Enough about the knee, already!

My knee was much better this morning (of course), but I did go to see the doctor.  He said there was some fluid in the knee and that perhaps the patella had slipped while I was asleep (since the onset was so sudden), and it had gradually worked back into place.  Sounds reasonable, especially since it seems to be okay now.  He encouraged me to do some specific exercises to strengthen muscles in the area.  I'm mostly back to "normal" today, but I will use a cane for a while longer.

Another day

I have an appointment with the doctor in the morning.  It was awful again this morning when I got up but is better now - so maybe something is slipping.  In any case, it needs to be checked.  I literally have stayed in all day today.  I ate the last of the delicious squash soup Margaret brought me for lunch, and one my frozen dinners for supper.  I didn't even go up to get my mail.

It was a beautiful day here today - sunshine and high in the mid50s.  And they're predicting more of the same tomorrow.

Back to winter Sunday

Margaret came by this afternoon.  She brought me a latching metal can for my bird seed that I can keep on the deck.  That should keep the raccoons and squirrels out.  She did a bunch of small "honey-do" things for me - and all were greatly appreciated.  We also talked about finding a way to do something special with all the family.  We already go to the beach, but I've been trying to find something else.  We looked at some VRBO places here in Chattanooga and maybe we can all get together for a long weekend and all stay in one place.  We still have a third of John's ashes and have been trying to find a time that we can put them in the river outside the boathouse where he rowed.  We'll see what happens with that. The knee was no better this morning - if anything it's worse.  I got the walker out of the closet and have been using that today.  I'm going to call the doc in the morning and see if I can get in to see him then.  In the meantime, I'm staying off of it, and taking pain medicine.  We had a few spits of sleet this afternoon, but that was all of the winter precipitation.  It was amazing when the front came through.  It was immediate - strong winds, blowing rain, and about 15 minutes later, the sun was shining.  And the temperature has been dropping steadily since then.  Back to winter!

Strange day

It's been a lovely day here today, even though it's chilly.  We'll just enjoy the sunshine.  They're predicting light rain and/or snow for tomorrow, with high around 40. I've had a bad day with my knee today.  I was sleeping in the chair, and when I woke up about 6, I couldn't bend the knee or put any weight on it.  I managed to get to my cane to help me somewhat, took a pain pill and got back in the bed.  It has gradually improved over the day, but I'm still using the cane.  We'll see what happens overnight - and I'll be calling the doc on Monday morning.  I saw him on Tuesday and x-rays then looked fine.  (Girls, don't call - I'll let you know if there's a problem.)

Exercise continues

Swimming this morning, and then my mani/pedi.  That always makes for a good morning.  The swimming will continue, but will change Monday for about a month.  The Y is closing our pool for 3 weeks or so to resurface the sides and bottom.  Some of us are planning to go to classes at the downtown Y - still on M/W/F, but at 9 am.  That makes for later sleeping in the morning, but will certainly take up the whole morning. At least we'll still be able to do our water exercising…and talking.

Doctor week

• The six-month checkup with my primary care physician went well. I got the first of two pneumonia shots (second one in a year), and will get what used to be called a DPT shot next month.  I'm scheduled for an echo cardiogram next week to check the status of my minor heart murmur.  And will be set up with a pulmonary consult soon.
• The checkup with the orthopedic surgeon went well.  The x-rays of the knee are good.  He wants me to keep exercising the knee and to work more on the shoulder.  X-rays of both will be scheduled for the next appointment in three months.
• The six-month dental visit and cleaning went well.  No problems there.  The dentist says my teeth should last for a long time.
• The next appointment is for Friday - the most important one of the week - a manicure/pedicure.
• Not bad for an almost 81-year-old broad.

NCIS Haiku

It's amazing that

After all these years, Gibbs can

Still make us all cry.

Bad night.

Crappy cards at bridge.
Bid poorly, played worse. Why keep
Playing this damn game!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Icebreaker Questions

1. Are you loud, outgoing or shy? Somewhere between outgoing and shy.

2. What’s coming up where you’ll see an old friend? Other than the usuals, I don't know that I'll see any old friends until this summer.

3. Are you easy to get along with? I think so.

4. Have you ever given up on someone, but then gone back? Not really.

5. Who was the last person that you had a deep conversation with? I just exchanged some pretty deep e-mails with my sister-in-law.

6. Are you okay with being in a big crowd? I don't freak out, but I tend to avoid places that are very crowded.

7. Do you believe in luck and/or miracles? Not really.  Mostly it's hard work and being in the right place at the right time.

8. What good thing happened during the summer? (It’s good to think about summer when you are  freezing your butt off in January.) Always beach week, and the trip along the Maine coast.

9. Do you think there is life on other planets? Not life as we know it - maybe bacteria or some such.

10. Who was your first crush on? I don't remember.

11. What are your bad habits? Sloth, lack of will power.

12. What’s your favorite part of your daily routine? Changing into soft clothes after supper.

13. Other than your significant other, who are you most comfortable with? My girls.

14. Has an ex ever told you that they regret breaking up? It never happened.

15. Why should your celebrity crush drop everything to be with you? No celebrity crush here.

16. What would be the hardest to give up and why? Books. TV. Music. Books - even though my reading concentration is almost gone.

17. Do you believe in second chances? In most circumstances.

18. What would like to do next in your life? I don't think I'd like to have one.

19. What’s the meanest thing that anyone has ever said to you? If anybody's been mean, I've blotted it out.

20. What’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to you? I always love hearing people tell me how wonderful our girls are.

Why we marched today (in person and in spirit)

My granddaughter and her spouse marched today in Washington, DC.  I've been so proud all day, just knowing she was representing her whole family.  This evening, a friend of hers asked her on FB why she wanted to accomplish by marching.  This was her response:

 I definitely can't speak for others, but I can tell you why I marched.

• First and foremost, President Trump has repeatedly and publicly spoken in ways that are incredibly disrespectful of women. Not only do I find this personally offensive, I am also incredibly concerned by the fact that one of the most powerful men in the world thinks that this is acceptable behavior. I think that words matter, and his words contribute to a culture where sexual assault is dismissed as “locker room talk”. In a country where 83% of high school girls have admitted to being sexually harassed, I don’t think that it is acceptable to have a President who promotes that kind of thinking.

• I am pro-choice. I know that you don’t feel that way, but I truly believe that decisions about a woman’s body are between the women, her partner, her doctor, and her God. I don’t think that there is a place there for government. It is an incredibly personal decision, and not one that I feel I have a right to judge someone else for making. The right of women to make this choice is under attack, and I’m willing to fight to protect it. (And by the way, I absolutely respect your right to fight against it! That is the amazing thing about living in a free and democratic society – we are entitled to differences of opinion and there are ways for us to express those opinions through protests, through voting, and through communicating with our elected officials.)

• I also am surrounded by many smart, successful, amazing women (married, single, moms, and those without kids). And I have been lucky enough to make myself happy and successful. However, the world is much bigger than the circle of women I know, and many of these women face enormous challenges. Lack of access to affordable child care, lack of ability to take maternity leave or stay home with your kid if he is sick because you are afraid of losing your job. I am blessed to be in a position where I have a loving and supportive partner, good health insurance, and generous family leave policies, but many women are not in that position.

I very much hope that President Trump is successful because having a strong and successful president is in the best interest of all Americans. However, he has made statements and indicated support for policies that go against many of the American values that I think are most important, like tolerance, acceptance, and protecting those who cannot protect themselves. I marched because it is impossible for my elected officials to act on my behalf if they don’t know what I believe. Today, I stood up for what I believe in, because I feel like that is an incredibly patriotic and American thing to do.

I also believe that both liberals and conservatives live in bubbles where they mostly hear from people who think and act like they do, and that isn’t a productive way to solve problems. I think that the United States has some major issues that we need to address, and it is going to take a lot of smart people working very hard to solve them. Neither party has a monopoly on good ideas or smart, innovative, passionate people, and we’ll make a lot more progress towards solving things if we combine the best ideas from all perspectives. So, while I’m not up for name calling and rushes to judgement (like has been done in some of the previous comments on this thread), I’m happy to be a liberal you (and others reading this thread) can talk to! We may not agree on a lot of things, but understanding where somebody else is coming from and practicing empathy for people who see the world from different perspectives is the only way I know of to be part of a strong, thriving democracy.

There is no way I could improve on this.  I'm so proud of you both.

Friday Five

1. Today was the day for an overdue haircut.  The gal who cut it always cuts it very short - and I like it that way.
2. I went to duplicate this afternoon.  My usual partner didn't show up - don't know why, but I played with another woman who didn't have a partner.  We came in in the middle of the N/S pairs, and actually one 1/3 of an MP.  And we had some interesting hands.
3. We got lots of rain last night, but today was a lovely day. And it's supposed to be warm for the next few days - then turn cold again by the end of next week.  Tied a record today with 71*.
4. I've tried to ignore the events of the day.  I hate having to do it, but I don't want the next four years to be a disaster.  If things go horrible with him, they will be horrible for our country.
5. Alison and Joe will be at the Women's March tomorrow in Washington.  They'll be representing all the Zelle women.

"This Is Us"

Have you watched This Is Us?  I hadn't, but thanks to Bev and Jennifer, I decided to give it a look.  I watched this week's episode and based on that, went to On Demand to catch the first episodes.  It's an interesting premise and quite well acted.

If you haven't watched it, check it out.  New programs air on NBC on Tuesday night.

Tuesday haiku

Walmart and Silver

Sneakers. Excitement for the

Morning. Then to knit.

Another week.

It's always good to start off with exercise in the pool.  And it feels good to come home and get a short  nap in the chair.

I spent a couple of hours watching these wonderful programs from BBC Scotland on the excavation of the Ness of Brodgar.  Our trip to the Orkneys was one of our favorites, and the Neolithic sites in this region (Mae's Howe, the Stones of Stennis, and the Ring of Brodgar) are beyond magnificent.  They're each an hour long, but well worth watching.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x57ryz2_britain-s-ancient-capital-secrets-of-orkney-episode-1-2017-bbc-documentary_tv

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x581p9k_britain-s-ancient-capital-secrets-of-orkney-episode-2-2017-bbc-documentary_tv


And tonight my partner and I came in last again at duplicate.  I did play a couple of hands very well and that makes it worth while.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Very Forceful Questions 

1. Do you have/have you had any pets? In my life, I've had 3 dogs and 2 or 3 cats.  The last one was a cat.  But none since about 1990.

2. Do you play video games? If so, do you have a favorite video game series? I play some games on the computer - mostly word games.  I don't play any timed games or "virtual reality" games or live games with other people.

3. Any unpopular opinions on anything? Of course.

4. Do you have a favorite gem? If yes, has anyone ever bought you jewelry with that gem? Not really - I'm not much into jewelry.

5. Favorite story genres? Mysteries, police procedurals, nonfiction.  I wish I could read like I used to.  Now I read very slowly.

6. What was once a secret that you can now share? (The original question was "What kind of fruit do you hate" which is type of question that I think "who cares?" so I just change them.) My life is an open book.

7. Do you like reading? I love to read - just wish I had enough concentration now to read more than a few minutes at a stretch.

8. What time is it for you now, what are you usually doing at this time of the day? Mid evening.  I'm watching TV, and usually on the computer or knitting.

9. What character on TV or in film is most similar to you? You can go with looks or personality. Or you can make a quip and go to the next question. Nothing comes to mind here.

10. What's something weird you wanna do? I wish I could travel like we used to do.

11. Have you ever accomplished a New Years Resolution? I haven't made New Years' resolutions in years.  And probably if I ever made any, I wouldn't keep them.

12. Is there any music artist you look up to? Just about any one of them has more musical talent than I do.

13. Are you allergic to anything? If yes, what? Work, in general.  But also pollen, dust, trees, grasses, ragweed - all the usual nasal allergens.

14. When was the last time you took a swim? Who else was with you? Friday morning - and every Mon/Wed/Fri - with my water exercise class.

15. Would you rather have the ability to sleep for as long as you want, or have the ability to never have to sleep? I like sleeping.  I'd like to be able to sleep for as long as I wanted, without getting up every 2-3 hours.

A warm Thursday

 Margaret and I met with my financial gal yesterday.  We had thought we had finally gotten everything taken care of.  But no! mail showed up last week addressed to "JDZ (Dec)", so we're having to jump through some hoops for that one.  But we're close!  These folks are SO good (even Margaret is pleased), and I'm so glad to have them to manage finances for me.

I went to Silver Sneakers this morning, and that was it for the day.  I watched some of the Senate hearings, but couldn't stay with it for too long - so mostly the TV was off during the day. They're painting in the empty apartment next door to me.  The maintenance guy doesn't know if it's rented or if they're just getting ready to show it to potential renters.  It'll be nice to have a new neighbor.

The group here played some bridge tonight.  We have a new player.  One of the new residents is a player (yea!).  He's a retired Episcopal minister who has moved in with his forgetful wife - a nice guy and a good player.  Maybe we'll get some more players sometime.

Life with the Y

Our swim class has gotten to be a challenge.  A couple of weeks ago, the temperature in the lap pool (where our class is held) was +/- 10 degrees colder than it should be.  No classes then, unless they could be held in the smaller therapy pool.

I finally started back in the class last Monday.  The temperature outside was in the teens, but was just right in the lap pool.  It didn't last long.

This morning, the circulation pump/motor was broken and the lap pool was closed.  We did have class - in the therapy pool.  We're to call before we go to the Y Friday morning.

And on 30 January, for at least three weeks (i.e., most of February)both pools will be closed for badly-needed resurfacing. We can check on classes at one of the other branches in town.

Swim class will certainly be problematic until March. 

The Farewell Address

What grace and class!  This improbable president will be sorely missed.  I wish him well in his new life.

Cards

I went to duplicate tonight.  My partner and I had really yucky cards - usually not even enough to play decent defense.  I did get into one difficult contract and played it well and made the contract.  That made evening not a total loss.  LOL  Such is life playing bridge.

Brrrrr

I stayed in all day yesterday.  The temperature never got above freezing, and it was 15 degrees F this morning.  The bright sunshine looks lovely, but it is Brrrr!  And it's supposed to be in the mid60s by the end of the week.

Welcome to the South!

Plans?

Today didn't quite turn out as planned.  I was going to the Y and to coffee, and then play duplicate in the afternoon.  And then weather happened.

It turned super cold, and we had snow predicted beginning about noon. I knew it wasn't supposed to do much here, but I leave for the Y in the dark, and it's very hilly, making roads treacherous. I decided to be smart and stay home.  Some snow showers started about noon, so I texted my duplicate partner that I was going to stay home.  Of course, then the snow stopped.

As it wound up, I stayed home all day, doing important stuff.  I knitted and played on the computer.  And spent the afternoon watching the news about the awful shooting in the Ft. Lauderdale airport.

So much for plans.

Busy day

I went to the Y this morning, then had a mani/pedi (such luxury!).  Randy asked me to knit him a sweater vest, so I went looking for a pattern.  I was surprised at how hard it was to find one - looked first on line, then Walmart, then HobbyLobby - the easiest places for me.  No success.  So I headed to my local yarn store and, of course, they found a pattern for me.  I also bought the yarn there.  That won't take as long as the other project I have going, so I'll probably alternate between them.

Margaret and Jesse came to town, looking for bamboo flooring to replace her den floor.  They came to get me and we went for Mexican food.  Always fun.

Ruts?

Sometimes it's comfortable to get back into our ruts.

I went to Silver Sneakers this morning - the first time since my knee replacement.  I was able to do most things, and at least I went.  I'm getting back into going to the Y on a regular basis.  I haven't gotten into the class yet, but I'm working through the same time.  And I even went to Walmart this morning, too.

Normality!

Day 2

All day rain and fog - but we came in third at duplicate tonight.  8^)

And on into 2017

Now the new year starts.

YMCA, doctors, bridge.

Just the usual.