is 6" in diameter.




Oh, and here is the card I would have sent some of you, if I'd actually gotten around to mailing cards. So I guess I have my cards for next year, if I can manage to pack them away in a place I can find them when the time is right. I totally fell for these Anna Griffin cards, they are all the colors I'm enjoying right now, silver, grey and sparkly. Plus add "deers" to anything and I am hooked.


Very best wishes to everyone, no matter what or how you celebrate.

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.