Signs of the Times

This morning as I stopped at the local 7-Eleven to get my morning coffee, I noticed a sign on their front door. It was orange and had the image of a witch on it with the words "Happy Halloween". Beneath that were the words " Masks are not allowed in this store".

At my job, we were allowed to wear costumes today BUT were not allowed to paint our faces or cover them with a mask until AFTER we had entered the building.

A co-worker went to the bank this past Saturday and was wearing a baseball cap. Before he was allowed to enter, the branch manager asked him to remove his hat until his banking was done and he was again outside. The explanation was that each patron's image must be completely legible on the surveillance tape.

With the financial situation as it is and crime on the rise ...

Have you seen any of the "newest" signs of the times?

Why Dogs Hate Halloween

** confession - these images were borrowed from an email I received. **

Happy Halloween

Happy Birthday to the Sixth of Six

You aren't a baby anymore -

Now you are a beautiful woman, with babies of your own.

Happy Birthday SJ - wishing I was there to help you celebrate.

**(do her big sister a favor - pay her a visit and show her some Birthday Love)

What !

Any one dare to take a guess what these pictures are of?

UPDATE: These are pictures taken during my arthroscopic knee surgery. The first (I apologize for the darkness) is a view of the arthritis (the ridge at the top with the bumpy looking things) that appeared in my knee. The surgeon scraped it off. The second is a view of the torn medial meniscus which was repaired - the reason for the surgery.

Thank Goodness !!

I had my follow up appointment today. The stitches have been removed (band aids optional). I do not have to do any physical therapy (he gave me a list of exercises that I can do at home). He doesn't want to see me again for 6 weeks. AND ...

I have been cleared to return to work with no restrictions.

I never thought I would say this but, THANK GOODNESS !!

I get to go back to work !! It has been a long 8 (working) days. I had so many things I had planned to get done AND most of them didn't. When your mobility is limited - so are your opportunities.

Don't get me wrong - being able to sleep in was great. Going to bed as late as I wanted to was great. Not having to get dressed until noon was great. But, good grief - just how many talk shows can one watch? How many books can one read without getting bored? How many movies can be watched? Computer time was limited because it is in the basement and stairs aren't always knee-friendly. AND, once I would get down here, the desk also wasn't knee-friendly.

I never realized how tired one can get without doing anything !!

Right now - I feel great !

No pain (just a little discomfort every now and then when I do something I shouldn't have). I can drive (as long as I carefully get in and out of the car).

I have a little bounce in my step - cause I can go back to work !! (I know I sound a bit crazy, but if you have been there - You know what I mean!)

Catching Up

Wow !

This time last week, I was dead to the world - overpowered by Vicadin. Layed back on my couch with my left leg propped up on pillows.

Wow!

The surgery went well.

I arrived at the surgical center at 9, just like I was supposed to (for a 10:30 surgery). The doctor was running ahead of schedule, so ... they wasted no time. Within minutes of arrival, they had me taking off my clothes and putting on one of those very fashionable gowns. (They were operating on my knee - so why do you have to be completely undressed?) I sit (lay) down on the moving bed (gurney, I guess is the appropriate name ??) The nurse asks me a bunch of questions with the last being "why are you here?" She tells me everything matches and the doctor comes in and makes a black mark on my left knee.

Action !!

The nurse on the left sticks this clippy thing on my finger (to measure my oxygen level). Nothing ... she looks at me and says, "YOU ARE breathing". She moves it to another finger and BINGO, it shows that I do have oxygen and that the level is good. The guy on the right is jamming a needle in my arm. The lady at the end of the bed is putting those cute little paper shoes on my feet. Oh, I forgot - I had to put some goofy looking surgical stocking on my right leg, then put on a paper cap. The nurse hands me a little cup of water and 2 pills - oxycontin and an anti-inflammatory pill. They tell my sister that she can leave and they wheel me down the hall into a big room.

That's it - that's all I remember until I wake up in a room that is cold, ICE COLD. You know those little cotton blankets that hospitals use? They aren't very warm. Even when you have several of them on you. That same man that stuck the needle in my arm - comes in and gives me a dose of morphine. At this point, I am thinking SHIT - with all the drugs that they are giving me - this is going to hurt like hell when all of it wears off. I stayed there in that room for what seemed like forever (the nurse was rather chatty, though). I looked up at the clock on the wall and it isn't even 10:30 yet - the time my surgery was scheduled for. It's weird the things I remember - for all I know I was telling everyone my deepest, darkest secrets !!

I get moved to another room and they give me a cup of water and some saltine crackers. I was starving by that point, but do you really know how difficult it is to swallow dry crackers when your mouth feels like a desert? Choking down another vicadin wasn't that pretty either.

My sister shows up to retrieve me. I get dressed - baggy legged capris (which my knee just barely fit into), a XXL t-shirt (from The Raven Bar in VA Beach) and a pair of bright pink crocs that I had bought because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month ! A fashion statement, indeed ... just a step better than the backless gown that I had just gotten out of (but at least my butt was now covered when I stood up !)

I got the pleasure of cruising down the hallways and out to the driveway in one of those fancy, dancy wheelchairs. Getting into the car was a piece of cake because of the drug induced state my body was in - my brain was functioning properly though - I knew where I was and what I was doing.

Next stop was the grocery store to pick up the prescribed meds - then home. I don't remember much after that ...

And now, its a week later ...

I feel pretty good.

I am in no pain ... that is - unless I carelessly forget what has been done and I step down extemely hard with the left leg or kneel on it ( I have done that at least once each - no more - cause it hurts like hell!). I gave up on the crutches by Friday morning. I only took 3 of the pain pills (twice the first night and one the next). My knee is still rather swollen but there are only 3 battle scars - each covered up by a bandaid.

To be continued ...

I Survived The Date !!

And now have a lot of catching up to do ! Just today, I am trying to navigate stairs (this contraption is in the basement). It has been a long 3 days ...

Be back tomorrow.

Fun Monday - #38 - Doodles

The hostess this week is {i} Post at 9 Acres: 20 Miles North of Nowhere.

The assignment is: Your job is to doodle this week. Keep a piece of paper near the phone or grab a scrap of paper while you are watching TV. Start with the number 9, for Nine Acres, of course. Draw the number 9 in red and then use a different color for the rest of your doodling. That way we can all see where the original 9 was in your doodle. It is up to you how you incorporate the 9 into the doodle. It can look like something we know, or it can just be shapes. It can be colorful, or can be one color, besides the red 9. When you are finished your doodle, take a picture of it or scan it and post it on Monday.

I don't doodle when on the phone or when watching TV because I just don't have time !! I am always doing something else (multi tasking is the name of my game).

BUT ... put me in a meeting and make me go through charts on the screen and I WILL DOODLE on the hard copy agenda in between each presentation (2 1/2 to 3 hours of sitting through total boredom). So, today that is what you will see (with the actual work related part cut out). And I think one of them actually has a 9 in there somewhere (you might have to look closely)

Doesn't look like I followed the rules, does it?

Bottom right hand corner - just might be a 9 !!

AND then, {i} Post gave us access to the Doodle Analysis ...

So ... I decided to give it a whirl !!

Arrows: Arrows indicate a person who is aggressively ambitious

Boxes: Boxes are usually drawn by men. Stacked boxes indicates methodical thinking. Closed boxes signify self-centredness, and a desire for privacy. Open boxes may be a reflection of a wish to welcome someone. Alternatively, they may represent a desire to escape from a restrictive situation. (Usually, but not in this case !)

Dots: Dots forming a pattern or picture are sometimes the doodles of a fragmented personality. They can also indicate an extremem state of anxiety or a lack of stability.

Flowers: Most flowers are doodled by women, and are romantic in nature. Indicating a desire to blossom and be fruitful in life.

Intricate Patterns: Very detailed doodles are often drawn by people who have an obsessive nature, and who simply will not let go of their ambitions or loved ones. They are also likely to be jottings of highly introverted people.

Zigzags: This repeated pattern may signal a need for comfort, or a need to regress to childhood in order to escape from the harsh everyday reality.

It also explains:

The starting point of a doodle can also be relevant.

More introverted people, will tend to start their doodle in the centre of a piece of paper, work outwards, and then move inwards again.

The intensity of the ink/pencil marks can also indicate the mood of the person. Lighter strokes indicating a good day, but dark, heavy strokes can sometimes signal depression. (I guess the mood changes throughout those long ass meetings !)

What this all boils down to is:

Doodles are expressions of the subconscious mind.

(Meetings are boring ...)

OK - my doodles don't make a lick of sense !!

Go over and visit {i} Post to see if anyone else's do.

Duh ... I just realized that she (as in {i} Post) is one of my neighbors (kinda) - East Coast, in somewhat close proximity to Washington, DC (MD - VA with DC in between - who pays attention to miles)... that counts for something, doesn't it ??

I Have A Date

With an orthopedic surgeon !!

October 15th.








Update: Oh, how I wish it was a REAL DATE !!