I do not like using crutches. That I definitely know for sure. I've been hobbling around on them for not quite 3 weeks. Right now, I have a soft cast and go back to see the surgeon on Monday to have stitches removed and a hard cast put on. I'll have that for at least 5 weeks.
One thing I don't like about using the crutches is that you can't carry anything or use your hands because you need to hold onto the crutches to move about. I asked the doctor if the hard cast they're going to put on could be a walking cast, but unfortunately I have to stay non-weight bearing on my left ankle for a minimum of 8 weeks to allow everything to heal properly. He suggested I buy a knee scooter which would allow me to be more mobile.
In case you're not familiar with knee scooters (I wasn't), they are sort of like a kid's scooter you'd push along with your foot but instead of a place to put your non-pushing foot, there's a seat-like cushion where you rest the knee of your injured foot with your foot hanging off the end. Willing to try anything instead of using the crutches, I purchased one. (It was significantly cheaper to buy my own instead of renting one.) When it arrived and my brother assembled it for me. I started having second thoughts. I've had knee surgery so I wasn't sure if I could rest my weight on it even with the cushioned knee area. Also one of my incisions is right where the knee pad area ends. I decided to give it a try and if it was too painful, I'd return it.
I've been practicing on it this week. I'm still sort of clumsy at getting on it from a sitting position. I wish it was easier to maneuver when I need to turn around, but I am much more mobile with it than the crutches. The one I purchased came with a bicycle type basket attached that I use to carry things.
If you ever have to have surgery and need to stay non-weight bearing on one leg for a period of time, I would recommend getting a knee scooter. Despite my earlier reservations, I'm very glad I got one.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
What's Up Wednesday
This week...
My current WIP (work in progress): I haven't done any writing or revisions since my surgery. I probably won't get back to it until after next week.
Random things: I haven't been able to do a whole lot since the surgery and have been housebound as well. I'm currently in a soft cast and the surgeon doesn't want me going out and about until I get the hard cast next Monday. Not that I'm in any mood to go shopping or whatnot. I'd forgotten how inconvenient it is to get around on crutches.
My current WIP (work in progress): I haven't done any writing or revisions since my surgery. I probably won't get back to it until after next week.
Quote of the Week: “Small changes and small steps lead to big changes and a new
you.” ~ Unknown. This seemed apt as I recover from the ankle surgery.
What I'm reading: I just finished a book last night and will be starting Drive You Wild by Jennifer Bernard tonight. This is the 3rd book in her Love Between the Bases series.
Random things: I haven't been able to do a whole lot since the surgery and have been housebound as well. I'm currently in a soft cast and the surgeon doesn't want me going out and about until I get the hard cast next Monday. Not that I'm in any mood to go shopping or whatnot. I'd forgotten how inconvenient it is to get around on crutches.
Random Photo of the Week:
Sleeping away a hot summer day.
Monday, July 25, 2016
Is It Monday?
I had planned on writing a post for today, but I have to admit time got away from me. I'm only two days off of the pain medication and am still feeling a bit absentminded. While the medication was great at keeping the pain at bay, it made me very forgetful. I spent a lot of time sleeping which was a side effect of taking it.
I didn't even realize that I needed to write a post for today until 3:00am this morning when I was lying in bed unable to sleep. Trying to keep your foot propped up above your heart the whole night is more difficult than it sounds, at least for me. After a while my back starts to ache from lying on it constantly and trying to lay on my side and keep my leg elevated in a comfortable position isn't easy.
I hope to be back on my regular posting schedule by Wednesday. Thanks for being so patient.
I didn't even realize that I needed to write a post for today until 3:00am this morning when I was lying in bed unable to sleep. Trying to keep your foot propped up above your heart the whole night is more difficult than it sounds, at least for me. After a while my back starts to ache from lying on it constantly and trying to lay on my side and keep my leg elevated in a comfortable position isn't easy.
I hope to be back on my regular posting schedule by Wednesday. Thanks for being so patient.
Monday, July 18, 2016
Monday, 7/18 thru Friday, 7/22
No posts this week 7/18 - 7/22. Recovering from ankle reconstructive surgery. I thought I'd still feel up to writing posts. No, definitely not, even with heavy duty pain medication.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
What's Up Wednesday
This week...
My current WIP (work in progress): I came across a manuscript I'd written about 5 years ago. I spent this week reading through it to see if it was something worth readying for publication. While it needs some minor work, over all I think it's pretty good. I've sent it to 2 of my beta readers to see what they think.
Quote of the Week: "My message is never quit. Never give up. When you have a little trouble here and there, just keep fighting. In the end, it will pay off." ~ Gabby Douglas
What I'm reading: Hidden by Kendra Elliot. This is the first book in her Bone Secrets series. It's the first book I've tried reading by Ms. Elliot. It came highly recommended.
Random things: Back during February and March when it was 20 degrees or so, I wished for warmer weather. Well, it's been 88 degrees or higher with unbearable humidity for the last 4 days. Now, I'd like it to be a little cooler. A few days in a row with it around 75 degrees or so would be welcome.
Random Photo of the Week:
New wind chimes for the front porch
My current WIP (work in progress): I came across a manuscript I'd written about 5 years ago. I spent this week reading through it to see if it was something worth readying for publication. While it needs some minor work, over all I think it's pretty good. I've sent it to 2 of my beta readers to see what they think.
Quote of the Week: "My message is never quit. Never give up. When you have a little trouble here and there, just keep fighting. In the end, it will pay off." ~ Gabby Douglas
What I'm reading: Hidden by Kendra Elliot. This is the first book in her Bone Secrets series. It's the first book I've tried reading by Ms. Elliot. It came highly recommended.
Random things: Back during February and March when it was 20 degrees or so, I wished for warmer weather. Well, it's been 88 degrees or higher with unbearable humidity for the last 4 days. Now, I'd like it to be a little cooler. A few days in a row with it around 75 degrees or so would be welcome.
Random Photo of the Week:
New wind chimes for the front porch
Monday, July 11, 2016
Blueberry Monday
My sister went to the local farmer's market over the weekend and found an abundance of blueberries. They were selling for 4 pints for $5.00. At that price, she couldn't leave them behind. Because she was worried they would spoil before she could eat them all, she brought a pint and a half to me.
While I like blueberries, I don't like them plain. I usually mix them in Greek yogurt or put them in pancake batter or muffins. Since it's blueberry season where I live, I thought I'd share a blueberry muffin recipe this week.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened (about 1/2 of a stick) I used unsalted butter, but you can use salted if you like.
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (I use a low-fat version if I can find it at my grocery store.)
1 cup fresh blueberries. I've also made these using frozen blueberries
Pam cooking spray or muffin/cupcake papers
Lemon Glaze (see below)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients, mixing well. Next cut the softened butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse meal. If you don't have a pastry cutter, I've used a fork. It's a bit more work, but it can be done this way too.
In a separate small bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon peel, and egg until well mixed. Pour into the flour mixture. Stir just until all the ingredients are moist. Don't over stir or your muffins will be very dense. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Spray muffin pan with Pam cooking spray. I usually use muffin/cupcake papers instead. It makes for an easier clean up. Fill the individual cups evenly with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the pan immediately and cool on a wire rack. I have to admit we sometimes eat these almost right out of the oven with lots of melting butter on them.
You can add a lemon glaze to the top of the muffins if you'd like. Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 1/2 cup powered (Confectioners) sugar in a small bowl and drizzle over the muffins. You can do this while they are still warm or wait until the muffins have cooled.
Makes 12 muffins
I hope you enjoy the muffins as much as we do. :o)
While I like blueberries, I don't like them plain. I usually mix them in Greek yogurt or put them in pancake batter or muffins. Since it's blueberry season where I live, I thought I'd share a blueberry muffin recipe this week.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened (about 1/2 of a stick) I used unsalted butter, but you can use salted if you like.
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (I use a low-fat version if I can find it at my grocery store.)
1 cup fresh blueberries. I've also made these using frozen blueberries
Pam cooking spray or muffin/cupcake papers
Lemon Glaze (see below)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients, mixing well. Next cut the softened butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse meal. If you don't have a pastry cutter, I've used a fork. It's a bit more work, but it can be done this way too.
In a separate small bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon peel, and egg until well mixed. Pour into the flour mixture. Stir just until all the ingredients are moist. Don't over stir or your muffins will be very dense. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Spray muffin pan with Pam cooking spray. I usually use muffin/cupcake papers instead. It makes for an easier clean up. Fill the individual cups evenly with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the pan immediately and cool on a wire rack. I have to admit we sometimes eat these almost right out of the oven with lots of melting butter on them.
You can add a lemon glaze to the top of the muffins if you'd like. Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 1/2 cup powered (Confectioners) sugar in a small bowl and drizzle over the muffins. You can do this while they are still warm or wait until the muffins have cooled.
Makes 12 muffins
I hope you enjoy the muffins as much as we do. :o)
Friday, July 8, 2016
This I know for sure...
I understand that reading is subjective in terms of what one person loves, another hates. This is true in my own family. My youngest sister loved Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn while I didn't particularly care for it. (I didn't even finish it.) I devour Diane Kelly's Death, Taxes series books each time one comes out while my oldest sister doesn't like them.
What I don't understand is when people say, "I never read" or "I don't read" or even worse, "I hate to read (or) I don't like reading." Not liking to read is beyond my comprehension. I understand if one has a disability that makes it difficult, but I'm talking about those people who don't suffer from dyslexia and similar issues.
I read year round, but look forward to summer because I usually seem to have much more free time to read. Maybe it's because there's nothing worth watching on television during the summer season.
I'm not the only big reader in the family either. My mom read 14, yes 14, books in the month of June. I read 6 and thought that was a lot.
Do you read more in the summer than during the winter?
What I don't understand is when people say, "I never read" or "I don't read" or even worse, "I hate to read (or) I don't like reading." Not liking to read is beyond my comprehension. I understand if one has a disability that makes it difficult, but I'm talking about those people who don't suffer from dyslexia and similar issues.
I read year round, but look forward to summer because I usually seem to have much more free time to read. Maybe it's because there's nothing worth watching on television during the summer season.
I'm not the only big reader in the family either. My mom read 14, yes 14, books in the month of June. I read 6 and thought that was a lot.
Do you read more in the summer than during the winter?
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
What's Up Wednesday
This week...
My current WIP (work in progress): I didn't make my deadline of finishing the revisions by the end of June. I've been working extra hours at the day job for the last 2 weeks and it definitely cut into writing time.
Quote of the Week: “Save your wishes and rituals for later because right now good luck and hard work are one and the same. Know your intention, put in the focused time, and you will receive your due.” ~ Unknown
What I'm reading: I'll be starting Edge of Danger by Katie Reus this evening. This is the first book by Ms. Reus that I've read.
Random things: We spent the 4th of July at a family gathering held at my brother's home. He has a large backyard so my siblings and their families gathered there. We had a potluck meal and cake for my mom's birthday. It was a great way to spend the day, even the weather was perfect, bright and sunny, not too hot and a nice breeze just when you felt like you needed one.
Random Photo of the Week:
This is the first year our lilies have bloomed after two years of trying. Usually the wild bunny we have in the neighborhood eats the buds before they get a chance to blossom.
My current WIP (work in progress): I didn't make my deadline of finishing the revisions by the end of June. I've been working extra hours at the day job for the last 2 weeks and it definitely cut into writing time.
Quote of the Week: “Save your wishes and rituals for later because right now good luck and hard work are one and the same. Know your intention, put in the focused time, and you will receive your due.” ~ Unknown
What I'm reading: I'll be starting Edge of Danger by Katie Reus this evening. This is the first book by Ms. Reus that I've read.
Random things: We spent the 4th of July at a family gathering held at my brother's home. He has a large backyard so my siblings and their families gathered there. We had a potluck meal and cake for my mom's birthday. It was a great way to spend the day, even the weather was perfect, bright and sunny, not too hot and a nice breeze just when you felt like you needed one.
Random Photo of the Week:
This is the first year our lilies have bloomed after two years of trying. Usually the wild bunny we have in the neighborhood eats the buds before they get a chance to blossom.
Monday, July 4, 2016
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