I’ve been having a great time the past couple of weeks learning some new software programs. A couple of them have steep learning curves and are great mental exercise. I tend to be happiest when I’m learning new things.
I’ve also been labeling the pictures Andy brings home from the land and putting some of them up on Flickr. These are two he took Friday, when they were putting up ceiling joists:
And here are two that he took today as he walked down one of our old emergency escape routes. The road was rough before but now it’s impassable by car because of the flash flooding last summer:
There are a lot of changes in our life right now. What about yours?
Everything has changed since I broke the ball joint of my shoulder. Being right handed and it’s the right arm, has really challenged me.
Since May 7, I’ve been pretty much a shut-in, but I’ve refused to let it get me down. After all God supplies all my needs. I asked for an opportunity to come my way while convalescing. Ironically the thought came to me to communicate with other shut-ins. It’s really been a lot of fun and I’m glad I asked.
I’m ready, but not ready, to return to gardening, painting, crafting jewelry, and other stuff. So in the meantime I’m content to express love and empathy to those in similar situations.
Thanks for asking. Hope that road gets cleared away soon; bless your heart! ~ Dixie
Dixie,
The road most likely won’t get cleared away–it hasn’t been maintained for years. Andy drove over it twice a year cutting down the trees and moving rocks blocking the way to keep it barely passable. He didn’t have to use it to escape the fire last year, but one of our neighbors did. It banged up his car but it saved his life. There’s no way that could happen now.
I was a shut-in for about two months earlier this year. A strange virus sapped all of my energy. I got out of the house every other day when Andy drove the few blocks to our grocery store and I went with him. I could still use the computer and didn’t feel deprived. I figured if that was the new normal so be it. I don’t garden, etc. though and my right arm wasn’t affected. When is your shoulder supposed to be healed? I agree that being able to communicate with kindred spirits helps a lot. Good for you!
the changes in my life right now is a 5 week freedom from study at University…I still haven’t quite got my act together on that, but I have done one or two things that I have on my “invisible plan”
my new mysterious health problem is still invisible to me – although, no more weight has dropped away in fact I’ve put on probably 200gm!! That has occurred since my best friend and I discussed some food-fuel ideas; including not buying large amounts of anything so I have choices without them becoming boring because I have bought a large quantity of something…
this is especially more easy since I bought a roll-wheeled mini cart which are quite popular here…bright colours, big wheels and they have an inbuilt stand; no more lugging shopping bags 🙂
oddly enough i’m a person who craves change.
i think because we moved every year when i was growing up.
it always hits me (the i want to move!) at precisely two times a year…
spring and fall. the spring hit is usually overwith by now, but this year it’s really strong.
i imagine selling my little cottage and then moving somewhere i’ve always wanted to live. i’ve lived in my house now for 14 years. a lifetime to me!!!
cathy… i love the idea of brightly colored carts to roll and carry bundles! how cool is that!
Unfortunately, not significant changes. I wish that there would be some!
Jean: Thanks for asking. I’ve completed 4 of 8 weeks in an ‘isolating’ shoulder sling. (I have a titanium plate with nine screws to stabilize the arm-joint.) Because it’s isolating, it will take between 3-4 months to regain total usage… pending exercise needed and prescribed by the ortho surgeon. I’m hopeful, knowing, ‘this too shall pass.’
I hope the remainder of the year is healthy and happy for you! Looking forward to reading your next post.
>And here are two that he took today as he walked down one of our old emergency escape routes.
– Emergency? Escape? *gasp* You all had better get to the drawing board again for a new emergency contingency plan.
>The road was rough before but now it’s impassable by car because of the flash flooding last summer:
– I’m trying to figure out what the force of the waters would have been to have caused THIS.
>There are a lot of changes in our life right now. What about yours?
– The usual plateau of routine with more spikes of simple pleasure or deep happiness and less dips of the equally necessary ‘this sucks’ moments.
I get less angry and accusing with God now. But these two are the friendly, um, threats I deliver most commonly when things don’t go the way I had planned:
1. YOU got me into this. YOU get me out of it. I’m just going to sit here and do NOTHING.
2. If there’s a lesson you’re trying to teach me here, I’m not getting it. So you either work on your teaching methodology or you give me what I think I deserve.
I don’t plan to clean up my act until the skies open up and strike me down with a stroke of lightning. 🙂
Kate
Cathy,
I agree with tammy. That sounds like a neat little cart. 🙂
tammy,
If you do move I hope you go to someplace with better weather!
rummuser,
Don’t forget Kathleen Norris (“Prayer isn’t asking for what you think you want, it’s asking to be changed in ways you can’t imagine.”) It will be interesting to see who/what changes first, you or your situation.
dcrelief,
Wow! That really is a major break. It is more complicated when the arm has to be immobile. I had a bad pain in an arm once and made the mistake of using the arm as little as possible to give it a chance to heal. Not a wise idea. I ended up with a frozen shoulder. Much more painful and it took a lot of time, therapy and money to loosen it up again.
Kate,
There is another emergency route that Andy was keeping open. It wasn’t useful last year because it was in the direct path of the fire. At the moment it’s still closed to vehicles but when it opens he’ll go along it and try to make it passable. Don’t forget we have a humongous fire break because all of the trees burned down, so there’s no urgency.
I’m afraid my prayer when things go wrong is, “Thank you Lord for the opportunity. I sure hope you know what you’re doing.” It helps to laugh.
If I change any more, I will attain nirvana.
No big changes in my life at the moment, more a period of consolidation. My job is getting very interesting and I’m enjoying a wide range of books and music and art as always. Sorry, I can’t tell you I’m about to climb Mount Everest or go parachute jumping or sail single-handed around the world. Not that I feel the need to do any of those things.
Rummuser,
That sounds great to me!
Nick,
What exactly is your job? Your life sounds fine just the way it is. We would cheerfully have passed on the fire and flash flooding, but at usual they didn’t ask us. No sense whining about it. Might as well enjoy the adventure while we can. Time is flying by.
My job is a rather obscure one. I work for the National Association of Councillors, which is a kind of trade union for councillors – taking up any problems they have, improving their pay etc. Right now the 26 councils in Northern Ireland are due to be reduced to just 11, and that’s creating a lot of new problems, starting with 120 councillors being made redundant!
Nick, here in Auckland – the councils did an even bigger downsizing the region became ONE.
There are still small boards here and there…but lots of things became ONE. i.e instead of each regional/council have say a few libraries of their own – we now have 55 (or something like that) so you card is valid all over town! Plus you can request lots more books and they arrive relatively quickly…
Some of the other community services are still being worked though like the cost of entrance to swimming pools.
Rates for land/houses – still being worked through as is water in/out services. Some areas have changes whilst others are dealing with logistics.
There were huge redundancies in some areas…but I think some areas i.e. library services had to create a “book transit” dept to collate everything. I love the library service!!! 🙂
Jean, hi!
The flood really altered the landscape’s make-up, didn’t it? The force of the water is amazing.
No, not many changes in my life right now. But soon I will be enjoying my much deserved vacations :).
Cheers
Nick,
Yes, I imagine your job is not boring at the moment!
Cathy,
It sounds as if the consolidation where you are has been a blessing.
Max,
How much vacation do you get? I’m happy for you. I’ve been on vacation for years now and love the freedom to work on my own projects on my own schedule. I can work until dawn if I like and don’t have to be governed by a clock.
Oh Jean,
I have 3 weeks off/year.
You are blessed, darling :).
Have a nice weekend.
Max,
Yes, I am indeed. And I never cease to be grateful.