Eleven Eleven Eleven

Happy Veterans Day!

The lamp is lit!

A day worthy of exclamation!

The beginning of a year-long meditation for peace, health and prosperity!

A car with snow tires!

Fuel in the tank!

Food in the cupboard!

Friends in the address book!

Money in the pocket!

Walking without a limp!

!

Nov 10

Christmas wreaths magically appear on New Hampshire roadside poles and it's only the November full moon, not even Thanksgiving.  But it's probably not so much magic as it is the beautiful autumn weather and practical New England values that lead to getting the outdoor work done before the real snow falls.

Maybe this is a cue to put up the seasonal lights on our apple tree.  With us both limping along, this might take more than Yankee ingenuity.

Nov 9

 Paid some dues on Moosilauke.

I had hoped that the snow beyond the first mountain was not the one I was climbing.

The trail was moderate with views to the south and east on the way up.

It was 3.6 miles up with the last mile through slush and snow and being careful with each step. And the summit was the very one I'd hoped not to climb. Snow covered, but doable.

- "Make every step count" -

Then at the summit, I looked up and waved at two people already at the top.  And promptly lost my footing, even with trekking poles.  I landed on a round rock just waiting for my back.  It was like Pujols' bat swung and hit.  The man and woman rushed over and made me sit awhile before getting up.
"No broken bones," I said, panting through clenched teeth.

And after a bit, I stiffly climbed to the sign where the man cut off my feet. In the photo. The show must go on.  No pictures on the way down.  Just thoughts of getting home.

Today I'm not so sure about the declaration of no broken bones. Agony to cough or sneeze. A click in the back at the top of a deep painful breath. Maybe a posterior rib?

The good thing is no blood in the urine. Is there a good thing about falling?  Only that I'm not lifting weights, jogging or hiking while recovering.

Nov 8

Beauty Day
Gone to Moosilauke Mt.

Nov 7

Ranging far and wide

The pickup required a safety sticker, long overdue.

The relay driver is unable to drive for at least 2 more weeks.

The runkeeper chimes in her mechanical voice, "Forty minutes... current pace 13 minutes 37 seconds...current distance 2.98 miles...two minutes and 23 seconds ahead of your pace".

I've eliminated half a mile by cutting through the tree nursery.  The two Jamaican guys are still working there.  I wave as I jog by their pickup.  They are happy to see me trespassing again.

Nov 6

Daylight Saving Time

Fall back.  One year, as a third year medical resident, I was scheduled to be on call at the University Hospital in Seattle. Usually a third year resident supervised four interns who did all the work of admitting patients, writing orders, taking first calls.  This particular call night was the weekend of Halloween, on the night that time shifted, during the same weekend that all the interns took off to study for their board exams.
  On that night I covered four teams, the Red, Blue, Green, and White, that is, two general medical wards, oncology and the bone marrow transplant patients, and the cardiology admissions.  It could have been disastrous carrying 5 pagers.  But as memory serves, only 5 or 6 patients were admitted, no one crumped during the night, and I got an extra hour of sleep.  I even brought my sewing that night, a flowered navy and white dress that needed hemming.
  Now that's confidence in the future.  Those were my thoughts as I changed all the clocks this morning.  At 2 AM.

Honey, I'm Home!

The healing capacity of the body is marvelous. The word "awesome" might apply here if it were allowed in our household. Two days ago it was emotionally exhausting to see a loved one in pain. Then I remembered that compassion is a requirement; pain and suffering are optional. In this, I'd prefer compassion, not empathy. To witness, not to suffer.

So the accouterments of surgery and its recovery are strewn about the house including walkers

and crutches,

signs posted at the bannisters to remind one which leg to lead with,

and tall wide-body chairs with nifty nabbers,

all for the witnessing, not grousing.

Still practicing.

Nov 4

People who live in two-story houses live longer.

Four practices will prolong life:

1) Be free of tobacco

2) If you drink, don't drive

3) Wear a seat belt in the car

4) Exercise

Truth, knowledge and lefse.

Uff da!

Nov 3

Getting ready for the bionic man to return home, there are a few adjustments to be made.  There should be no obstructions to the doorways.  Throw rugs should be removed from the floors.

Items on the floor should be moved off the floor lest they trip the walking wounded.  Daisy won't like that rule.

The man cave is impossible to fix, nor should fixing be attempted in the absence of the man, of this I have been schooled repeatedly.

I value my eyes, so I will just close the door on this room.

All Souls

Used to be only upscale places had Keurig coffee machines.  Now the waiting room for hospital surgeries provides the service that distinguished a Lexus dealership in the recent past.  The K Cup has become available to all souls.  Like a computer in every classroom, a K Cup in every kitchen, a chicken in every pot, a millionaire in every household.  Sure, why not?

These are things I never thought I'd see;  Jim receiving preop Reiki,

physical therapy and walking 5 hours after waking up from joint replacement surgery.
He claims his fixed leg is now inches longer than the working leg.  Does that mean he'll walk in circles around the lion stalking the herd?

Rabbit Rabbit!

Early day, appointment at 5:45 AM.  Hydration is important, but not so much that it keeps one up all night.  We'll know better next time.  More later.  Goob Luck in November!

Hollow Weenie

It's the last day to enjoy before the long-handled shoehorn emerges, before the nifty nabber sock puller debuts, before Sponge Bob Square Pants straps on his sponge, and before the evil coach barks commands like Bo Pellini.  This is more than vaguely disturbing, like that greeting card of the clown eating a hot dog.  The card says, "There are more than 10 things wrong with this picture."  Funny, but...

A walk at dawn captured some of the wrongs and shoveled them out.

Snow on boats, apples unpicked, cars blocked in their garages...

That's better now.
Hats off, take a bow.

Bring on the shoehorn.

Oct 30

The majority of chores were completed before snowfall yesterday.  The boat was pulled out of the water, trailered, and hauled home.  The snowblower was installed on the tractor.  Two vacuum cleaners from the lake were deposited in the dumpsters at the dump, along with an empty paint can and two aluminum chairs.  The boxes of books were donated to the Goodwill.  And the chips and soda were purchased from the grocery store amid the madhouse of prestorm shoppers.

This morning it is still snowing with temperatures right around freezing.  The shovel is too heavy with snow to lift.  So snoozing followed by rum and cokes are the goals for today.

Oct 29

The day began with writing positive affirmations for the upcoming joint surgery.  And when there were six affirmations on the page, three for Jim and three for myself, it was too embarassing to publish.  Imagine that!  How 'bout them Cardinals?
Instead, I'll show the four vacuum cleaners stowed in the house, three in one room.  What's up with that?

To prepare the camp for the evening's winter storm, all that's left is the removal of the boat and the untying of the dock lines.

And to do something with all those vacuums.  They suck.  Too many u's.

Moey's BDay

One birthday, one half birthday to celebrate.
One receives mala beads, one receives a red stone, shawl and newspaper.  Went all out this year.  Those born on this day are travelers, firm in their direction, compassionate and dutiful.
The winds will blow today from the Northeast carrying cold Canadian air.

My phone weather flashed a big red one on the severe weather button; winter storm warning for Saturday, 6 inches of heavy wet snow.  Time to pull the boat out of the water.  Tomorrow morning, maybe, after the house is dusted and cleaned.  Grasshopper.