Monday, August 21, 2023

Not much to report from yesterday. Eating not excessive but choices were not great. It was a windy warm day so Justice got a good long walk which doesn't happen when he stays with DS.

Today we head off-Cape for my orthopedist appointment, followed by a visit to DD's work near Worcester so she can change the registration and insurance on DH's car, early dinner with DD, then home. Another long day on the road, sigh. But both things need to be done. It will be very interesting to hear what the orthopedist suggests after my experience with the corticosteroid injection followed by more debilitating pain when it wore off.

Have a mild Monday!

I hope your appointment gives you a road map to what's next, even if it's surgery. Its clear you can't go forward with this level of pain. You have a new home to enjoy this winter, and those bocce balls aren't going to throw themselves.

Well the second day of workshop week, I now have a meeting I must attend with 3 administrators. At the end of the school year, I wrote an email on behalf of our department about various roadblocks we would encounter trying to complete a new task we'd been assigned. I was hoping it would result in admin developing a flow chart or procedural memo on how to do said task. Instead, the executive director of special ed, the director of special ed and a special ed coordinator want to meet with me, even though I told them I am no longer the department chair. Why? I fear being put on some task force. I guess my email pushed some buttons.

So it's my annual fret about school week. Ugh. And I think I might be getting a toothache. Double ugh. I am well acquainted with tooth pain, as I've had 10 root canals. On the other hand, it could be a TMJ flare. If it is another root canal in my future, its not the actual procedure that stresses me out, its finding the time to do it. I am just so much fun today!

As always there is housework to do. Putting some things in order will help me reduce my stress and distract me. I can't use the old tried and true method of eating, there is nothing interesting to eat here LOL. Onward...

We all have those days where it feels like the the deck is stacked against us! I hope your tooth turns out to be nothing! And if they want to out you on a task force, it's okay to say no and defer to the next generation of special ed teachers to shape their future...

When it rains, it sometimes POURS!

First Day teaching.... hard to get up after a long dog show weekend. Got home at 10:30 last night.

Dad was admitted to the hospital from the ER on Saturday night while I was away. He has Covid and was suffering from what is called Mixed Delirium. Oh joy. It is possible that he will be released today. But we are not certain. He has to have a PT come in and assess his ability to eat without assistance. If he can eat, they will release him and he'll either go back to assisted living in quarantine or go to a rehab center.

Looks like Dinah is coming into heat just as I'm ready to head off to Minnesota. Poor Ron.... Have an appt. with the vet at 3:30 when I should be home grooming dogs for Minnesota. UGH....

Reno was a lot of fun. Got to visit with old and dear friends and Blitz kicked some dog show ass.

Eating was less than stellar but I did lose 2 pounds of water over the weekend, so I'm happy about that.

Not much else.

Your poor dad! Sounds like you also have more burdens than you should have been allocated at one time!

I still feel sad every time I read "Minnesota" in your posts, and know I won't be here! Normally we are never out of state the last weekend before school starts!

I hope your Dad got to go home.

Sending good thoughts for your shoulder appointment!

I am tired today. A nap sounds good. I often say that and rarely do it.

The dinner was fun last night. My dishes were hits. Here are the recipes in case anyone was interested.

https://plantbasedmatters.net/korean-style-stir-fry-edamame/

https://reluctantentertainer.com/mango-cucumber-summer-slaw/

Amazingly, gorgeous ripe mangoes, gochujang Korean chili paste, and furikake (Japanese toasted sesame seeds and seaweed) were easily found in rural Michigan. I'm an ever amazed and impressed at the growing palate of rural Michiganders. 12 years ago, even basic ethnic foods were hard to find here. Now our market has a whole well-stocked "world foods" aisle.

I think the clouds are making me sleepy. And the drone of the lawnmowers.

Despite the sensational news reports, the tropical storm was not a big deal for my friends. Though the open air art faire one was an artist at will not get to have their last 2 weeks as the tarp over the venue was shredded, so that's disappointing for her. Another friend with a hilarious sense of humor did Facebook "Storm Drain Watch 2023" videos looking at the storm water culvert behind his house. It wasn't all that full. Still, any kind of rain in August is noteworthy in southern CA.

I can't think of anything else at the moment! Hope you all have a great day!

Foodies are everywhere now. I remember in 1981, dining with my Uncle at the Marriott in Minneapolis. He was used to eating in the North End of Boston, so he asked the waitress as he ordered some Italian dish, "Is the pasta made fresh?" She looked so confused and said, "Yes, we boil it here". Umm, no Uncle Dave, Minneapolis was not yet serving pasta made by hand. Trying to get a Cappuccino anywhere was almost impossible. Things have changed so much.

The other food trend, farm to table: that was how my Mom's family ate. Their own chickens, dairy, grass fed beef, vegetables (that they canned for the winter) and some fruits that you can grow here... Now it's so trendy, but back then, it was my grandparents trying to survive on a small dairy farm in Northern Minnesota!

Greetings all

It's overcast and downright chilly here. I think it's just fog but there are fires to the north so there could be some smoke. I don't smell smoke but it's just weird. Kind of makes me uneasy.

Liz hope you at least get a shoulder answer soon. Like DD said it's better to at least know whats ahead. Don't envy the driving.

DD sorry you have the school-start-blues. How did our world get so convoluted? How does anything ever get done? Hope the tooth issue turns out to be not a thing. No fun. Demand nitrous oxide if you need another root canal. But I really hope you don't need it.

I picked up payroll and went to the studio today so thats done. Did some glazing and carving. I shared my secret banana slug glaze formula with another member. It's really not so secret. Then I stopped at the grocery for a few items. DH brought home some kind of chicken salad wrap yesterday which will be dinner. Ho hum.

Peps I checked on show results and yow you did indeed kick dog show butt!!! Two groups placements. Nice job. Is Blitz getting visiting ladies? Sorry your dad is having issues and I hope they resolve. Not an easy time for you plus starting school. Don't make the 10:30 home time a habit.

CC cool that weird food is available in your rural area. Makes me think of when I was a kid in the midwest and did not know that broccoli came in any manner other than in a frozen cube or that all fish was not in uniform breaded sticks. I am going to look at your recipes.

Well the butchered tree is showing tiny little leaf sprouts in various places so I guess it's not terminal. Lucky for the tree guy who was otherwise going to hear from me.

Little brother thinks he is going to Burning Man later this week. He thinks he is driving via Palm Springs. Not sure thats gonna happen. Oh well.

Cheers. Diane S

Yeah for new life on your tree! Long may it live.