The Last Wednesday Hodgepodge Of September…

Goodbye September, Hello Hodgepodge!  I can’t say that I’m sad to see September go, but I sure am glad to see The Wednesday Hodgepodge!  Thank you to our gracious hostess, Joyce, for keeping this fun meme going 🙂

Here are this week’s questions, along with my answers:

1. Something on your October calendar that makes you smile?

Birthdays!  Our family will celebrate three of them during the month of October. One of the birthdays belongs to our daughter, while the other two birthdays belong to our oldest and youngest grandchildren.  Fun times!

2. Food for the soul or music for the soul…which camp are you in? Tell us why.

I’m in the ‘music for the soul’ camp.  I’ll choose listening to good music over eating good food any day.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to eat, but I love listening to music more, especially live music.  Music can transport me away, to another place, another time, especially music from the 60’s and 70’s.

3. What are two or three things you’ve learned recently as the result of an online search?

I learned how to pickle peppers and I discovered a new chili recipe.  I also watched a video of an actual foraminotomy–before I had mine done.  (I wanted to know what to expect!)  Have I mentioned you can find just about anything through Google?

4. Share your favorite game day recipe. You can describe it, post the how-to, or add a link to the actual recipe.

The only thing that comes to mind is the new chili recipe I recently found, courtesy of Food.com. I tried it out last weekend, and it was a hit with the family.

Here it is:

 Award Winning Chili

SERVINGS: 6

• 1lb ground venison or 1 lb ground beef or 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 (14 ounce) can Mexican-style tomatoes (like Rotel)
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon paprika (smoked if you can find it)
• 1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook ground meat with onions and peppers in dutch oven.
2. Drain excess grease and add tomatoes, seasonings, and water, bring to a boil.
3. Add beans, cover and simmer 1-2 hours.
4. Serve with toppings.

• Toppings

• sour cream
• cheddar cheese
• green onion

5. What are your five essential steps for creating the perfect morning routine?

Due to recent surgery, I don’t have a perfect morning routine, at this time. However, a normal morning would usually go like this: (1) Feed and clean up after the chickens (while Ed feeds the cats) (2) Take a morning walk down the road and back (3) Listen to the audio Bible for about fifteen minutes (4) Have breakfast (5) Wash my hair and begin the day’s activities.

6. What small thing have you taken note of today?

I noticed that our daylight hours are getting shorter, and because of this we are now getting fewer eggs from our hens.  This is normal.

7. Sum up your September in seven words or less.

September was “all about” back surgery.

Random:

Tomorrow will be our daughter’s birthday.  Thirty-seven years ago, today, Ed and I put my suitcase in the car and headed to the hospital, not sure if I was in labor or not.  Our baby was already 10 days overdue, and we’d already made one trip due to “false labor”.

It turned out I wasn’t actually in labor, but the amniotic fluid had begun to leak out, so they kept me and induced labor.  After eight long hours and one difficult delivery, our daughter, Brandy, was born on October 1, at 5:20 in the morning. She was precious, and our lives were changed forever.

Brandy at 5 weeks old

Here we are, 37 years later, and our daughter is still precious to us.  She’s grown into a strong young woman with a family of her own.  She makes us proud. Best of all, she’s our next-door neighbor, so we can see her on a daily basis!  We’re SO blessed that God chose us to be her parents.

Happy Birthday, Brandy!

Brandy and her daughter, Madison, who will also be celebrating a birthday in about 3 weeks

Kathy’s Surgical Adventure (part 2)…

Part one of my surgical story ended when the nurse rolled me out the door and helped me get into the backseat of the car.  Strangely enough, this part of the whole surgery ordeal had  concerned me the most in the days leading up to my back surgery.  For days, I debated about which car we should drive, and where I would ride in it on the one hour and fifteen minute trip back home. I wanted to be as comfortable as possible.

We ended up driving the PT Cruiser, and I ended up riding home in the backseat of it.  I prepared a soft place in the backseat, complete with a pillow, and made sure I had room to lay down on the seat (with my legs bent).  I only sat about ten minutes into the trip before my head hit that pillow instead of my back.   It felt much better to lie on my side than to sit up!  The ride didn’t seem that long, but I was happy when we arrived home.

The second thing I was concerned about, prior to surgery, was being in a lot of pain, afterward. In fact, I’d instructed Ed to make sure the doctor sent me home with some kind of pain killer before we left the Surgery Center!  I needn’t have worried, because they sent me home with a prescription for a bottle of 100 caplets, and told me I could take up to two of them at a time, if necessary.  I took them around the clock for two days, and they kept me comfortable.  By day three, post surgery, I was feeling better, and began to stretch out the time between doses of pain meds.  By day five, I didn’t even need them anymore!

Although I had very little back pain after day four, I’d begun having some strange feelings in my left leg by day three. My left leg is the one that had been affected by sciatica.  These strange feelings were similar to sciatica–some numbness,  some tightness, and some pain, but the sensations were much less intense after the surgery.  These sensations in my leg concerned me, but I reminded myself it takes an inflamed nerve a while to calm down and heal.

I’d been instructed to walk and take deep breaths after surgery, so that’s what I did every chance I got in the days following surgery.  I’d walk back and forth all through the house.  I’d take lots of deep breaths to make sure my lungs stayed clear. Thankfully, my sore throat [from the breathing tube] had gone away by day three.

I basically alternated between sitting in a chair or lying on the couch for seven days.  I did my walking in between.  I watched a lot of television, took a lot of naps, and the time passed quickly. Before I knew it, I’d made it through week one.

The most difficult thing I encountered all week was remembering not to twist or bend!  It’s almost impossible to do anything without bending over, at least a little.  I was thankful when week one was over and I was allowed to bend again, although I’m still not supposed to do it repeatedly.

The most frustrating thing was being told not to take a shower for an entire week!  I had to rely on Ed to help with my ‘sponge bath’ each day.  On day 4, I broke this rule, a little, by sitting on a shower stool and using only the hand-held shower nozzle.  Ed taped plastic over my surgical bandage, and I took extra care to keep the water away from my back.  It felt good to have a little of my dignity back, and it felt great to feel running water on my skin again!  I also went to my hair stylist and had my hair washed, which helped my feelings greatly, as well.

The last of  the steri-strips came off the incision on post-surgery day 10 (with a little help).  I can hardly see the incision, but it appears to only be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.  There are no visible stitches, since they’re all under the skin, with the top layer of skin glued shut.  It’s  amazing to me that a person can operate on your spine through such a tiny incision. I guess that’s why it’s called microscopic surgery. My incision is still tender, but it’s a lot better than it was.

I was warned, pre-surgery, if I “did too much” during my recovery period, I’d “know it” the following day.  I found out exactly what they meant yesterday!  My back ached if I tried to bend, and I felt tired.   Sometimes I have to learn things the hard way.  I’m going to have to slow down and depend on others for a little while longer.

Speaking of depending on others, my support system has been wonderful.  Thanks to my daughter and daughter-in-law, who live close by, Ed and I didn’t have to worry about supper for five whole nights, following surgery.  As always, Ed has stepped up to the plate and taken care of the house, as well as me.  Ed’s really been honoring those vows, “in sickness and in health”, for quite a while, now.

Today is day 11, post-op.  I’ve been feeling better with each passing day (except for my setback from overdoing). I began walking outside this week, and I’m trying to slowly get back into my routine of walking outside twice a day.

I cooked supper twice this week, but I don’t mind telling you I was exhausted by the time I finished.  (Why is everything in my kitchen located either very high or very low?)  I think cooking may be what helped me to “overdo it”this week.  I guess cooking may not be considered “light housework”.

I’m still feeling some of those sensations in my left leg, but they seem to be getting less frequent, and the intensity is lessening.  I’m hoping and praying these ‘sensations’ will disappear in time.  My post-op check up is October 15.  It would be nice if they’re gone before then!

 

Falling Into Another Hodgepodge…

Happy fall, y’all!  Are you as happy to see autumn as I am?  The compressor to our a/c unit blew up on Sunday–the hottest day of the week!  We had to wait 56 hours (yes, I counted everyone of them!) to get it fixed, too.  If you’re from the south, you know how miserable it is without a/c.  After two nights of sleeping in 80 degree heat, we slept cool last night.  Yay!

Speaking of happy, I’m happy as a clam to be joining The Hodgepodge today, too!  Thanks to our gracious hostess, Joyce, for keeping this little spot of ‘sunshine’ going:)  Let’s get to those questions, shall we?

1. What have you ‘fallen for’ recently?

The series, “Madmen”!  I think I’ve mentioned this before, but Ed and I have been watching past episodes for several weeks, on Netflix.  We’re only 4 episodes away from finishing all seven seasons.  The show was set in the 60’s, and I’ve enjoyed seeing the clothing styles, the home decor, and the old cars very much, even though the story line has been a bit ‘heavy’ at times. The other night we were watching, when suddenly I saw a girl wearing a dress made out of the exact same fabric that I’d chosen for an apron I had to make in Home Economics ( back in 1969).  I nearly fell off my chair!  (In case you’re curious, the fabric was lime green, with white flowers that had orange dots for their centers.)

2. What’s something you’re ‘squirreling away’ for later?

Groceries.  For the past three years I’ve made it a point to keep our pantry and freezers well stocked. I always buy ‘extras’ when something is on sale or I have a coupon.  My new  motto has become “always be prepared”.

3. How do you like your apples? Sweet? Tart? Crisp? Cooked? Apples are one of the superfoods for fall…how often do you eat an apple either plain or as part of a favorite recipe? What’s your favorite variety?

I like my apples peeled and sliced, with a little caramel dip on the side.  I normally prefer raw, sweet, crisp apples more than cooked apples, but I do enjoy the ‘fried apples’ at Cracker Barrel!  How often I eat apples depends on what season it is.  I eat more apples in the fall than any other time of the year.  My favorite varieties are red delicious and gala.

On a different note, but still in keeping with the subject, Ed and I have two young apple trees.  This year, there must have been 40 apples on one tree, while the other tree had none.  We thinned out the apples on the over-loaded tree so its limbs could support the fruit. Then, one by one, the remaining apples kept falling off.  In the end, we were left with one ripe apple, which we’ll have to share.

4. According to Fodor’s the ten best fall foliage trips in the US of A are-Aspen Colorado, The Catskills New York, The Berkshires Massachusetts, Columbia River Gorge Oregon, Green Mountain Byway Vermont, Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway New Mexico, Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, Upper Peninsula Michigan, Lake of the Ozarks Missouri, and Glacier National Park Montana. Which would you most like to visit this fall and why?

I’d like to visit the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.  Ed and I have been to these mountains, a couple of different times during the summer, but I’ve never seen the leaves changing during the fall.  I’ve always wanted to do this.  In fact, it’s one of the things on my ‘bucket list’.  Picking apples in an orchard is another thing on my ‘bucket list’.

5. The topic of legalizing marijuana was raised in the most recent televised political debate so let’s wade in too. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form. Four states have legalize marijuana for recreational use. Your thoughts?

I don’t think ANY of our states should have legalized marijuana for ANYTHING. 

6. Are you okay to watch a movie already in progress or do you need to always see it from the beginning? How about jumping into a TV series somewhere in the middle? Is that okay?

I’m okay with joining a movie already in progress, as long as I’ve only missed the first ten or fifteen minutes of it.  If it’s progressed beyond that point, I’ll pass.  I have been known to  jump into a TV series, somewhere in the middle, but, if I do, I’ll usually try to find the missed episodes and watch them in order to get caught up on things.  I did this with Downton Abby, The Black List, and The Bridge.

7. Thursday (September 24) is National Punctuation Day. What rule of punctuation trips you up most often? What rule of punctuation, when broken by someone else, bugs you the most?

I get confused about using a comma, sometimes.  I may be guilty of over usage.  It bothers me when people don’t use capital letters when they should.  

Random:

It feels good to be back blogging again!  I’ve missed it.  I’m 9 days, post-surgery, and glad it’s behind me.  I’m doing better every day.  I’ll be posting more about my recovery experience later in the week.

Food for thought–we never realize how much we bend and twist until we’re not allowed to do either for a week!

 

 

 

 

Kathy’s Surgical Adventure…

How the surgery came to be necessary…

I’ve been dealing with back issues since April 8 of this year.  The symptoms pretty much appeared without any warning, except I began having trouble straightening up my back after I’d been sitting in the recliner for a while. Suddenly, I woke up one day, and discovered my left leg was feeling numb. The following day, the numbness was followed by a sharp, searing pain running from my left buttock, down to my left foot, and it hurt like hell!  My husband, Ed, said it sounded like sciatica to him, and suggested bed rest for several days.  After a few days, I’d feel better, then all hell would break loose again.  Many days, I could barely make it down the hall to the bathroom and back because of the excruciating pain. After almost eight long weeks of this, I finally gave in and went to see my doctor.  I had a feeling the news wouldn’t be good.

An MRI revealed I have a herniated disc and a bulging disc, both in the lumbar spine region. Apparently, I’m a victim of degenerative disc disease.  (I’ve already had my cervical spine fused.) In spite of two rounds of Prednisone and physical therapy exercises, the sciatica kept lingering and making my life miserable.  I fought the pain for almost 5 months.

Finally, about a month ago, I agreed to have a minimally invasive foraminotomy performed by the neurologist I’d been referred to in July.  Basically, this surgery would make a larger pathway for the sciatic nerve to exit the spine, by shaving away some bone, thus keeping the nerve away from the bulging disc that appeared to be causing my symptoms.

I was a bit hesitant to have this surgery because I had two ‘trouble spots’ in my back, and the surgeon could only operate on one.  He felt pretty confident, from my symptoms, that my trouble was being caused by the bulging disc at L4-5, but there was no way he could be 100% sure.  I decided to take the chance.

Getting prepared for surgery…

The doctor’s office called me about a week and a half prior to my surgery, which was scheduled for Monday, September 14. They gave me a long list of “do’s and don’ts”.  Preparing for surgery meant making adjustments to my list of medications and supplements. I was required to stop taking several of them about a week prior to surgery. These included the NSAID I take for rheumatoid arthritis, as well as a few other things like calcium, vitamin C, and cranberry supplements.

Waiting for a surgery time…

I sat beside the phone ALL DAY on Friday, September 11, waiting for someone to call and tell me what time to report for my surgery on Monday.  Finally, at 4:30 in the afternoon, the phone call came.  To say my nerves were frazzled would be an understatement!  It turns out the office does all of their patient calling during late afternoon hours, but I didn’t know this.  I was told to report to the Surgery Center at 8 a.m. on Monday morning, for surgery at 9:00.

The day finally arrives…

Ed and I hit the road at 6:15 on Monday morning.  It was cool and dark outside when we left home.  The drive into the city normally takes about an hour and fifteen minutes, but we chose to leave early enough to beat the morning rush hour traffic.  I’m glad we left early because even though it was early, the traffic was still brutal.  Our youngest son, who works in the city, told us about a short cut to the Surgery Center.  Thanks to his advice, we arrived at the Surgery Center at 7:20!  We had plenty of time to spare.

Let me stop here and mention that the son who told us about the short cut had originally planned to stop by the Surgery Center on his way to work, later that morning.  Believe it or not, he encountered a four car wreck on his way to work, and ended up helping some of the folks who were involved, instead of making it to the Surgery Center to be with us.  I’m glad he stopped to help the mother and her baby who were involved, especially considering they were stranded in a lane of the interstate when he stopped to help them!

At the Surgery Center…

Meanwhile, upon entering the Surgery Center, I quickly discovered there are lots of people with back problems! So many people looking for help, so early in the morning.  At 7:30 in the morning, the place was filled with people!  Some were there for surgery, others for pain management procedures.  So many people, of all ages, looking for relief.  I felt right at home.

After filling out the necessary paperwork and paying the necessary fees, (they always want some money up front, these days) I was taken back to the holding/recovery room area, questioned, then prepped for surgery.  My nurse was great, thank goodness, and explained what she was doing every step of the way.  A good nurse goes a long way toward making any surgery a positive experience!

Before I knew it, I had on my surgical gown, plus those lovely white support hose they ask you to wear during and after surgery. (Ed laughed and said the hose were my surgery souvenir, since I was required to wear them home.) Next came the iv and all the other wires they hook you up with.  Finally, the anesthesiologist came by and had a talk with me, as well.

While I waited for my surgery, I could hear my doctor dictating surgical notes about the patient who’d just had surgery before me.  He’d had the same procedure I was having. In a few minutes, I heard them bring the patient into the recovery room area next to mine.  He was still snoring from the anesthesia… I knew it would soon be my turn to go!

About that time, Ed was allowed back to the holding area, to see me for a minute or two, before I was taken away to surgery. I barely remember the nurse putting on my surgical hat, or Ed kissing me goodbye.  I felt the stretcher begin to move, then I went out like a light!  The next thing I knew, I woke up, and it was 11:30–two hours later!

When I woke up, my back didn’t hurt at all, but my throat sure did!  The anesthesiologist had warned me that this might happen, due to the breathing tubes that were inserted down my throat.  This was my third surgery, but the only one that caused my throat to become sore.  I wondered if the reason for this was because I was placed on my stomach, for the surgery, instead of on my back.

My next sensation was one of having “to go”.  I told the nurse I needed to go to the restroom, and she seemed surprised.  She told me my bladder had been drained during surgery, but I said I still needed to “go”.  (Those iv fluids do it to me every time.) With her help, and that of Ed, I wobbled my way across the hall into the bathroom, and took care of business.  The nurse informed me that I had just “passed a necessary test” in order to be released.

After eating a small snack of applesauce and saltine crackers, I was given some pain medication and a muscle relaxer. One of the medications I’d been given made my mouth so dry I could hardly eat those crackers!  I drank an entire bottle of water trying to wash down four little crackers!  Ed patiently fed me the snack. They gave me a throat lozenge, for my sore throat, but my mouth was so dry, I had to throw it away.

Thirty minutes later, my iv was removed, I got dressed, and was rolled out the door and put into the back seat of our car.  I’d only spent four and one-half hours at the Surgery Center, from arrival to departure, including registration, prep, surgery and recovery!  The entire ordeal was over, except for the ride home.

To be continued…

 

 

Wednesday Hodgepodge #235…

We’re moving right along, into the month of September.  Ed helped me decorate the outside of the house for fall, this week,  (I gave directions, he did the work) so I’m ready for the ‘official’ beginning of fall when it comes.

Our Hodgepodge hostess, Joyce, has provided us with another great set of questions, this week, so let’s get started and have a little fun, shall we?

1. Last thing you did on the spur of the moment?

On Labor Day, completely on the spur of the moment, Ed and I drove almost 30 miles to  Wendy’s and had chili for lunch.  I don’t know which I enjoyed more, the chili or just getting out of the house.  The outing was well worth the drive!

2. How well informed do you feel about the current Syrian refugee crisis?

I’m  not well informed at all, because I’m currently taking a hiatus from watching the news, but I have caught glimpses of the dead bodies washing up on shore.  It’s a sad situation.

3. What have you changed your mind about?

I’ve changed my mind about elderly folks, disabled folks, and ‘shut ins’.  I have more compassion and understanding, than ever before, for people and the predicaments they often find themselves in, especially during their ‘golden years’.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always had compassion for these folks, but, after the past five months, my level of compassion has been taken to a whole new level.  Now I ‘get it’.

4. A medium sized non-poisonous snake found it’s way into the pool trap this weekend. If you’d been sitting poolside would you have fished it out? Gone running? Called for help? Pretended not to know? Continued swimming?

I hate snakes of all kinds, so there’s no doubt about it, I’d have gone running!  I can’t imagine continuing to swim with a snake nearby.

5. September 10th is National TV Dinner Day…what’s your idea of a great TV dinner? (Or at least a pretty good one!)

My goodness, I haven’t eaten a TV Dinner since the 70’s, but, back then, the only kind I liked was the dinner with turkey, gravy, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.  I didn’t like any of the others I tried.

6. Samuel Johnson is quoted as saying, “Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other.” Would you agree? Where have you seen that played out recently? What’s the second greatest virtue?

I don’t agree that courage is the greatest virtue.  Courage is good, but what about patience, kindness, honesty, forgiveness, and many more I can’t think of at the moment?

7. What are three words you have trouble remembering how to spell?

(1) license (2) diarrhea (3)paraprofessional

Random:

This little cutie  experienced his first day of school, yesterday, and he liked it. He’s our next-to-the-youngest grandson, Chase.  It seems like he was born just yesterday.  Where did the time go?

I hope you have a great year, Chase!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After participating in all 235 editions of The Wednesday Hodgepodge, I’m 99.9% sure I’m going to have to miss next week’s edition.  My back surgery is scheduled for next Monday morning, September 14, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be on the computer Wednesday.  I’d very much appreciate your prayers for a safe and successful surgery. Hope to ‘see’ everyone again, soon!

 

A Few Friday Fragments…

I’m sitting here watching Ed and our little grandson, Chase playing with a wrestling ring and some old wrestling figures.  It reminds me of years gone by… It’s the same wrestling ring and men, but a much older Ed playing with a grandson instead of his sons.  Where has the time gone?

The week passed quickly.  You’d think these days would drag by since I’m not able to do much, but time is still flying. I managed to stay busy by watching tv, napping, doing laundry, and doing any chore that only requires me to be on my feet for less than ten minutes. (any longer than that brings on an attack of sciatica)

The days are down to minus ten and counting until my back surgery, on  September 14.  The doctor’s office called me, this week, to give me a list of “dos and don’ts” regarding the days prior surgery.  It was a long list, and the call lasted almost a half an hour! Really, I think the only thing they didn’t instruct me on was how to wear  my hair on the day of the surgery 🙂  I think the strangest instruction I received was “no fishing for a month after surgery.” (Like I’m going to feel like going fishing after back surgery!)  They explained the reason for this instruction has to do with all of the bacteria that has polluted our rivers, lakes, and beaches.  Apparently, there have been patients who have contracted nasty infections, following surgery, by being exposed to these kinds of bacteria.  Who knew?

God never ceases to amaze me, especially in times of trouble.  Our oldest son gave us a set of The Bible on dvd’s back in July.  Ed and I have listened to it, faithfully, every morning, and have made our way through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  This week, we started listening to Acts, but God hasn’t opened my ears to hear His message for me in Acts, so far .  So, I decided to watch some devotions on television, this week.  It turned out that those devotions were exactly what I needed to hear, at this particular time in my life!  I heard His message.  God is good!

Yesterday, Ed and I visited the hospital where he used to work, before they laid him off, back in January.  Since it’s closest to where we live, I went there to have my pre-op testing performed. (Nothing like feeding the hand that bit you! Ha!)  It was nice to see Ed’s former co-workers again, but most of the hospital looked pretty much deserted.  Judging from what I saw, business hasn’t picked up since the new management company took over in January.  Ed mentioned that the salaries of all of the employees[combined], who were laid off, probably just about pays the monthly cost of the management firm…  So, I wonder how that’s working out.  Anyway, I’m thankful the hospital is still there, it saved us from having to drive twenty more miles to the next one.

The first part of this week, our weather was fall-like.  Unfortunately, summer-like weather has returned.  I guess that’s a good thing for those who have Labor Day activities planned, though.  We have no plans, other than putting some fall decorations outside.  I’ll let Ed do the ‘leg work’ and I’ll supervise 🙂  That’s become our new way of life, lately… (Yesterday, Ed told his former co-workers that he’s gone from having six [women] telling him what to do, to only having one [woman] telling him what to do.)  On that note, I’m outta’ here!

I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday weekend.  I’ll visit and post, again, as I am able.

 

A September Kind Of Hodgepodge…

1. What’s on your September calendar? Anything fun?

Back surgery is looming on my September calendar.  A minimally invasive lumbar foraminotomy, I think it’s called.  Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?  As bad as “foraminotomy” sounds, I do like the sound of the “minimally invasive” part. If it will restore my life to normal, it’ll be the best thing that’s happened to me since April 8th.

2. You might be described as a natural born _____________________?

I might be described as a natural born worrier.  I try not to worry, but I usually do, and it doesn’t help a thing!

3. September is National Courtesy Month…what one act of courtesy would you most like to see more of in your home, town, or the world at large?

In the words of the an old Aretha Franklin song, R-E-S-P-E-C-T is what I’d like to see more of, among the people, today.  So many people have so little respect.

4. Eager beaver, chicken out, clam up, or let the cat out of the bag…of the phrases listed, which one have you related to most recently?

I think “chicken out” might best fit my situation, at the moment.  I’m nervous about having surgery–but I won’t chicken out.  Of course, I could also say I’m an “eager beaver” to get it over with, too…

5. What’s your movie theater snack protocol? Do you chow down on snacks during the previews or wait until the movie begins? Do you buy snacks or refuse to pay those kind of prices? What’s the last movie you saw in a theater? How many thumbs up would you give it?

I haven’t been to an actual movie theater in several years, but whenever I go I always have to have some movie popcorn, even though it costs an arm and a leg.  I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices for those other movie snacks.  You’ll find me eating popcorn from the moment I sit down, until I just can’t eat any more.  As for the movie I last saw, it was Toy Story 3, and I enjoyed it very much.

6. Henry Ford is quoted as saying, “Nobody can think straight who does not work. Idleness warps the mind.” Agree or disagree? Why?

I agree  that “idleness warps the mind”, but ‘work’ does not necessarily have to mean having a job outside of the home. There are many types of ‘work’ a person can do to keep themselves active and focused.

7. What’s the last job you completed or task you performed where you had to ‘work like a dog’ until it was finished?

That’s easy, working in our vegetable garden!  This year, back issues knocked me out of some of the actual ‘garden work’, but I still was able to do a lot of shelling, blanching, canning, and freezing.

Random:

For some reason, Ed and I have had an epidemic of ground moles, this year.  At times, our lawn is very spongy because of their huge tunnels.  The other day, I was talking with someone about this problem, and they mentioned putting pieces of Juicy Fruit chewing gum down into the mole holes to get rid of the moles.  I thought this sounded crazy, but I ‘googled’ it, and sure enough, Juicy Fruit gum is listed under ‘how to get rid of moles’.  As crazy as it sounds, we tried it, yesterday.  I’ll let you know if it works!

In other random ‘mole’ news, Ed had a suspicious growth (that seemed to spring up from nowhere) removed from his shoulder, yesterday.  He’s doing fine, and we hope the pathologist report comes back negative.  The stitches will come out in 9 days.