Wednesday, February 27, 2008

As Many Thoughts As There Are Snowflakes

Today has been a day of quiet contemplation, decision making, and just life in general. It just seemed the right thing for a cold, not-quite-so-dreary day of snowfall. The uncertainty that has been my near-constant companion for the past few weeks has relented and I have been able to take a deep breath and look at my life and glimpse the nearest goals which are required for me to reach and attain in order to reach other, bigger goals for the more distant goals. Instead of feeling oppressed, it has had a feeling of peace.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Update

Had a nasty fall Sunday in a shoe store trying on shoes. Hubby tried to catch me, but I was too far out of reach. Hit my head on a metal shelf. Went to the ER Sunday. Slept most of yesterday. Mostly awake today since Noon. Sore and painful, but otherwise OK. Will update more later on in the week when I am feeling better.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

There is Ice in Lexington

We have the beginning of an ice storm here in Lexington. Check out the news. I'll post pictures later.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Monday, February 18, 2008

Beware the 'Devil Frog'!


According to this article, this frog may have eaten baby hatchling dinosaurs.

One thing intrigues me, though, one scientist said "It would have been quite mean," added paleontologist Susan Evans of University College London, another of the scientists. How would they know? Are all frogs evil and mean? What criteria do they have for saying this? I am just curious.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Today and Tomorrow

The sun is shining beautifully outside the windows and doors. The thermometer says it is 63*F and tall, fluffy clouds with dark bottoms pass by as if saying, "Not yet. Not just yet." Hubby has gone to visit one of our friends who is recouperating from a long illness brought on by a surgery, and I am here alone with the dogs, computer, television and the radio. I don't feel sad today. (This is probably due to being out in the sunshine yesterday and having such a wonderful day.) I haven't done any homework yet, but there is suddenly energy for that and this is a great thing compared to how I have been feeling and looking at life.

Today has not been as physically good a day as yesterday was, but you can't have all good days. My arthritis has been acting up something horrible and last night I barely made it to bed and when I did I was awake most of the night because of pain. Sadly, I also kept Hubby awake who needs his rest as well. However, he managed to get up and get to Church and Bible study while I recouperated and rested up the best I could. It took a while for me to struggle out of bed and then into my shoes and then onto my feet, and by the time all of these things had been accomplished, Hubby was home as I was trying to make it into the hallway from the bedroom.

As each step caused pain and discomfort I realized just how much had changed in the past few days. No, I don't mean physically. These sorts of days come and go and you have to learn how to deal with them if it is possible, and it is usually possible. What had changed was how I felt about it all. Today is a bad physical day, but emotionally it is still good. I won't be this way continuously and when the weather decides to do what it is thinking about doing my joints will adjust and get better and I will move with a little more freedom. Today I am not feeling down and depressed and cursing my life because this is the one I was given, and I know more than anyone else just how imperfect it really is. Today I can see my future ahead of me and I can accept it with smiles and acceptance. Joy might not be overly present, but it will return. Who knows, maybe joy will be here tomorrow.

Today I can look at the struggles ahead and just place one foot in front of the other mentally and physically and trudge forward. It is a slow progress, but it is progress. I am no longer just running in place or fighting the mud to stand up: I have stood up with God's help. And I am on the road again. I am not running, but I am progressing and going towards my goals of having a good life with my Hubby and friends.

Today there is pain. Tomorrow there will be pain and the day after. So much of it gets everyone down at times, and I am no different. But, today I am standing up emotionally and mentally and I am moving forward. Sometimes the only thing you can do is move forward with the thoughts if not so much with the body, and maybe if you move forward enough with your thoughts your body can start to catch up, too.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Almost a Normal Saturday

Today Hubby wanted to go to tai chi in Georgetown (Kentucky). I had no problem with that at all; this is the usual Saturday drill for both of us. Or was. Since moving to the new house I am afraid I slacked off on going to tai chi and having the normal Saturday of fellowship and friends, as well as necessary exercise. This morning Hubby smiled and actually helped me get my rickety, creaking body together so we actually made it there together.

There couldn't have been a better day for driving to Georgetown. The sky was blue. The sun was shining bright, and several times I just closed my eyes and soaked up the sun that was rich and warm through the van's windows. Hubby also made certain the van was warm. On the way there I decided I have had enough "down" time. Now is the time to start collecting the energies and preparing for a different phase of everything.

Once to class and jumping back into it all I realized several things 1) I remembered more than I thought I would; 2) I have genuinely missed class and the people there; and 3) I also missed going to tai chi with my husband. Going today made me quite aware of all of these things, and a thousand more that can't fully be articulated. It was surprising to me just how easily I slid back into the groove of it all. A couple of times I looked over to Hubby who was practicing and saw the peace and happiness inside all of the concentration. I had missed seeing that particular expression on his face.

Just Bill's voice explained movements and weight distribution on the legs and I just sat there and tried very hard not to grin, because I had missed him so very much! Jim the Scribe kept Hubby on track once or twice with corrections and Bob Hoohaha was still "the bad example"-and it all filled my heart and head with joy. Nothing had changed, and yet it had. However, the peace was almost palpable to me, and life seemed a little less disjointed.

As always after tai chi, we went to Fava's for breakfast. For the first time in many days I was starving and ordered a big breakfast and ate it all except for two slices of tomato. I felt stronger and more relaxed. When Just Bill asked me how I had been doing I was honest, but I also had a wonderful decision made which I also shared: not going to be down any more. It was fantastic to be able to share that with him and the rest of the group who was closer. It was important in moving forward for me, and, at the same time, it was important for the rest of them as well. It was precious and special. Hubby relaxed then, also for the first time in several days, and smiled.

And, as always when in Georgetown, there was yarn therapy.

Things aren't "back to normal" because there aren't any electric wheels still, yet there is something inside me that is back to normal. It feels wonderful!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day


With everything that has been happening bad in the past few days and the deep dark purple funk I've been in, this morning with it being Valentine's Day I got up with Hubby.

There in my wheelchair was a large-ish purple box, a card a-top it, and a sugar cookie (which turned out to be from Sniffles). The front of the card said "My best friend and my only love, my dream and my reality, my moon and all my lucky stars..." When I opend the card it began singing to me about how I was his "everything"...yes, there were tears. Tons of tears. Why? Because I was happy and wasn't expecting anything like it.

21408 V-Day Card


When I could sort of see I turned my attention to the large-ish purple box. There I was greeted with El Toro and his message:
El Toro of Love
"Hello, my name is El Toro...El Toro of looooove. And my love for you burns with the heat of a thousand halepenos!...Wait!...What is El Toro saying! A million. YES! One million halepenos! Spicy!"

All I could do was cry. I stood and cried alone, then I went and wrapped my arms around Hubby and cried because I simply could not speak. Then, Hubby had El Toro speak again and he dipped me and kissed me so deeply I lost my breath and my head swam and my knees felt weak.

Yep, he's still got it.


Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Wheelchair Update

Yeah. It sucks.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Who Is The New Voice of Kitt?

I was quite surprised to discover the answer myself, and a little sad, especially when I saw his picture. He looks ill, somehow, and sad. Who am is it? Read the article and discover the answer for yourself, then share with me what you think.
Humorous Pictures
moar funny pictures

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Today is.....a little weird and wired.

Most everything I could possibly say can be found at

http://mountainlaurel.livejournal.com

More later. Still homework.

Friday, February 08, 2008

Valentine's Day Productivity and Other Stuff

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. In preparation for this wonderously sloppy day of girlie goodness and love extradinare, I pre-ordered some Valentine's Day cards from The Hunger Site's Animal Rescue portion and purchased some lovely cards with a puppy holding a rose in its mouth. The outside says, "I love you" and the inside says, "...unconditionally" which I thought was perfect for my sisters. As sisters we will always love each other despite the occasional tiffs sisters usually seem to have during their younger years. We love each other simply because we are who we are and just how much we trust each other and love each other...unconditionally.

However, there were only four cards in the pack (and it is apparently discontinued so I cannot link to the cuteness) which meant I needed to find more cards to send. Since there is no electric wheels to give me freedom to shop, I intended to look on-line for places where I could possibly send cards. Since I had to make another change of address on-line at USPS.com, I discovered there was a link to a place called CardStore.com. Actually, it is part of the USPS site. It allows you to choose cards, fill out the address, pay the postage and have them mail off the card for you. The cards weren't overly priced either and I could put anything I wanted on the interior. So, I spent about $9 and the Valentine's Day card problem was solved.

Of course, if I had my druthers I would have preferred to have actually gone shopping for the cards and been able to put special messages on the inside of the cards with my own signature, but this works. Because it works, and works well, the feeling of accomplishment is remarkable.

This isn't the only thing I have done all day, as a matter of fact. The big long TO DO list that was made last night actually has a number of things marked off of it, including important matters such as bills and appointments made and double-checked; and order of operations organized.

It would be nice to say I had everything of importance done I needed done today, but it isn't so...yet. There is still homework, supper to cook, and bills to pay; knitting to do, and books to read. And, as always, there is still some housework to do. However, the day has been very productive, which has also helped my mood considerably!

Yesterday I was feeling very defeated by all of the things I needed to do and hadn't been doing. Today there is a better feeling-a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. I need this feeling to keep me going. I suppose I need to just sit down and make lists and be able to look back over them and see what I have accomplished in the day as well as what I still need to do.

P.S. See the new poll on the right there? ---->

The one about the cute photos? Yeah, vote, ok? This lets me know how to better improve this site.

Thanks.

How Cute is This?




Every day should start off right, and this made me smile when I saw it. Good morning all.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Time and Space and How it Moves

Time moves quickly and space gets filled up.

We have been having some pretty rough weather here in Kentucky lately. According to the local weather 'casters there have been a number of tornado touchdowns in the past seventy-two hours as well as a lot of "high winds" that were not classified as tornados but did practically as much damage as a full-fledged twister. Harrison County, if I am not mistaken, has taken several big hits.

Here in Lexington there has been quite a bit of damage and up to 60,000 people are without electricity. I don't know what the number is right now, but it is over 10,000! There have been trees down, power lines down, property damage, but here on our street we have been spared a lot of the nastiness. Thank You, God.

Night before last our dog Chewie came to the bedroom door and whined. A big storm was happening outside and Hubby and I were trying to decide if he was just scared of if he was warning us bad things were happening. Chewie has been abused for barking, so he doesn't bark. (It is so bad that the other day he barked at the mailman and the sound of his own voice frightened him, then he looked at me as if to say, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" Of course I complimented him and told him what a good boy he was and the poor fellow just looked confused. Hopefully if I praise him enough for barking he will begin doing so and not be so frightened about doing so.)

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Just Because

Funny Pictures
moar funny pictures

Words

Received this in an e-mail and I just had to share it!

DORMITORY: When you rearrange the letters:DIRTY ROOM

PRESBYTERIAN:
When you rearrange the letters:
BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER:
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER

DESPERATION:
When you rearrange the letters:
A ROPE ENDS IT

THE EYES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH:
When you rearrange the letters:
HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE :
When you rearrange the letters:
HERE COME DOTS

SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY:
When you rearrange the letters:
IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters:
ALAS! NO MORE Z'S

A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters:
IM A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE

AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:

MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER

Yep! Someone with waaaaaaaaaaaytoo much time on their hands! (Probably a son-in-law)

Monday, February 04, 2008

A Wild and Crazy Time!

This weekend was the Hubby Birthday Extravaganza! Cheyenne came in on Thursday night, Hubby's official birthday, and departed back for Columbus as of today only a couple of hours ago. Since it also turned out to be Superbowl Sunday as of yesterday, we decided to have a Superbowl party.

Just as a note to all, having two parties back to back-Saturday for the birthday and Sunday for the Superbowl-is a bit on the hectic side; however, we loved every single moment of it and are actually planning to do it again next year.

It was fantastic having so many people over during the weekend, but I must admit it feels nice just having space and time to take several deep breaths and contemplate ordinary household, every day things.

Have begun, of all things, a knitting blog! It is called Not Afraid 2 Knit. Don't worry, I will continue to post finished objects and bits and pieces about knitting here as well, but it is nice to have a blog dedicated to my most favorite hobby, nay passion. It is just easier to keep that part of my life in one place because not everyone adores pieces, lengths of string the way I obviously do and it was also suggested by several friends, so I am taking them up on their suggestion. Go check it out sometime, but I warn you: There it is all knitting and spinning ALL the time! LOL!