Watches and Warnings

I guess you could say that we have a bit more of an exciting night in our usually pretty dull household. Storms are heading our way and we keep getting updates on possible storms. We seem to be at the edge. We are hearing a little thunder and I think that I hear light rain on the roof. We are under a tornado watch (conditions right for a tornado)but there are counties right next to us that are under tornado warnings (tornado spotted on the ground). The strongest seem to be to our south right along the TN/AL border. I got up and cut my pan of brownies and got them ready to take to the church. So before I had school I made a quick trip to the church. We had a pretty close to usual school day...a few switched places with a sibling but all came who were supposed to. After lunch I got our supper going. We are a bit off in having our traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner = A New England Boiled Dinner of corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and onions. It tasted good...better late than never! After I got the corned beef cooking, Joy came over and had her long time with me that she missed on Tuesday due to Woody's surgery. I rested a bit after she left and then went downstairs and peeled potatoes and carrots and cut wedges of cabbage. I got the kitchen cleaned up a little while ago. I am now upstairs and ready to relax for the rest of the evening. I think that I will read. Woody went to his surgeon's office this morning. All is well so far. He got some exercises that he is supposed to start doing. He did find out that he isn't supposed to do any four-mile walks for a while. He will go back next Thursday to have the stitches out. But so far so good! And, with this blog...March comes to an end!

Can't Keep Some People Down!

I was awakened this morning with Woody having come up the stairs (thought that he had planned to stay down for several days). He had come up to print one of today's crossword puzzles...which he had mentioned the day before and I assured him that I would print them off for him...guess I was awake soon enough! Then...a little later after he had been upstairs several other times...once to get his medicine and another to run off another puzzle...I mentioned something about me going to Kroger today and he said that HE was going to go...and there was no stopping him. He said that the grocery cart was even a better walker than the one that we had gotten yesterday. When he got home, he had lots of helpers from our neighbor grandchildren for bringing them in the house. And, he let me put them away. I did have school this morning...so a normal Wednesday school day for me. After lunch I headed to the church and worked in the library for a while. On my way home I stopped at the public library and picked up a book that had come in that I had requested. When I got home, Woody was putting on his suit so he could go to the funeral home for the visitation of a friend who died on Easter Sunday. Since coming home from his last venture out, he has stayed pretty much put in his recliner. He said that his main problem in the car is getting out. He doesn't seem to be in very much pain and is learning how to get up and down in his chair. He uses the walker some, but I see that he will be abandoning it very shortly. He goes to the doctor in the morning to have his knee checked and I think to have stitches removed. I imagine that he will be given exercises to start doing for his rehab. He is being very good about icing his knee. Hopefully the doctor will be pleased with how well he is doing rather than saying that he has done too much! His throat is a bit sore due to the tube that was inserted at the time of surgery. He enjoyed the Stuffed Spud Soup that I made for our supper. He said that it made his throat feel better. I am going to go in and rest for a few minutes and then going down to make brownies. I have been asked to provide a dessert for a luncheon after a funeral tomorrow. I spotted this little blue bird sitting among the dogwood blooms this morning. I took it through our bedroom window and there was quite a glare. I attempted to remove the glare with my photo software...so not the best picture...but a blue bird and dogwood blooms can't be too bad of a picture! We have so many blue birds flitting around in the trees and making homes in some of our birdhouses this year. It is so pretty to see the flash of blue as they fly through the yard. You can see that our dogwood blossoms are starting to open...not that pretty white yet...give them a few more days!

He Survived!

Let's say that we both survived. The hospital called a little before 9:30am and said that they were running ahead of schedule and asked us to come in as soon as possible. Hopefully it did speed up the process, but it still took most of the day. We didn't get home till after 3pm. Nathan came and spelled me for a little while so I could get my hair cut. When I left around 12:30 the nurse indicated that it wouldn't be much longer than 45 min. till he would be released. Well...that timing wasn't exactly correct! Everyone said that he did just great and the PT guy who came to get him up and walking said that he did great too. Woody had to choose between coming home on crutches or with a walker. He decided on the walker. I had to go to the medical supply place to get the walker. I took him home first and Nathan and Graham helped get him safely inside that first long "walking trip." Getting the walker was a bit of a comedy of errors, but in the end I think that we got what we were supposed to have. The man who helped me was determined that Woody should have a walker with no wheels. I told him that I thought that the orders were for one with wheels. But he presisted and brought out one with no wheels. But when the order from the doctor came through it was for one with wheels and the only way I got the correct kind was to ask the girl who was processing the paperwork to check and sure enough it was for one with wheels...so finally I got out the door with the correct type. So we are settled in for a quiet evening...at least we hope for a quiet evening! I'm tired. I don't know about Woody...probably not!

The Hunt Is On!

The neighbor grandchildren had their egg hunt today. This year "the hunt" was "run" a little differently. The two youngest had an egg hunt all to themselves in their fenced backyard and the oldest had theirs in our backyard and their lot in back of our house...bigger area for bigger kids! Fun was had by all...lots of jelly beans and notes (for special priveleges like "a no chore day," "a special one-on-one time with one of their parents," etc.), and coins. I had school this morning. Woody walked four miles early, as he was going to be busy later in the morning with his usual Monday "out and about" time and he also had to register at the hospital. He did find out when he has to be at the hospital...10:30 tomorrow morning. So besides the hospital he went to Life Care and had Bible study with Jeff and also visited with four or five friends who are presently having rehab or are residents there. He also ran an errand for me...picked up one of my allergy meds at WalMart. So it was a busy running around time for him. Tomorrow I will report on how his arthroscopic knee surgery goes. Seems just like yesterday that he was at the hospital for a ruptured appendix! And, it really wasn't all that long ago...just a little over four months ago. I wonder if I can convince him to stay away from hospitals for surgical reasons for a much longer time after tomorrow!

Bird Bath Day

The bird bath was a popular place in one of our gardens today. I sat at the kitchen table this morning and looked out the window at the garden and one bird would hop out of the bird bath and fly off and another would fly in for its turn. This morning the birds were really out full force as I was looking out the window at the front the yard. It looked like a lot of them were gathering nesting materials. I wonder where nests will be found this year. Woody ran his usual Saturday morning errands. I woke up way too early so I worked on finalizing my Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. The rest of the day has pretty much been a lazy day for me. I guess all of yesterday's festivities wore me out! I have spent a good part of the day reading. I started a new e-book and am already more than half-way through it. Woody walked four miles this afternoon...he said a slow four miles. He watched a library DVD or two and I think that I saw some basketball on when I walked by the TV one time. And, he has done his usual crossword puzzles and has read. It has been a fairly quiet day in our household...especially when compared to yesterday.

Things Were Hoppin' Around Here

At least things were hopping for several hours around here today. All is quiet now! Erin is like a magnet for a bunch of her cousins...they admire her technology expertise and knowledge of some of the games that they like to play. They kept a watchful eye out for her arrival and their various tech devices appeared the moment they saw her! Abigail tends to claim her Aunt Melany and they played Monopoly and did a little weaving on the lap loom that we have. Screens were off limits for the younger gang after lunch so they ended up doing various and sundry things...most involving Erin. They spent quite a while in the school room drawing. Lots of chatter and laughter echoed from our rafters today! And, look at the cute birdhouse that I got for my birthday from Melany, Wade, Erin and Alex!

Now for the update on Woody after his appointment with the orthopedist this morning. He does have a torn miniscus and will be having arthroscopic surgery this coming Tuesday. Pretty much what he expected the outcome of this doctor visit to be.

Spring Colors

Each day our world here in Middle Tennessee gets a bit greener and a bit more colorful. The yellow forthysia are just beautiful at this time of the year. I had school this morning with Joseph and Isaac and then Elijah, Joy, and Abigail read with me. I headed into the kitchen as soon as school was finished and made a gelatin salad for tomorrow when Melany, Erin, and maybe Wade come to spend part of the day with us. Then I got back to cleaning. I brought the vacuum upstairs with me a while ago which means that I am not planning on using it again downstairs. Woody continues to nurse his knee...but he has decided that he needs to doctor it as well...thus he put in a call to his orthopedist this morning and has an appointment with him tomorrow morning. After Woody ate supper, he headed next door to take care of the seven neighbor grands while their parents go on a date. I will continue to do a little after around the house after I blog...but have about done all I can do for this day. I will get up in the morning and do a few last minute things before they arrive. Right now I guess I will go unload the dryer and the dishwasher...I think that I am still up to doing those two things! If I unload the dishwasher, I guess I "should" then reload it with what is on the counter! One job always leads to another and another and...