Sadly this week calls for temps around 50 all week.  What happened to the delightful 70s that we had earlier in the month.  I think someone is really trying to drum up business for the pneumonia medicine makers.

The other day I felt the need to treat myself so…

$5.99 worth of happiness ( I didn't do roses!)

Some times you just got to do a little extra to make up for the trying things in life.

The new ears brought me great delight the other day.  When I heard Spirit (my African gray) say,  “Where’s the Brandy?” I knew he talked but haven’t been able to make out anything he said.  Also to hear my 25 year service clock chime all the notes on the hour, quarters, and half is a real delight.  I can now quote my sister-in-law Peggy who said, Twenty Five long years ” every time it chimed!

Frank is back!

I pulled Frank out of the bedroom closet yesterday morning and worked on it all day.  I can hold the yarn in my right hand with little or no discomfort so I’ll be adding rows regularly now.

Therapy is still three times a week for 2 1/2 hours plus six exercises to do at home on the off days so that takes a chunk out of my week .  But I will keep on trying to improve the movement in that arm and shoulder.

Crab apple Tree

The blossoms are starting to fail on the crab apple tree and a little sadness is creeping in on my world outside.  But each passing day is reaching forward to the next new thing that changes  Spring into Summer.

I have a problem getting a picture of Les and Anne together so this is the next best thing.

Happy couple and daughter!

I am remiss in not wishing my son Les and his lovely Anne a Happy Anniversary on time.  But this does not cancel my wish that you will have many more!

Well I must make lunch because Jay will be home from dialysis soon.  Have a great week and we will visit soon.

I have been teasing you about the green goo for a while now so I guess it is time to come clean about my little adventure!

After a long period of time with having people saying speak up you know she can’t hear you.  Or not understanding what was being said so I misinterpreted meanings, sometimes got angry with the person who was speaking to me, a session with not hearing the phone ring added to the confusion so I finally saw my ear doctor who urged me to see an Audiologist.

Tests showed I had lost significant loss in both ears and that one was too damaged to bring it back to full hearing.  So begins my tale.

Green Goo

On the second round of tests and a decision that It had to be a go ahead situation I had the foam rubber, with strings attached , and covered in the infamous green goo placed in my ears to make a mold for the forming of hearing aids I was going to receive.

Of course I balk at the price.  Trying to think of all the things that this kind of money could be used for.  But in the end I knew that the situation wasn’t going to get any better so I had better salvage what bit of hearing  I had left.

I looked like I was on a battery charger.

This was my latest visit when the hearing aids were adjusted to the correct level to bring the hearing in my left ear up to 76% and in my right to 100%.  The battery were then put in and the hearing aids went into my ears.  I was amazed at the difference.

New haircut and new ears not a bad deal!

The volume on the TV went from 45-50 down to 21.  I heard the words my African Grey was saying for the first time ever. I find my poor hubby is still yelling when he speaks to me but I understand now why.  I am bound and determine to wear these aids at least the minimum of 8 hours a day as directed.  (Cost dictates the use).

Had I had these aids made before the damaged got so severe the cost would have been less.  I can only urge you to have your hearing checked and corrected before it is too late.

If you say CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?  I can reply you bet your sweet bippy I can  and it is worth it!!!!

Tulips

Something a little different almost rose like.  A nice surprise to find by the kitchen door! I’m going to start looking for the hummingbirds.  It is a little early but so much is in bloom they may show up.

Finished my second therapy session this morning and the after results aren’t as bad as the first one.  But I have a long way to go before the muscles get back in shape.  It is a bit on the chilly side today So the tractor with the mower deck, that was just returned yesterday, is still in the garage.

I have a meatloaf for supper ready to go and the potatoes are peeled so I think I’ll take a wee nap before supper.  Tomorrow is another busy day so I have a tendency to rest a little today.

Take care!

Sunset at our house!

I really hate to admit it but I do love seeing this in the evening.  It is better without the snow and cold though so I’ll just accept missing it.

This last Friday I had my first session of physical therapy at The center here in Otisville.  Not as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I was amazed when with the therapist help I was able to raise my right arm up over my head next to my ear.  I haven’t been able to do that in a very long time.  The massage and heat at the end of the session felt wonderful.  I will be in therapy on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday so it will be a big change from what I used to do.

To say there is no pain involved in daily living is not true.  The nights are are a problem also.  But as I progress I feel sure it will improve.

This week after Wednesday I will be able to tell you the tale about the green goo!  Stay tuned!!!

A big Happy Birthday to “assistant doctor”, care giver, chauffeur, kitchen and meal assistant, and very good friend Darlene!

She is all of these!

May you have many more years of good health, happiness, and wealth!

32 degrees on the big thermometer on the front porch–but instead of frost on the pumpkin it is frost on the pick up!  Yep we have had a very light snow fall over the last few days but it hasn’t stayed nor has it stop the flowers from coming on.

Bush out back

The purple of the grape hyacinths and the violets that come up every spring under the reddish orange blooms of the Quince bush are a treat to behold.

a mixture of blooms and buds

The deep pink of the Crab Apple tree also adds to great color to the side yard.  The tree is old and past producing edible fruit but  the Spring color it produces and being a holder for the bird feeders makes it a keeper.

The Sand Cherry

This started out as a tree when we moved here but a severe storm split it down the middle causing us to trim it back to save it.  Unfortunately we were not knowledgeable enough to correct the problem.  So this is now a bush that stands at the steps to the back deck.  The pale pink flowers and dark red leaves are a welcoming sight.

All these bushes and trees confirmed in our minds that this plus the Snowball bush out front, that has yet to bloom, was meant to be where we belonged.

Daffodils added by us

The daffodils are all around the dome in the some of extension gardens.  The purple flowers in the berm came up from last years planting.  Every thing needs to be cleaned up but unfortunately I can’t work on it right now due to the new shoulder.

As to the green goo that tale will have to wait for another week–but I haven’t forgotten!

Have a great day and do something that is only for you –you deserve it!

It started innocently enough with the purple bunny sitting on the counter.  Cindy, Michael, Darlene, Jay, and I were gathered on Friday afternoon because of previous commitments for our visitors on Easter Sunday.

Said Bunny!

We had a nice dinner and were sitting discussing the fate of the bunny.  Shall we eat it right away or wait a bit giving dinner time to settle.

Jay was sitting with (oxygen on) and me with my arm in a sling (you can see the red ball in my hand used for squeezing).

Jay

Some thing funny

Our visitors, who were also our caregivers were clearing the table and getting set for the last course.  The Bunny.

Darlene had her utensils ready.

Let me at it!

But the surprise came when Michael reacted.

The end was near!

Cindy hid her eyes!

She didn't want to see the mayhem!

Sadly all that was left was three pieces of plastic and a used cardboard plate!  But I can swear it was good.

OK enough nonsense!  I have finished the novel by Mary Higgins Clark, The Shadow Of Your Smile.  Instead of picking up another novel I decided to clean up the last of the pile of papers.

My cluttered desk

It along with the dining room table are now clear, checks entered, bills sent, medical records recorded, and newspapers read.  So it seems that we are slowly getting things under control.

I guess this leaves just the green goo!   Next time!

It was chilly but sun shiny today so I can’t complain about the weather.  Even if I did it wouldn’t make a difference!  Take care and laugh a little!

Started at 50 degrees this morning and as the sun shines brightly it is now almost 60.  I have had several things happen in the last two weeks and can’t seem to get it together to cover it all in one post.  Consequently the next few contacts may seem a bit disjointed but hopefully you will be able to make sense of it.

First a Happy Easter to everyone!

No boiled eggs or jelly beans just this!

This morning was my first morning without my caregivers ( Bless their Hearts).  I sent them home to celebrate Easter with their family.  So I did the Molly routine, gathered the trash to go to the street and took it down, managed to gather all the must do paper work in one pile along with two days of newspapers, gathered the laundry, and folded yesterday clothes and put them away. I read the big pile of email and the regular blogs I follow.  I wanted to touch base with you and say that each day brings a little less pain and a little more movement to my right arm and shoulder.

I have asked several times for a chain saw but my daughter said she didn’t sit in a hospital waiting room for several hour to let me spoil my surgeon’s work.  My care givers gave approximately the same answer.

I plan to write about the green goo on a string, my visit to the hearing aid man, and the  shock when I was told of the results and what it will take to try and fix it.

I will also tell you the (tail/tale) the bunny’s demise (pictures and all). No it’s not about being PG!!

But for the rest of today I wish to see the flowers on my table.

From my garden.

And feel them radiating love and happiness.

I’m going to take a nap and recharge my energy cells.  Have a great rest of the day!

Yesterday was spent with daughter Cindy in West Bloomfield, Mi at a hearing aid place.  Why so far from home?  Long story.   Any way I’m to go back on Friday to see if the set that was given to me can be calibrated or if a new set must be purchased.  I fear it will be the second alternative.

This Thursday the stitches come out on the surgery and I will get a clue as to the next step in this  process.  Still on pain pills and not happy about the progress there.  The sling to keep my arm in place has become such an irritation that I want to pitch it out the window.

I haven’t checked the temperature this morning but the sunshine is peeking in around the window blinds so it may be the beginning of a lovely day out there.   I think I will check the schedule on the pain pill, warm up my coffee and wait for the other half of the duo to come alive.  Oh I finally finished The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury last night and have already started a Mary Higgins Clark novel ( an old one I missed before).

Maybe  I’ll turn on the TV for awhile.  My assistant doctors ( as someone has called them) had to go home yesterday to take care of some business at their home.  They will be back in later to help again.  I’d like to go lay down but my arm is not cooperating so I guess I’ll tough it out.

My partner in this melodrama Is not feeling well either so It is a sad sight around here.

Take care.

The Lazy Boy was so comfy that I laid my book down on my knee, took my glasses off, and was drifting off when there was a movement of the chair.  I opened one eye to see Brandy standing against my knee waiting for me to come alive.  I had not seen her get up but I knew what she needed next.  I simple rock forward, catch that moment of leverage and I would be up and on my way to the kitchen door.  But then it hit me I hadn’t tried getting out of this chair since the operation.

I reassured Brandy it would only be a minute and I would be ready.  As she sat in front of me her eyes seemed to take on a kind of panicked state.  I rocked a bit but couldn’t catch the moment that I was looking for.

I turned to one side and saw the one cactus bloom still laying on the sill.

April first and still blooming

A little further down the sill the plant Dar and Mike had brought home to me was calling for smiles but I couldn’t conjure up any!

A Primrose

At this point a little panic started to set in.  Was I going to spend all day trying to get out of a chair as my poor doggy tried to find a spot to relieve herself?  Then It dawned on me — today was April Fool’s day.  Stand up idiot. I did and the joke on myself was over!!!!!