Today is Monday, May 26, 2008. The sky is not so blue today as usual but it is sunnier than the last few days have been. The sky has been gray. I am happy to see the sun a little today.
How do I feel today? Well, not so hot. I had knee surgery on May 13 and was hoping to be back to normal activities by now. I guess my expectations were unrealistic. Everything went well and before I left the hospital I was doing quite well. My knee was bending. I could walk smoothly with the help of a walker. And I was happy to come home.
And then my leg began to swell - and swell - and swell. All the instructions say to raise your foot above your heart and "drain that swelling right out." Well, I have done that about 15 minutes at a time for many times a day. Also the leg needs to be iced about every hour for 15 minutes or so. With the help of my wonderful husband, I've been doing that, too. The swelling goes down for awhile and then right back up. That's my greatest discomfort.
Thank goodness for pain pills. At least that gives me some relief. And I am grateful to have a home nurse who comes and a physical therapist. They give me encouragement and tell me to be patient. I'm trying. I always think of myself as a patient person. I was patient with my children as they were growing up. I am patient with my grandchildren. I am patient with people in stores. I am patient with traffic situations. I decided I am not patient with myself.
I do have a lot of gratitude. That is a good thing to have. I'm grateful for the Dr. who has such skill to replace a knee. I am grateful for the nurses who cared for me in the hospital. I am grateful for a husband who helps me elevate my leg and put ice packs on and prepare meals. I'm glad he does the dishes and washes the clothes. I am grateful for daughters who have been fixing meals sometimes to help their dad out. I am grateful for a wonderful home. And let me tell you, I am grateful for comfortable, soft chairs. We have a recliner that has become my "base" day and night. And after sitting awhile I am grateful that my hips don't ache, ache, ache.
OK - tomorrow is the third week after the surgery. I have heard of people who are nearly immobile for 5 to 6 weeks. And I am walking without pain. It is just the awful swelling that causes me problems.
Last Sunday I felt like someone was inside my leg just pumping it up to burst. Now, I've never heard of anyone's leg bursting and the nurse assures me that it won't happen. You know how those blood pressure cups tighten up on your arm? Well, that's what it felt like in my leg. I took two pains pills at once and it eased the pain till it was bearable. I sure hope that doesn't happen again.
Okay, enough of this kind of babbling for today. Thanks for any sympathy I get. I know, I know, there are plenty of people way worse off than me and by next week I will be better but thanks for the sympathy anyway.
That's it for today.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Mother's Day
Today is Saturday, May 10, 2008. Oh my! I am posting two blogs on the same day. Wow!
Just a few musings about Mother's Day. Why do they always suggest breakfast in bed? I am so grateful my husband and children learned early on - that is one thing that would never please me. Who wants crumbs and greasy stuff in or on or around your bed? Certainly not me!
Now it is great to have the children fix dinner. Even when they were young their dad would help them get a meal and clean up afterwards. The cleaning up afterwards is always the thing I appreciate the most.
When it comes to gifts - hmm. They ask me what I want. I seldom can think of anything at the moment they ask me. I've tried keeping a list on the refrigerator so I can just jot something down when I think of it. I hardly wear jewelry any more. And I really don't need any more of that.
Flowers make me sneeze. When our youngest daughter worked for a florist here in Sacramento she would frequently bring me flowers. I had a wonderful spot right outside the kitchen window where I could put them to enjoy their beauty and not be affected by my allergies. Right now there are so many flowers blooming outside that I hope nobody spends their hard earned money on flowers.
I just want happy children, pleasant conversation, lots of hugs and kind. sweet thoughts. Oh I guess I could use a cheese slicer. The one we had broke. I got a new flat skillet for Christmas so I don't need that. And there is no space in the cupboard for any more dishes.
Just come see me, talk awhile, and give me a hug. That is enough Mother's Day gift for me. So there are my musings about Mother's Day. I'll put a roast in the crock pot in the morning and we will have a nice meal together. It is great being a Mother.
Just a few musings about Mother's Day. Why do they always suggest breakfast in bed? I am so grateful my husband and children learned early on - that is one thing that would never please me. Who wants crumbs and greasy stuff in or on or around your bed? Certainly not me!
Now it is great to have the children fix dinner. Even when they were young their dad would help them get a meal and clean up afterwards. The cleaning up afterwards is always the thing I appreciate the most.
When it comes to gifts - hmm. They ask me what I want. I seldom can think of anything at the moment they ask me. I've tried keeping a list on the refrigerator so I can just jot something down when I think of it. I hardly wear jewelry any more. And I really don't need any more of that.
Flowers make me sneeze. When our youngest daughter worked for a florist here in Sacramento she would frequently bring me flowers. I had a wonderful spot right outside the kitchen window where I could put them to enjoy their beauty and not be affected by my allergies. Right now there are so many flowers blooming outside that I hope nobody spends their hard earned money on flowers.
I just want happy children, pleasant conversation, lots of hugs and kind. sweet thoughts. Oh I guess I could use a cheese slicer. The one we had broke. I got a new flat skillet for Christmas so I don't need that. And there is no space in the cupboard for any more dishes.
Just come see me, talk awhile, and give me a hug. That is enough Mother's Day gift for me. So there are my musings about Mother's Day. I'll put a roast in the crock pot in the morning and we will have a nice meal together. It is great being a Mother.
Bed and Breakfast
Today is Saturday, May 10, 2008. The sun is shining. And the weather is getting warmer.
Last night I glanced at an article in a travel magazine about B & B. And I started to laugh. I've had two experiences with bed and breakfast places. One was in Manti, Utah, in an old, old brick house. And it was pretty much what I expected. Lots of antiques in the bed room and sitting room and in the breakfast room. Each room had its own bathroom with interesting "old fashioned" trappings. It was a fun experience. Especially so because we were the only people in the place and we got to look in every room.
The thing that made me laugh was our experience in Independence, Missouri. I grew up in Independence and when we planned a trip there for my 50th high school reunion, we decided to arrange to stay in a bed and breakfast.
I went to the internet to check out all the possibilities. There was one listed on Delaware Street. I remembered the big beautiful houses on Delaware Street. They were near to the Memorial Building where reunion was to be held and near to my old neighborhood. That seemed the perfect place. I made all the necessary arrangements through the internet and felt very happy and excited to see which of those old houses would be our place to stay for the days we would be in Independence.
We landed in Kansas City, rented a car and headed "home." I was so excited. We turned onto Delaware Street and started checking house numbers. Most of the homes there were big three story mansions and as we got closer to the number I could feel the sense of excitement rising. I was so hoping it would be the Jensen house. One of the daughters had been several classes above me and I had heard stories about the ballroom on the third floor and the playroom in the basement. But, we came to the Jensen house and it was not the right number. Then we came to the end of the street and none of those beautiful old homes was the address listed on the paper I had printed out at home.
We turned around and went back up the street. Was there a house somewhere behind another or in an alley somewhere? No. Then we found the street number. At the very south end of the street was an office building. I remembered when that building had been built by the Reorganized Church as an office building. I couldn't believe that was the address of our bed and breakfast. Sure enough, though, it was. I was more than a little disappointed. But what could I do? I had made all the arrangements.
We went up to the door, rang the buzzer and the door buzzer sounded and we were let in. The halls were nicely decorated with paintings and bouquets of flowers. There were beautiful tables and a few nice chairs in each hallway. Each former office had been remodeled into a nice bedroom with a private bath. It was certainly not what I had expected but it was nice.
The breakfast part was in the basement - a former cafeteria - streamlined and modern. Not quite like the beautiful old kitchen and dining room of my dreams but adequate and they served a decent breakfast.
It certainly wasn't what I had wished for but we accepted it and enjoyed our time there. But it sure makes me chuckle to think of my dreams about those big houses on Delaware Street. Next time I schedule a bed and breakfast I hope they have photos on line. If they don't I am going to make a phone call.
That's it for today.
Last night I glanced at an article in a travel magazine about B & B. And I started to laugh. I've had two experiences with bed and breakfast places. One was in Manti, Utah, in an old, old brick house. And it was pretty much what I expected. Lots of antiques in the bed room and sitting room and in the breakfast room. Each room had its own bathroom with interesting "old fashioned" trappings. It was a fun experience. Especially so because we were the only people in the place and we got to look in every room.
The thing that made me laugh was our experience in Independence, Missouri. I grew up in Independence and when we planned a trip there for my 50th high school reunion, we decided to arrange to stay in a bed and breakfast.
I went to the internet to check out all the possibilities. There was one listed on Delaware Street. I remembered the big beautiful houses on Delaware Street. They were near to the Memorial Building where reunion was to be held and near to my old neighborhood. That seemed the perfect place. I made all the necessary arrangements through the internet and felt very happy and excited to see which of those old houses would be our place to stay for the days we would be in Independence.
We landed in Kansas City, rented a car and headed "home." I was so excited. We turned onto Delaware Street and started checking house numbers. Most of the homes there were big three story mansions and as we got closer to the number I could feel the sense of excitement rising. I was so hoping it would be the Jensen house. One of the daughters had been several classes above me and I had heard stories about the ballroom on the third floor and the playroom in the basement. But, we came to the Jensen house and it was not the right number. Then we came to the end of the street and none of those beautiful old homes was the address listed on the paper I had printed out at home.
We turned around and went back up the street. Was there a house somewhere behind another or in an alley somewhere? No. Then we found the street number. At the very south end of the street was an office building. I remembered when that building had been built by the Reorganized Church as an office building. I couldn't believe that was the address of our bed and breakfast. Sure enough, though, it was. I was more than a little disappointed. But what could I do? I had made all the arrangements.
We went up to the door, rang the buzzer and the door buzzer sounded and we were let in. The halls were nicely decorated with paintings and bouquets of flowers. There were beautiful tables and a few nice chairs in each hallway. Each former office had been remodeled into a nice bedroom with a private bath. It was certainly not what I had expected but it was nice.
The breakfast part was in the basement - a former cafeteria - streamlined and modern. Not quite like the beautiful old kitchen and dining room of my dreams but adequate and they served a decent breakfast.
It certainly wasn't what I had wished for but we accepted it and enjoyed our time there. But it sure makes me chuckle to think of my dreams about those big houses on Delaware Street. Next time I schedule a bed and breakfast I hope they have photos on line. If they don't I am going to make a phone call.
That's it for today.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Stuff
Today is Monday, May 5, 2008. The sun is shining and our yard is filled with flowers in full bloom. Everything looks so pretty this morning.
And today is Patt's birthday. I don't know how come I always remember her birthday but I do. May 5. She is one of my friends from Independence, Missouri. Happy Birthday, Patt, wherever you are today.
Today I looked in our "pilot room." Every house should have a pilot room. You know, "pile it here, pile it there." Right now our house seems to have more than one. The most important one is the "middle bedroom."
I keep piling stuff on the bed. One of these days I will get everything put away but for now it is the collect all. We subscribe to several magazines and they have such wonderful pictures and articles that I cannot throw them away. I do have a special shelf in the bookcase in the "music room" where I keep them but that shelf is full right now.
We also have a lot of "important papers." We both have been going through our filing cabinets, cleaning out and sorting, to make room for the newer "important papers." I remember my mother sorting her "papers" and I used to think, "Mother, just throw them away. When will you ever use that article or that information again, " and here I am doing the same thing.
I did start an envelope system. I went to the office supply store and bought a box of manilla envelopes - 15 X 18 - large enough to hold certificates, programs, letters, etc. and tagged them by years. You know - 2000 to 2005. That has helped some. Of course, those envelopes don't fit into the filing cabinets - too big. And I have created a spot to store them.
I thought I was getting a little better at tossing out stuff. A friend told me her mother had a motto - "Every day throw something away." Recycling helps. It gives me a feeling of helping save the planet. And I have stopped buying Family Circle and Woman's Day every month. I have a hard time throwing them away - such lovely pictures and good articles and yummy sounding recipes. Now I only buy one if I am truly interested in the articles.
Oh, well, I will just keep trying. We are not yet to the point where we only have a small pathway through the house. I've seen that happen and heard about it in the newspapers. I will nust keep trying to de-clutter my house and de-clutter my brain. "Never give up." That will be my motto.
And today is Patt's birthday. I don't know how come I always remember her birthday but I do. May 5. She is one of my friends from Independence, Missouri. Happy Birthday, Patt, wherever you are today.
Today I looked in our "pilot room." Every house should have a pilot room. You know, "pile it here, pile it there." Right now our house seems to have more than one. The most important one is the "middle bedroom."
I keep piling stuff on the bed. One of these days I will get everything put away but for now it is the collect all. We subscribe to several magazines and they have such wonderful pictures and articles that I cannot throw them away. I do have a special shelf in the bookcase in the "music room" where I keep them but that shelf is full right now.
We also have a lot of "important papers." We both have been going through our filing cabinets, cleaning out and sorting, to make room for the newer "important papers." I remember my mother sorting her "papers" and I used to think, "Mother, just throw them away. When will you ever use that article or that information again, " and here I am doing the same thing.
I did start an envelope system. I went to the office supply store and bought a box of manilla envelopes - 15 X 18 - large enough to hold certificates, programs, letters, etc. and tagged them by years. You know - 2000 to 2005. That has helped some. Of course, those envelopes don't fit into the filing cabinets - too big. And I have created a spot to store them.
I thought I was getting a little better at tossing out stuff. A friend told me her mother had a motto - "Every day throw something away." Recycling helps. It gives me a feeling of helping save the planet. And I have stopped buying Family Circle and Woman's Day every month. I have a hard time throwing them away - such lovely pictures and good articles and yummy sounding recipes. Now I only buy one if I am truly interested in the articles.
Oh, well, I will just keep trying. We are not yet to the point where we only have a small pathway through the house. I've seen that happen and heard about it in the newspapers. I will nust keep trying to de-clutter my house and de-clutter my brain. "Never give up." That will be my motto.
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