Cookies Arrived

Cold, rainy (even some hail) weekend. Spent a lot of time by the fireplace reading and visiting w/family. Actually got to see and visit w/VA family via new toy. How cool is that?

Girl Scout cookies were delivered this weekend. Ate a whole box and then realized how much indigestion you get from ingesting a box of cookies at one sitting. Call it instant disgusting gratification. Am probably through w/cookies for the remainder of the year.

Mass this AM, errands, and volunteer opportunity meeting this afternoon. Progressing and feeling better each day. MD appt. on Wed. Feeling confident he will allow me to do more activities. "Boys" have mastered the steps up/down to/from the bed AM/PM w/o treats.  Yea---no more lifting excited varmints on and off the bed.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Nuttin' New

Mass this AM,  volunteer at rectory, do some filing, and enjoy the rest of the day in front of the fireplace w/family. Twenty-one degrees, no wind, still dark, quiet (the "boys") are all snoozing---nice.

Taking a Blog break till Monday. Continuing to do well and improving each day.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Today

"On my seventieth birthday I feel as if I am standing on a mountain height, at whose foot the ocean of eternity is audibly rushing; while before me, life with its deserts and flower-gardens, its sunny days and its stormy days, spread out green, wild, and beautiful." (borrowed from unknown author).

Mass this AM w/special thanksgiving for reaching 70 and having all of you in my life for this wonderful journey. Thank you for being an important part of my life.

Catch you later today----stay healthy, safe, and in touch.

Love, Mom

More Stuff

Wallpaper done (looks wonderful),  lights should be installed today. Yea!!!---getting to the end of the "Winter To Do" list. (Thanks to family, great neighbors, and friends).

Better morning this AM---too early but better. You might say I am getting back in the driver's seat--I got up on the "right side" of the bed, the "boys" all got out of bed using the steps. Consider each day a new day w/Rowdy. Pop used to laugh and say "Rowdy is just Rowdy." With the thought in mind---Rowdy can be Rowdy but he will get off the bed using the stairs and not jump!!!!---maybe. Nineteen degrees, no wind, no snow, just cold.

Mass this AM, run some errands, and enjoy the rest of the day. Today's 8:00am Mass at St Patrick's Church is being offered for our family. Nice.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Stuff

Nice weekend, nice weather, restful, napped yesterday afternoon... Had supper w/Keith, Becky, and Nick yesterday evening (Beef Stroganoff). Great meal, good company, and fun to be out and about in the nice weather. Becky confirmed Girl Scout cookies are not out yet. Twenty-six degrees this AM, can hear the wind chimes "singing." Enjoying great fresh ground Guatemalan coffee this AM----Thanks Vicki and Joe.

"Boys" have mastered the steps---so much so that Buster descended them around 4:15am today. Caused a ruckus because I could not keep up w/the others to herd them down--Rowdy then jumped off the edge of the other side of the bed and Spencer waited (good dog) and went down the stairs. Thank heavens Terry was here to herd them outdoors. They are eating better w/the change in bowl/hand feeding routines---thanks Terry. Would ask for more family dog suggestions but am afraid it would open the flood gates to dog demise. (Pic is my perception of the "boys" this AM)

Mass this AM, then have a friend coming over to do her magic on the upstairs and basement bathrooms (hang wallpaper over the mirrors)---took lights down this weekend and replacing/updating the fixtures. Still have some of the wallpaper from both rooms to place over the areas where the light panels used to be. Has been a winter of indoor projects and thanks to Terry's help it is moving on---had a redirection in my plans w/the interruption in January/limitations in physical activities. Would ask for more Mom/project suggestions but am afraid it would open the flood gates to restrictions for Moi.

Stay warm, healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Blog break

Off to Mass this AM,  back home to wait for cookies, and work on some home improvement projects w/Terry. Neighbor coming at noon to help w/project. Have great neighbors---so lucky. Then...blog break for the rest of the weekend while Icontinue to "mend" and do well.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Progress

Mass this AM. Took pics of "boys" honing their skills on the bedside stairs (after treat bribes)--Spencer ascending/Buster descending. Rowdy is a mess; doesn't want to ascend or descend and runs/rips out the bedroom door when Terry calls him to be next. The stairs are great. Will not have to lift "boys in and out of bed....maybe.

Still improving, feeling, and getting around better. Out 4 weeks---8 more to go and should be normal. Forgive the oxymoron.

Have confirmation cookies will arrive late----rumor has it ours were delivered to VA Ashpole family.  Heard the early ones were made w/last years batter. Look forward to ours arriving soon and hopefully, will be made w/fresh batter and not last years.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Slipping On/Slipping Out

Thought I would take a pic that would better explain the shoe/sock process. (sock funnel on top of towels, tongs, long shoehorn, and grabber). Have it all stored in the mule (towel storage) chest in my bedroom. You could say I am well equipped to get the job done. The elastic shoe laces look good (essential for me) and have converted all my shoes into "slip-ons." Who'd thought it could be so easy to get on socks and shoes w/o bending the back? (Terry has improvised a lot of the "tools", e.g. bending the tip of kabob skewer to make it possible to grab/hold onto the tab of a shoe tongue to facilitate slipping on a shoe).

WHERE ARE THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!!! Oops, a little Tourettes slipping out---sorry.  Lent is just around the corner---so many cookies ordered so little time to finish them off.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

AM and PM

Good News (great red letter events)

• Shoes on, socks on---(w/o bending back) all by myself this AM!   
• Dogs had another bowl meal in AM, hand meal in PM w/side portions of treats.  Ate like troopers!!!  Having the most delicious strawberries every AM.
• Having a good AM and PM today. Mass this AM, shopped this afternoon. Feeling better each day and hoping to walk in AM possibly PM also tomorrow.

Sad News (slightly blue event)

• Girl Scouts have not brought by the cookies yet. Will probably have to eat an extra box to stave off my cookie appetite.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Cookie Time

Girl Scout cookies are out today!!!!! New neighbors have a daughter who is a Girl Scout. Already placed my order for cookies. Moving from cabin fever to sweet tooth----really an epidemic going on here.

Making great progress. Almost forgot I had surgery. Was able to put on socks and shoes by myself yesterday. Have a sock funnel, long shoe horn, tongs to pull up tongue of shoe, and now have elastic shoe strings. (Go Terry!!!!). The shoes slide right on w/o bending the back. Found lying in bed is the easiest as it forces me to keep my back straight. Will now try to reduce time spent on the shoe/sock thing so I can move on to more important stuff.

Off to Mass this AM, run some errands, annual eye check appt this PM, and then home by the fireplace. Terry is reprograming "boys"---today they had their big meal (bowl) of the day upon arising and will finish off w/hand fed food and apples in the PM. So far it is a success---they ate well---were somewhat confused but ate everything. Go Terry!!!!! Next project will be step training to get them on/off the bed. Go Terry!!!!

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Yea!!!!!

Already 35 degrees and expecting a warmer, sunny day. Snow is melting. Yea!!!!! 

Finally finished looking through the big stack of all the outdated magazines and have them ready to recycle. Lots of chair and fireplace time to get that task completed. Might just get out and take a walk around the court today. Feel that cabin fever leaving these bones. Yea!!!!

Plan Mass this AM then ad libbing the rest of the day. Have an ad lib list of to do things but have all week to get them done in. Nice to be able to pace the activities. Because I can and should. Yea!!!!!

Feeling better each day and expecting a continual upward course. Thanks to family for helping me to  good start to recovery. Yea!!!!

Okay, enough yea!!!---Happy Valentine's Day, stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Weekend Off

Taking a blog break.
Still feeling great.
Back up and running on Monday.
Have a great weekend, staying healthy, safe, and in touch.

Love, Mom

Better, better, better

Six degrees, still dark, no wind, lots of snow still on the ground. Might call it same song, second verse. Know other famly members also have same or colder temps/snow, etc.

Did get out yesterday---to Mass in AM, volunteered at rectory, ran errands. Plan early Mass this AM, more errands, then home to pick up a bit and get ready for the weekend. Felt great to be out and about. TX daughter has mastered the snow travel and is my source of transportation. Have really enjoyed her company and have gotten off to a great start w/all of her wonderful help.

Stay warm, healthy, safe, and in touch.

Love, Mom

Brrrrrrrr !!!

Minus 8.4 degrees at 5:00am. Lots of snow on the ground, some drifts past the knees, and side streets (ours) look icy. Looks like another indoor day. Thinking of adding another maintenance program to my list----snow removal! Terry worked most of the day shoveling pathways on the patio area for the "boys" and removed a portion of knee deep snow from the  driveway. (Neighbor who removed snow last session is out of town.) Seem to recall every winter we have company it snows.

Getting more magazines read/discarded, enjoying the fireplace, drinking hot tea, reading, napping, snuggling w/"boys" and visiting w/family.

Three weeks post-op today! Feeling better each day and wanting to do more than sit/stand/and walk in the house. Reviewed post-op standard instructions and am excited "may gradually resume your normal activities" after 4 weeks. Now I have to find out and work on what is "normal." MD told me it would be 12 weeks. Will defer to MD as do not want a relapse or anymore surgeries----besides the weather is not cooperating. Consider this is kind of a post-op weather related forced surgery recuperation. Funny how things work out?

Stay warm, heathy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Cabin Fever

Five degrees, lots of snow on the ground, and more coming down making it a self imposed stay inside day. Will defer Mass this AM. Not eager to brave the roads or slippery parking lots. Fireplace time, reading, possibly some mending, visiting w/family and trying to stave off cabin fever. In the past, would have looked forward to getting out and clearing the snow off driveway and side walks. Still looking forward to it but feel it is an activity of the past, will have to rethink past activities, and improvise other ways to get things done.

I am getting better each day (almost forgot I had surgery).  It is great to be up and around, and around, and around----the house because I cannot go outside! Please pray for Terry and the "boys"---also, pray real hard and a lot that I will learn to be more patient and tolerant of things I cannot change--like the weather.

Okay, enough about Moi---stay warm, healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

PS: Note pic and date----we could have attended if the weather would have allowed us to travel.

So the weather outside is...

Seven degrees as I write, snow still coming down, and blowing drifts all over the place. How great it is to be indoors by the fireplace.

Nothing much more to say other than stay warm, healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Start of of good week

Temperature dropping from 31 to 28, no new snow, no wind, still dark, and the most joyous event is no barking. The "boys" are comatose on their respective chairs/couches and all is quiet on the home front.

Mass this AM, possibly a errand ot two---just to get out and walk a bit, then home to continue another day of reading, visiting w/family, and doing what I do so well---just exactly what I feel like and want to do. The fire logs will be worn out before the cold season is over. Have them on each day and really enjoying them.

Feeling better each day, more energy, more flexibility, less discomfort, and becoming more mobile. All is well. Making a mental note of Spring plantings that will be maintenance free. Stay warm, healthy, safe, and in touch.

Love, Mom

Another cool day

Forty-one degrees, partly cloudy/sunny, snow melting, more predicted today thru Tuesday...Mass this AM w/plans to sit by the fireplace and read this PM. My kind of day (lately). Feeling better each day.

Stay warm, safe, healthy, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Heat Wave

Nineteen degrees, no wind, still dark, snow still on the ground and 40% chance for another snowfall on Monday. Looked at a TX pic yesterday and glad we are sharing the snow w/our TX family. Unsure they are feeling that sharing is fun. Cabin fever could become epidemic this winter. Suggesting we all do like our NJ family, build tents all over the house, and make the best of the cold weather by having indoor fun.

Suggest you all look at Lili's blog---regarding "The Quilt."  Very touching and so honored to be the recipient of such a beautiful special gift----Thanks, Lili!

Busy day yesterday--Mass, errands, reading, visiting w/family. Incision healing nicely and feeling better each day. Meeting w/carpenter today to discuss making doggie stairs to assist the "boys" in getting on/off the bed w/o having to lift them up/down. Have replaced the box springs w/Serta bunkie board and the bed is much lower (nice). Expect the stairs will help us to all be independent.

Mass this AM, stop by lumber yard to pick out doggie step wood/more ice melt, then home to read, sort some files, snuggle w/pup posse, and visit w/family.

Stay warm, healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Ma's got cabin fever

Just can't make some people happy. Want to be out doors but roads and parking lots too icy. Was 0 degrees earlier this AM and now up to 1. On a positive note--getting all those stacks of magazines read and cancelling subscriptions of ones not worthy to be read---so you could say I am cleaning out stuff. Spend lots of time sitting in front of the fireplace visiting w/family and loving it.

Feel better each day. Nurse reviewed my physical restrictions yesterday prior to stitch removal. Seems the stitch removal was easier to take than the restriction info. I will be compliant, follow restrictions as advised, and continue to be better each day. Know I will have to learn to pace myself more than anything.

Stay warm, healthy, safe, and stay in touch.

Love, Mom

Addendum

SUTURES OUT!!!! Yea!!! (No confirmation pics).

Love, Mom

No snow today

One degree, no wind, air extremely crisp, and still dark. Kudos to one of my wonderful neighbors who  cleaned off my driveway last night w/his snow blower. Thanks, Bill!!! City streets should be cleaned off by late morning.

Sutures removed today. YES!!!! Feeling better each day, no complaints other than wanting to do more than I am doing. I am definitely not a sit down, kick back person. Oh, the restraint of having to follow MD orders!Just do not want a relapse. Having family here has been a blessing (that's why my recovery has been so smooth).

Stay warm, healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Blowing snow

Five degrees, feels like 17 below, 23 MPH wind/snow blowing and great to be indoors and warm. Plan to stay in this AM and maybe try to get to noon Mass. We'll see.

Probably get in lots of fireplace time, reading, and visiting w/family. Looking forward to having removal of sutures tomorrow. Two weeks of wearing a back zipper is too, too much. I am so thankful to feel better each day. 

Stay warm, healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom