Saturday, April 30, 2011

Spring is trying to have sprung. . .

The snow is mostly gone. Over the last couple of weeks, people are showing signs of renewed life.  Foks are generally becoming brighter and more chipper. (It turns out one Thomas Smith is a much bigger smart ass in the spring than during the winter.) Wednesday started gray and dreary but busted out into blue sky and sunshine around 4:00 in the afternoon.  When I was driving home around 6:00pm there were no fewer than 100 people oot and aboot just in the four block stretch before our house: Moms with little kids and strollers, dog walkers, teenage boys (on bike, with skateboard, with basketball) a couple dozen walkers and strollers, and the elementary school playground teeming with kids. I've never before seen such a stark contrast in signs of life. Now, the forecast calls for the next four or five days to be cold and rainy. This is very exciting because word on the street is that the next day of sun after that rain will see green busting out all over. And very soon it will be time for city wide clean up, where everyone gets out and works in their neighborhood in earnest to clean up what the city crews can't quite get to. Very fun.

You know what else is fun? Having two boyfriends. Yep. And better yet, Tommy and Steve both know about each other and appreciate that the heavy load of serving me is happily shared. Tommy still thinks I need a couple more fellers but as I told him, that is for me to decide and I'm pretty good with the two I have.

Life is good for Mary McKenzie.

Oh yes, my knee rehab is coming along nicely. I've got nearly full range of motion. Now it is about strengthening the rest of my body to straighten out the wonkiness from favoring my left knee. I think I'm just a couple of weeks away from being able to go back to work. I'm hoping that I'll still just be working a couple of days a week as my workers comp has been sufficient to pretty well carry me through the summer and I would much rather continue farting around during all this good weather. I'm pretty sure that if I can have this much fun goofing off during the winter, it should just be that much funner (yes, that was for you, Patty Krisher ; ) in good weather.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

An life thus continues . . .

My last post was one day post-op. The pain meds from surgery were only just beginning to wane. Just one day earlier I was thinking, "Crutches!? I don't need no stinking crutches!" only to discover the false bravado provided by latent surgery meds layered over post-surgery meds. Turns out I did need those crutches.

But now, a week later, I'm getting around with just one crutch and not strapped into my nifty CryoCuff (tm) every minute of every day. I'm also needing less pain medication which relieves me greatly since it's the stuff that all manner of people seem to develop addictions with. Smitty has been my chief nurse during most of this recovery and he has been a love. Steve (a new sweetie) swooped me up for a couple of days with him and he was quite a lovely nurse, as well. As Smitty says, "Mary McKenzie, I believe life is pretty good for you these days." Indeed.

I start physical therapy on Monday and got some good instruction yesterday on some things I can do at home to get started. Today, my big outing is Costco with Amy. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be wiped out after that but at least I will be surrounded by mucho foodo. With Jill and I being gone the two weeks prior and me being laid low last week, our cupboards are mighty bare. And Amy is off all day so I think we will have a playdate!

Jill and I surely did have a good trip south. It was so awesome having time with Brenda Bradley (formerly McKenzie, of the Jack & Vicki clan) in San Diego. I also got to spend most of a day with Sooze Flery (my dear friend from Olympic College and Evergreen). Jill and I really enjoyed a fair amount of time together, too which was really nice. With her busy work schedule, we don't actually see each other that much--even living in the same house. And, of course, it was great being home and seeing everyone. It was a bit whirlwindy but awesome!

Tomorrow is my birthday! The big plans are: Smitty is taking me to the Moose Club (how Alaska is that?!) for breakfast and to get me joined up; then Jeff, Mel, Amy, Smitty, Chelsea (his daughter), and I are going to play games and make fun, good food together at the AHfWWG and hang out all day; then Amy has to go to work at Barnes & Noble and Smitty will roll home (as he will have had about as much together time as a recovering hermit can take); then Jill will be getting home to join us for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" a live show that is in the vein of a Divine Miss M show paying tribute to the likes of Judy Garland, Cher, and of course, Bette Midler. And Steve is going to join us there as soon as he gets off work. It's going to be a very fun day I think.

Holy cow! It sounds like I better go to bed early!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Long time no post . . .

I would have posted sooner but it is well-known International Law that one cannot post on one's Big Alaska Adventure if one is not in Alaska. Well, actually, I didn't know of that law until Jeff told me. I am so relieved that I did not unknowingly violate this important treatise.

Melanie made a delicious dinner of pork chops with homemade pear and apple chutney, fresh green beans, and garlic buttered new potatoes. When Melanie makes new potatoes it means more than just throwing out the old potatoes because they have eyes (which by the way they did so we did). She means fancy pants deliciousness.  Now I can't continue my update because it's family night and we're playing Trivial Pursuit. My children are yelling at me to pay attention and Melanie is clearly struggling with reading the cards. Autobaun! (Turns out that's the answer, not the question. Who knew?)