Saturday

 Well, it is a grey, overcast, chilly day, with winds. 

We worked on the garden a little bit - rearranged the fencing around the raised veggie beds, replaced the bark around them. Now we are still waiting on the dirt. Supposed to rain again this week so probably wont get the dirt until the end of the week - if we survive our 2d Moderna shot on Tuesday that it!

We pretty much know what we want to plant. Deciding on exactly where. And havent even seen the plants for sale yet anyway. Hubby still needs to make the trellises for the tomatoes and the cucumber. I think the squash will go in a separate planting area again just because they tend to take over everything. 

Been reading tips on growing tomatoes here and hoping we do better this year. 

Went for a walk. Hubby went for the usual 2+ hilly walk. I went for a mile walk on the most flattish part of the neighborhood I could find. AND I took Ralph with me. You know it has been far too long since you have taken your dog for a walk when his harness doesnt fit! Since we fenced in more parts of the backyard I dont even see him doing his Speed Racer sprints any more...

Broke my heart to leave Bella at home crying. And when Ralph and I walked back up the driveway she was at the back gate crying again. I was almost talking myself into switching Ralph's lead onto her collar and at least taking her down the driveway, up to the street corner, and back again....when she met us at the gate, trying to get out, and having difficulty keeping her her feet to do that. So I didnt. But it made me so sad.

What A Beautiful Day!

 We started off with nothing much to do....and ended up wasting about 5 hours doing it!

I took a shower! Yay! And the toe is looking better - not bloody red, but a bright dark pink. And the shower did not hurt. I have not taken anything for pain since I went to bed Wednesday night. AND I put on my decrepit old walking shoes today and it was....ok.

We had to take a check to the bank - grumble grumble - they have closed ALL the branches and ALL the ATMS except for the main one in the next town, and one in a town 20+ miles away. PITA.

Then we stopped by a friend's house to drop something off and to pick something up. Stayed and chatted awhile!

So then we went for a walk. Managed to do just a tick over 1 mile which was much better than I expected. What hurt the most was when I put my foot up on a split rail fence to retie my shoe!! LOL

Then we were finally in the area when the AFRP store was open; so I went in. Forgot to switch out my glasses for my sunglasses, or I would have gotten all the little alphabet ones marked FREE.....they would have been great little lagniappes to send to people! Oh well. 

Although I am not in love with this one - I was thrilled with what was included! For $3 I ended up with much more than that in floss!

But after the thrift store I was so glad I had brought my Birkies with me.Because I needed to get the sneaker off immediately! Whew....my toe was tired of those shoes!

Had lunch at our favorite diner, even though it was a tad bit windy and cool. Went to Safeway (why is Safeway not selling Disney gift cards?????????? Their GC selection was cut in about 1/4 with the remodel.....) And home.....sitting down and then out to do my daily Treasure Hunt!!!

Post Procedure Day #3

 Silly that I am finding my inner blogger about something this stupid and disgusting isnt it?!

Well, I continued on with my Tylenol and Motrin yesterday even though I had suspicions I really didnt need them,  But boy did I sleep well last night! I dont remember kicking my toe at all - only got up once to go to the bathroom, and fell right back to sleep. Apparently I missed a beautiful early morning rainbow and hubby didnt want to wake me up for it (thank you!).

I still couldnt do a full 10 minutes of the soak. Tomorrow I am going to try to leave out the epsom salts and see how I do. Or maybe I will take a shower and let that be my soak.....we will see.

Got dressed, put socks on and my birkies and we went to Costco. Got a phone call Tuesday that woke me from my nap saying my frames were in. One of the little doohickies on the side of the glasses I got in December went missing. And although the young woman at Costco assured me it was decorative, she went ahead and ordered new frames!

So we went and picked up my new frames and they popped the lenses into them. Walked around not even 1/4 of the store, which is ok because I stayed away from the dangerous area (the bakery!) and we had just been there about a week ago. Picked up a Costco size box of assorted bandaids; decided we did not need the Costco size of Motrin or Neosporin; got our corned beef for next week and left. And I did fine! I jsut concentrated on trying not to bend my toe and I was able to walk slowly, but well...

I think the rain has stopped. We have gotten somewhere just short of an inch of rain. Not much, but very welcome! But it is chilly outside. Good day to stay indoors even if we both are BORED!!!!

Post Procedure Day 2

 Well, comparatively speaking last night could have been a lot worse. But it wasnt fun. Moving around woke me up. And yes, I kicked my own toe once. Ouch.

But I kept thinking it would be much better when I could take the big bandage off today.

Thunder startled all of us awake at 3-something this morning. By 0400 I gave up, went to the bathroom, and took some acetaminophen. My toe was just throbbing. But the acetaminophen worked, because I went back to sleep until a bit after 0700.

And then bided my time until we could get the big bandage off. Had to have husband help with removing the coban, and that was a real job. It hurt trying to get that off - finally had him cut it off. And then I went to soak my toe - supposed to soak it for 10 minutes. After a few minutes of soaking I could remove the bandaid - YUCK! But I could not last 10 minutes of soaking - it hurt too badly. I made it almost 8 minutes, it was the very bottom where the nail roots were that hurt so badly. 

Dressed with my neosporin and a bandaid and boy does it feel better! And then when I put a soft pair of bed socks on, it felt even better! I can even wear my slippers as long as I remember to slide that foot along, instead of "walking" it along!

But I did learn one thing - a quick walk/slow run is DEFINITELY OUT!!! Ouch!

So I dont think there will be a try at a shoe tomorrow yet. Today, I dont even feel like getting out of my pj's so I am not.....but I am moving around more and not being a total couch hog. And I dont feel as though I have to take a nap today!

Lots of rain off and on. It sounded like light hail after the thunder that woke us up, but I didnt get up to look; and by the time I did get up, it wasnt even raining. 

So PG&E came back. And she spent about 2 hours setting in her truck. Husband needed to go to the grocery store so he got the scoop. Apparently some modum/module on our smart meter for the gas is not working and needs replaced. But they cannot replace it when it is raining. And she was told to sit and wait until it stopped raining. Which she did. Just before noon it was no longer raining and she started getting ready to replace it - and she got a call about a gas leak somewhere else which she had to respond to.....Been off and on sunny since she left. She is supposed to come back - but who knows when!

Big Sigh of Relief

 So the day of dread is over. After anxiety setting in the day I finally made the appointment, it is done, and I survived.

As of this morning I still have 10 toes, but only 9 toenails.

Treatments did nothing to treat the fungus that gave me my "Ugly Toe". So last year it was decided it had to come off.

Yeah, last year.

So today I showed up for my appointment at 0800 after waking up at 0400, 0500, 0600....sick to my stomach, sweaty palms, etc.

And the doctor was so nice. And the "freeze spray" worked wonders, the shots resulted in a wooden toe, and it was all over in just a few minutes.

Thank goodness I did not have to look or watch....gag.

And I think the adrenaline bottomed out on me after lunch today cause I fell asleep for about an hour and a half!

I have taken 1 Tylenol this afternoon, and that was mostly because of the feeling as the local totally wore off....

The bandaid comes off tomorrow, I have to soak it, and replace the bandaid. I was surprised when he said I could go back to my walking in 2 - 3 days IF I could tolerate wearing my sneakers.....we will see!!

Elope

 "run away secretly in order to get married, especially without parental consent." (from www.dictionary.com)

On one of the groups I belong to on FB several people have posted that they have, or are going to, elope.

Now, I want to make sure you understand that I do not know the story behind these elopement. Dont know anything about these people at all.

But the posts made me think. Think about things like how the media colors our definition of things. And how the media has changed the meanings of words over the years.

If you say "elope" to me, I think about what I have read, or seen on TV or in movies, about eloping. Generally speaking, it is a couple who cannot or is not allowed to get married in the "traditional" way. And so they run away together. Usually to city hall, or some place there is a magistrate to perform a legal ceremony. Sometimes it is right there in the town/city where they live. Sometimes it is several towns away; sometimes in other states.

Often these people are married in the clothes they were wearing when they ran away, whether it is a nice dress for the woman, or a business suit, or jeans. Maybe they stopped to buy a bouquet of flowers. But usually there is none of the usual wedding  falderol involved.

Sometimes it is planned well in advance, sometimes it is a last minute thing. Sometimes a couple of other people know it is happening.

But the ones I have been reading about do not follow my traditional understanding of "eloping" at all. These women - and the posters thus far have all been women - talk about the issues of taking a full length wedding gown on the plane, and finding someone/someplace to press it once they arrive, so that it looks new and not wrinkled and packed.

And they have hired a company to plan this wedding. A wedding that includes a venue; someone to perform the ceremony; flowers; photographer....A complete wedding in other words. Not just a couple standing in front of some civil magistrate saying a few words, and signing on the dotted line of the marriage license.

Not only that, they have had to make preparations in advance - time off of work, someone to care for maybe other family members, or pets. They have had to book a room, make plane reservations, transportation to and from the airport. All of these, including the wedding company and the dress, involve quite a bit of money. Maybe not as much as a full blown traditional wedding, but more money than a tankful of gas, money for the license, and probably a celebratory meal of some sort afterwards.

So I have trouble getting my head around calling all this an "elopement".

And again - I have NO knowledge about the backstory of why they decided to do it this way - Pandemic anyone? 

But is also makes me feel sad for them. Because the use of the word means running away. Running away from family and friends. Hopefully running towards something that will bring a lifetime of happiness but still....leaving behind those who would possibly love to see the joy and happiness this marriage would bring their love ones. 

So it makes me wonder if these are truly elopements - or are they a new definition of an old word (this word is from the late 16th century according to the definition). And am I just missing the new usage of this word? Is there support for these couples? Will family and friends be at this wedding?

Who knows. 

And I will probably never know.

But it is interesting how brief glimpses into other people's lives make you ponder things. 

Venting

 I want to start of by explaining....that I feel so very very lucky that we never experienced a miscarriage or a fetal demise. We were too young and dumb to even worry about it as much as I would knowing what I know now!

I have taken care of many women who have lost babies at all stages of their pregnancy. And I have many friends who have lost pregnancies.

So I am not without empathy or understanding.

But to see celebrities SUCK THIS SUBJECT dry in order to keep their name in the news just irritates me no end!

I am sure most people will be able to figure out who I am talking about.

I get it - it is devastating. I even get wanting photos. Shoot we took photos of the baby and held onto them for a year in case the mother/family ever wanted them. We put together memory boxes for them to take home with them, or come back and get.

But know this - there is not one woman I have ever met that needs/has to have photos to remember the experience of losing a baby....it is burned into her heart and soul forever. Every minute of the process - from moment of conception until delivery and beyond. 

But you know - not everyone in this world is privileged enough to LIVE OFF of this for how long now?

And really - a month out and you still need a nurse at home to care for you?
WHY?

And what does this tell the average woman? Her loss wasnt as important and earth shaking as yours?

That maybe she shoulda/woulda/coulda had a nurse if she made more money? Had better insurance?

Just because you have never been as talented and famous as your husband, doesnt mean that you have to milk every second you can to make sure your photo is in front of everyone everyday.

Give it a rest.

My heart goes out to everyone else who has experienced these losses.