Frying Eggs Outside

I remember as a kid trying to fry eggs outside on the sidewalk.  They came out more like scrambled eggs. 

It's that hot here too.  Yesterday as I was leaving work, there's a shuttle bus that is supposed to take you to the other side of 75 to get to the train station when the CityPlace elevators are broken.  Yes, I said supposed.   I waited outside for about 20 minutes with my walker before I headed back inside because it was so darn hot.  I called Dart, and the nice lady said 'There's supposed to be a shuttle bus running to help you walking impaired people'.  Where was the shuttle bus?  So I go outside and see a bus across 75 sitting there as it had been for the previous 20 minutes.  

It was hot.  I was not happy.  So I eyeballed it and decided I would walk it.  So down to Haskell Ave, turn right to walk across the highway and hoped and prayed no one would be shocked to see a pedestrian at 4:30 in the afternoon on such a hot day and then run over me.  I made it across ok then had to walk an equal distance until I was directly across from CityPlace. 

View from the shuttle bus in the morning!  That's CityPlace in the distance.

LOL by then I was really really hot and irritated.  And yes, the shuttle bus hadn't moved an inch and there wasn't a second shuttle bus either.  Maybe the driver was too hot and decided to take a nap. 

Down the elevators I go and thank the stars the right train was the next train to come through.  I followed a guy in a wheelchair onto the train and it was full.  But, a nice young lady gave me her seat.  I sure was appreciative and said thank you several times.  I felt like the egg on the sidewalk.

I'll sure be glad when I don't feel like I need the walker to ride the train anymore.   The knee is moving well but I'm just impatient.  Today at therapy, the therapist was able to straighten the knee almost all the way down to the table (I'm still not sure my knee ever straightened that far even as a kid!).

Hope you have a great cool weekend.  And pray for some rain!

LOL Tuesday

So Tuesday is the first day I go into the office.  I drove to the train station, hopped the train to downtown - not bad as the train was never crowded.  I used my walker.

Made it slowly up via the two slow DART elevators at CityPlace (one of them is at an angle along with the escalator and stairs. Then 2 more elevator rides to the office.

Finally made it into the office and promptly was worn out.  Lot's of catching up to do.

I got up and walked around about every hour.  I wasn't using the cane in the morning but as was pointed out by my bosses' boss, I should probably use it anyway just in case.

Oh well.

So the afternoon was a different story, I went down to get lunch and made it back ok.  Worked while eating.  I made it until a little after 3 and then I was just worn out.  Thankfully, both the DART escalators were working and I made it to the train without waiting too long.

That train wasn't too full either.  Dragged myself to the car and then came on home and hopped in bed.  Honestly didn't think I was going to make it in the house though - those 4 little steps seemed impossible.

A few hours later, I woke up to find my brother was here and had already taken out the trash for trash day, cleaned the litter boxes and cleaned Sam's mess (he is diabetic and doesn't quite make it to the litter box when his stomach is upset).  Wow.  Then I got to sit under the continuous ice machine for a while - boy did that help.

I got up in the middle of the night and my legs are so sore from all the walking I did yesterday.  LOL.   I didn't think I walked that much but apparently I did!

Glad I'm working from home on Wednesday!

Oh My!

Well, the knee saga continues.  I did venture out Sunday with my brother and sister-in-law.  We drove up to Denison to see Mom.  We went to What-a-burger for lunch.  I was sure glad to be in the SUV instead of the truck since the ride was smoother.

I start real physical therapy this afternoon.  The particular person my surgeon recommended is aggressive when it comes to working body parts.  When I went for the evaluation last week, the lady I worked with before did the evaluation since the guy was on vacation.  It wasn't until we were scheduling appointments that I remembered who the guy was.  Oh My.  I'm in trouble now. 

I sure hope the pain pills are effective this afternoon!

I started working from home today.  I'll go in the office on the 2 days I don't have physical therapy. 

My goal is to walk a mile without stumbling.  Well, for now that's the impossible goal.... but baby steps will get me there.

The O.U.C.H continues

Jackson wearing the tshirt I gave him...LOL

I'm doing my therapy 3 times a day and trying for the 4th time.  Ugh.  I feel like I am going backwards.

However, a few good notes:  I can walk a little without the walker.  I'm not being too brave though.  Just enough to make me feel better.

Allergies hit last week and that didn't help a bit.  LOL

The cat nanny isn't coming anymore.  I can give Sam his shots.  Sam did his whining dance for breakfast this morning - I've missed seeing that.  Nanny D was a life saver for me and the kitties.  She's coming back one afternoon next week to clean out all the litter boxes and put in fresh litter.

Progress is slow and I am impatient.

O.U.C.H

I've been out for a while getting a new knee.  It has been bad but the cortisone shots were effective only a few weeks.

So in the hospital I go.  I get a new knee.  Ouch.  The hospital was nice.

I went to a rehab place for about 9 days.  It was ok.  The night people didn't want me to use the knee machine for more than 2 hours but I insisted (and apparently, they called the surgeon a few times about it but he already said use it all you want - the more the better). 

They were too busy to let me walk around and that wasn't necessarily a good thing.  But I sure was glad to get home and see my kitties.

Now for the real rehab part - o.u.c.h

By the way, did I mention O.U.C.H.

Crazy Weather for a Funeral

As I mentioned before, we decided to wait to have graveside services for Dad in April so it wouldn't be so cold.  It would also be easier for his brother Bert to attend. 

Well, the well laid plans of mice and men go straight to the toilet sometimes and this was one of them as far as the weather went that day.

It was warm all that week but the day of the service,  Clouds, an unexpected temperature drop, wind, rain and just down right freezing cold weather (yes, the wind chill was in the 30's that day).

The service was respectful, haunting, and meaningful for us. 

The Air Force provided the military flag ceremony.  Dad was in the Army during WWII and later in the Air Force.   I decided the flag should go directly to my nephew instead of me.  That was so nice.  The unfolding and folding of the flag was heartbreaking and proud at the same time.  Many of Dad's problems in later years were directly related to his experiences in WWII.  He still carried shrapnel in his back from being shot by a German tank.  At the time, it was the largest tank in the world. While he didn't lose his life during the war, he suffered the after horrors and he certainly paid the price for our freedom.

 

The bugle was just haunting in the setting that day.  Absolutely beautiful.   

 We were able to laugh though, at the weather (I swear it was warmer in December that it was on this day), and when filling up the vault (he was cremated) and they had a hard time getting a garden ornament to bend (it was an twisty thing with the stars and stripes).  

 

Bye, Dad.  Love you.  See you later.