Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Lighthouses and gentle breezes...

It's still a bit humid and hot outside.  Great day for inside projects - especially since I'm still wheelchair-bound!   And sorting through photos is a great way to pass the time!   I'll have an X-ray on Thursday which will determine how well (positive thinking!) things are healing and will determine whether I have another two or another four weeks of non-weight bearing status.   I've been practicing on my patience and being good - so I'm hoping for two weeks!!!!   It's been two weeks already.


 

These photos were taken on a trip to the Upper Peninsula.  My hubby and I are in love with lighthouses and waterfalls and never miss an opportunity for a quick trip to visit one.   I can only imagine how the lighthouse keepers spent their days and nights.   They had to be of such strong character and mind.  I am always reminded of the luxuries we so often take for granted and their life was not an easy life.  Would I be  strong as they were - I would hope so - but I wonder!



  It is a solitary life most of the time.  Such responsibility for lives and safety.  The breezes were not always gentle and I can only imagine the ice during those frigid winter months.  Must have seemed like an eternity at times.



All of the lighthouses are so different.  Some with more modern conveniences and some so rustic.  Can you imagine living in a lighthouse?  As I child I always thought it would be so much fun - as an adult...I admire those who did.


This one is in Traverse City, Michigan.  The red roof always draws me in.   If you are in the neighborhood, there is always so much to see and do in TC.




The ones which are located along miles of beach are so appealing.  They are truly beacons of light in the darkness.  Can you imagine being on a ship seeking the light to guide you safely in?  



I feel cooler already - those gentle breezes are so refreshing.  There is something so relaxing about being outdoors, hearing the water lap against the shore , rustling of the leaves and the smell of fresh air. 

Hope  you have enjoyed!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

My Goodness - Such a Sticky Day Out There!

 It's another sticky warm day - 101 degrees at 11 a.m and I'm told the humidity felt that high was well.  Since I'm housebound for the time-being, I can only take someone else's word for it.   Physical Therapy came this morning and I was exhausted after a short while.   I've been doing real good but the last two days, lots of pain and discomfort.  They suggested I spend more time laying down and resting and that wasn't hard to do!       Hubby was working this afternoon, got up at 12:30 for a quick bite and the power went out.   Grinned, kissed him bye as he headed to fast food for lunch and went back to bed with my Nook.  This may be the longest short book is history ....I keep falling asleep!

Not sure what time the power came back on, I did briefly wake up as I felt the fan gently blowing a breeze in my bedroom............ah, so nice!  So nice I fell back asleep.



Finally got up for a bit, grabbed a bite to eat, caught up on emails, and Words with Friends (am I the only once addicted to this game?) and decided to sort through some pictures.  Today, the water pictures seems appropriate!   Oh, what we could do with a gentle soaking rain. We had predictions, some wind, television flickered, but that was about it.

Practicing patience........sometime I've never had an abundance of!   But I am thankful, so very thankful for all that I have been blessed with.  My heart goes out to those who are suffering this terrible heat without a method of cooling off, and for the many many who are having their crops and livelihood destroyed by this drought we are all suffering. 

My prayers is that it ends soon!!

Saturday, July 14, 2012

In The Blink of an Eye - Plans Change



 These were some of the plants I was taking care of.  Some crepe myrtle had taken over a flower bed so I decided to pull it, rearrange flowers, put new edging down and breath a breath of fresh air into the existing bed in front of the house and to the side of the house.

I know this is a bad time of year to think about doing this type of activity, but unfortunately, that is how my mind works.  Plus with all the time watering during the drought I really started noticing how badly they needed work.   Two beds down and two to go - not bad.  Would give me something to do during the early morning hours and late evening hours - before the sun hit full.

Crepe Mrytle all pulled and that was a job!  Shovel a zillion loads (or so it seems) of mulch and took to the compost pile.  Dug up some of the plants and replanted into other locations or into pots for the "duration" of the project!

Then it happened - walking across the kitchen floor to fill a plastic bottle of drinking water and I fell - apparently tripped over my own feet!   Took me an hour to get up.  Doors locked, just me and the dog. Finally managed a poorly executed one-egged shuffle to the bedroom and collapsed on the bed thinking it would get better when I got over the excitement and got myself calmed down.  It was then that I realized I couldn't move my leg on it's own.  Long story short - trip to hospital, x-rays and cat scans, and diagnosis -broken hip.  Just got home and am trying to figure out which way to turn. I am lucky in that there is little displacement therefore they have recommended non-weight bearing for 4-6 weeks and we'll take it from there.  I'm thankful that at this point surgery is not required but very fearful as patience has never been in my vocabulary!!!  And am just now realizing what my limitations are.............arrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I know I am not the only person who has ever dealt with this - and I will survive it.    I've begun collecting books to read, pictures to scan and thinking this will be a good time to review plans for those flower beds since obviously this will now be a fall project!!!  

Ideas anyone?