Monday, July 22, 2019

7-21-2019 Monday-10am

Okay--this is a terrible, short video where all you can hear is my fan and it's hard to see through the screen--but I wanted to try to share what I saw this morning!!
BABY PARTRIDGES!!  
I face east and it was early morning so the only way I could take pictures or a video was to get off to the side of the patio door and hope I could catch them as they were crossing the lawn pretty quickly. 
Picture was hard to tell what they were, so I quick grabbed that short video.  Not much better--LOL!  But I was so excited to get any kind of proof!  In all these years that I have been feeding them all winter I have never seen them bring their young up here to the apartment complex!  Whoohoo!!  :)
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The baby cottontail has also been around.  I think it has swiped some geranium leaves--LOL!  Mostly just nibbles on the grass.
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So, how did the week go?
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Okay.  :)
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Caroline came to clean on Tuesday and took the walker back with her.  (Hurray!)  Dagan dropped off my next round of steroids--which I finished this morning.
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On Wednesday Gramma Day was cancelled because of sudden IBS issues.  Things have still been a bit "off" since.  Not sure if it is the steroids or the new diet catching up with me--LOL!  But--truth--as long as I was afraid to sit in my recliner (electric one takes longer to get out of) for a couple of hours...I decided to check something off my list and wiped down, refilled, and re-labeled my coffee bean jars.
 Yes, I do love my coffee! 
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 Leah picks me up all kinds of different coffee beans from Costco for much cheaper than I can get them at the grocery store.
 Yes--below my coffee stash is the stockpile of Annie's canned foods.
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Leah stopped by Wednesday night with some groceries so I was set up for their next four day trip.  (This time to Minneapolis for some kind of an e-sales convention Dagan won tickets to.)  Leah even brought me some low carb snacks!
They're salty so I am only eating very few.
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Then Thursday through Sunday while they were gone I worked on my seasonal clothing switch and some purging.  I didn't get to do a really decent Marie Kondo like I had planned, but I did what I could with my 15 minutes at a time in between episodes of Outlander.  I finished yesterday--tada!  Yes, the summer's half over--LOL!  But then I wasn't wearing anything but my house dresses for almost two months.  (Still have house dress days.) 
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Anything that was questionable I kept.  I decided that if I haven't worn it by the time I switch clothing again in the fall--off to the donation bags.  That has forced me to wear different clothes than the usual lazy favorites I wear all the time...and made me try to get dressed most days this last week--LOL!
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When I moved here I thought I would be going to community events regularly so I purchased some new clothes--tops, blouses, skirts, and even casual dresses.  As you know, it ended up I haven't been going to much.  So I was still wearing t-shirts or turtlenecks every day and the new stuff has hung in the closet except for when I went to appointments, did make it down to something here, or sometimes when I went to visit McFamily--LOL!  So now I am wearing shirts and dresses...just for me.  And it does make you feel a little differently.  In a good way.  :)
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I'll do the same thing when I switch over next spring too.  If I haven't worn it--in the donation bag it goes.  Can't just wear turtlenecks all winter.  ;)
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How have I been as far as the flare or whatever?  Well, I have gone through three rounds of steroids and it is not gone.  It will be better...I think these were last Tuesday or Wednesday...and I got all excited!
I could make a fist again for the first time in six weeks without too much pain!! 
Be looking better--less red and swollen. 
But then the next day it is worse.
Then have a better day even after having used hand and foot all day the day before??  And then a worse day when I took it easy the day before?  No logic to it, really.
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This is what it looks like this morning.
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There is one more steroid refill.  Leah is going to fill it for me, but I am going to hold off on starting it.  Since I have had three rounds of steroids, have such dry mouth my teeth stick to my lips, and I haven't noticed any huge changes that are actually sticking...kind of bouncing around the same up and down range but not going away...I plan to just leave things be and see what happens.  I can always take the last refill round if I start to see I am getting worse again and not just in this same range of swelling and redness and pain level (toe, too).  And I see the new GP at the end of the month.
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So, I am about the same as I was last week.  Still running reverse temp.  Still have the same toe and knuckle issues this all started with over six weeks ago.  I am still more limited with what I can do with my hands and how long I can be up and about--but I am mobile and semi-functional.  Still tired (slept almost 10 hours last night).  Still less spoons.  But I already know about baby steps and prioritizing, so I am absolutely thrilled that I got those two projects crossed off my list this last week...and half the time I can type and write with less pain.  That's tolerable to me.  :)
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I've been much happier the past couple weeks since I can do a lot more for myself again.  Now I am just hoping and praying that this eventually finishes going away on its own.  Fingers crossed, eh?
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I heard the heat wave is breaking up today for a huge part of the US.  It's been cooler up here since yesterday!  I've been able to keep the place opened up for most of the day.  Annie and I have both been loving it!  I hope it cools off for all of you who have been roasting for days.
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May you have an enchanting week ahead.  :) :)
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"If your view is basic goodness, 
you see it wherever you go."
Pema Chodron

14 comments:

Rita said...

Comment to get comments. :)
Thanks to everybody for all your positive thoughts and prayers.

Jon said...

Rita, you have really been going through hell. My prayers and positive thoughts are always with you.

I love the partridges and the bunny! I also like the idea of keeping coffee beans in jars.
The weather is slightly cooler here in TN but the humidity is intense!

Bonnie said...

The baby partridges are so cute and there are so many of them! Are there several different mothers with them? I bet the mothers are teaching them where to come for food in the winter! Ha! How smart to put all your different coffee beans in jars. It will stay fresher like that probably.

It is so good to hear you say you have been happier the past few weeks! One day at a time gets you there!

Hugs!

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm glad you don't need the walker any more :) I'd always heard you had to take steroids on a strict schedule. At least that's what my relatives have been warned about... I'll send happy, encouraging positive thoughts for healing. The set-backs must be discouraging, but I've a feeling they're bumps on the road and that a complete healing is coming. I look forward to you getting good news from the new doc.

I tend to dress down at home in shorts and a casual top and bare feet lol I've kept way too much clothes, but I do still wear them. I just rotate through them 'til I've worn them all and then start over lol Eventually, I know, they'll wear out and it'll sort itself.

They're calling this a "cold front" hmmm High today expected of 87 and rain, but that isn't as hot as it has been.

Your little baby birds, so sweet! I've never in my life had so much coffee at once. That's a great way to store them so they stay fresh. I always buy ground coffee these days, but coffee (we call it covfefe now lol) is a _must_!

Jenny Woolf said...

I'm so glad that things are starting to improve, and I do hope it continues. That red skin looks so painful. I'd like to be getting round to decluttering, but so far not making much headway. And I can't help wondering what all those different coffee beans are. Do they come from different coffee estates or are they flavoured in different ways? (Just being nosey... ) Continuing to send good vibes your way for a good recovery, you've had a tough time lately.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

I also like the baby partridges video.
I hope things continue to improve for you, I guess all we can do is face each day as it arrives

Janie Junebug said...

Oh, dear. I hoped that you were on the mend and wouldn't have a setback. But we know how things are: go with the flow. I enjoyed the baby partridges. I still haven't finished trying on clothes and cleaning out my closet.

Lady Fi said...

Hope the steroids work! Love those babies!

DJan said...

It's certainly a mystery malady, but it does seem like either time or steroids helped somewhat. I'm just glad you are on the mend. I see my acupuncturist today and realized yesterday when I tried to weed in the garden how really injured I still am! :-(

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Good morning Rita - hope the cooler weather continues. Getting your independence back on track sure helps feeling in control again. Hope that the 'good' days increase and the pain decreases. The large partridge family sure runs fast - what a treat to see them, hope they visit many times.
Hugs.
Joy

Far Side of Fifty said...

Sure wish they could figure out what is wrong with you. I know you want to be able to use that hand again! I bet Annie likes those critters out the patio door!

Diana said...

Awww those partridges are cute! How neat they came right into your yard! And bunnies are always adorable. I'm so sorry for what you're going through with your health. I'll be praying for things to be figured out so you'll have more good days, and lots and lots of smile days! Blessings to you, Rita! ♥

Intense Guy said...

You got the Partridge Family - on Cat TV... I wonder which one is Laurie...

:( I'm sorry the steroids are healing you... durn it all.

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

I loved watching the baby partridges. They are really fast runners! I bet Annie loves to watch them run around in the grass. You certainly do love coffee! That's a great way to store it. Costco has a lot of great deals. Need to go there again soon. I've been watching Marie Kondo's show on Netflix. It's very inspiring. Her method really changes people's and families' lives.