Rick's Work Shoes.

This made me laugh.
Every morning I ask him the following:
Do you have your headset? lunch? phone? paperwork? and then a kiss goodbye. 

Sadly most days one of those he has forgotten. I just shake my head.
So today I am finishing my coffee and got up to walk to the sink and see his shoes on my way. I am wondering what the hell is he wearing? 
Will I need to begin asking, do you have your shoes on? are you wearing underpants?  

Cleaning and Other Awful Things

Barbara mentioned in a comment that I was handling this far better than she would. (floors)
Hmm...doubtful.

Rick  has helped me let go of some of "my stuff" Over the years I have come to see that I can be foolish about my anal retentiveness regarding my home. I have changed  about 50%. But that still makes me a bit of a freak.

I hate clutter. I like everything in its place. I love organization. When Rick and I first moved in together he would no sooner put down a glass and I'd have washed it. He wanted more milk and went to the fridge I assumed he was done, but he was just filling his glass. Another time I did the same with his plate.  He would laugh but it got to him. So he told me I had to let go. What bad thing would happen if dishes were left in the sink or counter?
I couldn't sleep I said. Yes you could he kept saying to me.

The evening he said that we lived in this flat and I left the dishes in the sink. Being an older style place it was not an open floor plan so I could not see the dishes in the sink. To Rick that should be like out of sight, out of mind. Nope. I was thinking about it but didn't say a thing. When I got up to get a refill I saw the dishes and thought I'd just do them real quick. Rick heard the water and came in and said, "You just can't do it can you? As he turned off the water and backed me up from the sink.
I laughed and realized for the 1st time my issue. Never bothered me when I lived alone.
So over the years not only have I loosened up a lot but I can leave dishes in the sink over night.
I don't run behind him picking things up anymore. It has been difficult but a lot of work.
I know I need more, but hey, I'm an old dog, I'm doing what I can.

Then last week with the upheaval of my first floor it was a real test for me.
At one point all our shit from the pantry, the hall closet and the entire homes first floor on the kitchen island or in a pile somewhere in the corner I was trying hard to remember to breath and not freak out.
Rick looked at me and said, "it's making you itchy isn't it?
Oh my yes.

Once the men left I went into high gear to get everything put back so I could feel comfortable again. Rick would have moved his chair and left the rest for another day.
It felt like a hoarders house to me.

I told him he could sit but I really wanted to put things away.
He just looked at me and said nothing.
I said your wheels are turning aren't they? You think if you don't help put things back I'll be angry. I promise you I won't. I also know if you "put things away" we will never find them again. He laughed because he knew I was right. But did I really not mind if he just sat? I said absolutely not, but I may need help for some things that are too tall or high for me.
It was a deal.
Everything was put back and I could relax and exhale.
I then poured myself a gin and tonic.

Then I saw a rerun of Friends.
Chandler cleans the apartment when he was living with Monica.
Rick has said for years I am like Monica. Boy I see it here.
Watching this makes me see how silly it all is. But stopping it is difficult.
But hey I'm much better than this now. But it's taken me years and Rick's help.
I can have a messy house now. But is that a good thing really?
At about 4:30 mark Monica walks in and she notices everything immediately just as I would without having to turn around 360 first.

When you see yourself it ain't pretty folks.

Onesie for Men

Go ahead, try not to laugh.

Floors continued

These floors look dirty but they are cloudy and icky from the water damage. 

I won't miss the cloudly dirty-looking floors. It always looked dirty since the flood even though I just cleaned them. Because I have a wall of windows it really shows. In the pic it looks fine the closer you are but when you look at the top of the pick towards said windows you can see the cloudy haze.

This is the color/style I ordered. This pic was taken from the sample we brought home.

This is the color that was installed. Same manufacturer, same color/name, same everything but the color.  I like them but I thought I preferred what I ordered.
Oh well. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth I suppose.

As of this morning, I have decided I like them better than what I thought I was getting. My neighbors have all been over. Here is the humorous consensus.

All those 45 and under LOVE them. The old folks of 70s and up think they should look like the top pick and be shiny. I get their issues. Karen, (77 yr old) likes something that she is comfortable with and what she has seen most often. Danielle who is 37 has Brazilian cherry so a bit similar to my old floors and she hates them and keeps telling me they look like Grandma floors. I don't think so but I understand why she is saying that. It is just dated but certainly not ugly or unattractive. It's all a matter of opinion, taste, and comfort. I love that I can use water on the new floors with no issues. I love that if we have another fucking flood these will not be damaged. (we've had 2 now in 20 yrs I think we do not need 3 to prove anything)

I love that Izzy's nails don't scratch them. I love that they are low maintenance. 

Under my floors is just cement. Because of that, I could never have full hardwood floors but something called Engineered Hardwood. They are fully hardwoods on the top level (1/4 inch or is it less/more? I don't recall now) but underneath that, it is all kinds of things like composite, etc. They must be glued to cement.  So this time when I could make a change I went with LVP flooring. 

The last flood took 1 day just to remove all the glued down wood. It was a nightmare of a job for both the men doing it and myself. It was dusty, messy and loud. 

I have been reading about LVP for 2 yrs. I see it in every home on HGTV. I have been asking realtors and contractors if they use it. All rave about it. (especially if you have dogs they all say) My concern was if this would hurt us in resale. Since this snobby area would walk away from a gorgeous home if it had Formica I wanted to be sure I wasn't doing that to myself when it comes time to sell. 

All the realtors said to do it. So there you go Mannington (rigid) LVP.  

I am so far pleased, in my whopping 24 hrs. 

If you aren't aware, LVP is luxury Vinyl Plank flooring. Not a floating floor like the old Pergo or that hollow sound. We went a bit higher in price to get the rigid ones so if you are looking at LVP go with the rigid. Far nicer, no movement and tough to damage. (Only a couple cents more a sq ft and far better)

The difference in price from LVP and real wood for us was $600. So there isn't a big difference in price. ($600 less for LVP) So you aren't saving a ton of money. My insurance gave me enough money for the wood but I really was leaning with the LVP just worried if I should do it for resale. 

Because of the nightmare of removing the glued floor, I asked if they could go over it. They said yes. They said it would also save me $1,600 for removal.

However, my pedestal sink was going to be an issue in the powder room. 

Not enough room to go under it to lay the floor.

I always wanted a new one for the last 20 yrs. I looked at Rick when they told us and he began to laugh. He said, "you're thinking we're saving money on the floors why not spend it on a new sink" 

Ah, he read my mind. I love spending other people's money. I feel like this isn't mine you know. I also know my homeowner's insurance is a lot of money and for the last 20 yrs, I've paid for this sink a million times so it all comes out in the wash.

Yesterday was a hoot. I had compressors going, saws and drills. I was talking on the phone in a loft where all customers could hear the noise. Oh, it was fun.

2 times it was so loud I got up and walked into my bedroom and thankfully wearing a headset I could speak and hear them in my bedroom. When I had to look at the calendar and emails I went back to the office. One man asked if we were working in our office. I just said yes. I wasn't going to tell him I had beefcakes laying a new floor for me. 

Speaking of beefcakes. My husband got to his 2nd job and the numbnut customer had a leak. It was pouring out from behind the walls. Rick saw something funny when he walked in. Upon taking out the caulking a small lake poured out and it wouldn't stop. That made them think it was a leak. The homeowner was called into the bathroom and said loudly, "Ah Shit!"  

Rick laughed and said my thoughts exactly. I can't do this with a leak. 

The customer said he thought they had one but he was trying not to deal with it. WHAT? People are funny. So Rick couldn't do the job because the wall tile and tub can't cure if the water is running on it. Let alone he may lose that wall after the plumber is done.  So Rick came home early.

When Rick arrived he and the beefcakes were chatting downstairs. 

The leader who was oh so humina, humina, humina, asked Rick what he thought.

The young man was standing at the back door as Rick walks around the island and is looking at the floor. Rick says, "Hey over here you have a real mess man."

The look on this kids face.  He said, "oh my God where sir?" as he ran to the other side of the kitchen.  He was now standing where Rick was and Rick patted his back and said, "I'm just busting you, everything looks terrific good job!"  

The kid exhaled loudly and said, "I think I like your wife better she feeds me and doesn't give me a heart attack"

I told Rick I think I like Stud Floor Man better too. 

Rick said I was too old and couldn't keep up with him (Stud Floor Man.)

But I can try, I'm not a quitter.

Floor Boys

As I sit here and write to you I have 3 very, very good looking young strapping men in my home. Oh my!

They arrived at 8a on the dot.
Rick was just leaving and he kissed me and whispered, "well aren't you the lucky one! Should I be leaving you alone with all this beefcake?"  

"I think we're okay babe, no one wants a chubby old woman."

Being the ever-supportive husband he says, "well you never know they might 
have some weird fetish." 
I kicked him out of the house.

So I get a new floor and I have eye candy all day.

Not bad eh?

Floors

Tomorrow begins my flooring and damage repair of our 1st floor.
As I have stated, it's not lost on me that I am blessed and I am so thankful that insurance is covering this nightmare. However, it is a royal pain in the ass.

I knew that it would be but when you are doing all the work you realize how you just have too much shit.
I live in a smallish home. Small for these parts shall I say.
I have just over 2200 sq ft. 

Now tomorrow is the first floor - 
I have removed all the things I can move. 
Everything was carried upstairs except for large furniture.
Yesterday I painted the powder room.
I knew I wanted to try a new color (Benjamin Moore Hale Navy) and I also thought it was the perfect time to do it. If I got paint on the floor - who cares, new floors will be here on Tuesday.
Rick had to remove the pedestal part of the sink for the flooring guys so I didn't have to work around that either.
However, the toilet was a royal pain.

I asked Rick to remove the tank for me. You know just as we do to the homeowners when we have to refinish their wall tiles. He insisted it wasn't necessary. I said it was. He insisted it wasn't. I reminded him why he charges more if they don't remove it. He laughed. He did not remove the toilet. 
Yea, it's not necessary to him because HE IS NOT DEALING WITH IT!

Now I am pretty handy but I don't deal with plumbing or electrical so I worked around it. I cussed him at every double-jointed bend and twist to find a way to paint the trim and the wall behind the toilet. What a pain in the ass! This is a tiny powder room built under the staircase.

At one point Rick and Izzy came in from a walk and I was half in the bath and 1/2 into the hall. They both just walked over my boot (yes still wearing a boot) 
I yelled for him to come back. He did and I said that I am struggling to get my short arms behind the tank could he please help me. I was on my belly on the floor trying to get to the baseboard to paint behind the toilet. Did he take off the tank so I could have this done in a second? 
Hell no, he insisted on being a man and doing it. He grabbed my brush. I wanted to hit him with it. I didn't need help doing it, I needed help in removing the friggin' tank. He thinks he painted it. It looked like shit. I had to go over it. I cleaned up the uneven line on the trim. God was I pissed at him. 

Seriously if he had to work around this in someone's home he charges more if they refuse to remove it. And yet he expected me to. He always says it takes more time to paper it off to protect it and then you can't do a great job and on and on he whines. Yet he was too lazy to help me by removing it as he'd want if he was doing this.

He does absolutely no painting at our home. He taught me to paint 30 yrs ago and I love it. So does he so he doesn't have to. Once I realized with the proper tools you don't need blue tape or any of that nonsense. I can do trim with no tape just as well as most can do with tape and probably better. 
Hey what do ya know, I have found a skill, I can paint a wall. Woo hoo.

Caesar is the man who painted my kitchen 3 yrs ago only because Rick's newfound family was coming and I didn't have enough time to do it all before they arrived. Cesar asked if I ever wanted to work for him he'd hire me in a heartbeat. I told him I was very messy and he laughed and said, that is why we have drop cloths. No, I don't normally get it all over the floor but on me. I use my shirt to wipe things off etc. He said he'd still hire me so I guess if I ever need a job I could do that for a living.

I knew this color was dark. I knew most would NEVER do this or like it.
I like to try different things. What is the worst that could happen? 
I'd hate it and have to repaint it all over again. The room is small and didn't take long to do so if I have to do another color over it, so be it. 
But I don't hate it.
In fact, I love it. I've been seeing this color everywhere. Then Rick did a woman's kitchen lower level cabinets in this exact color. 
After I saw them I knew that I wanted to give this color a try.

I have lived in this home since January 15, 2000.
I have painted the first floor now 4 times. Every 5 years it seems I like to update and refresh. If I could do life over again, instead of going to school for travel and tourism I'd go for design. How I love to recreate spaces and repurpose and make things that you'd never think could be used for the purpose I am now using it for.
Over the years I have helped my neighbors stage for moving and I just loved doing that when Rick and I were flipping homes. 

Rick is so good at making things but he can't see always see the mess and envision what I am explaining to him. 
When we would look at homes to flip I could see how a wall down here or moving this doorway to that area could open it up.  Things like that he can't envision. So I always did the layout first. Then I went to him and the contractor to see if electrical and plumbing could work with what I designed. If me moving something was too costly we'd go back to the drawing board. But if not Rick would always say, "Are you sure you want to do that?"  Sometimes I'd say, I'm not sure but I think so and we'd laugh as the demo started. 

I had a woman call for an estimate for her beautiful cherry cabinets. 
The Cherry Stain is very dated and screaming 80s but very nice quality cabinets.  (she sent me photos)
She wants them to be a creamy color. Rick recommended she look at Sherwin Williams Creamy. She wanted that color because her black granite had brown in it and she thought she had to do that color even though she wanted pure white.

I spoke to her today. She was asking me more questions about what to do before we arrive etc. She said, "Can I ask you a question that has nothing to do with what you are doing to our cabinets?' 
Of course, I said, sure.

We got off on her color choices. I asked one question - are you only doing this color on your cabinets because you feel you have to because of the brown?  She was indeed.

I sent her a photo of my kitchen with a similar black and brownish ugly granite. 
I did mine in that creamy color for the same fear - it looked awful and just off white enough to make it look a bit dingey. I told her I did it all over again but in the color that I wanted originally, pure white. 

So off went my tub and tile work hat and on went, my personal enjoyment about color, texture and why using the opposite of the color wheel can work together. Next to one another not often.  She got it.
We discussed it for a long time. I asked about her backsplash and she said she hadn't picked it yet and I gave her some ideas to consider.  Then I sent her some photos to show her that the color combo she was hesitant about can be done and it has been done and is all over Houzz as well as my kitchen. 

She called back 4 hours later and told me she was so excited to go out today and start all over again. She asked if she paid me would I wish to go with her to give her tips and help her?
I told her I would help her as much as I can and she can call me but I said no to going with her today since I am working and I think my boss would frown on that.  She laughed and said, "Oh yeah"  Then she asked if she could call or send photos and get my help on another day. I said if I'm not busy I would be happy to help you in any way I can. 

Now I am asking, should I have said yes and this was a consultation fee and offered after hours? Am I making myself a new job that I am not an expert at?   I am not a designer.  I did not go to school for this. 
I am not by any means great at this and I'm certain a real designer would tell you that. 
It's just something I enjoy. At one point in our conversation, she had sent some photos to my email. I was explaining how she could take those books and do this and do that and then add this and add that. All these items  I was telling her to move or add were in her photo just lined up in a weird way. She needed to group them in odd numbers and then she had to also use fewer objects so they could be seen and not just seen as a mess of items all in a line. She also now learned that books can be design accessories if you have a lot of them. I do that all the time. That made her shriek. (has she never watched hgtv?)

She rearranged everything as I explained and then sent me a photo and in all caps said, OH MY GOD YOU WERE RIGHT THIS LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER LIKE A MAGAZINE. 
That made me feel better that she liked this. It also made me feel better because what she had was not pleasing to the eye. Sadly I notice those things and it is an illness. Like my mother's house - she puts all her furniture up against the wall like it's being arrested. I hate that and it looks bad as well. But it's her house not mine so I can't say anything. But I notice everything.

I can't wait to see what this young woman does with the kitchen. 
I can't wait to post the before and afters on the website. (I'll show you too) 
And in all honesty if she asks for help I'll continue to help her.
I told Rick when he called this afternoon for messages what she asked of me.
He suggested I be the consultant and charge a fee. I can't do that with not having any experience but I have fun doing it as I am. It's a diversion from the normal crap I do all day. It's far better than the dumb ass men who can't change a light bulb but refuse to listen to me explain what they need to do because I am a woman. 
So who the hell knows, but it made for an interesting day so far. And an interesting Monday is better than most Mondays.

FB Posts

There was a post on FB from my hometown. I like the feed because it shows old photos when Erie was a thriving metropolis. 
Not so much anymore.
Wednesday they had a photo of a mayor and his wife. 
This mayor was the mayor from 1966 until 1989.
That was the majority of my life. 
I had never known a mayor who's name didn't end in a vowel while I lived in this town. 

Seeing that photo made me have a flashback.
His wife was a tiny little thing. 
She was a small, frail-looking woman and he was larger than life.
They called him Big Lou. She was always draped in jewels and fur.
She was her biggest fan.

I worked at the ticket counter of Piedmont Airlines. (I know they were absorbed by USAir who is now been absorbed by American Airlines)
She came to the ticket counter and we saw her walk in.
She was wearing a full-length fur coat. She had two men who carried her luggage. We had a delay, for reasons I don't recall. But I sure remember her and her behavior.  You never forget those things do you?

She was livid we weren't on time. Yes, we did this just to annoy you.
Then she asked to board first.
Gee that isn't how it works. You have to understand that there were no gates at this airport at the time. One door. You walked on the tarmac to the plane steps. No jetway. You dealt with the elements. It was a tiny town with a tiny airport.

She then put her little fist on the counter and pounded it in front of my face. I looked up and she said, "Do you know who I am?"

Well, normally we laugh and always want to say, "Can someone help this woman she doesn't know who she is?" 
But of course, we knew her and we couldn't say this.

She went on to talk before I could tell her I knew who the hell she was thank God. She then said she wanted to board before all these people.
For real? There are only 19 people on this plane. It wasn't a big jet, it was a turboprop for Pete's sake. There were no seat assignments. She was behaving so badly it was funny. 

She had these two thugs who held her bags and she held their arms etc.
They took her over to the lobby to wait for boarding. 
I don't recall if they put her on first, I assume that we did.
But what kind of person says, "do you know who I am?"
Oh far too many!

I also recall Fabian doing the same thing. He was in town doing an oldies show with others from his generation. (Bobby Rydell but I don't recall the 3rd) 
I was going somewhere so I was on this USAir flight and when the plane landed in Pittsburgh for everyone's connection they were in the back with me. They stood up and yelled at everyone standing in front of them, " Move aside - Don't you know who we are? We have connections we can't miss." 
The very older woman in front of him had no idea who he was but turned and said to him, "Young man we all have connections, be nice, wait your turn."  
I laughed in my seat. 

Hair flip GIF

Last night I got tired of sitting. Walking with this boot is exhausting for me.
I find I twist my body in funny ways and after a while, I just need to sit. 
But sitting is not something I wish to do for long periods of time either. Then I think, go throw a load of wash into the washer. Ah, but I don't wanna climb the stairs.

I got a spurt of energy and Rick had none last evening.
He was in his big ugly chair watching a rerun of Two and A Half Men.
We had talked earlier about my pain level and I told him I was hanging in there.
The character Charlie said to the doctor when asked if he needed anything while waiting for his nephew to get stitches, Charlie responded with, "A morphine drip and a sponge bath"  
That made my hubby laugh out loud and said, "Hey that sounds good right now right Margaret?"
I said, "maybe for you. I will take the drip but skip the sponge bath thank you." 
He told me I was no fun. I asked if he had a morphine drip.
He said no but I can give you a sponge bath.
My goodness, this man will try anything now, won't he?

I whined about sitting so he played a game of backgammon with me and I kicked his ass. 
(I find I can't read in this kind of pain, my focus will be on the heartbeat of the ankle or the pain will distract me from what I read etc)
I mean if I have to sit let's be doing something. 
Backgammon was on. I mean to tell you I wiped that boy all over the floor. He told me he let me win because I've been suffering.
HA!  Nice try funny boy.
So we played one more game. I cleaned his clock, I just didn't win!  
Well, that was fun!
He told me the doctor should have recommended backgammon to me instead of a Motrin. Well, you know they do help about the same.

Speaking of the ole Doogie Howser fella. 
Rick asked me how he flipped his hair so I showed him.  
He laughed like crazy. A man he kept asking me?
Yes, a man with long hair on top and shaved sides.
I so wish Rick had been in the room with me while this was happening. 
I told him the female doctor had a ponytail so she was not flipping her hair around.

This is how he flipped the top long hair of his. He went forward and flipped it back. This GIF explains what he did. Rick was so amused by this. I said I am amused now. Not so much at the time.

Liar Liar Pants on Fire.

Boots

After a couple of days of no sleep and immense pain, I called my podiatrist. I just had an MRI in December and a visit with him. 
Yes, I have a small tendon tear but not big enough to do anything about it. Surgery wouldn't be prudent he told me. If it gets bigger then we can discuss this but right now you are far better off just tending to the tear. Keeping him posted if anything changes. He also explained again why a flat shoe is worse for the tear than a slight heel making less stress on that area. Fine with me I don't like really flat shoes anyway. In my sad little mind if wearing a heel of even an inch I am 5'8" which we know isn't even close to the truth. Hey, it's my imagination, leave me alone.

Now I got a boot a few years back and stored it in the back of my closet. 
I fetched that big ugly boot and put it on. I pumped it up to inflate and I admit it felt so good in the boot once inflated. So I kept it on until bedtime, which never happens so I kept it on 24/7. Remember this gorgeous boot?

The tear is in the back of my heel just below my calf. (Not to be confused by the heel on the bottom of your foot)

This damn fall 3 years ago has done nothing but wreak havoc on my foot/leg now for years. I am so tired of it. As a woman who LOVES shoes this is also a pain in the ass.  I am not an old broad who thinks dressing like an old woman in a moo-moo and slippers is the thing to do. I am not there yet and for the love of God hope to never be. However, being comfortable and without pain is a goal of mine.  I have years to go for that moo-moo and slippers.

After I called my doctor's office he got on the phone.
I was on hold and then he got on and I said, "Oh I wasn't expecting you when she put me on hold."
He laughed and said, "well you got me so tell me what is going on"
So I did.
We went over my MRI, his notes, he asked a ton of questions.
Then he said, "If you come in today I would just send you out for tests Peggy so why don't you just go to the ER. If they have any questions give them my name and number to call me. I will get their reports.

So I did. I went to the ER when Rick got home. I can't drive.
I can not move this fat swollen foot and leg forward or back so not a good thing to drive like that.   

We get to the ER and they ask to take me back in a wheelchair which I felt was uncalled for but they insisted. I had on my boot I could walk back there. But no. They bring me a chair that made me feel like Edith Ann in that big ole rocker. You could have fit at least 2.5 of me in this chair and I'm not tiny. I am always amazed at the size of these chairs. I told her if you have a smaller I'll take that because honestly, this doesn't look like it will go through a doorway. I'm really not that big. She laughed and said no you are not however all are made this way now due to the size of the average American being so large. That was a sad statement to me.

I get back to my room and a flurry of people are in there. The doctor was a cute young blonde thing who was so nice. When my boot came off she said, "wowsa that is swollen!"  HA, a medical degree for that diagnosis.
I pointed out the pain as she requested and she said I suspect a tear, Achilles or a tendon due to the fact I could not push my foot forward or back. She asked about my dr. I gave her his name and she said she knew him and followed up with,  "we can call him when we are done with the testing."

I explained to this cute young doctor what he told me on the phone and why I am here. She asked if I needed pain medication right now. I told her Rick had 2 percocets left from months ago. I took one yesterday and one today when the pain was off the charts.  I didn't need another one right now but I'll take some to go I told her. She said, Okay, then we'll do that after all your tests. 

Testing began. Xrays, doppler, sonogram etc.
I only see $$$ since my deductible has not been met.
The sonogram was so painful. I was on my tummy while they did this to my leg/heel. I began to cry in my hands. They asked if this hurt.  YES. They had to finish but I can't even begin to tell you this pain. Whew, it's done. 

I go back to my room and the lovely nurse is there who came in to put ice on me earlier. He looked at my foot and said, "wow is this ever swollen. He looked to the back and side and said, I don't think this is a sprain do you?" I laughed and said no I don't and haven't thought that due to the pain I am having, but I didn't go to med school. He laughed and then whispered, neither did I. He was cute and comforting for some reason.

The women who all did my testing were terrific. The professional doing my Xray was so damn pretty. Thank God Rick wasn't in the room. Of course, her name was Brittany. She was an embryo. She was so kind and each time she had to twist my ankle I would wince and then she would too. I asked if her foot hurt too. She laughed and said it hurts when I know I am hurting you. She asked me how I did this. I told her about going to Costco. Her comment was, "Costco on a Sunday? What the hell were you thinking woman?"  I nodded and said I know, everyone has asked me that as well. 
Then I told her about those two small men slapping one another and she was now roaring with laughter.  As she was leaving the sonogram tech was coming in. Brittany wishes me luck and thanked me for not kicking her with my good foot when she hurt me. Then she said to the sonogram tech - ask her about Costco.
My God, that story has been around now, hasn't it? 

After all the testing I get back to the room and the cute young blonde Doctor who offered me pain meds comes in to tell me her shift is done and Dr. Floopy's hair is going to treat you. She shook my hand and left me to Dr. Floopy Hair. Oiy Vay.

Dr. Floopy Hair touched his hair so much it drove me mad. He also flipped back his hair with his neck like a young girl would do. He annoyed me with his attitude from the get go.

He came in and introduced himself. He had his head shaved on the sides and it was very long and pompador-ish down the middle. He was a pixie of a man. Short as me or close and so tiny. He had on skinny jeans and I think I could snap his legs like a twig with my hands. I swore they were like toothpick size. When did everyone get so much younger than me? And do you want your doctor to look like he's on Saved by the Bell? 
Or do you want the guy on House? 
Like Billy Connolly says about pilots, you don't want the guy named Skippy in flip flops and a Hawaiian shirt flying you to the islands. You want a man with big boy pants and shoes on named Nigel.  That what was going through my mind as I sat there and looked at Doogie Howser.

Doogie tells me nothing is wrong with my foot. He looks at my complete leg and foot and says that is is very swollen and they noticed all this inflammation around your tendon (where it hurts) he told me to go home and take Motrin, the over the counter anti-inflammatory. I told him it has done nothing for 3 days I've taken it. If this is inflammation/tendonitis as you say then why not a prescription anti-inflammatory? He did the hand gesture like he is saying, Oh pish shaw.   
He said in a few weeks you'll feel fine.

Oh, that remark set me off I hate to admit.
"So you are telling me in the meantime, while I am unable to sleep you are giving me nothing for this pain or inflammation to alleviate pain?  
My vet treats my dog more humanly sir."

He just stood there staring at me after I said that. 
I began to get down from the gurney to put on my boot and leave. 
He said, " well we don't give out opioids anymore our hands are tied." 

I said, "While I get that, you act as though I am a 63 years old heroin addict asking for drugs. You have no other options? In med school you weren't taught how to alleviate pain without addicting medications?  If indeed this is inflammation couldn't you give me RX non-steroid anti-inflammatory or a Medrol pack? That is not a drug where I can get high, I am asking for God damn relief from my doctor who is giving me nothing but aspirin and sending me home. Not even empathy given. Where is the care here? You yourself were shocked at this swelling, the lump on the back of my heel, yet you can't even fathom the burning & pain, sir. The pain goes up my leg and feels like someone is running over my foot/ankle area with their car and keeps backing up!  Would you treat your mother like this?"

He never answered me. They did indeed teach him to stand there with his floppy hair and mouth open in med school apparently. 
I am certain he was wishing he could tell me to shut the F up but he just stood there and stared. 

I know I was talking in a way I probably shouldn't have. I don't have an excuse except I was so pissed off and in so much pain and they didn't appear to give a rats ass and I know me if I hadn't said that I'd have cried.  I did not wish to cry anymore, besides his flippant manner was pissing me off. He had no regard for me or my situation.  
He said to me that if I take Motrin I will be fine and he walked out.

I really don't understand this new way of medicine. I am not asking for drugs to get high. I am asking for pain relief. If you think this pain and severe burning is just inflammation from tendonitis then why is giving me a RX anti-inflammatory a bad thing?

I came home and called my doctor. His medical assistant got on the phone and we went over the tests and the drs notes and asked, "They didn't even give you an anti-inflammatory?" 
She was shocked and thankfully sent an Rx to my pharmacy. I follow up with the dr on Tuesday. I began a Medrol pack this morning. I am hoping this works to relieve the pain and burning. I just want to sleep. A full 6 hrs would feel like nirvana at this point. Burning I can live with. The pain not so much. 

I recall after the first day wearing that damn black boot was how will I walk with this and not put everything else out of wack. I am walking funny and the boot makes me higher on one side. I can't seem to find a shoe that is the same height and one that does work it seems very foolish to wear. It is a wedge bootie. I can't walk in one bootie, I fear more issues will happen. So I am wearing a sneaker and a boot.

Last night Rick reminded me that I love boots when I  complained about this one. He said you have thousands of pairs of boots. 
I corrected him with the fact that I do not have thousands of pairs of boots, maybe just hundreds. (not really!) 
Yes, I have knee-high boots in heels, wedges, and flat riding boots. I have all kinds of booties. I have them in colors, leather, and suede. I love boots. Besides I can just buy a 6.5 or 7 Medium and off I go. Far easier than clothes when one is short!

I am wearing my boot which makes it feel better but I still think it is more difficult to manage steps but at least I can hobble out and about with Izzy so she can do her thing.
But long walks are out of the question. I did a short walk with Izzy today because no one else is here. 
When we came back to the house my ankle was now having its own strong heartbeat. I think I need it to die.

Home Town Stuff

I leave messages and never see them again on some blogs.
So I am going to stop posting comments. Just know I'm reading you and I'm just frustrated as all hell about this. While I can read you I just can't comment apparently. I have tried IE and Chrome. Nothing. I am not going to open a 3rd browser while working just to comment. One gal says she gets them but she never sees them. HUH?  I am not understanding it all but none the less, no comments on some of the bloggers. Most I have told, others can see I am not there so they will figure it out I hope.

I am addicted to a show called Home Town.
This couple lives in Laurel Mississippi. 
Erin is a graphic designer/designer/artist and Ben is a woodworker. 
She leaves new homeowners some of her art she has made for them with each home. I'd buy a home just for her artwork but there is the pesky little thing called Laurel Miss. that I couldn't move to. I probably should not say that since I have never been there. It may be charming. 

If you read the paper this was in the paper this weekend. 


They bought a house and remodeled it for themselves. Then, someone, they knew bought a house and they remodeled it for them. Hence the idea began.  They are trying to rejuvenate a knocked down industrial town one house at a time. Thus far they have rejuvenated entire blocks and they continue to work on the historic district. They have opened up a store on main street and that brings them income and out of towners from the show. Tourism is raking in some dollars for the town and that is a cool thing. (a lot like the show Good Bones in Indy)

They were discovered by HGTV by her Instagram stories about their remodels. They fixed up downtown businesses and homes. They are such staunch supporters of this little town. Where else can you buy a small home for only $15,000 or less than 250? 

As a business, I love what they are doing. They work hard. Erin is not the type of woman who doesn't get dirty like the blonde on Christina on the Coast. Christina walks in a construction site wearing her heels, fake lashes, and hair extensions and holds a tile for the photo op. Then she leaves. No this couple along with their team do demo and paint and work!

They take old homes and make it personal for the couples or person buying the home. You like Craftsman, they do craftsman, you like Victorian they do that as well. They are not cookie-cutter. 
They use everything in the home they can as well which I love.
They found some old wood in a room on the walls under the damaged sheetrock and they took it down to drywall but Ben made a desk for the new homeowner from that wood for the new office she was going to have. They use it all that they can. I love the whole repurposing thing.

Last night's premier had them showing a couple from LA a home to buy.
This man is an actor. My husband knew him I did not. (Richard T Jones)
This couple from LA watches the show. They can't afford to buy homes in LA to help others in this way so they chose this town because of the integrity of these people. They commented that the home they bought for $15k would be anywhere from high 500's to 1 million depending on the area it was in.  Same as here so I understood that issue.

Ben & Erin took them to see a couple of homes to choose from. 
Man, it was difficult for the man to see what 'could be.' 
His wife, thankfully, could see what could be. 
The home was sold for $15K (less than a car people) 
Then they put in 60K to remodel. It was a small 2 bed 2 bath but boy was this a cute home when it was done. It was perfect.

The plan with this couple is to help someone get into homeownership who otherwise just couldn't afford to do so.
They will lease with the option to buy and give a family who normally couldn't afford a home to have a home.  
They expect to do this with a lot of homes in this city.

Right after the home was done, the tornado ripped through town a few weeks ago. Needless to say, the man who was to move in now can't because his house is so damaged by this tornado. It broke my heart to see this. The homes on either side remained intact. 

This show makes me happy. I adore the couple, they are real. Ben is a big bear of a man who adores his wife, Erin. Just look at how he looks at her. Last night my husband watched it with me and he said, that man has some mad skills in woodworking.  I know, I told you so!

Then later he said, "boy he loves her to pieces like someone else I know."  I looked over at him and said, "should I assume that someone else is you and me."  He laughed and said, "NO. Do not assume."
That made me laugh so hard it hurt my ankle!
I love my big man too. He's an ass, but he's my ass.

Twisted Sister

Being a federal holiday it's pretty damn quiet around these parts.
The majority of people are off today being a federal holiday and everyone around here works in gov't.  I find it interesting that our phones ring far less on federal holidays. I guess people only look online when they are at work. That is funny to me.

It was a very cold weekend and it continues today.
We did get one inch of snow and as they do around these parts, they begged us to stay off the roads on Saturday. It was silly, by noon it was raining. Gone.
But the wind and cold remain and I wish they would go away. The wind is a killer. I hate walking Izzy when it is this windy.
But I don't have to today.

Saturday while told to stay off the roads I ventured to Costco and the grocery store. The rebel in me went out on a sunny morning with no snow on the roads.
It was sunny and the snow was almost a memory.
I felt braver entering Costco on a weekend than driving in what southerners call snow.

Costco is so crowded on a weekend. I should have received combat pay.
It is crazy. People stand around the people giving out samples like they have never eaten in their lives. They block others who just wish to shop and they stand there and eat like it's a deli counter instead of grab one, try this and perhaps buy this. These people disgust me if I am being honest. This is not your lunch, it is called a sample for a reason.

I was in the meat department standing behind a young couple. My cart was behind them. We were waiting for the line to move. Yes, a line to look into the meat display. It was crazy. Then all of a sudden a man is screaming at another. I couldn't see everything at that moment. Then I saw them, two small Asian men fighting over some meat. Grabbing it out of his hand the other man smacked his face. When he did this the guy in front of me gasped loud enough for me to hear him. Then the men began to fight. The butchers in their white coats came out from behind the glass screaming to stop, there is enough meat for everyone one of them shouted.  I'm sorry but I found this funny and pathetic at the same time. What was the big deal with the meat he chose? There was plenty more.

Now there was a full audience and I couldn't maneuver my way out through this crowd so I stayed put.
As I stood there I watched these men who don't know how to fight with their arms flailing about. I must admit it was rather funny to me at this point. They were fighting like 2 old ladies.  What I didn't understand is why he couldn't take another package of the same meat. It was there and I heard the butcher say the same. Then the woman in front of me said the butcher said it was just a $.38 difference and that is not worth fighting. Nothing at Costco is worth fighting for.

Once the butchers came out and broke them up security came from somewhere and took them away with a woman crying and saying things to her husband I couldn't understand. I may not understand her language but I could tell she was pissed off and that was enough for me. Wow, that was an exciting Costco visit.
Then as I was about to get in line to check out I twisted my ankle. Ouch.
I was wearing flats. I tell you it's when I wear my loafers or flatter shoes this happens. (I am not a flat shoe gal normally)  Anyway, it hurt and I moved on.

I went grocery shopping after Costco and I prayed no more fights. None happened but my ankle was really bothering me now.  But I tried to ignore it.
By the time I got home, it was swelling. But it hurt far more than a normal sprain.
By last night I was in a helluva lot of pain. It goes around the back of my foot where the issue I just saw my podiatrist for before our trip. The exact spot the tear is located is where it hurts now as well as the side of my ankle bone. The side I get, that is the sprain, the back heel where it goes up my calf, not so much.
I hope this did not do more damage. I had Rick wrap it for me. I just limped around all day and did the stairs on my butt.
God, I want a ranch home and not a 3 floor home!

Last night I just couldn't sleep, Rick's coughing, my pain and so I got up again.
I went downstairs on my butt. I got some ice water and lemon and went into Rick's big ugly chair. I can't put my heel down on the recliner so I had it hanging off the chair. I watched weird things on TV. The Dick Van Dyke Show for one
(I love that show! Oooh Rob!)
I couldn't sleep because my ankle/foot had a pulse. A hard-driving burning pulse. There was no way I was sleeping. I had taken a few CBDs which of course relaxed me but the pain was going to keep me awake.

At 5:30 Izzy was now up. But thankfully she didn't wish to go for a walk. She wanted to be fed. I told our Chubba Wubba that it was not time to eat. She huffed and went back to her favorite spot on the sofa. Now I'm up so what the hell. Put on the coffee.

Rick came downstairs at 6a as Izzy began to eat her breakfast. I was thrilled. He took one look at my foot that looks like Barney Rubble's feet and said, "I've got the walking for you this morning." 
Thankfully Rick only has estimates this morning.
The big job moved to next week so I did not fill in the appointment that moved.
He is still really coughing and hacking and feeling a bit under the weather so I wanted him to enjoy the day resting.  It is a holiday around these parts which makes us slow so why not let him enjoy a holiday too. That never happens.
He just got home at noon and has the day off like the rest of the world now.
I am most thankful I do not have to walk today because he can walk the dog in between his napping.  Or as we have taken to calling it, A codeine nap. His cough medicine knocks him out!!  He can not take this during the day. He takes these little tessalon pills for the coughing during the day. Ever have those?
Tiny little pills that normally work very well for both of us but not so much for Rick this time. They look like this.


So a day off and I can't walk. Boy 2020 is off to a damn good start.
Honestly, I can get an injury from paper these days. What the hell?
Is this what my future looks like?  Lie to me, say it ain't so.

Friday

Of course, I loved this sign.



I think we are now into winter.
It's been so lovely. '70s for a few days then a week of 60s then a week of '50s and you can see where this is headed damn it! Friday will only be a high of 37.
This is what I don't care for. We are to have snow and ice on Saturday.
I think we will stay indoors and hopefully heal Rick and just be mellow

My cough is better but Rick's is off the charts.
Last time he coughed this hard he went into AFib so it's been a tough week.
He coughs at night which keeps Izzy and I up too.
Izzy was smart and left the bedroom. I stayed. I was so warm under my big down duvet I just didn't want to get up.

I have been taking to falling asleep just before final jeopardy.
That is like before 8pm here. 2 nights in a row I fell asleep sitting upright.
Rick said I was answering the questions as we do to the TV.
All of a sudden I didn't answer a question he felt I would certainly know so he looked over at me. He realized I was sound asleep sitting upright.
He came over to the sofa and basically touched me to fall over which I did.
He covered me with my blanket and I never woke up.
If only I could sleep that soundly in bed!

 Okay not a meme but I thought it was cool. An acquaintance of Rick's made this table and it looks like there would be an edge to the "water" but it is all level and smooth. I love it. Very 70s to me. I would have put this in my lake house for certain.

I saw this on twitter a while back. I thought her comeback to this man was funny. 

 

50oz of coffee daily - check. Great Dog - check. Successful - not yet 😩