REDEEMED
Job 33:28
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
the anti-bucket list
Saturday, August 17, 2024
table vs foot
In this game of table/foot- table won.
While I was arranging my classroom and getting ready for school to start a small table/student desk fell on my foot. At the moment of the showdown, I was on the phone with my daughter's teacher. I tried to pretend it wasn't happening and got off the phone as soon as I could.
When I looked at my foot I was shocked to see how swollen it was. It looked like there was a golf ball under my skin. I talked to the school nurse- who said, "Looks bad- you better go get an X-ray." I didn't think it was broken, it hurt but more like a 4 out of 10. I could move my toes and walk- so I hobbled out the door. My DH came to pick me up and took me to an urgent care.
They X-rayed my foot and said it wasn't broken, just bruised. It would look worse, but should be back to normal within two weeks.
Cool-cool-cool.
So-toward the end of the two weeks- it was actually swelling and hurting more than it previously had. I went back to the clinic for a follow-up. I was seen by a different doctor who took another X-ray. My foot was still not broken. But the doctor said it looked pretty bad, and it might be infected. (I'm not sure how- she said it was something about deep tissue damage . . . ) she gave me a post-op shoe, antibiotics, and recommended physical therapy.
Ugh. Here's the thing- as a teacher I only get 10 days off for the whole year. If I miss even part of a day I have to take a half day off. I have no intention of taking six half days in August.
The problem is it is a workman's comp thing so if I don't do all the things and it gets worse they are going to say "Well, you didn't do all the things. It's your fault if it's not healing right."
I have another follow-up appointment on Monday to see if we can get it all worked out. I also need to talk to the admin at school to get some time off without taking my personal days.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
an appointment for a dental evaluation
So- we had to change dentists because of insurance changes. My girls all need some work- and hubby and I are terrible about dental appointments. Of all the things that cause me anxiety on the level that I would like to have medication- it is dental work.
I knew I needed some work done, but since this was a first-time appointment, I thought they would just do the checkup, take some ex-rays, and tell me how much everything would cost. I would then make the next appointment and go about my business. HOWEVER- that was not the case. They did the evaluation, took the ex-rays, told me what I needed and how much it would cost then said, "So we'll do the deep cleaning and the crown right now."
And I was (like a dummy) all, "Yeah, okay."
Five and a half hours later all the surfaces in my mouth hurt as I was leaving the office.
What- the- WHAT!
First of all, they make their own crowns in-house in two hours- which means there is an inordinate amount of scanning that occurs. Second, they were extra busy, and the dentist kept losing track of her dental assistant. When she found him she got to work grinding and drilling out an old crown at the very back of my mouth.
Then when the dental hygienist wasn't available the dentist decided to go ahead and do my deep cleaning herself.
She turned that water pick up to FULL BLAST and intensively and aggressively gave her full attention to all my plaque. It felt like she was shoving razor blades between my teeth and gums. I kept trying to repeat Psalm 23 to myself to calm down- but I couldn't even do that because I would get lost and start over every time I started wondering why this woman hated my gums so much."You set a table before me in the presence of my enemies." Finally, the hygienist walked in and the dentist said, "Oh there you are- I finished the bottom- but I'm not sure I got everything- so go over it again and then continue to the top." NOT SURE SHE GOT EVERYTHING?! MY GUMS ARE HANGING IN TATTERS!
The hygienist was calm and as mild as milk. She introduced herself and said, "Ok, let's see how it looks." She picked up the water pick again, I closed my eyes and thought, "The Lord is my shepherd . . . " Then she proceeded to prod around and although I know she turned on the pick because I could hear it, in my mouth it felt like a gentle rain - a warm summer shower, pleasant and refreshing- "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters," and I feared no evil.
Then she said, "Ok, so I'm going to put some numbing gel on your upper gums before I start those ones, is that okay with you?" Have mercy, I was actually looking forward to a deep cleaning from this dental angel. THEN THE DENTIST CAME BACK IN and said, "I'll finish."
"Lo- though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death . . ."
Then the dentist said, "I'm going to finish with the laser."
Verily- the laser was much less vengeful than the water pick.
Then after all that- it was time to put on the crown.
I think we were all tired by that time, so even though the crown was sitting a bit high after four adjustments I said, "It's fine-yeah it's okay now."
And I have two more appointments next week.
I wonder #3
I wonder if people with upper dentures still burn their upper pallets on hot food and drinks, or if the dentures double as a heat shield.
Lailah Logic: cowboys
Lailah: "Mama!"
Me: "What?"
Lailah: "If a guy has cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat, and a horse, he's not a cowboy . . . unless he has a cow."
Me: "Umm . . . well . . . I suppose that's true- sort of . . ."
Thursday, July 18, 2024
I wonder #2
I wonder what dehydrated watermelon tastes like.
Just kidding- I already know. I legit wondered that last week, so I dehydrated some ... and it is amazing.
Will do again.
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Thursday, June 13, 2024
All the princesses
I don't remember wanting to be a princess when I was a little girl. No, I take it back. I did want to be a princess. I wanted to be Wonder Woman- who is of course a SUPER-godess-Princess.
My girls all had (or are currently having) a princess stage.
Much of our princess inspiration came from shoes. They all liked dresses for a while, tiaras, jewelry etc- but the shoes . . . They needed to wear the princess shoes at every possible opportunity. I wish I had a picture of the shoes of the other girls once they had finished with them.
The shiny shoes, the 'high heels,' the bows, the sparkles, and the beatdown that little kids give to their favorite shoes.
E's first word was 'shoe.' One of her favorite pairs of shoes was a pair of shiny pink cowboy boots. She wore them until they were two sizes too small, and worn down to nubs. Then we got her a new pair of cowboy boots. She wore them down too. Now she's a Converse girl, but sometimes the heels still call to her.
L's favorite shoes were red flats with red glitter all over them. I would find red glitter all over the place. No matter what other color she was wearing, she also had to wear those red "there's no place like home" shoes. She was so hard on shoes that she wore out the first pair, and when I said she couldn't wear them anymore because they fell apart she wouldn't stand for it. She insisted that she NEEDED those shoes. I went and bought another pair. This one is very picky about shoes and socks. If they aren't just right for her she refuses to wear them. I've learned that Sketchers usually work.
T's favorite shoes are above. These are 'Elsa shoes.' I had to throw them away in secret. Even though they haven't fit in over a year- she would try to stuff her little feet into them if I gave her a chance. This girl is now working through a pair of pink princess shoes, but she'll need something new soon.
My girls are all excited that this year they are transferring schools. The new school does not have a uniform- which of course means they can wear any color and style of shoes they want.
Viva the princess shoes!
Saturday, June 08, 2024
spinning right-round-baby-right-round like a record baby right-round-round-round
Some years ago my husband bought me a spinning wheel. It's quite an expensive item. I call it an apocalyptical hobby. When the world falls apart- we're still gonna need socks and sweaters.
I found my first attempt on the wheel the other day. I didn't have a teacher- just me and YouTube on the loose with a spinning wheel. My first spin was all the things. It was overspun and underspun- meaning it had too much twist or too little twist. It was all the sizes possible from as thin as thread to what is standardly called "super bulky."
I didn't know what to do with it, so I put it up on a shelf and forgot about it.
I went on to join a Facebook spinning group and committed to spinning 20-30 minutes each day. It got easier if not better. :) Last summer I did the same and since my spinning attempts were pretty terrible I bought some "practice roving." AKA cheap, mostly synthetic "wool." My Facebook group was not happy about my choice- something about microplastics- blah-blah-blah.
I spun and spun that cheap-o fiber- I think I made some good improvement to be honest. Then I started teaching at high school and I haven't touched my wheel since.
Boo- but this summer I'm back to it- starting maybe this weekend. I'm going to do a little practice spin to get myself started, and then I'm going to spin some of my collected wool- my pretty, and expensive wool.
Darling- do you need to hear this as much as I do? Don't bother saving your nice things for a special day. You woke up . . . so today is special!
I kitted a swatch of my first spin.
Thursday, June 06, 2024
Summer list 2024
I have a list of the things I try to do each day in the summer.
I don't get to all of them, but this is a way of building habits.
1. I listen to the bible in a year podcast. (I completed the 2022 podcast, even if it did take 1.5 years)
2. I study Spanish on Duolingo. (I got a 400+ day streak in French.)
3. I complete some training required for work. (I'm trying to get all my online training complete before classes start, AND get my curriculum worked out for each six-week grading period during this summer= GOALS.)
4. I work on the never-ending tasks of laundry and dishes. What can I say? We love to eat and get dirty.
5. I draw or paint something. I completed my little notebook last year- I've been working on my "Praying in Color" notebook. I have about 35 pages left. Here is Joy from the Fruit of the Spirit series.
6. I 'yarn' something. This is what my children call anything I do with yarn. I am *ALMOST* done with last year's goal of 100 baby booties to donate. So close now!
7. I organize- or try to organize something- this includes getting rid of things we don't need. Need? We don't even want lots of it. We are all pack rats.
8. I clean something I have been actively avoiding for a while. Yesterday I bleached the floor in the bathroom. I'm allergic to bleach- so even though I needed to do it for ever so long- in the end it wasn't really that bad of a job.
9. I read a few pages (or more) from a book that I want to read. I'm rereading The Red Tent now. I'm not sure what's next.
10. I relax.- I mean half of the things on this list are relaxing things- but I make sure to include it just for funsies. This usually means watching TV and knitting or taking a nap. 😏
There are a few more things I would like to add- but I haven't yet.
I would like to take a walk each day.
I would like to sew something each day.
I would like to start spinning again.
Yesterday while organizing I found my long-lost first spool of spun wool. That little gem deserves its own post.
I would like to write something each day.
I would like to sleep more too, but I have so many other unnecessary things to do!