My left thumb

Some people may be able to use both hands well. I cannot spell the word that describes this condition. I am very, very right handed, I thought. Last night I made French Onion Soup with toasted Parmesan bread on top. I cut my left thumb along with the onions.

NOW...

I have to have help to hook my bra. I cannot turn pages in a magazine. I struggle to button Depends. I struggle to unbotton Depends. I cannot smooth out the wrinkles in said elastic. I need help pulling down my sweater. The toilet flusher handle needs the right hand. My cell phone is awkward, I used to use my thumb to press buttons while I held the instrument in my right hand. How do you open a milk carton without your left thumb? Is there another way to open skirt hangars. Try holding hangar in your left hand and pinch open the grippers with your right. I pull my skirt up with my left thumb. I hold the bottom of my sweater with my right hand, zip grabbing the tab with my left thumb and forefinger. I snap on my bedroom overhead light with my left thumb. I push the on/off switch by my bedside lamp with my left thumb. I use my left thumb when weaving, and also when knitting. I unsnap my safety belt with my left thumb. Woe is me. I might as well go back to bed and pull the covers up, but I need my left thumb to do that.

Wayfarers Meeting

Our number has dwindled. This morning there were three of us, Ingrid, Dixie and me. We had a good time anyway. I.S. wrote about her grandma...how that broughtback memories of my own grandmas. My two stories were read from the computer screen again. Something is wrong with my printer (perhaps it is the computer operator). The message window says I have no ink. KJA put a new cartridge in last night. Then it says there is an error in the printer command. SO-o-o-o-o that is why I read from the screen again. I sent out e-mail messages. Maybe Marjorie is sick or something, or out of town for the holiday. I should have called Jerry because he doesn't have internet. Ah, well, one day at a time. I'll do better next month. Marjory and Jerry seem to be more interested in their poetry, which is very good.

Ingrid and I went to Mimi's for lunch. She had the Oriental Chicken Salad. I had the butternut squash ravioli with scallops. Alas, there were mushrooms in the sauce and a very good sauce it was. We got as far as Freckle's shop on our way home. Then those mushrooms had rushed their way through.

My visit to my primary care physician yesterday went pretty well. She LISTENS, then makes suggestions. She's happy with my a1C and coumadin check and my blood pressure is at the high side of normal. DKG called and made appointments for me for phyuical therapy. We'll see if it helps before we try cortisone shots, then a brace. She says x=rays prove that arthritis is riddling my spine. Right now I only have constant gnawing pain in my lower back. You know, where the dimples are. Tylenol usually helps, but last week I had to resort to Vicodin. I can walk pretty well with the walker as long as I keep moving. Standing for any length of time is out of the question. Mayabe if I get back to swimming, that will work out some of the kinks.

STUCK

Now I've gone and done it. How can a simple chore like clearing away the breakfast clutter lead to such a frustrating mess. I don't know how to solve the problem. My sink drain, the one that leads to the disposal, is plugged up with a little old cheese or jelly glass. It JUST FITS! Of course the water cannot rush through, but sluggishly seeps down. I cannot get a grip on it. I cannot work a barbecue tongs around the edge. Perhaps Freckles can work her smallish hand in to move it out.

Another stuck situation happened when I started Sarah's mittens. I guess I pulled the loose end of yarn from the wrong end of the ball. How can you tell just by looking at it. Periodically I have to pull out a whole bunch of yarn and then try to work the knitting end free. This is not easy, especially when the said yarn is somewhat fuzzy to begin with?

Aftermath

We're home from Conference, happy to have met and talked with some old, old friends. We're glad to have had some encouraging ministry, and didn't get overwhelmed with fatigue, Freckles saw to it that I rested, ate right, and didn't overextend. Alas, Saturday she came down with some horrendous malady, whether it was some kind of flu or bronchitis or a bad cold, or a combination of the three, we don't know. Truck driver went out Saturday night to get some Nyquil. We left after lunch on Sunday. My little gal went right to bed and stayed there. Well, she did get up and got herself to Urgent Care right around the corner from us. They said they would not accept her health insurance, but offered to see her for $95. She said thanks, but no thanks and came home again and got back in bed.

TIME OUT!!

LILY cried at the front door...that means move fast, so I did, fastened her two leashes so she had room to run. I didn't take time to get my glasses or my walker because her cry was urgent. Just as I stepped out the front door, old man black greased lightning swished out between my legs. He was off. Lily and I went down the sidewalk. Without my glasses I couldn't tell what was a tree trunk or wayward Bobbie. I guessed right and picked him up at Muneka's back gate. We three hobbled back to our front door, her doing business on the way. I did not have a bag with me so hope the deposit will wash away in the coming rain. The grass is patchy California gold and green so all is well hidden and not in anyone's walkway.

BACK AGAIN

lADYBUG took me shopping Wednesday so I could get dinner things. I forgot applesauce so my Galacia Ave relatives bought some on their way to dinner Thursday. Sir told his daughter, Dolly, that it tasted like pickles, so she was happy to eat sauaerkraut. I think she really liked it. The kids enjoyed the red hots in the applesauce, except Rapunzel who lined hers up on the edge of her plate. Bones took a trip to the pharmacy before dinner to get some medicines for the sicky we left at home to cough as much as she wanted. My little gal hasn't eaten anything but a scant bowl of ramen until last night when we had some chicken and rice. We plan on having tilipia tonight with a sauce of both green and black olives, chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, capers and finely chopped garlic.

While looking out my computer window, I see the wisteria has bit the dust. All leaves are crinkly brown. The bouganvilla that climbs our back fence and gate has withered from the frost and the blue plumbago by the garage door, likewise was kissed by Jack Frost. Freckles moved our Hibiscus in to bask in the morning sunshine. It has perked up after shriveling and still has shiny green leaves. The pot of narcissus shows evidence of rapid growth. They will no doubt bloom next month as February is usually our spring.

I must get back to my knitting of Sarah's mittens before that spring when she won't need them anymore.