PT, Textiles and Tea, questions

This morning Gary rushed in with an orchid he rescued from his daughter, ready to toss it, would I take it? Not a big fan of orchids, but I didn't want it tossed.

A morning tracery of shadows on the fence, and inside, here she is, with her friends and, outside, the first daffodil in bloom, always that one.

 This afternoon brought a physical therapy session, very helpful, though not easy, and more useful suggestions about prep for the house and me for after the surgery. And how to resume post surgery therapy with Emil, which I would like to do rather than any other PT.

The exertion is the reason I fell asleep during Textiles and Tea, with Jon Riis, a wonderful tapestry artist who uses metallic threads and Swarovski crystals in his enormous works, some 5x10 feet.

He has spent time in India and China, and some of his slides are of Indian woven old and modern textiles, largely sari lengths.

The slide showing links is for cut and paste, because it's a picture of links rather than actual live links.

This was a great presentation, and the links are about works of his in museums.

I was interrupted in the middle, aside from falling asleep, by a questionnaire from the surgeon about how I'm doing.  Everything from mood to self care and movement ability.  No stone unturned.

Happy day, everyone, from a tired Boud doing all sorts of arrangements at once, it seems. Now I know why I'm tired -- turns out it's a symptom of my current situation. Doh!

Try to be wiser than your humble scribe. I don't think it will be hard!

Misfits and Two Proud Walkers

Yesterday I asked on Freecycle if anyone had a walker, because it turns out I need not only  the downstairs one I already have from HP, but another for upstairs. I used to have a second one and donated it years ago.

Within minutes I had not just an offer, but a choice! With wheels or rubber feet. And the Freecycler said he'd deliver it today because they were going to be in the area on their way somewhere. So here it is 

And here's my benefactor getting in his car ready to help someone else 

When I thanked him he said, nah, it's what I do!  

And I made a couple of just-in-time discoveries. One is that the cortisone shot would put a three month delay on surgery, one that the bone density shot would put a six month delay. Good thing I hadn't had either yet. One scheduled next week, one the week after.  

I see the surgeon Monday,  to get surgery scheduling started, and have him confirm whether I have to bag one shot, postpone the other. The bone density doctor's nurse tells me the shot can usually be postponed safely, wants me to talk again after I see the surgeon.

It's all go. My new normal. I feel like a traffic cop directing all these medical and surgical threads.

Meanwhile Kareem brought the Misfits box, and took away the returns 

Small order this week. The "mystery color" chard turns out to be plain green this time. Tofu for crunchy sticks, because I liked that a lot, with a dipping sauce. Apples for midmornings, berries with the yogurt already in the fridge for desserts, sardines because it's been ages. 

Today I was a bit tired, after the doings of a couple of days, but anyway I changed the bed, did two loads of laundry, put everything away compulsively, did my PT work like a model patient, even cleaned and changed the filters on my hearing aids (!) and got into a Hamish Macbeth. 

Tonight I'm making a chickpea tuna salad. I might make flatbread since I'm all out of bread. I always need some form of bread around. 

Happy day everyone, when in doubt I overdo. But you don't have to.

Billie Takes a Stand: don't mess with me, mean people, you know who you are, making my food more expensive. I will bite your ankle.

Pleats, and nearer home

 Isn't this lovely? I thought pleats were a modern idea, but no. This picture is for everyone who has measured, pleated, repleated and ended up using a table fork to create pleats. Interestingly, called knife pleats. There are box pleats and kick pleats, too, a world of them.  

In a world of chaos, think pleating. 

Are you interested in another organ recital, aka health and related update? If not, I'm telling you anyway!

Yesterday I got the doctor and pharmacy on the same page, a replacement rx happened and will be shipped in the next few days. They had said overnight, then it became few days. As long as it arrives, fine.

Lovely Emil the PT came for our first session, assessment, safety check, everything. He strongly advised me to schedule the surgery, while it's not an emergency, approved a lot of the safety features in the house, said the sofa must be raised, did a range of motion series, taught me some exercises for better strength ready for surgery showed me pictures of his kids and dogs, and will be back on Friday.   He'll check if any of his students are interested in picking up hours with me after surgery. He's a full service PT!

Then I had my contractor artist friend from across the street come over and figure out a way to raise the sofa.  He'll organize something that works. Then I'll be able to sit on it after surgery. He installed all the grab bars years ago, after studying the ADA requirements to be sure he did it right. 

So a few things went well, and there was Chocolonely chocolate I'd forgotten about in the fridge. I must really have been distracted. 

Monday I have an appointment with the surgeon to schedule the replacement surgery. This is all moving fast. 

Self care will continue!

Happy day everyone, OMF! Own Mask First. Ted sez.

Ugly useful thing, Misfits

My front door, despite the curtain, is still  drafty because the wind blows right at it. I've been thinking about making a draft stopper, and I've seen really beautiful artcraft ones. 

But I decided a draft stopper hidden by a curtain didn't need to be anything more than functional. Also if it used up some materials, good.

So I hauled out a pair of old socks, found the rest of a bunch of unspinnable cotton roving, and this happened.

All the roving used, socks knotted together, now holding the fort at the front door. Empty bag to prove it. 

And Misfits arrived.

I didn't order that many chickpeas, much as I like them. Two of them were packed in mistake for cannellini. 

Not a big deal, I can use them, but I reported and got a series of messages about refunds. I did explain they'd sent two extra chickpeas. I can't fathom their math but since the numbers are so small anyway, I'll consider it fine.

The pieces of cod I ordered arrived labeled codpieces. Cracked me up.

Lunch was chicken croquette with mushrooms and spinach wilted in, then berries and yogurt. 

And I now have the makings of tomato cheese egg bake, maybe supper tonight on toast. 

I always send up thanks to the growers, pickers, packers and drivers feeding this grateful old party.

And old Helen Hip would like a word. As you know, I started months ago with what my doctor diagnosed as bursitis. Very likely, in view of my activity. And I found there are quite a few places in the hip where it can happen. 

So I proceeded to get advice from various up to now trustworthy sources. Gentle stretches. Don't sit with crossed knees. Heat. Ice. Gel for pain. Pillow between knees to sleep, patience, it takes time. Use a cane to avoid falling.

And I found: hip stretches irritated it and prolonged the pain, pillow between knees transferred pain directly to the knee instead, gel did literally nothing. The other ideas not bad. 

I also learned to get up slowly, stand straight before stepping forward, nobody had suggested that, maybe they thought it was obvious. 

So, still walking as I can, lifting stuff as usual, no stretching, no extra pillow, no gel, it's improving.  I guess time was the most effective measure. I'm happy it's doing better so maybe that pain wasn't my new normal after all.

And some of those ideas may work for some people, just not this one. 

The chocolate cake is now evenly divided - some to Gary, some frozen for handsome Son's next visit, small amount left for my afternoon tea. This is how it goes when I bake. No danger of my getting more than my share!

Happy day everyone, share your cake of life!