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Summer 2023 Vacation… The End

On Tuesday I made my first visit ever to an orthopedic surgeon.  Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute is a busy place.  Luckily I have LB.  He has graduated from vacation planner to chauffeur, escort, and personal caretaker.  We met with Dr. Vosseller and he gave me some interesting information.  My very special injury is referred to as the Jones fracture.

“Jones fractures are caused when you put sudden force on the outside of your foot with your foot twisted away from your body”.  This is basically what happened to me as I mentioned in this post.  After Dr. Vosseller explained the Jones fracture, he gave me some news that blew my mind.

Face Wow Sticker

He said that I would need to stay off of my feet and do so “for at least 3 weeks until your next appointment” at which time we will evaluate the situation.

Later that day, I called my new supervisor and told him my story.  He said “oh wow” about 17 times during that call.  Then he referred me to an attendance specialist who cancelled the remainder of my vacation and referred me to Integrated Disability.

I have never felt more like a little old lady in all my life.

[sigh]

So here I sit.

Later that evening I received visitors and LB picked up pizza from Dominoes.

Like my attention-deficit, rabbit-chasing Mama, I’m going to veer to a  side note here because I’ve been judged before… DON’T judge me because I like Dominoes.  I am NOT a pizza connoisseur and I’m not going to go searching for the city’s best pizza.  Pizza isn’t something that I enjoy very often and it isn’t worth my time.

Back to the subject.  I enjoyed seeing my kids and grand-kids. They always bring enthusiasm for life with them.  Also, there is never a dull moment when they are around.  And although I’m confined to my chair, I enjoyed their visit.

One little visitor presented me with this well-wishing artwork:Lydia is so clever and creative.

I will do my best to get well soon.

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Summer 2023 Vacation Day 3

I skipped right over summer 2023 Vacation Day #2 because ALL I DID that day was go to the ER, then come home and sit with my iced foot elevated.  My Aunt Sharon couldn’t have said it better… BUMMER.

On Monday

I regrouped and regained mental clarity.

To start the day off right, I got on the phone with the Insurance company to verify that the ER recommended Orthopedic doctor was within network. Then I called that office to make an appointment.  All this took only about an hour of my day so I’m not mad.  I mean, what else do you do on your summer vacation???  Afterward, I took the advice from a high school friend on social media who said “get pampered” [thank you Kim Stafford] and had LB make my breakfast.  A fried egg over easy on avocado toast.  He did an excellent job  for a man who never uses the stove.

After this I went shopping online.  Old Navy has a 50% off jeans and pants.

So, I placed an order…

SHOPPING.

It’s what I do.

Then, just after noon, LB helped me into the pool.

I stayed in the pool for 5 hours.

My backyard is the closest thing to vacation without going on vacation.

Who is the Lucky one???

Later in the afternoon, Mama walked over and joined me in the pool and shared some of her stories.  She is a fantastic story-teller.  I’ve told her that she needs a blog but I’m happy to post her memories here in my Mary’s Musings page.  One day I’ll get her cooperation.  Either that or she needs to tell her stories on YouTube.

After I successfully burnt myself to a crisp floating in the pool, LB helped me out and propped me up at the kitchen counter where I made two salads for dinner.  It wasn’t like anything we would’ve ordered from Middle Grounds in Treasure Island, but it hit the spot.

~

And here is one last happy thought for Monday, vacation day 3…  0n FRIDAY… My last full day of walking upright without crutches, I got to hold this sweet little man.Y’all have GOT to be jealous!

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Summer Vacation 2023

As I mentioned in this post I started a new job in April.

After 9 weeks of training and 2 months with my new team, it is finally

Vacation Time!

Long awaited and much deserved.

All last week I was getting daily texts from LB that included a countdown to vacation.  We’ve been looking forward to our trip to Treasure Island near  St. Petersburg, FL. We had planned to leave on Sunday and spend a few days on the beach, relaxing in the sun.  Like this.

But first, yard-work.

On Saturday, my first official day of vacation, we spent time in the yard working: trimming hedges, weeding, etc.  I was outside for about 6 hours trying to clean up the yard and destroy my fingernails.

LB was still working in the front yard when I decided that I’d had enough and announced that I was going to get in the pool.  LB said he would wrap up what he was doing and join me shortly.

There was something invigorating

about that short swim.

I started thinking that LB would be coming to get in the pool and knowing him he would decide that instead he should be cleaning the pool.  Since I had a received a burst of energy, I decided to get out and grab the pool brush.  I walked all around the pool and swept the sides.  Then I stepped up on the hot tub and started working on that.  When I was finished, I gracefully stepped down.  As I watched my foot hit the pool deck, I realized that it wasn’t hitting flat, but turning inward, like when you “roll” an ankle.  Call me crazy if you want, but I think I heard something pop.  I thought I was going to pass out and throw up all at the same time.  Fortunately I was able to get to my phone and text “help” to LB.  After the initial sickening feeling I had experienced, there wasn’t much pain unless I tried to walk.  As I sat watching TV with LB and Elvis on Saturday night, I honestly thought it was not a break, and would be better by morning.

Well it wasn’t better by morning and we made a trip to the Baptist ER in Oakleaf.  Dr. Lim explained that it was a metatarsal fracture.

Yep I broke my foot.

This was a first for me.  I had never broken a bone in all my 57 years until Saturday, August 5th.

On Sunday morning the staff at Baptist Oakleaf fixed me up and sent me home in just over an hour.

I won’t be going to Treasure Island today.

And I’ll NEVER try to clean the pool again.

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

A Supervisor Story

I started a new job in April.  Still with the same company, but there is an entirely different vibe.  The job itself is intense.  So much so that the training lasted for 9 weeks, and we still didn’t cover everything.

During the eighth week of training, I and my 5 training team mates learned who would be our new manager.  Up to this point I had very mixed feelings.  Two of those managers had sat in on the training.  That said, I knew my new manager, before I knew he would be my new manager.

I wish I had a photo to post here.

It turns out that he is quite a character.  Yesterday he announced that he would be leaving the office at noon.  I was busy, but heard him say something about his son’s soccer practice.  I think.

This morning he did his typical walk through, stopping at everyone’s desk to ask how we are doing.  At the end of this daily practice he had something important to share.  He stood at the end of the cubicle trail and told a story that absolutely captured my attention.  I won’t be able to do it justice, but I’ll give it my best shot.

On Thursday afternoon he was standing at a food truck, waiting for the meal he had just ordered.  He was standing there alone for a short time until a man, whom he does not know begins to approach him.  The man had exited his vehicle, walked across a ‘ditch’, stopped in front of my manager and said, “I am going to faint”.  My manager, not knowing why he responded this way, said to the man, “just fall into my arms”.

This is exactly what happened.

The stranger passed out cold and was unconscious for “at least a minute”.  My manager said that he thought the man had possibly experienced a heat stroke, which would make perfect sense on a July afternoon in Florida.  Another man approached, and my manager appealed to him to call 911.  Shortly thereafter the unconscious man regained consciousness and did so with a scream.  He did not know where he was or what has happened.  When he finally composed himself he did not want rescue to come, nor did he want anyone to drive him home.  The man called his wife, who arrived within minutes, did not get out of her car, but instead simply followed her husband home.  Weird.  It took my manager 10 or 15 minutes to share this story, and he did it much more justice than I.  CLEARLY he had been traumatized by the event that left him dazed and confused as he watched the man who caused the scene drive away unscathed, followed by a dispassionate wife.

I gained a new appreciation for my manager today.  He is a kind and caring individual.

I hope he never has to fire me.

LOL

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

Well, its Friday.

Other than that great news there is also the fact that I only have three days left to work in my current job.  It has been 11 years and 6 months since I started and at one time I thought I would be stuck there until the END of time.  Or until the guaranteed surplus finally transpired.

The bad news is that I will still have to deal with traffic going to the same office.

But back to the good news… it is Friday.  And I have favorites.

Monday was…

Favorite # ONE

Spring is not my favorite season, but I like it better than winter.

I’m so glad to see the flowers blooming and everything turn green as opposed to winter brown.

Time to get to work on my secret garden!

~

In this post I proclaimed my recent LOFT order to be one of my favorites.  That was before the package was delivered.  I didn’t like anything, so LB and I took a trip to LOFT for an exchange.  I managed to find a few replacement items that I really liked.  My favorite is

Favorite # TWO

Those are Sailor pants.  They are really cute.

I also hit EXPRESS for a few tops

Favorite # THREE

This top looks like a lavender taffeta bridesmaid dress.  I love it anyway.

I need a closet purge badly.

~

I typically like to add something that I’ve made for dinner or dessert to a post every now and then.

My most recent attempt at cake was supposed to look like this…

Instead, it looks like this…

Favorite # FOUR

This experience taught me that you can make the cake in advance, but you cannot assemble it with Lucky Charms marshmallows until the day you will be cutting into it.

It started out okay, but eventually it wasn’t pretty.

Favorite # FIVE~

Thank you for taking time out of your day out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

What a long week it has been!  Monday – Tuesday – Wednesday – Thursday – Friday!  It takes FOREVER to get from Monday to Friday.  And with everyone in the United States moving to Florida, the traffic is INSANE.

[Although it is comforting to know that the majority of people in the US are republican DeSantis lovers.]

YES, it has been a long week, although it has not been a week without excitement.

Last Saturday I had to opportunity to spend time with the glambabies.

Sunday the whole FamDamily got together to celebrate a birthday.  We have no shortage of birthdays in my family lol.

Monday, I received a glorious job offer.  LB and I celebrated as soon as I got home.

That job offer has turned into a fiasco [in my mind] because some felt they were treated unfairly and now the union is involved.  There is a lot more that I could say on this subject, but I’m going to try to remain positive at this time.  Although I’m irritated.

Nevertheless, I’ve selected five favorites for this Friday.  Here they are…

Favorite # ONE

Little Visitors

They enjoyed being creative at Glammy’s

 

~

Favorite # TWO

A future little visitor

Richard says he has a big [Starling] head

I think he is perfect.

Thinking about the future I was searching Amazon for a walker for this little one.

He won’t be able to use it for a while, but this is in my cart…

Favorite # THREE~~

Favorite # FOUR

My latest LOFT order arrived today.

Here it is…

I told LB this morning that lately I’m not liking the way anything looks on me, so we may be making a trip to return everything sometime this weekend

~

Favorite # FIVE

That’s my Amanda.  Back in D.C.

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

It has been difficult coming up with favorites since I’ve been working from home, or rather, since the 2020 lock-down began.  LB and I rarely go out anymore.  As I mentioned in this post, after 3 years of working from home, the company called me back to the office this week.  Unbelievable as it is, all I can come up with now are my most un-favorites LOL!

Here are some examples…

My office

Traffic

Getting up early

Being sleepy all day

Job searching

I’ve had 2 interviews this week.  The questions are insane, and the interviewing managers want detailed answers and dates, if possible: “tell me about a time when you had to assist a customer who was irate…  what did you do the change this customer’s perspective about the company?” or “tell me about a time when you disagreed with someone on your team… what did you do to resolve any conflict that ensued?”

OMG!

Luckily my head hasn’t exploded.

Face Wow Sticker

There’s an idea for a favorite and it should be my first…

Favorite # ONE

My head

[pictured below]

I am still in one piece.

With all of the life upheaval this week, I have not fallen apart. And mostly this is thanks to one person, who keeps me grounded and stable

Favorite # TWO

LB

He doesn’t like the new/old normal any more than I do, but he has a way of keeping me from losing my mind.  I’m thankful for him!

It looks like I’m going to need to reach back to last weekend if I’m going to complete my list of favorites…

Favorite # THREE

Salsas

at Marietta Square

There is a new-ish Mexican restaurant nearby, so on Saturday LB and I went out for dinner.  We invited a couple of friends to join us, since we missed our annual Super Bowl party with them.  LB and I had our usual fajita dinner and it was great.

While we were driving back from the restaurant, we spotted some furniture at a neighbor’s house.  Two baby cribs and a chest of drawers.  I wasn’t sure if Richard and Emily still had their crib, so, with the help of his friend and friend’s truck, LB picked up everything and brought it home.

The reason we were interested in this furniture is…

Favorite # FOUR

A new baby is on the way

Baby Boy GIF by www.greetpool.com

He will be here in June!

And last but not least…

Favorite # FIVE

FRIDAY!

Friday is incredibly important again!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

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