Starry night on the prairie

It was another beautiful fall day in Oklahoma.  Bright blue skies with temperatures in the mid 70’s.  Perfect day to be outside painting and scrapping.  We got more work done on a set of windows.  Didn’t get them finished but made good progress.

We went to a brunch this morning at some friends of Jim’s.  They live in a beautiful home in Stillwater.  It is homecoming weekend at OSU and. I guess it is a tradition to gather with friends over the weekend.  We had a nice time.  I especially enjoying spending time with the husband of the couple we visited.  For some reason we have clicked and enjoy each other.

I took a nap this afternoon.  I didn’t mean to but I laid down on the couch and fell asleep.  I hope I can sleep tonight.

Tomorrow we will go to church in the morning and then finish painting the set of windows we are working on in the afternoon.  We still need to put the storm windows and screens back in the first set of windows we took out earlier this week.  We are going to stop by the hardware store on the way home from church and get some screen so we can repair those and get them put back in.

Monday I head back home to Strong City.  The list of things I need to do at home keeps growing.  Hoping I will have a productive week and get some things crossed off my list.  I have two sets of guests coming this weekend so that will provide some motivation for me to get the house in shape.

Not sure when Jim is coming back up to KS.  He will be coming the 5th so he can take me to surgery on the 6th but I am hoping he will make it up before that for a couple of days.  I have guests the next two weekends so won’t make it back down to OK before surgery.  I always hate the time when we are apart.

Gertrude has been quiet today finally.  She has been cranky lately.  Not sure what the problem with her is.  Hoping it was the final episode of her being cranky.

Grateful for naps, grateful for friends that invited us to brunch, and grateful Gertrude has quieted down again.

Another beautiful fall day in Oklahoma. We took a 3.34 mile walk today to get out and enjoy the weather. Did a bit of walking on sidewalk, on the cross country track and through the pasture. My foot held up well and hasn’t been cranky tonight.

I ordered a birthday cake for Jim from a local bakery. I picked it up this morning. His favorite cake is German Chocolate and this bakery made a three layer one for me. Jim says it is very good. I don’t eat flour or sugar so I didn’t eat any. I used to love German Chocolate cake. Jim’s birthday is Monday but today was the day that worked best for the bakery for me to pick it up.

This afternoon after our walk we worked on another set of windows to get them ready to paint. Still have some work to do before we can start painting tomorrow but ran out of daylight.

Tomorrow we have a brunch to go to. A friend of Jim’s has invited a group over for an informal brunch. I have met them and they are fun people to be with so I’m sure we will have a good time tomorrow. We will get to work painting again when we get home. It is homecoming weekend here and there is lots of extra people in town. Not a good time to get out and do much.

Someone called me today to see if I had a bed for them to stay in tonight. Not sure where they found my phone number – maybe off the Chase County Chamber website. Airbnb doesn’t publish my number until a guest books a room.

I fixed sauerkraut with hot dogs for dinner tonight. We both enjoyed it and it was easy to fix. I broiled the hot dogs before I mixed them in with the sauerkraut and it gave them a good flavor.

Hard to believe I have been here for a week. The time goes so fast when we are together. We have gotten lots of work done on his house but have so much more to do. I return to Strong City Monday afternoon. I have a long list of things I need to get done there next week.

When I had my eye exam the eye doctor recommended I go to a retina specialist to see if they can figure out why I have a blind spot. The specialist called today and I go see him the week after I have surgery. Not really expecting to get any answers as I have been down this road before but maybe with the new equipment they have now they can figure out what is wrong with my left eye.

I haven’t heard from the hardware store about the deck paint they are to get in for me and then mix to match my colors. Evidently he is having trouble getting it in. Sure hope he comes through for me sometime soon.

Grateful for a long walk today and that my feet held up without getting cranky, grateful for the work we got done on the windows today, and grateful for this time I am having with Jim. We celebrated one year together this week.

A year ago today I received my first letter from Jim. In that first letter I could tell he understood the Flint Hills and loved them as much as I do. This year has gone by very quickly. I’m grateful he found me on Match.

We drove over to Tulsa this morning so Jim could teach two Osher classes. One was on the history of American Religion and the other was on the impact of Technology advances on society. I enjoyed both of them and learned new things.

Both classes were very interesting to me. I guess Jim has been sharing about me in class. One lady asked me how my foot was healing. One lady was very talkative to me. Her late husband had been a college professor and we were exchanging observations of college professors. It was amazing how alike the two men are.

I put a beef stew in the crock pot before we left this morning. I had never used this crock pot before and I didn’t adjust the temperature correctly so it isn’t done yet. Thank heavens for the instant pot. I poured the stew into the instant pot and turned it on. Jim has a meeting at 5:30 and by the time he is home from his meeting the stew will be done. I only had an apple for lunch today and I am hungry.

Since we were gone all day we didn’t get any work done outside today. Jim stayed up very late last night finishing up his notes for class so he didn’t get much sleep. Thinking we will not do much this evening after dinner.

My old internet company sent me my final bill. They added a $5 late charge as I stopped the service in early September and didn’t pay anything in September at their instructions. They delayed picking up the equipment until this week and I just today got the final bill. So glad I have changed companies. I don’t like how they handled the final steps.

Tomorrow is to be another beautiful fall day so will get back outside and do some more painting and work outside. There is lots of scrapping and painting that needs done. It is OSU’s homecoming this weekend and traffic is to be heavy so will probably hang around here all weekend. Monday is Jim’s birthday and we are going out to dinner Sunday night to celebrate as I have to go back to Strong City Monday afternoon.

Grateful for a fun trip to Tulsa today, grateful Jim has an instant pot that saved the beef stew, and grateful for this beautiful fall weather.

Jim and I have spent the afternoon outside painting and scraping.  He took apart the storm windows in the master bedroom yesterday and today we painted the outside part of the windows.  We also took apart the windows in the dining room.  Found some rotten boards that will need to be replaced.  We also scraped and painted some more on the porch.

The weather was perfect to be outside painting today.  Upper 60’s and no wind with bright blue skies.  We are going out to dinner and then Jim has choir practice tonight.

I’m going to run to the grocery store while he is at choir practice and get something to put in the crock pot for tomorrow night.  Jim teaches two classes in Tulsa tomorrow so we will be gone all day and will have an early start to our day.  It will be nice to come home to dinner ready for us.

The toe that I dropped a cake pan on is black and blue today and a bit swollen.  It hasn’t slowed me down today though.  I’m tired of hurting feet!

The eye glasses I ordered from Warby Parker arrived at home.  I am anxious to get home and try them on.  I hope they don’t need adjusted too much as I’m not sure when I will be in KC again.  I want to get up there one more time before surgery but not sure I will make it.

I didn’t hear from the store that is fixing my mother’s ring that the ring actually got done today.  If it isn’t ready when I go in next Tuesday I am going to be upset.  I sure hope I like the modifications I had made to it.

Pella Windows called and gave me a time for my appointment to get a window replaced next week.  They have been very prompt and good communicators.  Trusting they will show up as promised and that project will be completed.

I have four guests coming in a week from Friday and then they leave Saturday morning and three more check in Saturday afternoon.  They will all be using the same rooms so I will be busy flipping them to have them ready for the guests arriving Saturday.

Jason called me today.  It is always good to hear from my kids.  He is hoping to go back to work Sunday but he can’t wear ear protection yet so wasn’t sure they will let him return yet.  He said his ear was healing well but still has a ways to go.

Grateful for the work we got done on this beautiful fall day, grateful my glasses arrived – ahead of time, and grateful for guests that come to visit the prairie.

 

 

I didn’t have a good start to my day.  I was putting away the dishes and pulled out some bowls to stack one.  I cake pan fell out and landed on my toe on my surgery foot.  Man!  It hurt.  I put ice on it and after about 30 minutes it finally calmed down. It is black and blue and swollen tonight. Gertrude did not need that to happen to it.

This morning Jim taught an Osher class on Technology and its impact on Society.  It was a fun and interesting class.  I like watching him teach.

We had lunch at a diner downtown in Stillwater then came home and took a nap.  After our nap we took apart the windows in the bedroom, washed them and scrapped paint to get them ready to be painted.  Not sure we will get them back together again tomorrow as some of the screens need to be replaced as well as parts on the screens.

Yesterday we put together the third set of railings and did some painting on the porch.  Lots more painting needs to be done but getting a little bit done makes a difference.  We plan to do some more painting tomorrow as it is to be nice outside again.

My old internet company finally showed up to pick up the old equipment.  Unfortunately the piece that was inside didn’t get set out on the porch in time so when I get home I will either have to mail it or deliver it.  They had cancelled twice before when I was home.  What a pain this has turned out to be to get it all back to them.

I got an email notifying me my new glasses were delivered today.  I will be anxious to get home and try them on.  The store that is fixing my mother’s ring called me yesterday to tell me it would be ready today.  I will pick that up next Tuesday.  Sure hope I like what was done to it.

We didn’t take a walk today as my foot was cranky.  Trusting it will be feeling better tomorrow.  I’m tired of it being cranky.

Grateful for the work we got done on Jim’s house today, grateful for another beautiful fall day, and grateful to get to watch Jim teach.

Had another good day yesterday.  The weather was perfect to be outside in the afternoon.  Mid 70’s, no wind and bright blue skies.  It was a wonderful fall day in Oklahoma.

We went to church in the morning.  After lunch we built another set of porch railing.  This time it went together faster as we learned from the mistakes we made the first time.  It is set in place but not nailed in place yet.

We went for a two mile walk through the neighborhood.  Gertrude, my left foot, got a bit cranky so we came back to Jim’s house.

We walked across the street and up the hill to watch the harvest moon rise at 7:16.  The moon was big, orange and beautiful.  We stood out and watched it for about 15 minutes.  I miss my open prairie views at times like this.

I fixed a ham, cheese and potato casserole using the Instant Pot for dinner.  It was an experiment that turned out good.  You slice the potatoes and ham and onion and cook it in the pot for only 2 minutes with some broth.  Then you put it in a baking pan and add cheese and milk to the remaining broth until the cheese melts.  Pour that over the ham and potatoes and broil for five minutes.  I didn’t get the sauce thick enough but th flavor was wonderful.

It was warm enough for us to sit out on Jim’s back porch for an hour after dinner.  The moon cast a silvery light on the trees.  It finally got too cold and I had to come in.  By then it was after 11:30 and was my bedtime.  Jim stayed up until his normal 3:30 before he called it a day.

Today we are going to paint on the front porch and then build the third set of railings.  It is to be in the low 80’s today later after being in the low 50’s this morning.  I have one more week of being in Oklahoma before I have to head back home to th prairie.  Time is going by quickly.

I slept well again last night – this time drug free.  Nights go by quickly when one sleeps all night!  I hope I continue sleeping much of the night.

Grateful I got to see the beautiful full moon rise last night, grateful my dinner experiment worked and tasted good, and grateful for the beautiful fall weather we are having.

 

I forgot to blog the last two days.  Significant memories on those two days too.  October 11 was the day four years ago I arrived in Santiago after walking 500 miles on the Camino.  It was a wonderful ending to my journey.  October 12 would have been my mother’s 90th birthday.  Hard to imagine her as an old person – she lived life young.  I still miss her physical presence but feel her spirit with me often.  On the 13th of October, 2015 I flew to Paris to start a week with Kathy as a celebration of walking the Camino.

I came to Oklahoma Friday afternoon after cleaning up the house from having a guest for two nights.  My guest was quiet and gone much of the time.  He was the second guest in a row that left without saying anything.  I hadn’t had guests do that before – wonder what is up with that.

Yesterday Jim and I put together one of four sets of railings for his front porch.  I had painted the rails last time I was here.  It was interesting to see how he put them together.  Friday and Saturday we walked around Boomer Lake which is a little over a three mile walk.

Friday I ended up taking a pain pill.  My foot had been aching for over three days and I was tired of it yelling at me.  I slept for 12 hours Friday night and took two short naps Saturday.  One pill!  I slept again last night and finally feel normal again this morning.  I don’t think I would make a good drug addict as all I would do is sleep.

Today we will go to church this morning and probably put together another set of railings this afternoon.  We might even get two or three sets put together.  The first set always takes the longest.  I’m sure we will take another walk around the lake too. It is to be a beautiful day here with the temperatures in the 70’s.

I was disappointed on Friday when I call the jewelry store and found out my ring was not ready yet.  I had taken my mother’s wedding ring in over three weeks ago to have it sized and the diamond replaced.  When I dropped it off they told me it would be ready in three weeks.  They had told me a week ago that it would be ready as promised on Wednesday.  When I called Friday they said they needed another week to finish it.  I dislike when a store tells you one thing and then doesn’t come through with that.  They didn’t bother to call me and tell me there was a delay.  Whatever happened to good old fashioned customer service?

I called the hardware store that was to have had my deck paint ready to pick up Friday.  It is about 40 minutes out of the way to go to it and I didn’t want to waste my time if it wasn’t ready.  I’m glad I called as it hadn’t come in on the truck as planned. He promised to call me when it comes in.  Hopefully it will come this week and I can go over and get it before I go back to KS on the 21st.

I have about ten things like the above pending that I can’t seem to cross off my to do list.  All are waiting for someone else to do something for me.  Hopefully things will come together soon and I can get some things crossed off my list.  I’m trying to clear it all off before I have surgery November 6.  May or may not happen at this rate.

My summer boarder stopped and pick up an item he had left at my house when he moved out in August.  At least that is one more thing removed from my lost and found pile.  I’m surprised he stopped and got it but am grateful he did so.  I don’t like being responsible for someone else’s things.

Having a wonderful time with Jim doing the normal things of life.  We don’t do anything special together usually although Friday evening we went to Jim’s church for an organ recital.  It was wonderful.  The guy that played really showed off the range of what an organ can do.  The meditative pieces he played were my favorite.  I had never gone to an organ recital before.

As nice as the weather is I almost wished I was at home so I could finish painting my deck.  I’m afraid the cold weather is going to come in and I won’t get that project finished this year.  We shall see what happens I guess.  I will have two more weeks after I get home before I have surgery to get it done.  Crossing my fingers fall will hang around and it won’t be winter yet.

Grateful for a safe trip to Oklahoma, grateful to have this time with Jim, and grateful to be able to walk three miles without pain or worry.

 

Got the newsletter done around 1:15 today.  Lynn came over at 9:00 to help me finish it.  Mary came a little after 10:00 and Jane came at 11:30.  It goes so much faster with four sets of hands.

I made hamburger soup with beer bread muffins for lunch.  Both are easy to make and as the cold front and wind moved in a hot soup was a good thing to eat today.

Gertrude, my left foot, is swollen again today and a bit cranky.  Not sure why she keeps swelling.  I am nine weeks out from surgery and I didn’t expect it to start swelling at this point.

My guest came in late last night, dropped off his stuff and left.  He returned to my house a bit after midnight.  He left this morning a little after 9:00 and came back for a while this afternoon.  I only talked to hm briefly when he needed some more bottles of water.  He left again after that and I don’t expect him back until late again tonight.  He will be leaving sometime in the morning tomorrow.  He has been an easy guest since he hasn’t been here much.

Tomorrow I will get his room cleaned up and the sheets on my bed changed out.  I hope to be on the road before noon tomorrow.  I am taking a detour to pick up some deck paint in Chandler, OK.  I should be with Jim by 4:00.

I made a big batch of Chex Mix today.  I wanted to get the first batch done before my next surgery as lifting things in and out of the oven is hard to do when I am on crutches.  It is cooling on the counter now and I will bag it up and freeze it when I am done blogging.

I was disappointed the jewelry store didn’t call me today to tell me Mom’s ring was ready to be picked up.  They were to have had it done yesterday and I haven’t heard from them yet.  Still hoping I will get called for tomorrow morning so I can see it before I leave for over a week.

The weather did an about face today.  It was 72 degrees mid morning but is now only  41.  It is to keep dropping over night and there is a freeze warning out.  The high for tomorrow is only to be 50.  Thankfully it is to warm back up on Saturday.  Feels like we are going directly from summer to winter this year. Not looking forward to the upcoming cold weather.  It has been very windy today.  I was hoping I could paint this afternoon but it was too cold and windy for that.

The house feels very quiet to me tonight.  It was nice to have some friends come over and help me finish up the Newsletter today.  I have been out of touch with so many of my local friends lately.  It was good to catch up a bit with some of them.

Grateful to have been in service today through my work on the Newsletter project, grateful my house is nice and warm this evening, and grateful I get to see Jim tomorrow.

This has been a busy day.  I went into Emporia this morning for a haircut and made a quick stop at the grocery store.  Came home and cleaned house to prepare for my guest that arrived tonight.  While I was cleaning the Pioneer Bluffs Newsletter material was delivered for me to stuff.  We worked on it for an hour and got one box done.

I had to stop and finish cleaning the house and do chores.  I have worked off and on the rest of the day and have five of eight boxes done.   Decided to take a break and blog and then take my bath.  I may do one more box before I go to bed unless I get too tired.  I have two helpers coming tomorrow to help me finish.  All of them still need glued shut and I sure would like to have them all stuffed before 9:00 tomorrow when the helpers show up.  We’ll see if I can make that happen or not.

My guest checked in around 8:30 tonight.  He got a quick tour of the house, dropped off his stuff and left.  He didn’t think he would be back before midnight.  Not sure what his plans are for tomorrow.  He is staying two days and came to visit a friend in Cottonwood Falls.  I doubt that I see much of him.

Friday I will need to get his room cleaned up before I can leave for Oklahoma.  The house sitter will be back for eleven days while I am gone and I like to leave the house in order for her.  I don’t have any rush to get to Oklahoma so it may be early afternoon before I can get gone.

I do need to detour and go to Chandler, OK to pick up the deck paint.  I told the nice guy that figured out what I needed I would be there on Friday to pick it up.  Trusting he will have it ready for me.  If I think about it I will call and confirm tomorrow.  It is about 35 minutes out of my way to go the Chandler and don’t want to drive there if they don’t have it ready.

The local junk dealer came and hauled off my broken refrigerator out of my garage today.  Leaning against the refrigerator was a heavy metal decorative piece that had a broken part.  He took that away for me too.  I so appreciated him coming to get my old stuff and make it go away.

It will be good to finish up this newsletter project in the morning.  I like doing projects like these that are quick and easy.  I can see that I accomplished something when doing them and that always feels good.

Tomorrow afternoon I want to get a big batch of Chex Mix made up and put in the freezer.  I always give the kids a bag of it for Thanksgiving and need to get it made up before I have my next foot surgery.  I got the stuff to make it at Costco yesterday.

When I get home from Oklahoma I will have a long list of things I will need to get done before November 6.  I want to get all the non-perishable food stuff on my Thanksgiving list so I will only have to shop for vegetables, fruit and dairy when it gets closer and I am on crutches.  I will need to get the chicken coop cleaned out one last time before winter too.  Jim has told me he would prefer not to do that task.  Sometimes I forget he is a city boy and cleaning a chicken coop is a country boy thing!

Grateful for a haircut today, grateful over half the newsletter project is completed, and grateful the refrigerator and art piece are gone.

Home sweet home after being gone all day.  I left for KC this morning a little after 9:00.  Met a dear friend for lunch at 11:00.  We had a delightful visit and lunch.  After lunch I went to Lowe’s Hardware to get someone a gift.  I purchased something I knew nothing about.  I asked a clerk for help and the first one said he really didn’t know anything about the item but offered to find someone that did.  The guy he found didn’t know much either.  I finally found a third guy that was knowledgeable and helped me decide between the three choices.  He even helped load it in my car.

Then I filled the car with gas and went to Costco for a long list of items.  I always end up buying stuff that isn’t on my list at that store.  Good thing I don’t live close to one.

My eye doctor appointment was down on the Plaza at Warby Parker.  It was a beautiful day to walk around the Plaza.  I got there very early and spent some time picking out my new frames.  Luckily they had an opening in their schedule and got me in to my eye doctor appointment early.  I liked the eye doctor.  He was very young but seemed knowledgeable and competent. He is going to refer me to a specialist to see if someone can figure out why I have a blind spot in my left eye.  It has been there for 20 years and I have gone to specialists in the past and no one has ever figured out what is wrong.  He thinks they might be able to diagnose it now with the equipment they have now compared to twenty years ago.  The specialist is to call me to schedule an appointment.  No big deal if they don’t.

I ordered a pair of glasses.  They were much cheaper than I had been paying at LensCrafters.  They will ship them to me within ten business days.  I was impressed with the service at Warby Parker and will go back there again next time.

Stopped at Best Buy and got a new watch band for my Apple Watch.  I kept catching the other one and the watch would fall off.  Got a more secure band and another charger so I can leave one at Jim’s house and not have to remember to take one back and forth.

Finished the day by having dinner with Nicole and Geoff and his parents.  They are delightful people and we had a fun dinner together.  Drove home afterwards and got home at 9:00.

While I was in KC today Airbnb notified me that a guest had book a room for Wednesday and Thursday night.  Guess I will be cleaning house tomorrow morning.  I don’t have the house back together again from my weekend guests.  I don’t think he is coming in until after 6:00 pm so will have time to get the house cleaned.  I have a haircut in Emporia at 11:00 tomorrow morning so will be gone part of the day.

The Pioneer Bluffs Newsletter material won’t be ready until Wednesday late afternoon at the earliest.  I am to have some help on Thursday so we can get it done before I leave Friday to go to Oklahoma.  Anyone want to come out and join in on the fun?  I’ll fix lunch if you want to come out and help stuff envelopes.

My plumber texted me this morning to let me know he is working on finding parts for my water booster pump.  He always takes good care of me and I appreciate his work to help me out.

I am tired tonight.  I fell asleep at 6:00 last night and slept until 10:00.  Then I was up for most of the night although I probably got another two hours sleep off and on.  I’m ready to go to bed now and trust I will get a good night’s sleep.

Grateful for a safe and productive trip to KC, grateful to have met Geoff’s parents, and grateful for the beautiful fall day in Kansas today – rain is to arrive during the night.

Sunday was a busy day.  I was up and in the kitchen cooking before 9:00.  I fixed a chocolate cake, roasted vegetables and a meat loaf to take to the family reunion.  The kiddos came out around 11:30 and we left a little before noon.  The reunion was fun with lots of good food.

At one point I felt like one of those moms that left their kids in a hot car.  I was visiting with relatives and all of a sudden remembered I was responsible for the grandkids and I had no idea where they were.  They were outside with cousins playing on the playground equipment.

When we got home two guests arrived for the night.  One was an eight year old that played with Ellexia all evening.  Jim and I took the three kids for a mile walk after dinner.  Got home and got my two ready for bed.

Tagen had a tummy ache and had trouble falling asleep.  Ellexia had one of her nights where she couldn’t sleep.  I went between the two of them attempting to calm them both down.  Tagen fell asleep a little after 10:00 but Ellexia didn’t completely fall asleep until after midnight.

The grandkids were so good for me this weekend.  I didn’t have to referee one fight between them.

I had to be up at 6:30 this morning so I could get myself dressed and fix breakfast for the kiddos before I drove them into town for school.  Despite getting to bed late both woke up easily and did a great job of getting dressed.  We were on the road on time at 7:10.  I fixed breakfast burritos for them and they ate them in the car on the way to school.  Tagen still wasn’t feeling very good and only managed to eat one bite of his.

Last night the shower head for my guest’s bathroom clogged up and they couldn’t get water to come out of it.  I stopped at the hardware store this morning after I dropped the kids off at school and picked up a new one.  The hardest part of attaching it was getting the damn thing out of the packaging.  It works and I did it!

Kathy had waited to leave until I got home so she could say goodbye.  She is headed to Massachusetts for the winter.  I wish her safe travels and a productive winter.

I fixed blueberry pancakes for my two guests after they were up and dressed.  They left around noon to return to Salina.

After they left Jim and I went out and mowed the yard.  He did the trim mowing and I rode the big mower.  The yard looks nice this evening.

I came in and took a shower after I mowed.  I noticed my left ankle and foot is a bit swollen tonight.  Not sure what that is all about.  It has been cranky and stiff since I had physical therapy last Wednesday.  Maybe one of these days it will get over itself and straighten out.

Jim left a little before 5:00 to head to Stillwater.  It gets harder and harder to watch him drive down the driveway and head for Oklahoma.

I am tired tonight.  I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night and had to get up early.  I feel like all I did all weekend was laundry, clean house, make beds, cook and do dishes.  I am ready for a sit in my chair type of evening and do nothing.

Tomorrow I go to KC for the day.  I’ll leave around 9:00 if not before.  I have a stop to make before I meet a friend for lunch.  In the afternoon I have an eye doctor appointment and then I need to do a Costco shopping trip.  I am meeting Nicole and Geoff and his parents for dinner at 6:00.  I hope to be home by 9:30 or so.  It will be a long day but should be a fun one.

Friday I am headed to Oklahoma for ten days.  My house sitter is coming back to stay and watch my critters.  I have a list of things I need to get done before I can leave.  I still haven’t finished my fall house cleaning. And the rooms I have gotten finished already need cleaned again.

I called the plumber this morning to see if he can fix my water booster pump.  It only works some of the time.  If I go down and unplug it and then plug it back in it works. Not convenient to do that every time I turn the water on though.  The plumber hasn’t let me know yet if he can get a starter relay to fix it.  Seems like there is always something on my pending list.

I need to go do the chicken chores.  I forgot to do them earlier this afternoon.  I may go to bed with the sun tonight.  It is time for me to crash and sleep for a long time.  I think I will enjoy having an empty house for four nights.  The house feels a bit big and empty to me right now though.

I’m tired and cranky tonight.  I might go take a walk and see if that releases some emotion for me.  If not, I am putting myself into time out and going to bed.

Grateful for all the relatives that made it to the reunion yesterday, grateful the yard is all mowed up, and grateful for the time I had with Kathy while she was home for a short visit.

It has been a quiet day around here today.  I got up before 8:00 to see my guest off.  He didn’t get to go for a bike ride this morning as the weather was not good.  We had a thunderstorm roll through with some sharp lightning and lots of rain.  He left around 8:15.  He was driving back to Virginia.  I think he was going to stop halfway today.

I did four loads of laundry today but not much else.  Jim and I took a two and one half mile walk this afternoon.  It was a beautiful day for a walk although a bit windy. We worked getting the steps ready to be sanded.  Jim is replacing a board or two on a step.  Getting closer to getting this project wrapped up.

Craig got married today.  I am happy for him and I really like his new wife.  I wish them years of happiness together.

Tomorrow will be a busy day.  The grandkids are coming in the morning.  We are going to Marion Lake for a family reunion at noon.  I need to fix some food to take in the morning.  I have two guests coming in Sunday afternoon.  The grandkids are spending the night so I will need to drive them to school Monday morning early.  Kathy is headed for Massachusetts Monday morning.  My guests will go back to Salina late morning Monday.  Jim will go back to Oklahoma Monday afternoon.  I will have lots of beds to change linens on Monday afternoon.

Tuesday I am going to Kansas City.  I am having lunch with some dear friends, have an eye appointment in the afternoon, doing my quarterly Costco run, and then ending the day by having dinner with Nicole’s finance’s parents and Nicole and Geoff.  I probably will leave around 9:00 and won’t be home until after 9:00.  It will be a long day but a fun one.

Wednesday and Thursday I will be stuffing a Newsletter for Pioneer Bluffs.  Friday I am headed to Oklahoma for ten days.  Thinking this week will fly by quickly.

I am having trouble remembering it is October.  This year has gone by so quickly and this month will fly by too.  Four years ago I was in the home stretch of my Camino walk to Santiago,Spain.  Two years ago I was recovering from having my thyroid out and finding out they found cancer in it.  This year I spent the day with Jim and Kathy.  Things change so quickly in my life.

Grateful for a quiet day at home, grateful for new beginnings, and grateful for the peaceful beauty of the prairie tonight.

Slept good for about two hour last night.  Woke up and thought it was time to get up. After being awake for four hours I finally got two more hours of sleep.

Went into Emporia after I had breakfast this morning to get groceries for the weekend.  Remembered to get a switch plate to cover a hole in the wall for a room downstairs.  That has bothered me forever and I finally got it fixed!  I kept forgetting to write it on my to do list.  Not sure why I remembered today as it still wasn’t on my to do list.  Also remembered to get a step on trash can for the laundry room.  The cats get into the other kind and for some reason thought today to try a step on type.  Sometimes I am a bit slow!

Did some laundry today and some more cleaning.  My guest is to be here around 4:00.  Jim hasn’t left yet so not sure when he will get here.  I want to bake a batch of cookies when I finished blogging.  Other than that the house is guest ready.  I didn’t get all the rooms detailed cleaned but they are clean enough for now.  I am the only one that knows they aren’t as clean as I would like them to be.

It has rained off and on most of the day – more off than on.  It is only 55 degrees out right now.  I am bundled up in a sweater and a long sleeve shirt and jeans.  My body does not yet like this cooler weather.  Not sure what I will have to wear this winter when it really gets cold.

I am fixing ham and beans in the instant pot for dinner tonight.  Once Jim lets me know he is leaving I will know when to start them.  They take less than an hour to fix in the instant pot.  Since I will have the oven on to make cookies I’ll probably fix him some corn bread. I can’t eat it as it has both sugar and flour in it.  He likes it so will fix it for him.

Ellexia let me know her hamster is missing this morning.  She told me when she woke up his cage was open and he was gone.  Trusting the cat and dogs didn’t eat him for breakfast.  I trust he will be found and returned to the safety of his cage.  That would scare me to find him.  I told her to check inside her shoes and under her dresser – she said she looked there already.

I keep getting reminders from FaceBook about my Camino walk four years ago.  I was on the final home stretch at this time as I arrived in Santiago on October 11.  That trip is one of the best things I have ever done in my lifetime.

Jim named my feet Gertrude and Matilda.  I could have bitch slapped Gertrude last night as she whined all night long.  I finally took some ibuprofen and she calmed down a bit.  Sitting all day yesterday was not a good thing for her.  She has yelled at me for being active today but as the day has gone along she is quieting down and getting back used to me moving.

Best get to baking my cookies so I can have the mess cleaned up before my guest gets here.

Grateful Jim is coming soon, grateful the house is guest ready, and grateful Gertrude is calming down again.

What a lazy day this has been for me.  I slept in this morning.  Didn’t take my shower until 9:00.  Decided to take it easy this morning with the intention of getting some cleaning done this afternoon.  That back fired as I got cold after lunch and decided to warm up under my electric blanket for a short bit.  Two hours later I woke up!  This day went by fast for not doing anything.

I tracked down two gallons of deck paint.  I had purchased my deck paint from the True Value store in Emporia.  The True Value in Emporia is no longer a True Value and no longer stocks the paint I need.  I called three different True Value stores and finally found a guy that had worked there a long time.  He figured out the formula for the paint had changed and that is why no one stocks the base color I needed.  He is going to order in what I need and mix the paint for me and I will pick it up when I head south October 11.  I am grateful for someone that was curious and investigated for me.  I like that kind of customer service.

Got a note from the solar panel guy.  He told me the parts are starting to come in and he is on schedule to arrive October 28 to start the installation.  I will be grateful when that project is completed and my electric bills decrease.

My mom’s ring that I took in to have resized and the diamond replaced should be ready next week.  I am anxious to see it.  I was kinda hoping it would be ready yet this week so I could show it to my aunt’s at the reunion Sunday.  If not, I guess they will see it the next time I see them.

Tomorrow I need to go to town to get a few groceries so I have stuff to fix for the reunion lunch on Sunday.  I will also be fixing dinner Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights as well as breakfast on Monday.  I don’t keep lots of food in the house like I used to so will have to see what I have and make a list.

Fall has arrived on the prairie.  It was only a little over 60 degrees today for the high.  It has been cloudy and sprinkles off and on all day.  It felt good to put on long sleeves and jeans today.  I have a sweater close that I put on and take off ten times a day.  My body is confused and doesn’t know how to handle the cooler weather. I slept really hard last night once I was able to get to sleep.  I think the cooler bedroom temperature helped.

I ordered a rack to hang the bath mat in the shower on.  It came in today and I think it will work.  I don’t like to keep the mat down all the time as it molds and I don’t have anywhere in the bathroom to hang it where it won’t drip on the wood floor.

I am making a list of things I need to get while I am in KC on Tuesday.  I will do my quarterly Costco visit and get the things I need from there.  I also have a couple other things to track down.  I tend to run out of energy before I finish my list though.  Shopping is not something I enjoy.

Jim will be here tomorrow thank heavens.  I think the time apart gets harder for me each time it happens.  He is busy teaching three Osher classes this month on Tuesday and Thursdays.  I’ll be glad when they are over.  One good thing about having surgery again is it will cause us to be together for four to six weeks in a row again.  I like that part of surgery.

Grateful for lazy days that fill my soul, grateful for outstanding service from the guy at True Value today, and grateful for cooler weather.

I am finished with physical therapy for my left foot.  I will start again two weeks after I have the right foot fixed.  I am not all the way back to the flexibility I had before surgery but am getting closer each week.  I am to continue to do my exercises daily and start to strengthen the right ankle in preparation for surgery

Kathy helped me do ladder work painting late morning today.  We didn’t get all of it done but pretty darn close.  I ran out of time as I had to get cleaned up so I could get to Emporia for my Physical Therapy appointment.  The part that is done is really making the deck look nice.  We have the big staircase to sand and paint and then all the black metal rails need painted.  I am beginning to think we may get this project done this year.

Went to the Grand Hotel for dinner last night.  Kathy treated me to steak night.  There is a group of friends that meet there every Tuesday night.  It was a fun evening out.

The rain is just now arriving on the prairie.  It was forecast to arrive earlier but it must have gotten slowed down somewhere.  Originally it was to rain most of the afternoon and into the evening but now we are only to get light rain for two hours if that.   There is a slight chance for more rain on Thursday.

My friend got the chain link fence removed from my front yard today.  I will have to paint the deck where the support posts were for the gate.  It sure opens up the front yard with the fence gone.  I need to get out and mow where the fence used to be.

I finally got my Verizon account fixed last night.  When they transferred my line to my own line somehow they didn’t push the right buttons and I was still connected to Kathy’s account.  It took three hours and three phone calls to fix the problem.

Got the dining room deep cleaned this morning.   Need to do at least one more room tonight and then two or three rooms tomorrow and Friday.  I have a guest coming Friday so need to get this project done.  Eight more rooms to go!

I am tired this afternoon.  Physical therapy wears me out for some reason.  My foot is really cranky tonight.  I think part of it is the cold front that is coming in.  I welcome its arrival and wish it would get here quickly.  I am so ready for 60 degree days and 40 degree nights.  I will turn the air off tonight and hopefully be able to keep it off the rest of the year.

Tomorrow I have an empty space day.  Nothing I have to do tomorrow and no where I have to go.  I haven’t spent a full day at home for a bit and welcome the chance to do so.  I will probably do some cleaning and maybe some more painting but maybe not.

Transferred two of my prescriptions to Walmart Pharmacy.  Found out it was cheaper to get them there and not file with insurance than it was from CVS and have insurance pay for part of them.  Crazy!  In the process of doing so discovered my blood pressure pill is not available due to a contamination issue and they aren’t sure when they will get a clean supply.  Had to call the doctor’s office and get a different prescription.  The new one is expensive!

Fighting the urge to go take a nap.  All of a sudden I got very tired and am struggling to keep my eyes open.  When I get done writing I need to go take care of the chickens and then decide if I am going to clean or take a nap.  Maybe moving my body will wake me up.

This is going to be a busy weekend.  Jim is coming Friday afternoon and going home Monday afternoon.  I have a guest checking in Friday and checking out Saturday.  Sunday the grandkids are spending the day and staying over until Monday morning when I will take them to school.  We go to a family reunion on Sunday and Sunday evening I have two guests coming for one night.  Hope I keep straight who is coming when!

Grateful physical therapy is done for now, grateful more painting got done today, and grateful I have a quiet day planned for tomorrow.

I can’t believe it is October already.  This year has gone by so quickly.  Thinking the saying time flies when you are having fun must be true.

I went into Verizon today to get a Apple Watch and to switch my account off of my sister’s plan and on to my own plan.  The guy I worked with was so good last time I was in but today he seemed distracted and not listening well.  I wanted an unlimited plan and he signed me up for the 2 G plan.  I have been trying to change my plan on line and am told I am not the account owner.  Ugh…..   This stuff drives me crazy.  I am on hold with Verizon now to try to sort this all out.

Learning to use the Apple Watch is going to take me some time.  I was watching a video and my watch wasn’t able to do what he said it should be doing.  I’ll give it a break and try it again later.  Not sure what I am doing wrong.

I tried to use the pedometer when I took the trash down to the curb but it didn’t work.  Sometimes the simple things in life confuse me the most!

I painted for a bit this afternoon.  Got all I could get done without being on a ladder.  I got the ladder out and tried to go up it but it hurt my foot.  It is very windy today and I took that as a sign that I should stay off the ladder for the day.  If it calms down later I may go out and try again.  The steps I painted look nice.  Jim did a nice job sanding and preparing them.  I will be glad when he gets the big staircase sanded and ready for me to paint.

My foot is whiny today.  I sure can tell the weather is about to change.  Ouch!  It was very sensitive all night long and kept waking me up when ever I would turn over.  I finally got some good sleep between 4:00 and 8:00.

My old internet company was to have come today to pick up their equipment.  I left it hanging on the front door as requested but it is still there this evening.  I’ll have to call them tomorrow to find out what happened.  There is a $50 fee if I don’t turn in the equipment.

My friend sent a guy out today to start taking the chain link fence that was in the front yard apart.  Most of it is down and needs hauled away.  The yard will look better once that is gone and mowing will be much easier.  One big area less to have to hand mow and trim.

Tomorrow I have my last physical therapy session.  It will be good to be done with those for a bit.  I will start again two weeks after surgery on my other foot in November.  Once I know if I am going to be in OK or KS I will get those appointments scheduled.

Thursday I have an empty space day at last!  My soul has been craving one of those.  I need to get lots of detail cleaning done as I didn’t get any done yet today.  Maybe when Kathy and I get back from dinner I will be able to get another room or two done.

Friday Jim is returning for the weekend and I have a guest coming for the night.  I had another guest book for Sunday night so will have a house full Sunday night with Jim, Kathy, the grandkids and two guests.

Next Tuesday I am going to KC for the day.  I am having dinner with Nicole and Geoff and his parents.  I am excited to meet them.  I also have an eye doctor appointment and will order new glasses.  Costco is on my list to do that day as well as a trip to Lowe’s Hardware.  I try to make each trip to KC count and this one will be a full day of errands.

I’m going to OK October 11 and staying until the 21st.  I hope to be able to help Jim get a few projects done around his house in exchange for all the help he has given me on my deck.  Surgery time will be here before I know it and he will be back to taking care of me.

It feels good to be back to doing my normal things and not letting my foot slow me down too much.  It did stop me from painting on the tall ladder today but that was probably a good thing due to the wind.

Grateful I got some painting done today, grateful the chain link fence is going away so easily, and grateful I have an empty space day coming up Thursday.

The electrician came today to change out the breakers.  I thought it would take a while but he was only here for five minutes.  Glad to have that task crossed off my to do list.

Jim went back to Stillwater this afternoon.  He will be back on Friday.  He has to teach two classes for Osher tomorrow and again on Thursday.  It is always hard for me to see him driving down the driveway to return to Stillwater.  We had another fun weekend together.

I went to Emporia after Jim left to watch Tagen play in a football game.  He got to play about half of the game.  Afterwards Tim, Ellexia and I went out to dinner before I came back home.  It was good to get to spend some time with Tim and Ellexia and catch up with them.

Jim got a set of deck steps ready for me to paint so I will do that tomorrow before the rain is to return on Wednesday.  While I have my paint brush out I will do some more ladder work and get all that is ready to paint done.  Still hoping we can finish this project up this year.  Maybe next weekend it will dry out enough for Jim to do some more sanding and I can get the rest of it painted before I have surgery in November.

Tomorrow morning I have an appointment at the Verizon store to change my cell phone service off of Kathy’s plan.  For some reason she has to be there to give permission for me to go on my own plan and to be removed from her plan.  She has a dental appointment in the morning and will be done around 11:00 so can meet me at Verizon afterwards.  After I finish up the painting tomorrow afternoon I need to get back to detail cleaning the house and get that project finished up.  I am halfway done.

Pella window company sent me an email to let me know they will be coming later in October to install the replacement window in the master bedroom.  That will be another thing I will get to cross off my to do list that has been pending for a while.  I like tying up loose ends.

A friend came out and looked at my chain link fence and is going to take it down for me.  He was looking for some chain link fence for a project he has to do.  It will make mowing so much easier without that fence there.

I need to remember to call and get an eye appointment for either later this week or sometime next week.  I go to KC for the appointment and will try to coordinate having dinner with Nicole and Geoff on the day I make the appointment.  I also need to make a Costco run and stock up on some things.  I want to get the appointment done so I have time to go back and get my new glasses before I have surgery and won’t be able to drive for a bit.

The house feels big and lonely tonight.  I’m grateful Kathy is here so it doesn’t feel quite so lonely.  I always notice the silence after Jim leaves.  I’m grateful he is coming back next Friday.

Jim and I took a two and one-half mile walk last night on the gravel road.  Not bad for being less than eight weeks out from surgery.  My foot has been a bit cranky today but not bad.  I’ll keep walking more and more and work back up to six to eight miles a day.  My other foot will take me down again for November but am trusting I can work myself back up again rather quickly with that foot too.  Come spring time I want to be back in good hiking condition and be able to go ten to twelve miles at a time easily.

Grateful for the time I spent with Jim over the weekend, grateful things are getting done and crossed off my list, and grateful to have spent time with Tim and Ellexia tonight.

Had a very non-productive day yesterday.  Didn’t get much done.  Guess it is OK to take a day once in a while and do nothing.  We did run into Emporia and get dog food, sunflower seeds and oats.  Organized and filled the chicken feed containers when we got home.

I found a dead chicken in the coop yesterday afternoon.  I never know what happens to them to cause them to die.  I need to give some serious thought to doing away with this group of chickens and getting some new chicks come springtime.  These girls are four years old and not laying well any longer.

Today a friend came to visit from Salina.  Always good to see her.  We went into Strong City and had lunch with other mutual friends.  Jim went to church in Emporia and then joined us for lunch.  I dropped off lots of recycling stuff and came home after lunch.  Finished a baby blanket I have been knitting.  I did change and wash the sheets on my bed this morning but today is not looking very productive either.  I may get out and paint for a bit yet this afternoon.

Tomorrow Jim will head back to Stillwater.  It always feels a bit lonelier and quieter when he goes home.  Grateful Kathy will be here to keep me company this week.  I have a fairly quiet week this week.  Monday the electrician is coming to switch out the breakers.  Tagen has a football game in the afternoon he is to play in that I want to go watch.  Tuesday I have to go to Verizon to switch my phone plan.  Wednesday I have my last scheduled physical therapy session.  Jim will be back Friday.  I hope to get the rest of my house detailed clean this week and get that project crossed off my list.

I have a guest coming this Friday but he will only be here for one night.  His room is already cleaned and ready for him.

Broke down and turned the air back on.  It is only 85 out but the humidity is thick and it was sticky feeling in the house.  A cold front is coming in Wednesday and the high is not forecast to be over 70 for several days after that.  I welcome the cooler, more fall like weather.

Grateful for a visit from my friend, grateful to getting some things on my to do list crossed off, and grateful for air conditioning that makes the house much more comfortable.

I forgot to write last night after Jim came.  We had one hell of a thunderstorm blow through.  We got some marble sized hail with it.  The thunder was so loud one time I almost peed my pants it scared me so much.  We sat out on the front porch and watched it rain until the wind picked up and we were getting too wet.  My weather app says we got two inches of rain.  I still have standing water in my back yard this morning.  More rain is in the forecast starting this afternoon and going through the night.

Not sure what our plan is for the day.  We were going to work on painting and sanding the deck but thinking that won’t happen due to the wetness.  I’m sure we will figure out something fun to do together.

I got two more rooms detailed clean yesterday – the office and the entry hall way.  I am halfway done with this project but some of the biggest rooms are still on my list.

I got the bid from Pella windows to replace the window in the master bedroom that has a broken sash.  Installed the price is $580.  Wow!  Glad I only have one window to replace.  I signed the bid and returned it.  Not sure when they will be coming to do the install.

The electrician is coming Monday around noon to replace the breakers.  The ones I have now are 30 amp but wired with 20 amp wiring.  I hate spending money on things like that but was told they are a fire hazard.

I ordered a replacement screen for my south facing screen door off the living room last Monday.  I haven’t heard when they are coming to get that fixed.  The cats have torn a big hole in the screen.  The door people ordered a stronger more flexible screen that might help prevent the cats from destroying it so fast.

Sometimes it is hard to keep up with this house and all the little things that seem to go wrong with it.  I get overwhelmed with it all sometimes.

When it dries out again I will need to mow the yard again.  It is too wet this morning to do it.  Jim was going to trim it for me but not thinking that will happen this weekend.

Grateful for the rain the prairie received last night and that I had no damage from the high winds and hail, grateful repairs are getting done around here, and grateful Jim is here for a few days.

My guests text me and let me know when they left this morning.  I had offered to let them hang around all day but they left fairly early today.  I was sorry I wasn’t home to wish them safe travels.  They were fun guests and I trust they will return again someday soon.

I was in Emporia to pick Jason up at 6:00 this morning.  I took him to Topeka where he had a medical procedure done.  We got there early enough to have breakfast before his appointment.  His procedure took over four hours.  When he was done we stopped at Chipotle and had lunch and then I drove us back to Emporia.  Jason tolerated the procedure well and will find out in two weeks if another procedure needs to be done.

After I dropped Jason off I came home and stripped the beds the guests used and started laundry.  I ran back into town as I thought Tagen was going to play in a football game this afternoon.  I had gotten to the football field when I got a phone call telling me he wasn’t going to get to play.  I came back home.  Part of me was grateful I could return home quickly as I am tired this afternoon.  But the grandma side of me is sad for Tagen that he doesn’t get to play.

I have bedrooms to put back together and need to get the two adjoining bedrooms and bathroom detailed cleaned when I finish writing this blog.  I didn’t get a room cleaned yesterday so will need to make up for it today.  What I really want to do is take a nap but am hoping if I can make myself get up and move I will find some energy and not need a nap.  I didn’t sleep much again last night and am afraid if I take a nap I will sleep too long and not be able to sleep again tonight.

I noticed my hay has been rearranged in the lean to shed.  Not sure when that happened.  I know it was all stacked up before I left for OK last Friday.  The shed is in front of the gate that got opened and the neighbor’s cattle got out of.  Wonder who has been on the property to cause such mischievousness.  My neighbor said he saw truck wheel prints in the drive around the gate.  Makes me wonder what happened.

Tomorrow I get to stay home all day as far as I know right now.  Both Kathy and Jim will be coming in sometime during the day tomorrow.  It will be good to see both of them.  I doubt that I get much detail cleaning done this weekend.  Maybe tomorrow morning I can get a few more rooms done before they get here.

Grateful Jason tolerated his procedure well today, grateful for the cooler weather we had today, and grateful Kathy and Jim will be here tomorrow.

 

 

Went into Emporia around 12:30 today.  First stop was to get my blood test to check my thyroid done.  The results are back already and my level dropped from over 7 to a bit over 3.  That is good news.  MD Anderson wanted me to keep my level between 2 and 3 so I am just a bit high.  The level can fluctuate greatly depending on time between pill and draw, what I have eaten for the day and how much activity I have done.  I’ll take where it is any day.

I had been given a gift certificate to the local book store downtown over a year ago and finally remembered to go buy two new books and use them up.  I got a book of poetry by Mary Oliver and Anne Lamott’s new book.

Got a new trash can from True Value.  I really only needed a lid but they don’t just sell the lid.  Wonder how long the tires on the trash can will last.  That is what I wear out quickly from pulling it down my 1/4 mile driveway and back up again.

Went to Physical Therapy.  He made one more appointment for me for next week but thinks that will be the last one.  My foot is a bit sore tonight from the workout he gave it but not too much sorer than normal for it.  He reminded me it will take up to six months before all the stiffness is gone.  He cleared me to walk as much and for as long as my foot can handle.

Finished my time in Emporia by stopping at Walmart to pick up some groceries and a few other things.  While I was there I was notified by Airbnb that two guests automatically booked a room for tonight.  I quickly finished buying groceries and headed home to make sure the house was ready for them.  Luckily I had deep cleaned the room they are in yesterday so knew that room was ready for them.

The guests arrived around 5:00.  It is two women on a girls night out trip.  I ended up putting them in two separate rooms as one doesn’t like to sleep on a twin bed.  I should have charged them for the second room but didn’t.  They dropped their bags off and went out to find dinner at The Grand Hotel.  They came to star gaze but thinking they are going to be disappointed as it is to be cloudy all night.  The forecast shows that by sunrise time the skies are to be clear and I invited them to come upstairs in the morning to watch the sunrise.

Tomorrow I have to leave the house by 5:40 to pick up Jason and take him to Topeka so he can have a medical procedure done.  I told my guests the house was there’s and they are welcome to stay all day if they want to.  I probably won’t be home until mid to late afternoon.

Friday Kathy and Jim are both arriving.  I will need to get the guest rooms cleaned up and some laundry done and food fixed for the weekend.  It will be nice to have Kathy home again and to see Jim again.  Rain is in the forecast all weekend so not sure how much deck painting we will get done.

I haven’t gotten any rooms deep cleaned today but am hoping I will get the office and guest bedroom upstairs done yet tonight.  I have got to keep at it so I can get this project done.  I’m not even halfway done yet.

Nicole posted on Facebook so I am now allowed to say that she and Geoff are engaged.  He had called me a week or so ago and asked permission to ask her.  They had called me last Saturday to tell me he had asked her and she said yes.  They are a wonderful couple together and I am so happy for both of them.

No eggs today from my slacker chickens.  I am about to cut them off of their sunflower and oats treat I give them everyday.  No eggs – no treats!

Grateful for good news on my thyroid blood test results, grateful for Airbnb guests, and grateful to be welcoming a new son into my family.

I was at the Vo-Tech this morning at 8:00 to have my teeth cleaned.  Anna did a great job and is so gentle and kind.  I was done by 11:00 today.  She has some openings and is looking for more clients.  Cost is only $20 and they do cleanings on Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00 am and I think 12:30 or 1:00 pm.  It does take three hours but your teeth will be very clean when she is done.  Send me a message and I will help you get in contact with her.

I was going to get groceries and run some errands but I didn’t have the energy for that and so I went straight home.  I have to go back to town tomorrow afternoon for physical therapy at 2:00 so I will hopefully do my errands then.

The guests that came last night were a cute couple.  They had come to KC for a wedding and had stayed over an extra day so they could come out to the prairie.  Her mother had worked for some conservation organization that helped the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve get off the ground and the daughter wanted to see what her mother had helped make happen.  I had to say hi and bye to them last night as they weren’t up before I had to leave and were going to be gone when I got back from my dental appointment.    They went on the 11:00 bus tour to see the buffalo and were going to hike back to their car.

I cleaned a guest bedroom, bathroom and the downstairs hall way today.  I didn’t get a room cleaned yesterday so had to make up for it today.  Tomorrow I want to clean the upstairs library and upstairs guest bedroom.  I am finding lots of dirt so this cleaning was overdue.  Not sure how the house gets so dirty but it sure seems to do so.

Have another guest coming October 4 – 5.  He is from Virginia and is coming out to ride his bike on gravel roads.  His wife had to cancel coming due to a work conflict so he is coming by himself.  I told him he will find lots of gravel roads at the end of my gravel driveway.

It feels good to be hosting guests again.  Doing the Airbnb is so easy I rarely know the guests are here.  I did block off most of November though as stairs are a challenge for me right after surgery.

My foot has been a bit cranky today but I didn’t put it back in the boot.  I don’t think it approves of me hand mopping floors.  I need to stretch it out one way or another and mopping floors stretches it a bit.  I walked down the driveway and back up so I could take the trash can down.  It is an almost 1/2 mile round trip.  Need to get another 1/2 mile in today but doubt that is going to happen.  At least I can report to the PT guy that I walked a solid mile without stopping earlier this week.

I didn’t sleep very good last night so I am tired tonight.  I have something in my head that I am trying to figure out and I can’t seem to let it go.  I think I have it figured out but can’t hold on to the solution.  Hate when that happens!  It will sort itself out soon I am sure.

My house feels big and lonely this evening.  It will be good to have Kathy home for a bit and for Jim to come back for the weekend.  Life is more fun when I share it with others.

Grateful for Anna and the great job she did cleaning my teeth, grateful for Airbnb guests, and grateful three more areas of the house are detailed cleaned.

I walked a mile last night without my boot.  After dinner Jim asked me if I wanted to take a walk.  We walked down the sidewalk in front of his house and went all the way to the street light which is 1/2 mile from his house.  I didn’t think I was going to be able to walk that far but my foot didn’t hurt any more at the end then it did when I started.  Even better news is it wasn’t hurting any more this morning than it has been.  Today I have made it all day again without the boot – third day in a row for that milestone.

I left OK a little before noon and got home a little before 3:00.  I have two guests coming in tonight and they thought they might get here between 3:00 and 5:00.  I quickly touched up the room they will be using but they haven’t arrived yet and it is after 5:30 now.  Not sure when they will show up.

I had decided this weekend to open my account with Airbnb back up.  I will be home most of October and might as well have guests.  I didn’t expect one to book this quickly though.  I did block out most of November as my surgery is November 6 and I won’t be able to do steps easily for four weeks or so.

I had another nice weekend with Jim.  We didn’t do anything special – just relaxed at his house fixing meals together and enjoying each other’s company.  I am tired tonight as I didn’t sleep well last night.  I took too long of a nap yesterday.

Tomorrow I have to be in Emporia by 8:00 for a dental cleaning at the Vo-Tech.  My guests will have to see themselves out in the morning.  I will stop at the clinic and get my blood draw taken care of when my cleaning is done.  I also need to pick up a few groceries and run a few errands.  I have to go back into town Wednesday as I have physical therapy in the afternoon.  Thursday I take Jason to Topeka for a procedure and then I should be able to stay home for a few days.

Kathy is coming in Friday afternoon.  It will be so good to see her again.  She is only staying for about ten days this time.  We have a family reunion to go to on October 6 and then she is leaving for the east coast for the winter.  I’m sure the time she is here will go by too quickly.

I haven’t gotten a room detailed cleaned today yet.  I didn’t want to start a project and be in the middle of it when my guests arrived.  I may go ahead and start a room soon if they don’t get here in the next hour or so.  I can do one of the bedrooms or the office upstairs and not be in their way.

Not feeling motivated to do much this afternoon.  It feels good to sit and look out over the prairie and “be” for a bit.  The silence of the house feels good to me this afternoon.

Grateful for a safe journey home today, grateful for guests that are coming, and grateful for the beauty and silence of the prairie today.

 

Second full day with no boot!  My foot has been cramping up a bit but it did that before surgery.  I walked over a mile yesterday without the boot.  I did it in two sections but did it.  I will attempt a mile tomorrow in one session.  The flexibility is returning and the ankle is getting stronger.  I think my recovery is almost done.

We went to church this morning and then took a long afternoon nap.  It has been a rainy day and a perfect day to nap.  I had slept fairly well last night but for some reason could sleep some more this afternoon.  I take sleep whenever it finds me.

I will return to Strong City tomorrow afternoon.  I have a busy week next week.  Tuesday I go to the Vo-Tech to have my teeth cleaned in the morning, Wednesday I have Physical Therapy and Thursday I am taking Jason to Topeka to have a procedure done.  Friday Kathy is coming for a ten day visit and Jim will be driving up.  I also hope to get some more of my detail house cleaning done.

Sometime next week I need to remember to go to the clinic and have a blood draw done.  I had my thyroid medication adjusted two months ago and the doctor wanted me to have it checked to see if the new dose is achieving what we needed it to.

It has been a relaxing weekend for me.  I am able to fully relax here and set aside all the busyness of my life for a bit. Maybe that is why I was able to take a long nap today.

Grateful for rainy day naps, grateful for two days without having to wear my boot, and grateful for this time with Jim.

I am in Stillwater, OK with Jim.  It is cloudy and very humid outside.  So far Stillwater has only gotten some sprinkles but rain is in the forecast. My feet are telling me the weather is going to change as they are achy and sore this morning.

The electrician came yesterday morning to figure out why the light above my kitchen sink blinks when the dishwasher runs.  He didn’t find a reason for it other than maybe the pump in the dishwasher is getting ready to go out.  It doesn’t change the voltage when the light dims so he doesn’t think it is a fire hazard.  He changed the light bulb to see if a different type of bulb would make a difference – it didn’t.  He checked all the ground wires and bypassed the switch and nothing made it stop blinking.  I will replace the dishwasher in the coming months and see it that works.

Unfortunately while he was working with the breaker box he discovered the 30 amp switches are wired with 20 amp wire.  He said if I was concerned about fire I would get that fixed and if I ever sell the house he would recommend it be fixed if he did the sale inspection.  I told him to put me on his schedule and get them fixed.  There are 20 or 30 of them that need fixed.  Not sure if he will replace the breaker with a 20 amp one or replace the wire leading to them.   I am grateful he discovered that issue but I hate spending money on things that I can’t see the results of.

I got two more areas of the house deep cleaned yesterday before I left for Stillwater.  Three down and many more rooms to go!  It does feel good to have that cleaning project started.  I have a busy week next week but will continue to get at least one room a day done.

It was good as always to see Jim.  We went out to dinner and enjoyed a quiet evening at home afterwards.  He has a lovely back porch and we sat out and enjoyed the evening and quiet of his porch and back yard.  Today he has to work at the book sale at the library from noon until 2:30.  He has a project he needs my help on this afternoon when he gets back.  Tomorrow we will go to church and probably do another project in the afternoon.  I will drive back to KS Monday afternoon.

Hope the rain comes soon so my feet will quiet down.  Both feet are sore this morning from the coming weather change.  I so look forward to the cooler temperatures that are in the forecast for next week.

Grateful to be with Jim again, grateful for service people that can fix things, and grateful my deep clean project is started.

Today hasn’t been as productive as yesterday but I have gotten a few things done.  I had physical therapy in Emporia today.  The kid that worked with me is the son of someone I went to high school with.  He gave me a few additional exercises to do and encouraged me to continue doing the ones the lady in Stillwater had given me to do.  My foot is a bit sore this afternoon from the work out he gave me.

He doesn’t think I need eight visits so he only scheduled me for one time next week and that may be the last visit.  I’m always grateful when a company doesn’t take advantage of a person and has them come less than ordered.

By the time I go back next Wednesday he wants me to have walked a mile without the boot without stopping.  I am going to OK tomorrow and will have sidewalks to walk on so no problem doing that.  Gravel still is a bit of a challenge for me but it is getting easier to walk on.

I put both shoes on this afternoon.  The surgery foot feels a bit tight in the shoe but it is wearable.  Feels good to have both shoes on again.

I ran a few errands while I was in town after my therapy was done.  I am trying to switch my cell phone to my own plan and get it off Kathy’s plan.  Found out she has to give them verbal permission to do so.  Good thing she is coming a week from tomorrow so we can go in and get that taken care of.  Not sure why doing a simple thing like that is so complicated.

I had gotten an advertisement from Pella Windows some time ago.  I had saved it in case the local people couldn’t fix the window that is broken.  I have called the local people four times and they can’t seem to get a window ordered for me.  The Pella people are doing some research but they seem to have the original order that was placed when this house was built.  They are to call me back in a day or two.  It will be nice to get yet another thing crossed off my to do list.

The electrician called and is coming out tomorrow morning to see if he can figure out why the light over the sink blinks on and off whenever the dishwasher pulls water.  I had called them several months ago and for some reason they had cancelled my request.  Yet one more thing that may get fixed and off my list.  Trusting it will be a simple fix that they can take care of tomorrow.

I seem to have lots of pending things going on right now.  It will be good to cross those things off as the loose ends get tied up and completed.

Got the master bathroom detailed cleaned today.  One room down and I don’t want to count how many more rooms to go.  At least that fall cleaning project is officially started.  I may get to the other bathroom upstairs today and get two rooms crossed off the list.  I still need to get outside and mow the little fenced in yard.  I didn’t get that done yesterday.

It rained for about two minutes this afternoon.  It has cooled down a bit but the cold front hasn’t fully gotten here yet.  I will appreciate some cooler more fall like days.

Tomorrow I am going to OK for the weekend.  I am coming home Monday afternoon.  My house sitter will be back out tomorrow for me.  I so appreciate her taking good care of the critters while I am gone.  It will be good to be with Jim again for a few days.

Grateful to have two matching shoes on my feet again, grateful I can start walking outside without the boot, and grateful I get to see Jim tomorrow afternoon.

I have had a productive day finally!  It feels good to have crossed off about ten things from my to do list.  The girls have fresh linens to play in today.  I hadn’t cleaned the coop out since I had surgery and it was overdue for a clean out.  They aren’t laying eggs right now and I am hoping fresh linens will encourage them to get back to doing their business.

Finished mowing the rest of the yard after I cleaned out the chicken coop.  I still need to weed eat and push mow the little front sections of the yard.  I hope to do that tonight after it cools down.  If not, I may get it done tomorrow morning before I have to shower and go in to Emporia for physical therapy.

Went into Emporia after I mowed.  I ran a bunch of errands and picked up a few groceries.  Since I am going back to OK Friday I didn’t need very many.  Got two things taken care of that had been on my list for a long time.  That feels good.  Not sure why I was so productive today but am grateful I was.  I have two or three more things to take care of when I go to town tomorrow morning.  I ran out of energy to finish my list today.

My foot is doing well.  I wasn’t sure how it would handle me cleaning out the chicken coop as the path down to the coop is a bit uneven.  No worries!  I wore my boot to clean out the coop as well as for the trip to town as I knew I was going to be in and out of the car a bunch of times.  It sure feels good to be able to take the boot off when I get home and am in the house.  So far it hasn’t swollen up at all with the increased use of the foot without the boot.

Haven’t gotten the house work done yet.  Trusting I will get at least one room done yet tonight.  Might as well take advantage of feeling productive and get that job started.  I made a mess in my bathroom when I came in from mowing.  Grass likes to stick to my boot.  I had to take a brush to it to get it cleaned up a bit.  Maybe I will start with cleaning my bathroom since it is dirty.

I wanted some Jonathan apples and the grocery store didn’t have any.  I drove out to The Orchard to pick a bag up.  Decided not to get a case of them as I still have apple butter left over from last year.  I do like to eat fried apples and apples with peanut butter.  Jim likes apple crisp so I will make him one this weekend.  It used to be something I liked to eat but it isn’t something I eat now.

One of the things on my to do list is to have the fencing removed front the front yard.  Anyone want some black chain link fence?  You can have it free if you come take it down and remove all the set poles too.  We had it put in when we first moved out here and had our two Cavalier King Charles dogs.  I don’t ever plan on having another inside dog so don’t need the fenced area.  It is a pain for me to have to mow around.

I am really noticing the silence today after being with Jim for several weeks in a row.  Life feels a bit empty to me without him here.  I’m grateful I will be with him again for the weekend.

Grateful to have crossed lots of things off my long to do list, grateful the chickens have fresh linens, and grateful to be able to walk barefoot in the house again.

I got a very good report from my surgeon today.  He said I healed much faster than most people do.  No more crutches or compression tape.  I can start weaning myself off the boot with the goal of being boot free in two weeks.  My big toe is still too stiff so he wants me to do physical therapy twice a week for four weeks.  I scheduled the right foot to be fixed on November 6.

It was good to get home this afternoon.  I stopped for lunch and came straight home afterwards.  I had planned to go to Costco’s and Lowe’s but didn’t have it in me to stop and shop.  Neither stop was urgent so will visit them when I to to KC in the next week or so.  I need to schedule an eye exam and my eye doctor is in KC.  Once I get all my physical therapy sessions scheduled I will know when I can slip away and get up to KC for the day.

I sorted mail, unpacked my suitcase, made a few phone calls and then went out and mowed for two hours.  I didn’t get the whole yard mowed as I ran out of daylight.  I will finish the mowing tomorrow after I do the chicken coop clean out.  I also need to do some more deck painting in the morning before it gets too hot.

I am tired tonight.  It will be good to sleep in my own bed.  Trusting I will get a good night’s sleep.  Bet I am in bed by 9:00 tonight.  Don’t have it in me to stay up late tonight.

I start physical therapy Thursday morning.  I need some groceries so may have to run to town tomorrow and than go back in on Thursday.

I have a long list of things that I need to get done over the next couple of weeks.  I plan on going back to OK Friday afternoon and will be back on the prairie Monday sometime.  After this trip I will be staying home for several weeks in a row so will hopefully get some things crossed off my long to do list.  I hope to get one room a day deep cleaned.  It will take me a bit to get the whole house done.  It always feels good to have it done though.

Jim starts teaching one of his Osher classes Thursday.  The other site starts in two weeks.  That ties him up for eight weeks so I will be going to OK on the weekends so he can stay home and prepare for his classes and continue to work on his house.  He is coming up here some weekends though.  He also plans to come stay for two weeks when I have surgery in November like he did last time.  I scheduled surgery so his classes will be done.  My house works easier with the foot scooter for the two weeks that I have to be non-weight bearing.  After those two weeks I will go to OK for two weeks to continue my recovery.  The holidays might change our schedule a bit – I’ll have to see how everything plays out.

Hard for me to believe that it is the middle of September already.  Christmas will be here before I know it.  This year has flown by.  Jim and I have been dating for eleven months.  Doesn’t seem like it has been that long.

Grateful to be home again, grateful for a good report from the surgeon, and grateful I got some things done this afternoon.

 

We got to Stillwater last night around 11:45.  We had left Asheville at 9:30 their time Sunday morning. It was a long day sitting in the car but it felt good to get home and not have to drive this morning.  I got restless legs about two hours from home which made those two hours feel much longer.  I really enjoyed my Epsom salt bath last night and slept for over five hours straight.

We went for a walk at the lake this morning.  We probably only walked a mile or so.  I hadn’t walked much last week and didn’t want to overdue the walk as I see my surgeon tomorrow and I didn’t want my foot to be cranky for that visit.  I even used the crutches for the walk and I haven’t used the crutches much the last couple of days.

I trust the doctor will tell me tomorrow that I don’t need to use the crutches any more and that I can start going for brief times without the boot.  Wednesday will be six weeks since surgery and he had told me at the beginning to plan on six to eight weeks in the boot.  It will be weird wearing a shoe again.  I will be glad to get back on level ground again.

I have knitted a bit this afternoon and evening.  Jim is working on a sewer issue and on his classes that he is teaching Thursday.  I almost took a nap but decided against it to increase the odds that I sleep good again tonight.

I have to leave for Wichita no later than 9:00 in the morning.  After my doctor’s appointment I want to go to Costco to pick up a few things.  I also have another errand to run while in a big city.  It will be good to be back on the prairie tomorrow afternoon.  I’ll only be home until Friday when I will return to Stillwater for the weekend.

I have a long to do list of things that need taken care of this week while I am home.  Cleaning the chicken coop out is at the top of my list.  I will try to get that done Wednesday morning before it gets too hot.

I need to start my fall house cleaning as I want to get it done before my next foot surgery which will be the first part of November.  Twice a year I hand wash all the floors and wash all the wood work.  It takes me about two weeks to get through the whole house if I do a room a day.  I have most of the weekends on October booked with things to do and places to go so will only have three days a week to clean.

On my list of things to do this winter is to paint all the walls in the house.  I haven’t painted any walls since I painted them when I first moved into the house in November of 2013.  It is time to repaint and freshen up the walls.  I probably won’t be able to get that project started until after my second foot heals from surgery.  I need to get the deck painting project finished before I start the inside walls project.

Grateful for safe travels for our trip east, grateful for a walk at the lake today, and grateful for this time I have had with Jim.

Happy birthday to my oldest daughter Michelle. It is so much fun watching her mother her children. Trust her day was full of love and laughter.

I had one of those nights last night where sleep was hard to come by. Trusting tonight will be the night when I get lots of sleep.

Today was the Celebration of Life Service for Jim’s niece. There was a wonderful crowd that came to the service. The service was full of laughter and music and did a perfect job of honoring her life. Christa was joy and love and the service reflected that.

It was nice to see most of Jim’s nieces and nephews and to get to spend some time with his brothers, sister and their spouses. I’m so glad I had gotten to meet them when we came earlier this year. This time I could almost keep the names straight and know who was who. They accept me so graciously and open their arms and hearts to me. I so appreciate that.

Tomorrow morning we head for OK. We will probably drive for eight to ten hours and stop for the night and drive the rest of the way Monday. We will see how traffic and weather is and decide how far we want to go. It will be good to get back to OK.

My foot held up today. I took my crutches to the service but didn’t need them. My foot is a tad sore tonight but not bad considering how much I was on my feet today. I will get to sit all day tomorrow since I will be in the car. Sure hoping the doctor will tell me Tuesday that I don’t need to use the crutches any more.

It rained this afternoon but the timing was perfect. The family did a dove release after the service and the sun was shining and it was beautiful standing outside watching it. We moved to the fellowship hall for an ice cream social and it started to rain. By the time we were ready to leave the church the rain had stopped.

Grateful for the life and love of Christa and her family, grateful we are heading home tomorrow, and grateful my foot continues to heal and improve daily.

Jim and I drove up to Mount Mitchell today.  It was a beautiful drive on a curvy road through the mountains.  Mt Mitchell is the highest point in the USA east of the Mississippi.  The leaves are just starting to turn.  It will be especially beautiful in another two or three weeks.

We had lunch at the restaurant at the top.  We drove on up afterwards and were going to walk to the observation tower but when we got there it was raining.  I didn’t want to get my boot wet and the sidewalk was wet and I didn’t want to slip.  We turned around and came back down the mountains.

I knitted for a bit this afternoon and evening.  We sat out on the deck and listened to the rain hit the trees and drip down to the ground late afternoon.  The smell was delicious and the sound soothing.

After dinner I was tired as I woke up at 4:00 this morning and couldn’t go back to sleep.  I did my foot exercises and went to bed.  I only slept for about 30 minutes and woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.  I am hoping I will get tired soon and be able to get some sleep.  Tomorrow is the Celebration of Life Service for Jim’s niece.  Jim and I are passing out programs to those that attend.  They are expecting up to 300 people.

We will be heading for home Sunday early afternoon and will arrive in OK sometime on Monday.  Tuesday I have a doctor’s appointment in Wichita and than will drive on to KS.  Jim starts teaching one of his classes in Stillwater on Thursday.

My foot had a good day.  I didn’t use the crutches much at all today.  It is a bit cranky tonight but it is a full moon and thinking that is why it is cranky.  Trusting it will calm down in a bit and I will be able to sleep.

Grateful for a beautiful drive today, grateful for the rain and the beautiful sounds it makes, and grateful my foot is continuing to heal.

This morning the four of us took an almost one mile walk around a beautiful pond in a park.  There were lots of ducks, geese and turtles on the pond.  It had been a foggy morning and the sun burned through the fog on our walk and was beautiful.

We then drove up to Black Mountain and had lunch at a new restaurant that had opened in the last year.  All of us were pleased with our lunches.

This afternoon we all took a nap.  We had some brief showers and it was good napping weather.

One of Jim’s other brothers had us over for a delicious dinner tonight.  It was nice to spend time with his brother and his family.

Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow.  We may go for a drive up the Smokey Mountain Parkway.  The memorial service is Saturday so some last minute preparations may need to be done that we can help with.

We only have two more days here before we start the journey home.  I heard the prairie received some rain today and got a notice that the power was out at least for a bit today.  I don’t look forward to the 1,000 mile drive home but will be glad to get home next Tuesday.

Grateful for being able to walk well enough to take a mile hike, grateful for the beauty of the mountains, and grateful for Jim’s family and the love they show me.

We arrived at our destination around 4:15.  Travel was easy today although there were times of heavy traffic.  We stopped for breakfast at Waffle House and only stopped for gas and rest areas after that.  We traveled almost 1,000 miles to get here.

Jim’s brother fixed a nice dinner for us this evening.  After dinner we took a short walk down the road.  It felt good to stretch my foot and get out and walk for a bit.

I am tired tonight.  It isn’t even 9:00 here which is 8:00 back home and I am ready to go to bed.  I slept good last night so not sure why I am so tired tonight.  Sitting in a car must be tiring.

I think I will go take a shower and go to bed early.  Anytime sleep can find me I welcome it.

Grateful or safe travels, grateful for good travel weather, and grateful for family.

We traveled 600 miles today and have a little over 400 to go. Hit some traffic in Memphis but never completely stop and go. Traffic has been heavy in places but not bad. Lots of semi trucks on the highway.

We left OK around 10:00 this morning and stopped for the day at 8:00. We stopped for dinner a while back. Drove through two minutes of rain somewhere in Arkansas. It reached over 100 on the east side of Arkansas this afternoon.

My foot is doing OK. I got a cramp in it late afternoon so we stopped and I walked it out. I don’t think my foot likes me to sit all day. Sometimes it is hard to please as it gets cranky if I am on it too much.

I felt bad I didn’t do any of the driving today. The car we are in has a clutch and I don’t feel comfortable using the foot with the boot to work a clutch.

We will sleep in a bit tomorrow and drive on into Asheville tomorrow afternoon. It will be good to get to Jim’s brother’s house.

Grateful for safe travels today, grateful for hotels that are clean, and grateful we are over half way there.

I was busy this morning getting packed and ready to leave for ten days. Had lots of little loose ends to tie up. I didn’t get as much cleaning done as I wanted to but I think I managed to bring everything I needed. I’ll find out during the week if I forgot something important.

I got to Stillwater around 6:00. It was good to see Jim again. We sat outside on the deck for about five minutes and got about ten mosquito bites. I came inside to save my body. The mosquitos are big and hungry tonight.

We plan on leaving for NC around 8:30 in the morning. We are only going to drive about eight to ten hours tomorrow so no real rush to get on the road. Trusting there won’t be lots of traffic to slow us down. I will have to remember to get out and walk every time we stop so my foot can stretch out a bit. It got sore from sitting in the car for the three hour drive down here today.

There was a nice thunderstorm last night. I love hearing the thunder roll over the hills at night. At times there would be a sharp lightning which would immediately be followed by a thunder clap. I don’t think we got lots of rain out of it though. I was glad the fresh dirt in the back yard got sprinkled on at least. Maybe it won’t all blow away if the wind picks up again.

I need to remember to do my foot exercises tonight. I brought my sack of marbles I am to pick up with my big toe each night. The sack has 50 marbles in it and it takes me a bit to pick them up. My toe hurts when I use it like that. It is easier to exercise the toe when I have something to do with it rather than just moving it up and down.

Grateful for a safe trip today, grateful for cream to put on mosquito bites so they don’t itch so much, and grateful to be with Jim again.

Had a delightful surprise today.  Tim and Michelle brought the kiddos out late morning.  The kids stayed for a couple of hours and I took them back into town.  They were so good and we had a fun time together.  I hadn’t seen them for a bit so it was nice to spend some time with them before I leave again tomorrow.

Tim brought out a box for the TV.  Found out I am not getting the speed of internet the provider advertised.  When I get home on the 17th I will have to call the internet provider and find out what the deal is.  It is faster service than I had before but not fast enough for TV and movies.

I went out and painted on the deck this morning and when I get done blogging I am going to go back out and paint for another hour.  What I am painting is tedious work and I can only stand to do it for an hour or so.  I have some ladder work that needs done but am resisting the urge to do that as I don’t trust myself to climb a ladder safely with the boot on.

My foot has been quiet most of the day.  I got some good sleep last night and my foot was mostly quiet all night long.  It woke me up once or twice but overall I had a good night.

I have been pressing completed sets of tea towels and stamping two more sets.  I do one set and than have to get off my foot for a bit and than do another set.  I have put away three sets so far today and still have two sets to press.  I have two more sets stamped and ready for me to embroidery.  I think I am going to take them with me to NC to have something to do while I am visiting with Jim’s family.  I can embroidery and visit at the same time.  Still not sure what I am going to do with all the sets I have done.  The tub I store them in is full already.  I enjoy making them though.

The kids went down to help me do the chicken chores.  The uneven ground still challenges me.  Tagen was brave and went into the chicken pen with me and gave the chickens their sunflower seeds.  We only got one egg today.  Not worth the cost of their feed – the slackers.

I have enough critter feed to last another two weeks so didn’t have to wrestle with feed sacks today.  I’m grateful as picking heavy things up hurts my foot yet.  Trusting I will get by until Jim comes next time and he can lift it for me.

I haven’t gotten any cleaning done today.  I’ll have to get at it when I get done painting this afternoon.  I’m not leaving until afternoon tomorrow so will have some time in the morning to get some cleaning done.  I seem to find ways to procrastinate on house work.  I would much rather be outside painting than inside vacuuming floors.

Ellexia likes to choose the music to play.  I had not heard of any of the groups that she likes to listen to.  Made me felt a bit out of touch and old.  Can’t say that I wanted to remember the names of the groups as I didn’t care for the music she was playing.

Grateful to get to spend some extended time with the grandkids today, grateful my foot has been quiet today, and grateful I get to be with Jim again tomorrow.

 

Had a frustrating morning trying to tell my printer about the new internet provider. They don’t seem to want to be friends.  I can only use my printer through the cord to the computer and can’t get the wireless connection to work.  Not sure what I am doing wrong.  When I am not so frustrated I will call the new internet provider and find out if they have any hints for me.  I am so over it right now I can’t deal.

The solar guy came today.  I really liked him.  I signed the contract to have solar panels installed.  He won’t get here until the end of October to do the work.  We are going to put the panels on the barn roof as the south roof on the house is not big enough.  It is a huge investment so trusting I am not doing the wrong thing.

The retaining walls are complete.  I liked the guy that did that work too.  He did a few little extra things Jim wanted done to help improve the drainage in the back yard.  I was talking to the guy after I paid him and found out he would be interested in helping me install a labyrinth in the back yard.  I might consider doing that next summer.

Jim sanded the railings on the deck and I painted them this afternoon.  We only have the steps to do plus a bit more ladder work and the deck project will be completed.  Another long weekend of work on it and we should wrap it up.  Not sure when we will get to it but hoping a weekend soon.

I was able to get some good sleep last night.  I woke up around 2:00 as my foot was cranky.  I took some ibuprofen and about an hour later was able to go back to sleep.  My foot was OK this morning but is a bit cranky this afternoon.  I am moving more in this house than I do in Jim’s house and my foot doesn’t seem to approve.  It can get over itself!

Jim is gathering up his tools and getting ready to go back to OK.  I will go to OK Sunday afternoon and we will leave for NC Monday morning.  We have been together since August 6 this time.  That is the most time consecutively we have spent together and haven’t had a fight yet!  I don’t look forward to coming home from NC as we will then be apart for two weeks or so.  Life is much easier for me when we are together.

I have an empty space day tomorrow.  I do want to get the box for the TV and see if I can get it hooked up.  After the trouble I have had with the printer I am a bit nervous about my ability to successfully hook it up.  We shall see!  I also need to do some house cleaning.  I haven’t done much for over a month and the house is starting to feel very dirty to me.

Feeling a bit cranky this afternoon.  Thinking the timing of an empty space day is just what I need.  The last three days have been busy with lots of extra people around.  Although my mobility is better I am still limited as to what I can do comfortably.  Guess it is a good thing I will be sitting in a car and not doing much for next week.  Maybe by the time I get back home my foot will be lot better and things will feel more like normal for me.

Grateful for contractors that provide great service, grateful for more work done on the deck, and grateful It will only be two days before I am with Jim again.

I had a night of very little sleep.  It happens occasionally to me and I have learned to just roll with it.  I had taken a nap yesterday so maybe that was part of it.  I am very tired this afternoon but resisted the urge to take a nap.

I was awake at 7:00 so decided to get up and finish the mowing.  I had mowed about a fourth of the yard last night before I ran out of daylight.  The sunrise this morning was incredible.  There was a low hanging fog that the sun rose up and over.  It was a great way for the prairie to welcome me home.

I mowed until about 9:30.  I’m glad I got it done while it was nice and cool out as it warmed up today and is hot outside now.  The guy came to work on the retaining wall again.  He finished the south wall and then did the north wall.  He is bringing in some dirt to level the yard out tomorrow.  He helped Jim remove the little fish pond that was in the back yard.  It was a mosquito breeding place.  Tomorrow he is going to help Jim level the ground under the deck steps.  The timing of having both guys here this week was perfect.

The internet guy came around 9:00 and installed the new internet service.  It is so much faster.  I can actually watch movies on PrimeTime now.  I ordered a box from Tim so I can have TV for Jim to watch the news on.  We are going to figure out a way to get that installed Saturday.

The Geek Squad from Best Buy delivered and installed the new washing machine a little before noon.  It is nice to have a washing machine again.

The solar panel guy called and postponed his appointment until tomorrow.  Jim will stay to be here for that and than he is heading back to Stillwater to get his yard mowed before we leave Monday for North Carolina.

I went into Emporia this afternoon and went to Walmart to pick up a few groceries.  I also got a TV for the study upstairs, some marbles so I can do a foot exercise, and some more bandage tape for my foot.  I was really tired by the time I finished my shopping.

When I went out the door after checking out the receipt police guy checked my cart.  I expected him to check the receipt for the TV but then his scanner thingy had him look for several other things.  He asked me where I had gotten the ice and why I hadn’t paid for it.  I told him I had told the lady and she said she rang it up.  He said it wasn’t on the receipt.  I asked if I could see the receipt and found it.  He didn’t apologize for asking me why I had stolen it.  That kinda put a sour taste in my mouth.

Jim is out in the heat finishing up the mowing and trimming using the hand mower.  He had given me a swing for my birthday which had come while I was in OK so he put that together today.  I have dinner in the oven and need to go get it finished up soon.

Tomorrow the guy from the solar panel company is to come around 2:00.  Other than that it should be a quieter day around here although the retaining wall guy will be here again.  I hope we get around to getting some sanding on the deck done so I can do some painting on Saturday but we will see how the day goes.  Other things keep coming up and painting the deck project seems to have been pushed to the back burner.

Saturday I need to do some house cleaning.  It has reached the point that I can’t stand how dirty the house is.  I leave again Sunday to go to OK so we can leave Monday morning for NC.  Not sure I will get the whole house cleaned or not.

My foot is holding up today.  I think I was on it too much today but so far it hasn’t gotten too cranky with me.  I used the crutches part of the time and I think that helped keep it happy.  I trust it won’t start yelling at me tonight and keep me from sleeping.

Grateful for a new washing machine, grateful for fast internet, and grateful for the guy doing the retaining wall and a few little extras for us.

Got to the doctor’s office at 10:30 this morning for my 11:00 appointment.  This office usually runs early and I was surprised when it was after 11:00 and they hadn’t called me back.  The Lady that struggled to check me out last time had checked me in.  I was thinking of going up to see what the problem was when I saw the NP come out.  She saw me and asked if I was ready to go back.  The girl that had checked me in had marked that I was doing paperwork for them and my status was on hold.  I told the NP about the long check out last time and that I had been waiting since 10:30.  She apologized and said she would fix it.

After that delay the office visit went fast.  I was immediately taken back for my x-rays.  Everything looks very good and the bone is already starting to fill in which is ahead of schedule.  I am free to not use crutches for short distances such as being in the house although I am to continue to use them for longer distances.  She was not impressed when I told her I had been standing barefoot on my hurt foot for two minutes at a time.  She said my foot is not ready for that yet.  I still have to use the compression wrap as it will help keep it from swelling.  I am not to walk anywhere yet without the boot on that foot.

She recommended up to three more weeks of physical therapy so I can get help with regaining the range of motion of the big toe.  I told her I was going to be gone next week and couldn’t start doing PT until after my next appointment on the 17th.  She told me to keep doing my home exercises and they would re-evaluate it the 17th.

Overall it was a good report and she is pleased with my progress.  The scar looked really good this morning and is already softening and disappearing a bit.

We stopped at Pop’s Diner in Peabody for lunch on the way home.  I had a bun less hamburger and Jim had a hamburger steak dinner.  The hamburger was cooked perfectly and was very moist and tasty.  We got back to my house around 1:30.

The guy is here rebuilding the south retaining wall.  It has been fun watching him work this afternoon.  The back yard is a big mess as a result.  He had to bring in some fill dirt and fill rocks.  He still needs to do the north wall.  I’m so glad that project is underway and almost halfway done.

I will need to mow either yet this evening or tomorrow morning.  The grass is tall!  I don’t see any evidence of it burning up this summer.  Amazing!

Tomorrow the new internet service is to be installed.  They haven’t contacted me to tell me what time they are coming.  The new washing machine is being delivered between 12:00 and 4:00.  And the guy is coming to give me a bid on putting up solar panels on the barn roof.  He hasn’t firmed up a time yet either.  Guess I will mow in between appointments.

We may run into town this evening and get a few groceries.  My refrigerator is rather empty.  I am only going to be home until Sunday afternoon so won’t need too many things.  I am fixing ham and beans in the instant pot for dinner as I have that stuff on hand.  Breakfast might be hard to come by though with my empty refrigerator.

The girls are only giving us one or two eggs a day right now.  They are totally slacking!  It is too early for them to molt so thinking the heat is bothering them.  Next spring I will need to replace them if I want a constant supply of eggs.

Got through the stack of mail.  90% of it was junk and went into the recycling bucket.  I need to go out and spend some time petting the cats and dogs.  I took a nap when I got home and haven’t made it out to visit the critters yet.

Four weeks of recovery down!  Two more weeks with partial use of the crutches to go.  She said I would probably still need the boot after my next visit in two weeks for when I go out and walk any distance at all.  She said it usually takes ten weeks to be fully comfortable in a shoe all the time after surgery.  When that happens I can then schedule a date for the next foot to be done and we start this process all over again.

Grateful for the healing that is happening in my foot, grateful for my retaining wall being repaired, and grateful for my house sitter that does a beautiful job taking care of the house and critters while I am gone.

I completed my physical therapy this afternoon.  I currently have my foot on ice trying to calm it down from being stretch out.  I was able to stand on only my sore foot for two minutes with full weight.  It doesn’t hurt when I do so although it does feel stiff.  Progress is being made!  The therapist is rather sure I will be able to ditch the crutches after my appointment tomorrow.  That will make me very happy!

We found out today the Celebration of Life Service for Jim’s niece will be September 14.  We will go to my doctor’s appointment in Wichita tomorrow morning and then go to Strong City.  Jim will stay until Saturday when he will then return to Stillwater.  I will drive to Stillwater Sunday afternoon and we will leave for Asheville on Monday and arrive on Tuesday.  We will leave Asheville Sunday, Sept 15 in the afternoon and be back in Stillwater on the 16th.  I have another doctor’s appointment in Wichita on the 17th so I will go to that and then head back to Strong City alone.  Jim starts teaching his Osher Classes Sept 19.

Thankfully my housesitter can come back the 8th and stay until I get back home on the 17th.  I will be able to attend all my appointments and not have to reschedule anything.  Everything worked out perfectly for my schedule.

Not sure what I will do if the doctor wants me to have additional physical therapy.  I won’t be able to work it in until after the 17th.  I will continue to do the exercises I have been taught and hope for the best.

It will be good to get home and get through the stuff that has piled up since I have been gone for two weeks.  I’m sure the yard will need mowed and I will have lots of mail to sort and bills to pay.  I will also need to restock all the critter’s feed supply so I can be gone for ten days again.  I’m glad I don’t have guests coming so won’t have to clean house for them.

It is very warm in Stillwater today.  I haven’t taken a walk yet today and may not do so if it doesn’t cool down before dark.  I am not a big fan of heat.

Grateful for the physical therapy I received and the progress it has helped me make, grateful the schedule is coming together and I can keep my appointments, and grateful to be returning home tomorrow.  I have missed the prairie!

I finally feel like I did something productive today.  Jim is remodeling his front porch.  We went to Lowe’s and he purchased the railings he is adding to the porch.  I painted 48 of them this afternoon.  It felt good to actually do something.  I sat on a stool and painted so I stayed off my foot.  My foot is a bit cranky this evening but it can just get over itself.  I’m tired of it’s whinny moods!

I have dinner cooking.  Jim is still outside working on the porch.  It has been a good Labor Day around here.  Progress is being made.

We should hear tomorrow when the Celebration of Life is going to be for Jim’s niece. Once we have a date we can firm up plans to head to Asheville.  I have some back up plans ready to go in case I need them.  Hard to know what to plan for until we have a date though.

The guy that is going to repair my back yard retaining walls sent me a text today.  He is going to move equipment to my house tomorrow and get that job started.  I have had that project on my to do list for over two years.  It will be good to finally get it crossed off.

Tomorrow I have Physical Therapy.  It will be my last appointment with the lady here in Stillwater.  She has been vey good and I would go back to her anytime.  I’ll find out Wednesday at my surgeon’s appointment if I need to do more PT in Emporia.  I am hoping on Wednesday the doctor will tell me that I can stop using my crutches and stop having to put tape on my foot.  I know I still need to wear the boot as my foot still hurts when I stand on it without the boot.  Crutches and I have an agreement these days but it is tenuous at best.  The tape between my big toe and the toe next to it drives me crazy.  Oh my, it is the little things in life that get to me sometimes!

Thursday my new washing machine is to be delivered.  I am also having a new internet provider install their equipment.  Trusting it will be fast enough service that I can get a system from my son in law so I can have TV for Jim.  Jim is a news junkie. I also have a guy coming to give me a bid for solar panels.  Trying to find ways to reduce my monthly expenses in the house and utilities are one of my bigger expenses.  Trusting we won’t have to leave for Asheville before Thursday but if we do I have a back up plan.

We were out late last night and I got to see the moon.  It made me realize I am a bit homesick for the open prairie.  I sure miss seeing the sunrises and sunsets and the moon when I am in town and away from home.

Wednesday marks four weeks from surgery so I should only have two more weeks in the boot!  My foot sure looks different than the other one now that the swelling has gone down.  It really hasn’t been as bad as I thought it might be.  Not sure I am excited about having the other one done and starting this whole process over again but the second one should be easier since I know what to expect.

Grateful to have found something productive to do today, grateful my retaining wall is finally going to get repaired, and grateful I got to see the moon last night.

I had a much better night last night.  I was able to sleep for almost five hours without waking up.  That is a good night’s sleep for me.  I wasn’t able to get a second sleep but I took an hour’s nap this afternoon.  My foot didn’t hurt at all last night.

Got a phone call this morning letting us know that Jim’s niece had made her transition.  The family is resting today and will start making plans for her celebration of life service tomorrow.  Jim and I are waiting to hear when the service is going to be and then will rearrange our schedules so we can be there.  It is a 15 hour drive to Asheville and we will do the drive in two days.

I have a Physical Therapy appointment on Tuesday, a surgeon’s appointment on Wednesday and I have three people coming to my house in Strong City on Thursday for various reasons.  All of the above appointments can be rescheduled if needed.  I’m not sure if the family is going to schedule the services this week or for sometime in the near future.  Once we know a date we will go from there.  For now we will stick with our original plan and go to Strong City after my surgeon’s appointment in Wichita Wednesday morning.  I will have to go to Strong City before we can leave for Asheville as I don’t have enough thyroid medication with me to last two weeks.  I also need some different clothes so I can attend the services in something other than shorts.  I’m not sure how long we will stay in Asheville once we get there.

I keep reminding myself everything will work out and not to let myself get caught up in the details of how.  Once we have actual information to work with we can come up with a plan.  Appointments can always be rescheduled if needed.

Jim and I went to his church this morning.  Going back to church has been interesting for me.  Each time I go I see more and more familiar faces in the area of the church I sit in.  I am remembering the fellowship and friendship that being a part of a church involves.  I still miss that part of church.  It is nice to be able to attend and not have to do more with the church than that.  I kinda throw out the parts that bug me and embrace the parts I enjoy.

As soon as it cools down a bit more I want to get out and take a mile walk again.  My foot feels better after I move it a bit.  My big toe is becoming more flexible although it still has a ways to go.  I get to stand barefoot for 10 minutes a day so I can work on my balance.  The foot aches a bit when I stand on it and I haven’t tried walking on it without the boot yet.  Hoping on Wednesday they will tell me I can start going without the crutches for at least part of the time.

Grateful for the beautiful life of Jim’s niece and that I got to meet her, grateful for a good night’s sleep, and grateful for the fellowship a church provides.

Last night was one of the hardest nights yet.  Not sure why my foot got so cranky.  I tried icing it and that slowed it down but then the pain came back.  I took four ibuprofen and waited an hour and when the pain didn’t ease I finally took a pain pill.  Unfortunately the pain pill didn’t knock me out like they had been.

I had a very fitful night’s sleep.  The pain kept breaking through.  After I got up this morning I felt like I had a major hangover so after I ate a bit I went back to bed.  I slept for a good two hours this afternoon and finally feel human again.  Yuck!  So grateful this is a very occasional experience with this surgery and has not been my day to day reality.

Finished the third set of tea towels yesterday so am down to only knitting to do to keep myself from going crazy.  Sitting is getting old quick today!

Jim has been outside finishing his mowing and is now installing the final post on his porch.  Glad one of us is having a productive day.

Tomorrow is another day and I am trusting that it will be much better than today.  This has been one of those hard days and I’m grateful it is almost over.

 

Made it one mile on our morning walk.  Seems like such a small distance but it felt like a long distance!  My foot was cranky all night and morning.  Thinking it was the storm system that came through that activated it.  It might have been PT too as the therapist really worked my big toe and made it sore.  The walk helped it stretch out and feel better.  I iced my foot when I got back from the walk and it has quieted down and felt OK this afternoon.

Our trip to Asheville is still pending.  Not sure how to plan and what to plan for as we don’t have any idea when Jim might need to be there.  I’m hoping it won’t be for another week so I can go along but that feels a bit selfish of me to hope that.  Things will work out the best way for all what ever that may be.

Other than taking a walk today I have stayed in and worked on the tea towels.  I have about thirty minutes of work to go and I will finish the third set since surgery.  Good thing I have some knitting to do after I finish the tea towels.  Sitting and doing nothing is getting old!

Jim has taken good care of me.  I told him today I have felt a bit out of my comfort level having to have someone take care of me so much.  Luckily he seems to understand that.  I am almost back to being independent but it is still hard to do everything when I use both crutches.  I have switched to only using one crutch when I am in the house which frees my right hand up.  Being left handed that isn’t as much help as I would like but it is a step towards independence.  I still use both crutches when I go for my walk as it helps not put so much weight on my hurt foot.

Heard Strong City and the area got some very high winds last night.  I texted my house sitter and she reported I had no wind damage.  Good to hear that!  90 MPH wind was reported in the area.  Wow!  That is some strong wind.  Stillwater had lots of rain, lightning and thunder over night.  More rain is forecast for later tonight and into tomorrow.

Feeling a bit isolated from my friends and family.  It will be good to get back home and get out of this boot and off crutches and get back into “normal” life.  I’m tired of everything being a bit more challenging and harder than normal for me to do.  I’ll only have four weeks of freedom before I start this process all over with the other foot.

Have a ham loaf baking in the oven for dinner.  Jim is working on his front porch.  I sit on the couch and watch the hands of the clock slowing move.  And this time shall pass and things will get back to normal soon!

Grateful. I had no storm damage from the high winds last night, grateful for being able to walk a mile this morning, and grateful my foot is healing and I will be off crutches soon!

Went to Physical Therapy today.  She had me stand on a cushion without my boot for 10 minutes doing various poses.  I did well with the exercises she had me do.  The only time it hurt was when she was massaging my foot and pushing the toe back and pulling it forward.  She was talking to someone and forgot what she was doing once or twice.  Ouch!

She laughs at me when she has me move from the table to a chair.  She was impressed with my flexibility.  Glad I have that going for me!

Haven’t done much other than PT today.  Still working on my knitting project and finishing up the third set of tea towels.  It is too hot to be outside for very long today. I’ll fix dinner in a bit as Jim is working outside mowing and finishing a porch project he has been working on.

We don’t have any plans for the weekend.  Still not sure when Jim will have to head back east.  I may or may not go depending on timing.  I have PT Tuesday, a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday and three appointments on Thursday.  After that I can get free to go with him.  We will see how things go.

My foot was cranky last night and I had a restless night.  I didn’t take a walk last night an am wondering if that caused my foot to be cranky.  After it cools down this evening I will get my mile walk in and see if that helps for tonight.  I never know why my foot gets cranky but am grateful it doesn’t happen everyday.

One disadvantage to being retired is everyday feels a bit like a holiday.  We kinda forgot to make any special holiday plans for this weekend.  So far we plan on having a quiet weekend at Jim’s house.  He has lots of projects to work on.  I’m afraid I am not very helpful as I am still on both crutches.  Hard to do anything when you don’t have a free hand.

Grateful for another successful physical therapy session, grateful my foot isn’t cranky this afternoon, and grateful for quiet weekends at home.

Walked over 3/4 of a mile this morning.  I was tempted to go for the whole mile but decided not to push myself that hard.  My foot feels better after my walk but then it tightens back up and aches a bit.

I can already see some improvement in movement in my toe by doing my exercises twice a day.  I go back to PT tomorrow afternoon.  I may have to transfer to Emporia for the remaining two sessions the doctor has ordered if Jim has to leave this weekend.

Jim got news today that his beautiful niece in Asheville has been placed in Hospice care.  We are making alternate plans for when he needs to go back east.  At this point I am not planning on going with him but timing will determine that.  My foot kinda complicates things as I have PT and doctor appointments.  If she holds on for another week I may go with him.

My heart is heavy thinking of her parents who have provided such loving care to their daughter.  She represented pure love to me and had such simple joy for life.  I can’t imagine the pain her parents are in right now.  I hold them all in my heart and prayers.

Anytime something like this happens it makes me grateful for everyday that I have and I am reminded yet again that none of us are promised tomorrow.  We each have to find a way to make the most of everyday by stepping out and going forth in love.

Jim is at the dentist having some work done.  He has choir practice tonight.  I think we are going out to dinner tonight as we also have an appointment at 4:30 for an hour with a friend of his.  I stayed at his house while he is at the dentist and have been doing some laundry in case we need to pack up quickly and take out.

Grateful for being able to get out and walk a couple times a day, grateful for exercise that are helping me regain mobility in my toe, and grateful for Jim’s niece that taught me what pure, unconditional love looks like.

Another day closer to being crutch free! I stayed home all day today. Did my foot exercises this morning and took a 3/4 mile walk. My foot was a bit sore last night but has been quiet today.

Took another 3/4 mile walk tonight. It is so good to be outside moving my body. I was going to go for a one mile walk tonight but Jim talked me out of it.

Starting a new knitting project today. My arms and shoulders are sore from the knitting I did today. I haven’t done much knitting lately and those muscles have gone weak. I’ll switch to embroidery work the rest of the night and give those muscles a chance to rest.

Tried making a pork loin for dinner. I didn’t care for it as it was too chewy. I probably over cooked it. I rarely cook pork. The flavor was good but it took forever to chew.

Got a text from the guy that is going to redo my retaining wall. He is delivering the fill rocks next week. That must mean he is getting close to coming and doing the work. Yay!

It has been a nice, quiet day at Jim’s house. I needed a day with not much going on. Tomorrow will be another quiet day too. Love days when I get to stay home all day and have lots of empty space.

Grateful for being able to get out and walk a couple time a day, grateful for knitting that keeps my hands busy, and grateful for empty space that allows me to refill my soul.

I had my first physical therapy appointment today.  I really liked the lady I worked with.  She explained how the bunion formed and how it has impacted the arch in my foot.  She showed me a set of exercises I am to do twice a day.  My foot isn’t too sore tonight but I can tell it was worked today.

I walked a half of a mile this morning and again this evening.  I am doing better with the crutches and walking in a more normal gait.  I trust I am putting half my weight on the crutches – not sure how to measure that.

We went to Walmart after my appointment.  I needed to get a hot pad and an arch support insole for my shoes the therapist recommended.  I also got some cocoa butter that she recommended I rub on my foot twice a day.  The therapist said it would heal quicker if I keep the skin moist.

I go back to PT Thursday and then again next Tuesday.  I don’t know if the surgeon will order more sessions when I go in Sept 4 or not.  I almost wished I could go back to this lady if he does but I will be back in KS after that appointment.

The therapist recommended I have the surgery to fix the other bunion as quick as allowed.  She said if I delay it too long I will have to fix my gait again on the foot I just had done.  That makes sense so will get it scheduled around the first of November.

When I was at Walmart I picked up some yarn.  I am almost done with the third set of tea towels I have been working on since I had surgery.  I needed something else to work on when I get them done.  I had the needles for the project I want to do with me and printed a copy of the pattern off the internet.  I’ll get the project started this evening or tomorrow.

It feels good to be out moving around a bit more.  I still have to sit more than I can move and it is hard to do much using two crutches most of the time.  But I am almost halfway through this and my healing is progressing as or even better than expected. Jim continues to take good care of me and make it as easy as possible for me to do nothing.  His hand is healing although he said it was sore today.  The swelling is going down and he can close his fist a bit tighter each day.

Grateful to have found a great physical therapist, grateful to be out walking a bit again, and grateful for being almost halfway through this!

 

I forgot to write yesterday.  We had a quiet day at home and didn’t do much.  Today we went to church this morning and than stopped at Panera’s for lunch on the way home.  We sat with some friends of Jim’s who go to his church and had stopped for lunch too.

We took a nap this afternoon.  It had rained overnight and was still rainy this afternoon and was a perfect afternoon to take a nap.  I may not be able to sleep tonight but I will take sleep whenever it finds me.

Tomorrow afternoon I start physical therapy.  I hope it won’t hurt too much.  I had worked on moving my big toe up and down last night while I was taking my bath and it hurt off and on during the night.  It hasn’t hurt today so far.

I have finished another set of tea towels and have a second set finished.  This time of sitting is becoming productive.  Too bad I don’t really need any more tea towels.  Oh well, I will find a home for them sometime, somewhere.  I may need to visit a yarn store to find me something else to do until I come back home early September.

My body is starting to show signs I have not been moving it much.  I haven’t been on a scale for a bit so don’t know if I have gained weight or not.  My body feels saggy and like it is losing tone.  My sore leg looks smaller than the other one like it has lost muscle tone from not being used.  I sure would love to go take a two or three mile hike.  I am almost halfway done with the need for crutches so just have to hang in there a bit longer and I will have this.

Starting to feel a bit out of touch with others.  Being on crutches feels a bit isolating to me.

Grateful for afternoon naps, grateful for healing, and grateful I am almost halfway through this time on crutches.