Puzzle

 

The puzzle was harder than it looks.  I only do 300 piece jigsaw puzzles since I have no patience beyond that.  Of course there is one piece missing - I know it's on my colorful rug, somewhere - my daughter will spot it in a few seconds.

On Sunday I realized that my car's battery was dead.  It's been cold and I haven't been driving it.  On Monday the AAA guy came and jumped it.  He told me that the battery probably needed to be replaced.  I told him that the car only had 10,000 miles and the battery should be ok.  I ran the car for 45 minutes, part of the time driving and the rest looking at the manual and familiarizing myself with things.

Yesterday I got in the car to make the trip to PT - I was preety happy about driving myself - and the battery was dead.  Today my neighbor tried to jump it without success.  And so, tomorrow I'll call AAA once again.  The dealer told me that the battery is under warranty but that I need to bring the car to the dealership so they can check it out.

But, on to other things.  Sunday night's football game was disappointing.  I really wanted the Bills to win - or more like it, I really wanted the Chiefs to NOT win.

I'm doing pretty well with walking - I use the cane about half the time and half the time I'm ok without it.  I haven't been using the walker at all.  Pain is lessening and I'm sleeping better.  

I can navigate the outside steps easily and can go up the stairs.  So far, no sewing - It's hard to get my creativity back and I'm trying to be patient.  It will come.

Good News Today

 

The winter puffy throw.  This one stays on my bed for now.

Another day, another PT session.  And such good news.  I can walk around the house, cane free, and take the cane when I go out to the store or other places.

And just like that, my world will be opening up.  Tomorrow, maybe, I'll call AAA and get my battery charged and air put in the tires.  Next PT, next week, I plan to drive myself.

Tomorrow or the next day, I'll make the trek upstairs to my studio and spend a little time, just being there.

Tonight I'm celebrating with a Door Dash order from my favorite neighborhood restaurant.  A salad with salmon and cheese bread sticks.  I wish you could celebrate with me.

The Next Day

 This gifted puffy fall throw has been just the thing for these cold days.  I was gifted another for the holidays - it's on my bed - maybe you'll see it tomorrow.  I hope it won't be -1 degrees when I wake up tomorrow  

I couldn't not read the comments on news articles about the Bishop's plea to the president.  Lots of support.  Some saying she should apologize.  A few comments about how women shouldn't be in the pulpit.  A few that women should be subservient to men. Some mentioned that what she said wasn't biblical, that she should read her Bible before preaching.  

It was interesting reading.  And I did way too much thinking and puzzling and I'm glad that my garden flag reminds me to love my neighbor, no exceptions  My heart felt so hopeful yesterday, so discouraged today.  

And then there was Bernie, no mittens for him this inauguration, telling us that 'the wealthiest three people in America now have more wealth than the bottom half of our society."  And that all three sat behind the president at the inauguration.  

Today

 It's been a strange day.  I've been having trouble sleeping and overslept this morning.  PT was at 11:00 and it seems to take me  longer than it should to get ready.

The good PT news is that I'm cleared to use a cane instead of the walker.  That's a pretty big step.  It will mean that I can navigate the steps out to the car by myself and drive away.   When the snow around the car melts.  And when I get the battery charged.  Neither of which will be happening in the next few cold days. 

The oft-balance day took a turn up when I heard the small female Episcopal bishop's plea to the president.  It touched my heart.  I wish I was that articulate and compassionate and brave.

Words for Tomorrow

 

From Clergy Coaching Network

Words for tomorrow.

I think I've been in denial that tomorrow is coming.

Still Here

 

The snow is still here.  Maybe not as much, but it's still around.  When I got up this morning the temperature was three degrees, tonight's low is 16.  In a few days the highs will be 39, maybe rain on Saturday, so that should help.  And then Sunday's low will be 7, followed by 2, 5, and 4 as the week goes on.

Yesterday's PT included thirty step-ups on the bottom step - and  today is a sore day.  I've done a few simple stretching exercises but mostly took a lot of reading breaks.  Ate leftovers.  It's ok, tomorrow will be better.

As I did those steps I got a little glimpse of the top of the stairs - and I know that soon I'll be up there.  I hope my sewing machine still knows my name.  (Really, it does.) 

There is a church committee meeting tonight starting at 8:00, kind of late for me.  The chair is really good at holding meetings to an hour, which I appeciate.  I hope I don't act like a sleepy old person.

Do Over

 For the past few days I've been without internet.  My router needed to be restarted, which happens from time to time.  The router is in my basement, and the basement isn't accessible to me right now.  Yesterday it was unplugged and then plugged back in and all is right with my internet world once again.

The Chex Mix picture above is from my redo.  At Christmas I thought I could surely make Chex Mix and stir in from a chair.  That wasn't a good idea.  There was Chex Mix spilling in the oven and Chex Mix on the floor and someone else had to take over.

Now, though, I can make Chex Mix, and there is no chair.  And it was delightful.

Yesterday was my eye doctor visit, which went much better than I'd hoped.  Return in three months and in the meantime see a corneal specialist to see whether to monitor or consider a corneal transplant.  The operated eye was stable and pressure was good.

And so - I was able to navigate the steps down and up fairly easily.  And for the first time in a month I left the house and rode in a car, just like real people do.  

Thanks to my son-in-law for taking me to the appointment and for  restarting the router.