Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Geez Louise--Get a Job Already Big Bubba!

OK, maybe I'm harsh.
No that's not it--I'm a push over.
J's fiance has been living with us--for awhile--what a sucker I am. He was working up until 3 weeks ago. Now he's just hanging out. I've yelled, scolded, hollered, rolled my eyes and now finally given up.
Since my shoulder has been out of commission I've been trying to take it easy. Over the weekend I managed some careful gardening. Monday was a short meeting and when I got home I had to do the dishes because mr. unemployed didn't do anything all day long. Neither did miss part time employment. What shall I do????
I cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes (some from Sunday when J made dinner).
What was my pain level today--back up to 5, damn the kids.
You may ask why I don't have a dishwasher--I do--3 in fact. 1 only works when yelled at. 1 works after much reminding. 1 prefers to be asked. Thank goodness the 4th one has her own house now.
This week I need to get over to KK's house to pick up my fair entries and $$$ :).

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Sorry 'bout that

Okay, maybe I was a little harsh on Dianna, sorry. It's just that multitudes of people seem content in their beliefs, I'm not yet. But I'm willing to learn. I have asked many believers many questions. I do believe there is a creator of all and that being I hold in high regard. But there are many peoples of this world that feel their beliefs are correct and I am curious to learn about their beliefs too. Thank you for sharing your beliefs Dianna.
PT is going well--range of motion has returned to normal, strength is increasing, I've added some lower body work while I'm there to balance out the bod, and I think I'll keep going once a week (for $5) to go with the walking I do on my off PT days. Weight is hanging at 209 but that is probably because of the increasing muscle mass.
Today is 'estrogen day', I got the house to myself until 4 so it's movies, laundry, sewing, knitting and napping. I remember my mom napping during the summer, I know why now. Up at 6, to bed at 11, that's just a long day. I think the Mexicans always had a good idea with the afternoon siesta.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Shopping Trip and Football

The shopping trip went well, left at 7:15, back by 6 and spent a few bucks.
Acquisitions on this trip consisted of a Magical Herbs book, my own copy of the Koran and and sketch book for R's birthday next week. I didn't even buy me undies at Victoria's Secret--cuz they don't have the bra sales like on-line.
Two football games in two days. JV lost to Cheboygan last night. Varity smashed Forest Area, 49-0 tonight. Go Bulldogs!!
Now Dianna, my blog visitor--I understand where you're coming from regarding Jesus of Nazareth. I have read the holy scriptures, from beginning to end and was still left with many questions--one being--
Genesis 1:26 "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
According to christian teachings god is a man-- so WHO IS us and our and them.
Answer me that.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Religions and Day Trips

I began reading the Qu'ran today. I figured if I'm going to choose a religion I should study them all before I make my choice. I read the King James version of the bible years ago, the Qu'ran is the one I found on the library shelf this time. Soon it will be the Torah and the Kaballah--I think that's all the main ones.
If anyone of you, my vast readers, has a suggestion, I'll look into that too.
Tomorrow J and R and I are taking a shopping trip to TC. Two hour drive, shopping at the mall and sharing the driving. Should be fun, I hope.

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Another Day

My day of worship began with a walk with Jane. I prefer to spend time in nature instead of forcing myself to sit on uncomfortable benches in uncomfortable clothes thinking about the walk I should be taking and all the things I should be doing at home.
Then I decided to see what stuff I could through together to enter at the fair. I knew I had at least 2 items. After some looking I ended up with 8, really.
1. Beaudaciously yellow lace pants;
2. Cute summer blue top;
3. R's Bride's maids gown from Con's wedding;
4. Machine knit socks;
5. Hand knit socks;
6. Baby onsie;
7. My pink sweater;
8. Mother-of-the-Bride ensemble I made for me.
Goal for this week--1st prize for the pants, I'm real sure that no one has made anything similar, really. Next week I hope to post pictures of the lovely entries and ribbons!
Now what shall the next projects be? Started another pair of socks with left over navy. Now I've got to get something going on one of the knitting machines and finish the aqua blazer that has been waiting for a button for 6 months.
The Great Mother doesn't want me to get any gardening done since it rains everyday. Maybe I'll big potatoes; or not.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

And Here We Go . . .

I see that I haven't been here in a few days, ouch, sorry. OK, so this week I worked like usual, except Wednesday was longer than usual. The mailing program has changed at work and so it took me much longer to get the mailing list ready so I ended up working an hour more than usual.
Then a PT Thursday I was re-evaluated, range of motion improving in my arm, but the darned thumb is still partially numb.
Friday was the event of the week with a cardiolyte stress test, hooray. This aging thing is a bunch of crap! You get one bobble on your EKG and the docs go nuts about it. So I do this stress test and I was so anxious about it when I got home I cried and then slept for 3 hours. The stress was finding out that I'm up another 5 pounds. I keep telling myself it's because of PT, working out the upper body and gaining muscle and stopping that damned high blood pressure medicine. OK, so 5'6", 211 lbs and I'm bigger than I ever have been in my life! Next visit with the doc is October and I will be walking every day that I don't have PT.
I'm also preparing for two different weekends away from home, one with hubby, one without. The hubby weekend is: 1. Our 24th anniversary, and 2. Logging Congress in Escanaba. Now we seldom go away for our anniversary BUT, this year his boss said, "We're closing the shop for the weekend and we're all going to the Logging Congress." WOW! His boss wants him by his side for the huge event for the shop--what an honor. And he wants me to tag along too! Not to mention that we've considered going to the Logging Congress for 20 years, just never got around to it.
The weekend without hubby is the end of September and is my annual knitting seminar, now called the Great Lakes Knitter's Retreat 2005. New place, Prince Conference Center at Calvin College; new format, Thursday evening preview; and new demonstrators. I started attending this in 1999 then skipped a year or two, then went for the last 3 years. My first year I remember saying to myself in the back of my mind (that voice has led me to other endeavors I will rehash at a later date) that I would like to be a demonstrator at this seminar (now retreat) in 10 years--my how time flies!
Now, as you read through this entry you may be saying to yourself--Logging Congress, Knitters Retreat, 24th anniversary--what does this woman NOT do?--I don't paint very well and I've never tatted, other than that 'wowyoucandothat' really means "Wow, you can do that?"

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Check out KnitNFit

Just posted this on KnitNFit

Thank you Cara, Lee Ann and FaeryCrafty--at PT this morning I felt the
'twing' in my neck. A good twing! That nasty nerve released from it's
pinched position!!!!!HOORAY!!! during traction. I was so excited! I
finished my work out (2 hours worth) and tentatively came home. I can
feel my thumb coming back to life slowly. But the workout they have me
doing for my shoulder tires me out because I'm not used to working the
upper body.
But I just wanted to tell everyone that I was feeling better! I have 3
more weeks of PT which i will continue and I will be adding my walk
back in tomorrow. Anyway, THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT.
Blessings to all, Denise

So today will be a tentative day. I will be cautious in all that I do. I really want to get into the garden and do some work, but I think that can wait. I will instead--
wash dishes with the left hand;
sweep floor with the left hand;
attempt machine knitting with the left hand;
and eat with the left hand.
Even though I'm a lefty, I have found that I do many things like a righty.
On with the lefty day, check E-bay and housework.

Friday, August 12, 2005

Numb Thumbs Are No Fun

I've been going to PT every other day and finally today I have improvement. All the muscle cramps seem to be gone, just the numb thumb and I can feel the impingement in my shoulder. So I's gonna be real careful.
During the past 2 weeks the kids have been housekeepers. Even though they are 19 and 15, they're not the best. I was down to my last acceptable work clothes yesterday, thank goodness today is a work at home day. The kitchen is a disaster, the fridge has dead food in it. The dust bunnies are now the size of Jane, a 65 lb chocolate lab. And J's fiance lost his job Wednesday. Can life get much worse?
Wednesday, R's boyfriend was over and she showed him what she was making on my new(old) knitting machine. He was geeked!! I showed him how to do some knitting on the brother bulky. He was even more geeked! Now he wants to start machine knitting! I love it when sharing a craft gets someone so excited!
Now it's time to wake up the monsters and get them cleaning around the house. I want to do some work but don't want a relapse of pain. I don't think the muscles in my arm, shoulder, neck and back could take another bout of spasming (nor I), or maybe I'm just getting old and weak?

Saturday, August 06, 2005

?

This was my second day of physical therapy and from here on will be known as PT.
Got my evauation from the PTist and yes, my spine looks like the above shape--a question mark. No wonder I'm in pain. I thought I would be home by say, noon, but this guy is a talker. I didn't start the actual PT until after noon!
So I did all my exercises, this pulley thing, then the traction, then the hangy arm thing, torso twist and a series of exercises in the pool. My shoulder was so tired I was shaking when I was done. I hit the hot tub for 15 minutes, changed and came home.
At home I ate a late lunch at 2 p.m. then took a nap.
Recommendation from the PTist? Ready for this--find something else to do besides knit, crochet and sew for a hobby.
I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING-EVER. So I'll just have to find more activities to do that counteract the hobby.
So any of you knitters, sewers and office job type have an idea--I'll listen to most anything. I've even joined a yahoo group KNITnFIT.
As before, I shall survive and continue on, learn more about my posture and walk more. But as in the past, I know I can only add one thing at a time about once every 3 to 6 months. This may take awhile. But since I'm gonna live to be 103, I guess I have the time!

Friday, August 05, 2005

Nada done

Shoulder still hurts, got a pinched nerve said the doc. Can't knit (machine or hand), sew, garden--can hardly type. Muscles spasm whenever they feel like it. Physical therapy was good yesterday all except the incline plane leaning/hanging arms thing. If I rest and keep my shoulder back I'm good, I can at least think and muddle through a few things. Hanging laundry is out unless I have assistance. In fact I need help with everything! Even though I'm left handed and it's my right shoulder I'm still real limited on what I can do cuz I'm quite ambidextrious--I knit and cut right handed. And mouse right handed!
Found a new blog with some 'real unique' stuff!

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

What a Pain

Last weekend was a pain, literally, in the shoulder. I imagined all sorts of things that I could do to be in such pain but nothing compared to the actual stuff. On Sunday I finally drugged myself with benadryl just to get a bit a sleep. After suffering through the weekend and not doing anything fun I called the doc on Monday morning for an appointment.
I have a pinched nerve in my T3/T4 area and will start physical therapy Thursday. It's finally starting to feel better today, I even went to work.
Subsequently I got no knitting done over the weekend, did no laundry nor gardening and the house is still in shambles. But everyone else had a wonderful time traveling here and there.
It's hot again today and my best friends are Jane and ice. Maybe soon I will be able to sleep in a bed.