life in the recliner

     Hello, there!  I went into surgery early Friday morning, trusting a happy young Doctor to perform a procedure with a stuffy name which simply means to me that my broken-down, painful foot is fixed so I can go on with my active lifestyle!  Well, the fix isn't complete yet because I'll be on the mend for a while;  6 to 8 weeks on crutches to be exact. 

    The weekend was pretty tough with continual pain and miserable swelling but the turn around came today with a great boost of hope and a refreshed mind--especially now that I can survive without prescription pain meds. In the mean time I gotta keep that foot elevated and iced. So it's life in the recliner for me!

     Mr. Tucker has been my faithful buddy, keeping close to make sure I'm O.K.  He's an adorable bit of a seat hog!

     I felt good enough to read today--a luxury in between naps.

     I am so blessed with good care-givers--my very own first responders are pretty amazing at home, too. Plus, our church has generously arranged meal deliveries.

     One dismal fact remaining: I have to give myself shots for my blood thinner. Oh, I suppose it's mind over matter but what it really feels like, is one of those occasional reminders that something really is "wrong" with me.

Rejoicing in everything that is "Right" --or rather, GOOD!

Zinnia Girl!

p.s. lovin' Psalm 138 this week....

Sweet Shepherd

Long past midnight
I was still awake
My first-responders had dashed out
right at bedtime
Resolutely I waited up; sewing
but fell sound asleep on the couch
ten minutes before they returned
And then off to bed only to lay awake
awake
awake
in a dreadful not-able-to-do-anything-about-it state
mind realing
heading on dangerous tangents
agony of over-exhaustion
taunting and tossing
I scrambled mentally for a safehold

The Lord is my Shepherd
I shall not want...

Have you held a newborn lamb?
Picked it up; little thing, long legs
arm scooped under it's tummy
it rests it's weight on your chest
nibbles your chin

Over and over that line repeated for me
soothing

Sweet Shepherd

I am that lamb
and so I fell asleep.

*   *   *   *

It was a long night in the ER
Daddy worried that they were closing down
shutting up for the night
why was he still there?
The clock loomed above his bed
"Why didn't we start this whole deal earlier?"
Oh, Dad, some things we can't schedule

The next day, in his hospital bed,
his memory is still fuzzy
pneumonia wrecks havoc
on his ancient body
We poked around, spending time
Look--here's a Bible
you want me to read you a Psalm?
His eyes brightened
"Can you say one? Can you say one?"
His voice continued; strong

The Lord is my Sherpherd
I shall not want..

The words mixed up
mind wandered off

Yet the room was charged with
hope
healing

The verse of childhood
a living, breathing
presence

Our Sweet Shepherd

Road Trip

    Hero was sent on a business trip the last week of August.  Much to our excitement, he got permission to take us along. So we headed North on familiar routes to Boston.  More specifically, to a beautiful address on River Street....and my darling big sister.

     We had a lovely time-- mostly tiding up, hiding our stuff and leaving--because they are in the process of selling their house and showed it frequently while we were there. A little crazy, but makes for bonding anyhow! One day we went to visit a sweet mutual friend, enjoyed some time at Buzzards Bay and ate the most amazing fresh fish-n-chips.

 We also spent the afternoon at the Orgill show with Hero;  just to be amazed, and hopefully help inspire his decisions.

.
     

                           Public Transportation is always a favorite of our visits to the city.

   We took a walk through downtown and popped in on our Own Minstrel's place of employment--the Old State House, no less. (See it standing bravely at the end of the street?)   Never have I relished the city like I did this time. Perhaps it's the sense of "one-last-time".

      The last night of our visit, Sis and I sat on the couch chatting over icecream. They have a second cousin boarding with them for a month and as she passed in the hall we invited her to join us. Its invigorating to chat with young people who are full of dreams, new love, fresh hopes! Soon Blaze joined us and it wasn't long before they were exchanging info and friend-ing. And that conversation, my jollies, resulted in a second (shorter) roadtrip and this:

Blaze bought her first car from her grandpa's cousin!  

Just loving how God answers prayers,

Zinnia Girl!

P.S. Photos all from Blaze.