not necessarily in this order

Hello from the other side! Yesterday was the big day. 5am wake-up to get ready and head to the surgery center, I said goodbye to LM and the Mr in the waiting room at 6:30am, and the Mr had me home by 1pm. I’m settled in my recliner with LM’s mat as a Bella-blocker. Overnight, all Bella wanted was to jump up and be with me which was sweet but quite ill timed. The Mr is hanging downstairs with me while I get the hang of crutches and the unexpected weight of the splint so luckily he was there to help put up my “gate”. Later this week, I hope to write up a recap and where I’m at - did I mention I got myself a laptop as one of my recovery “tools”? - so this is just a quick drop in to check in. Hope you’re having good starts to your week!

It’s a little less than a week until my foot/ankle surgery. I feel like I’ve lost the thread between all my lists and what needs to be done before this happens and what is feasible to get done before all this happens. Between trying to land cleaning out my aunt’s house that’s 90 minutes away  and getting it on the market by the end of the month - and doing her taxes - and getting all of LM’s spring and summer clothes and dance competition stuff prepared and this wild season at work with everything going on and with everything literally going on all the time, I feel like I’m all over the place (as is this too apt run on sentence, haha). Yard statues have been rescued! Here are some hot takes on where I’m at:   Pros : I have a recliner to sleep/recover in  I have a wedge pillow to elevate my foot (and it fits on said recliner!) I have a knee scooter (with a bell) (and a personalized license plate haha) I got my aunt’s taxes done on time  I’ll have time to go back in ev...

It is a Friday night and LM is at the school dance and the Mr. is at a bar next to the school dance with all the dads just in case someone wants to leave early. I just finished a book and am sitting in a quiet house, which is a gift but I have this busy mind, haha sigh. Here are some hot takes and real talk from this moment! The bee paper I found at my aunt’s seemed to point at my buzzing mind, haha! I am two weeks and change away from this ankle and foot surgery. Is it bad that one of the things I’m most worried about is not working for 2 1/2 weeks? Since the pandemic, I’ve talked a big talk about having better boundaries with work and not having it be my identity… but, the idea of not working is really freaking me out! I haven’t taken 2 weeks off in a row since I had Lil Momma and was on leave. Obviously, I have more work to do (pun intended, sigh)… Things are moving on clearing out my aunt’s house, but I am at the point where I have to make big important decisions about whether or n...

  Hello from our deck on the first warm weekend day to really appreciate it! Nothing like a romance novel and a super soaker to prevent the squirrels from taking out my birdcam again to set the Saturday vibe! Honestly, I’m sitting here like a plant soaking up some sun and avoiding my to do list. Lil Momma is running around the yard in socks, practicing her dance solo, and chattering away. The Mr is cleaning our gardens and making plans to take down a small tree that is allowed the squirrels to take out the antenna on our other birdcam a few weeks ago. Last night we went and saw Alton Brown’s final tour in Boston.The Mr and I have seen every tour he’s done and his shows (television and live) have really been one of those constants in our almost 20 year relationship. Lil Momma joined us last night, which made me super happy to do something fun as a family before everything gets crazy. (Crazier) In this very moment, she’s having her yearly realization that she loves being outside and ...

  Lil Momma is a chatterbox and has been on fire lately with her questions and comments. Here’s a sampling:   “What time is it?” (She’s wearing a watch) “Hold me closer, Tony Danza!” (sung) “What’s a saga?” “Have you been to the Pink Pony Club?” “Why did Dad give me 4 slices of bell pepper? Four?!” “Ideal Oreo proportions are a personal choice.”  “Do you ever think about Steve Harrington’s hair?” ( She’s deep into a Stranger Things rewatch even though we just finished season 4 ) “Did you sleep well? Was it sound?” “Road trip snacks are a joy!” “Will you switch shoes with me?” (When she wore Crocs to a strength workout class)  I can’t believe what comes out of this kid’s mouth - and that we can wear each other’s shoes?!? Time is wild, friends. 

  The world is suffocatingly a lot right now.     Everything is a lot.    I don’t really have words. There’s just so much awful everywhere and it keeps getting louder and all the time.   I was listening to a bonus episode of  Maintenance Phase  on my drive yesterday and the hosts talked about how it feels bad to listen to the news and stay abreast of current events, but it also feels bad to hide and not be in the know of what is going on. That is me. I am that.    These FIGs are glimmers I found in these days, but in no way are meant to celebrate this week or this time because although I know two things can be true at once, it’s hard to say “I felt joy” – no matter how small – when the world is on fire.   Saturday : We watched the last episode of  Stranger Things  season 4 and Lil Momma, the Mr, and I had a “what we think will happen in the final season” conversation and wrote down our predictions to reopen when it ai...

In 6 weeks or so (50 days when I wrote this), I’ll be having surgery on my right ankle and foot that’s both a long time coming and, at the same time, kind of a disaster. Random pic of wild cat wrapping paper I found cleaning out my aunt’s house that really feels like my current vibe (and reminds me of Stephany !) For the friends of Dr. Google (or with medical knowledge haha), I’m having a lateral ligament reconstruction, LDCO, and dorsiflexion 1st metatarsal osteotomy. For those who like to protect their peace (#goals), basically they’re going to tighten/clean up the ligaments on the outside of my ankle. At the same time, to address my overly high arch and standing on my foot incorrectly, they’re going to adjust my heel bone to the outside to improve alignment.  It’s a lot. It’s not driving for 8+ weeks. It’s being non-weight bearing for at least 6 weeks. It’s learning how to walk again. It’s 6 months of recovery.  It’s also the rest of my life. It’s better balance and mobilit...