Dan's Ramblings

Dan here. Can’t believe that it is Tuesday night already. I read a line in a book the other day that really struck me ~ “the days are long but the years are short.” That hit me as so true. I remember days long ago I thought would never end. They started early and ended quite late. They dragged on and on. But then, I realize I am thinking of them as though they were yesterday when, in fact, the memories are from thirty years ago. The days are long but the years are short.

All is well here on the pond.

The door quilt top is complete. Alas, there was not enough of the blue left to use for the border. So a trip to the storage stash was in order. I found a red that would work and is all sewn on. 

The Weekend

Carol here ~

What a gorgeous weekend ~ sunny and just enough of a breeze to keep the bugs away! I spent the afternoons sitting out front under the awning with my book enjoying the pond activities. The water must be warming up as there were quite a few swimmers.

Saturday am 6/12/21

Dan's Ramblings

Dan here. Another busy week, coming to you on Thursday evening out by the fire. Walking still under par. ( am I allowed to use golf terminology even if I would never on my worst day ever play the game?) This week I was under the 38.9 miles needed to “make week” only by 1 1/2 miles. That is why I put miles in the bank last winter. Walking many more each day than I “needed” for each week, gave me miles I can use now when it is too hot or too much life in the way to walk. Haven’t done the math yet so don’t know what yearly total is. A little under 1100 miles, I think. I’ll figure it out and let you know.

Beautiful evening. 

More and more lights around the pond as people coming to camp

This and That

Carol here ~

I missed my blog post yesterday so you are getting it today. I was slow moving yesterday morn plus we had to leave fairly early to get to my Chemo/Oncologist appointment. Bloodwork results still good.

My surgery last week eliminated my intense spine pain (just a bit stiff and sore) but my supporting muscles did not get the pain free memo. I had a rough weekend. I ached all over. When I went for my PT appointment on Monday the therapist said I had some very “angry” muscles. Yep, they’ve been screaming at me ~ but a little less screaming every day. She gave me a handful of exercises I can do sitting down that will help with core strength and lower back strength. She also massaged part way down my back on either side of my spine. Ahhhhhh, that felt wonderful. She didn’t do my lower back as I still had some bruising going on and she didn’t want to rile things up. I have another appointment this morning so hoping she repeats that spine massage.

Dan's Ramblings

Dan here. Sunday evening, different fire, same view, different sky. 

Carol had a hard day, bed early. At least it is in her bed. 

Too hot to walk today, I have decided that it was much easier walking when it was cold out. Put on the clothes and just go. When it is hot there is only so much that is coming off in the name of propriety. I guess that is why I put lots of walking miles in the bank during the colder months. Saw this on my walk the other day. It was kinda scary to see. 

Shows the fragility of the seasons and how short they really are.

Surgery Update

Carol here ~

Yesterday was the day for my back surgery. They actually did a kyphoplasty instead of vertebroplasty. I think the difference is with a kyphoplasty a thin tube with a ballon tip is guided into the vertebra, then the balloon is inflated to create a cavity in which the liquid bone cement is injected. The balloon is then removed and the cement is injected.

It worked! Went to sleep in with back pain, woke up with pretty much none! It feels really weird to be walking about without my wheelie! (Dan nicknamed me Wheels) The wheelie was my mom’s. She had two of them. We donated one to the Assisted Living Home she was at when she passed and we kept the other one. Thank goodness! I couldn’t have gotten around these last few weeks without it.

I’m a bit sore/stiff this morning in my lower back/hip area. Got the ice pack on it so hoping it loosens up as I move around more ~ suppose to get up and move about every hour.

And I slept in the bed last night ~ first time in weeks! Don’t know if Dan took advantage of it and got some sewing done or not, he was still out by the fire when I went to bed.

Dan's Ramblings

Dan here. Coming to you Tuesday night from beside the pond and where you find me most evenings, in front of the fire. 

I have been busy getting plant pots planted at every location where I can find to grow something. 

Pieces of wood to be used to support tomato plants

Still need a few more plants but not many. The trouble with lots of planters is they will need a lot of water. Not as bad as one year in Rangeley where it took about an hour and a half every day to water all the planters. I guess the idea was to downsize.