Monday, January 6, 2020

Close to Home

  It’s been exactly a month today since knee surgery and since I still have quite a bit of pain, especially when trying to sleep and when riding in the car, we are sticking pretty close to home.  A lot of this ...

knitting and enjoying books and movies by the fire in my rocking chair.  I have completed nine more hats for the homeless, so at least I have accomplished something!  

  I have physical therapy three times a week and we walk every day. I’m trying to increase my distance a half a block each day because I have a goal — to be ready for a 40 minute hike to a wood stork rookery to see the babies by April.  

  We’ve had lovely weather so it’s been a pleasure to do the walking outside.


  The camellias are in bloom and we have many in our yard.  The white ones bloom first, right at Christmas, and leave a covering of snowy petals on the ground all around as the blossoms wilt.  

Next to bloom are these, and we have six big bushes of this color.  They have no scent but they look just like giant waxy roses.

Last will be the delicate light pink ones but they weren’t blooming yet yesterday.  

This beauty, nearly as big as my hand, made its way into the house where they last a long time. 

What a treat to have sunshine and flowers blooming in January!  

Nothing like the weather back in Minnesota. 


My daughter sent this picture of Mason tubing at the ski hill in their town.  

I guarantee he’s half that size underneath all those clothes!















Bob enjoys the fireside in the evenings, too.  She was feeling poorly here after her monthly dose of flea and heart worm medication, but she bounced right back and was chasing squirrels the next day.



















Rosie keeps her eye out for the marauding cats that like to visit the yard.  She does not like them in her yard and gets very vocal trying to warn them away from her perch in the window.  



We need to take the Christmas tree down soon. We haven’t anything important to do, it hasn’t shed a single needle yet, so why hurry? 

 










16 comments:

  1. It looks like it's nesting time at your house - close to home with a warm fire to watch. I think you'll make your goal.

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  2. Sounds like this recovery is no fun, Cynthia. I hope it gets easier for you and not being able to get a good night's sleep can be draining. Kudos to you for knitting hats for the homeless. More kindness like this is needed in the world.

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  3. Love the photo of Rosie looking out the window. Such a warm, inviting room.

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  4. Your house looks so warm and cozy. I love a fire in a fireplace and we haven't had one yet. Can you believe this weather we are having? Seems like it is either warm and raining or sunny and cold AND WINDY! Little Mason is so cute. It sure looks cold in Minnesota! Your Camellias are beautiful. Hope your knee pain goes away soon.

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  5. Some things happen no matter what. Starting with taking down Christmas decorations. Work on that knee so that you get out in the spring.

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  6. It can be cosy to be at home together when the weather is not so nice outside. Keep moving with the knee and I am sure things will go better. Wish you all the best.

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  7. You are blessed with a warm and welcoming home the perfect place to take your time and recover from surgery. Take care.

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  8. Your home looks lovely
    You'll be running around soon like a 2 year old filly.
    You'll be able to race around the golf course faster than you know who in his
    golf cart, which someone told me he won't let you drive!
    As for Mason and his snow - oh for heaps of that on our fires.
    I am sure Mason won't mind.
    Colin

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  9. Poor Bob, I know Chance always felt poorly for about 24 hrs after a dose of flea and tick stuff...but they need it to stay healthy. Pat Bob for me, she is a doll! You will get there with your knee a little at a time...your fireplace looks like a cozy spot to spend some time. Those Camellias are beautiful!
    Way below zero this AM -24 or more.

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  10. Those camellias are gorgeous. None in our yard but lots around homes we pass whichever way we drive. Way to work toward your recovery with a definite goal that will be a priceless adventure. Best wishes.

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  11. Happy New Year Cynthia and thank you for your message of support throughout this bushfire crisis. I am sorry that you are starting the year in pain, post surgery. Hat for the homeless is a good project to while away the winters days - beside the fire in a rocking chair that make me smile. Sending you a big grin from here! Recover well :)
    Wren x

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  12. Well you have a lovely setting to rest that knee. Good luck wit your Physio and walking. Hope you'll be 100% soon.

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  13. We are huddled up cosy and warm in the caravan - best place to be is by the fireside at the moment. Hope your knee recovers quickly. The camellias are so pretty to have around in the winter months - ours won't flower here in Scotland until about March.

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  14. Dear Cynthia, I'm so sorry to learn that you are still experiencing bad pain.

    It's been two months for me now and things are much better. I've finished with out-patient therapy (went only 7 times and all was well). I'm walking about 10-15 minutes a day (in the garage because the weather here is so cold) and I'm continuing the exercise the therapists gave me to do for the rest of this year (until a year is up from the surgery 11/20).

    As to pain, there was a lot when I tried to turn my body in bed and my foot was straight up. But now that has passed. However, there is still pain on each side of the knee. I'm not taking any pain medication so you'll know how slight that pain is.

    I so hope that by the end of this month or the end of your 2-month period things will be this good for you.

    One last thing: I admire your finding good in all this (the getting the hats/caps knitted for the homeless). That attitude is one I, too, try to hold on to. Peace and be gracious to yourself.

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  15. I'm so sorry you're having to endure that pain, Cynthia. I have a number of friends and relatives who have undergone the surgery, but they tell me it does improve and they're glad to have gotten it.

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  16. Sorry I'm slow at commenting on your posts. Family demands on my time have put blogging further down my daily activities. Increasing your walking each day is a good way of checking on your progress. Perseverance and physio are obviously your top priorities. Keep up the good work.

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