Happy Thanksgiving!

Although the most delicious day of the year isn’t until tomorrow, I know I won’t sit in front of a computer to blog about it on Thursday and I certainly don’t know how to schedule a post to appear. Thus, you’re getting your Thanksgiving post today.

I absolutely love this week! My favorite cousins come to town, Susie comes home from school for longer than 24 hours and delicious food abounds.  Tomorrow afternoon, our large extended family will converge on cousins Ross and Judy’s house for Thanksgiving supper (we eat at about 6.) While I’m still relegated to the kids’ table – I’m pretty sure you need a post graduate degree, spouse and at least 2 children to be seated at the adult table – I enjoy taking a dish or two along in an attempt to prove my adulthood.

Last year, I made a super delicious and super easy cranberry cheeseball that I plan to bring again this year.  In addition, Susie and I want to try out the Paula Deen Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle at Erika’s suggestion.

Cranberry Cheeseball

2 8oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. dried cranberries (can use more if you like)

1 T.  orange zest

1 t.  Garlic salt

1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts are my favorite)

Mix first four ingredients up together in a bowl until cranberries are well-distributed. Form mixture into a ball and roll in chopped nuts. Refrigerate until about 30 minutes before serving. Plate on a cake pedestal and surround with crackers (I like to use the garlic and herb flavored Townhouse Toppers.) Enjoy!  This super easy recipe is no sweat and people love the combination of salty, sweet and savory.  It’s also very handy to have something for guests to gnosh on while the turkey is being prepped for it’s debut.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? Do you go out to eat like Blue Hydrangea? Does your family take a trip somewhere like Blueprint Bliss? Or do you have an intimate dinner with family and friends at home like Eddie and Jaithan? Whatever you’re doing on this day of thankfulness, I want you to know that I’m thankful for each one of you! I’m thankful for your readership, your comments and your helpful suggestions.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Step Right Up! See the Amazing One-Legged Freak!

On Friday night, I joined my friends Sarah, Kelly and Jen for a delicious dinner at a local Japanese restuarant.  I rode in on my knee walker.

Warning: if you want to be stared at like a circus freak, ride around on a knee walker.

Saturday night, Sarah and I went to see “The Blind Side” with Susie.  Opting for a little less oggling, I took my crutches.  The theater was already filling up when we got there and all of the handicapped seats were taken.  Not one person offered to give up their seat to me.  Sarah and Susie helped me precariously make my way down 3 or 4 stairs to the closest empty seats.  GRR.

But on the bright side, “The Blind Side” was really good.  I thoroughly enjoyed the film and it really makes me want to read the book now. I was pleasantly surprised by both Tim McGraw and Sandra Bullock.  I was afraid Sandra would annihilate Leigh Anne Touhy’s Memphis drawl and that Tim McGraw would be an all-around terrible actor but they both managed to be believable and likeable.

If you’re looking for a good family movie over Thanksgiving break, I highly recommend this one. Next on my to-see list: Christmas Carol and New Moon.  :)  Don’t judge.

The Little Old Lady from Pasadena

Come Wednesday, I’ll be the proud renter of the hottest form of (temporarily)  handicapped transportation.  The Knee Walker.

That’s right.  This is happening.

Before you know it, I’ll be scooting around, wind in my hair, hands free to do whatever I wish.  No more sticking a can of ginger ale in my waistband and hopping back to my chair.  No more carrying my clothes over my shoulder or in my teeth while I crutch from the closet to a chair.  I’ll be able to cart things around in the little basket, my hands and underarms won’t be as sore, and I’ll be able to get from point A to point B without stopping for a rest. I’m going to be scootin in style with my new shiny blue Swivel Knee Walker.

Just look how cool this guy looks:

In addition to my new wheels, Grandmama – who was appalled by my bare toes in the chilly weather – knitted me a bootie to fit over my cast.  I assumed it would be in some muted, neutral color that would go with anything. Instead, I’m as All-American as apple pie, baseball,  bald eagles and midget wrestling.

I was going absolutely stir-crazy in the house this weekend.  It was gorgeous outside but I was stuck in the recliner reading elementary school novels because the house was being roofed and I didn’t want to take the chance of being hit by falling debris.  Thankfully, Mama decided to take me out for some fresh air and light retail therapy on Sunday.

Feeling like the little boy from The Secret Garden, I went on my first public outting (excluding doctor’s appointments, church and work) to Joanne’s.  I’ve decided to make my Christmas cards this year and I needed some supplies.  Thankfully, Joanne’s supplies its customers with two handicapped transportation options.  I could choose the standard push yourself around wheelchair or the electric scooter complete with shopping cart.  Needless to say, it was no contest.

Thankfully, Mama did not wet her pants from laughing at me on the motorized scooter and thankfully, I didn’t take out any small children or slow walkers.  It was touch and go with a box of cinnamon-scented pine cones though.

As I scooted around the store, handling the curves like a pro, I noticed that people were incredibly friendly and helpful to me while in the scooter.  I’m sure there’ve been hundreds of sociological experiements devoted to that notion but it was kind of interesting to see first-hand.

Another Special Day

Today is my (little) big sister and her husband’s first anniversary! Last year, Joy and David Jones were married in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in a small beachside ceremony.  After much pain and heartbreak in both of their pasts, they were brought together at just the right time.  David is an excellent husband to my sister and an excellent step-father to my niece, Emily.  I’m thrilled that he’s part of our family and I’m so thankful that they both give one another the love and respect that marriage was designed for.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, JOY AND DAVID!

A Very Special Day

Today is my very good friend, Sarah’s, birthday!!

Let’s just take a minute to appreciate her, shall we?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SARAH!!!

Adjusting

It hasn’t even been a week since the car accident but life has drastically changed.  For the time being, I’m living with my parents, showering in a plastic folding chair, carrying cans of ginger ale in my waistband and depending entirely on the kindness of friends and family members for transportation and meals.

Normally I would never go out in public without my make up on and a half-way decent outfit. However, last night I left the house, thanks to my friend Sarah, looking like I’d just been picked up from the group home. I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to get to and from work each day and I have no idea what I’m going to wear when I do go back. I’ve gotten a little better at my crutches but after a pain pill, I’m still pretty wobbly.

I had a CT scan this morning to determine whether or not I’ll need surgery to fix my heel bone.  The scan itself was no sweat but getting inside the outpatient center and up to the second floor was a different story. The woman (I don’ t know if she was a nurse or CT tech or what) who administered the scan told me that there’s a waterproof cast on the market called Gore-Tex.  I sure wish I’d known that on Tuesday! Maybe when I visit the Orthopedist on Tuesday, he’ll swap my cast out for one of those.  Suiting up with rubber bands, a Bed, Bath & Beyond bag and a Hefty bag every time I’d like to shower is getting old.

I’d like to apologize for the lack of interesting posts.  Maybe once the pain subsides and I stop taking my meds, I’ll be a little more lucid and able to post about pretty or fun things.

When I said I wanted winter boots…

This isn’t what I had in mind.

Let’s back up for a moment, shall we? I told Grandmama earlier in the week that I’d like to take her out to Papa Dan’s grave to swap out the silk flowers for a more fall appropriate arrangement.  Mama decided to come along too.  After we replaced and arranged the flowers, we drove to the cemetary where my great-grandmother is buried to check on her flowers. They still looked pretty good so with a 2 for 1 coupon in hand (Grandmama never goes anywhere without a coupon) we headed toward Moe’s for lunch.

There wasn’t a whole lot of traffic out and it was only 11:30 so we were debating on whether we should run any more errands before eating.  As we traveled up Highland Avenue and approached the intersection at Damascus Road, an industrial white van -who clearly did not see us- made a left turn in front of us.  I knew it was going to happen. There was no stopping it.  I jammed my foot on the brake as hard as I could but to no avail. Our passenger side front ends collided with the most force I’ve ever experienced in my life (and I’ve been around the block a few times when it comes to wrecks.)

Airbags deployed, the windshield cracked, the front end was smashed, my glasses and headband were knocked off of my face.  I’m pretty sure I screamed a cuss word in front of my sweet 85 year old grandmother.  In short, it was awful. As soon as we came to a stop, Mama and I both checked on Grandmama who was in the front passenger seat.  She was clutching her face in hands and moaning.  I immediately started boohooing at that sight.  Thankfully Mama got out of the backseat and ran to pry open Grandmama’s door.  I opened my door and tried to get out.  What’s wrong? Why can’t I move? Holy Crap! My foot hurts bad.

Where’s the other driver? Why isn’t anybody stopping to help us?! Mama handed me her touchscreen phone to call 911 while she tended to Grandmama. I couldn’t figure it out so I dug around and found my phone to make the call.  The firemen showed up in a matter of seconds. By this time, a few bystanders had collected to see if we were alright.  The police showed up next and finally the ambulances arrived.  Grandmama and I both needed to be taken in.  Since we were involved in a front end collision, we had to have neck braces and backboards.  After what seemed like an eternity, we were loaded up in the ambulances and taken to University Hospital.

By this time, I was in so much pain I couldn’t stand it.  I was hurting and I was so upset that poor Grandmama was so upset.  Once we arrived at the hospital, the nurse came in and took my vital signs and then the doctor came in to remove me from the backboard.  After what seemed like an eternity (but was probably only 20-30 minutes, a nurse returned with a shot for the pain.  I needed x-rays on my foot and ankle.

Mama traveled back and forth between my room and Grandmama’s.  She said Grandmama was getting hand x-rays because her thumb was black and blue and they wanted to make sure nothing had been broken in her chest when the airbag deployed. Her x-rays came back clean and the nurses cleaned the abrasions on her face and wrapped her hand with an Ace bandage.

I wasn’t so lucky.  The doctor came in to report that I have a broken heel bone on my right (driving) foot.  He said it’s a strong bone so it takes a huge amount of force to break it and it’s an injury they usually see in men who have fallen off of ladders.  I was wrapped in approximately 100 feet of padding and told to call on Monday for an appointment with the Orthopedist.  This type of injury takes a minimum of 6 weeks to heel heal.

On the way home, the pain was intolerable. Daddy got my prescriptions filled and Mama played nursemaid to both me and Grandmama.

I’m feeling much better today- the pain meds are really helping and I have an appointment for tomorrow to hopefully get a more permanent cast.

This is most inconvenient and I keep thinking of all the things I won’t be able to do- take a shower without sitting in a chair, go dancing in Nashville this weekend,  go shopping the day after Thanksgiving, go upstairs to my bedroom,wear cute heels,  drive or take Tater for much needed walks.  However, through my complaining, I see blessings.  I am so grateful that I was me who was driving and who got hurt and not Grandmama.  I was also fully prepared to spend a great deal of money on cowgirl boots this weekend.  Now I can save that money and afford to buy a few more Christmas presents.

 

Wow…. I didn’t realize how long this was. Kudos if you’ve reached this far.  I’ll be pretty immobile for a while so hopefully I’ll have more time to stalk the internet and blog about the pretty things I find.  How was your Halloween? ;)