After nearly a week of walking around with what appeared to be an overstuffed sausage attached to the end of my leg, my foot has finally returned to semi-normal condition. Oh, and the itching. Let's don't even talk about the itching. Do not, I repeat, do not, get bitten by a black widow. From what I understand, I am lucky it wasn't far worse. People have been kind enough to share horror stories about people they know who have sustained bites where their skin necrotized, or their leg blew up like an overinflated balloon. One person, even told me her friend ended up in the ICU after a black widow assault, narrowly escaping death. None of these scenarios had once entered my mind until they were brought up. I can't tell you how much better I feel having secured that knowledge. Thank you, in case I haven't said it before, for sharing. It reminded me of when I was pregnant for the first time with my daughter. For whatever reason, perhaps just pregnancy chops, women already having borne children seemed comfortable sharing with me the most gruesome stories of pregnancies gone wrong. Why people do this baffles me, but then why we humans do a lot of things remains a mystery if you ask me, which you did not. I guess treating rooting around in the yard casually, is just one more item to add to the bottom of my "Don't Do This Again" list. I was reminded by my doctor while getting my bite looked at, rattlesnakes as well as spiders enjoy the comfort of hidden dark environments, so be aware of where I'm sticking my hands. Ewwwwww. Informing my landlord I was bitten, she went out into my yard last night in search of any other spiders possibly lingering out there. After performing a thorough search, she let me know though she did not locate any mature spiders, she did find three more egg sacs and said disposed of them in my trash can. Really? Now, I'll have to watch how I handle my trash can. Apparently the babies of the species are more lethal than their parents. Goody. I'm going to end up going out in the yard wearing a haz-mat suit to turn on the sprinklers.
Executing this move from my house to Richard's, still requires most of my free time. It feels so strange as I sit packing up my house. The act of boxing up my life, has kind of thrown me off my feed for whatever reason. Yesterday, my dear friend Shonda came over to lend a hand. After pigging out on fish tacos she was kind enough to provide, the two of us spent the afternoon catching up on our lives while packing up my dishes. I seriously seem to own the world's supply of dishware. Richard, on the other hand, is overly equipped with silverware and glassware. We could have a party a week for the next ten years, toss all the eating utensils we used, and still have clean ones available for our next get together. Amazing. Once the move is behind us, and before I get my hand surgery, we plan to host a huge garage sale. Both of us have pared down during this process and have quite a bit to either sell or donate once I'm settled in. I have to admit there is something sort of freeing about unburdening oneself. It can begin to be a "heavy" feeling dragging along more than you need. I am truly amazed at how many things I have found tucked away in closets or hiding under sinks I haven't looked at in years. Sigh.
The movers are coming next week to gather up the heavy items. When they are done, I will do the last bit of surface cleaning. I decided to apply my cleaning deposit towards hiring a professional crew, though truthfully I've left the house in pretty good shape. My energy level is such at the moment that I don't want to deal with the business of windows and floors, etc. I will happily leave that to a crew of people who's livelihood it is to do final cleanings, and hand in my keys.
Next on the agenda, once the loose strings are neatly tied up on this move, will be my hand surgery scheduled for September 17th. As I have mentioned, my pinkie suffers from Dupyren's Contracture, and because of this, has become nearly bent in half. This is not a painful condition, but it has gotten so curved at this point, it catches on things such as a hook might do. If yanked hard enough, they fear this could cause me to actually break my finger. Also, because of the odd configuration, when I am working, my pinkie locates incorrect keys on the keyboard. Mainly, the errant appendage tends to randomly turn the Caps Lock on, causing me to have to stop and correct whatever is on the screen as I go along. Not a major problem certainly, but annoying nonetheless. I have to admit, I will be glad to have my finger straightened out at last. However, I'm not much looking forward to the procedure itself. Again, people have kindly shared stories of friends or relatives having this exact surgery enjoying a less than satisfactory outcome. I have tried humming or sticking my fingers in my ears, but I still hear them. I'm not afraid of surgery, though I don't think anyone looks forward to it like a trip to the ice cream shop. There is usually some post surgery pain to be dealt with, and in this case, physical therapy, not my favorite way to kill an hour. Certainly I am no stranger to major surgery. I've had my share, one organ donated to the lab for each marriage I entered in to, making four thus far. (This may be part of why I don't intend to ever marry again. I'm running out of donatable body parts.) I think my dread at going into hospitals is Rick and I spent so much time there during his cancer battle, I find even the smell of one has me wanting to break out in a dead run. Nobody in their right mind likes hospitals, I don't believe, I just think I don't all the more for that reason. I have to say, nowadays they seem to get you in and out of the hospital post haste. A little snip, a little suction, and baby you're on your way home. You don't linger for days as you used to with nurses waking you up all night to take your "vitals" or being reduced to eating the notoriously bad hospital kitchen offerings. l have only had one hospital stay where the food was actually palatable. I do understand the reasoning behind the bland food typical of such establishments. Hospital chefs aren't afforded the latitude of adding a lot of seasonings (or taste I might add), because they are having to accommodate a wide variety of dietary concerns prohibiting them from doing so, but honestly how do you ruin cottage cheese?
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, located in the Lakes Region. Lake Winnipesaukee has been a popular tourist destination for more than a century, particularly among residents seeking a safe haven from the summer heat of Boston and New York City.
Moving on to a more pleasant subject, fall is on the horizon. Autumn is by far my favorite time of the year. Already, the leaves on the trees are beginning to show their colors signaling a change is in the air, even in spite of the triple digit temperatures showing up on the weather map next week. Sunny California, I have to say, does not let go of it's summers easily. Though fall is imminent, the cooler, crisper, days will simply have to wait until summer says it's final goodbyes. In anticipation of the passing of the baton, I have rescued my bins of fall decorations from my storage unit, lest they get lost in the move. New flags have been ordered for the porch, and summer flowers have been removed from pots around the house and replaced with fall hues. My taste buds are looking forward to savory stews and hearty soups bubbling in a pot on the stove, and my soul yearns for crackling fires in the evenings, and crunchy leaves scattered across the lawn. Once again it will be time for me to drag out "To Kill a Mockingbird", a fall must watch in my world. I can do all the character's roles without prompting, I've seen the movie so many times. Still, each time the movie begins, it feels as if I am seeing it for the first time. There is something ageless about some of the old movies, familiar and comforting. I guess I must be getting old, because I don't always connect with what is showing up in theaters these days. I rented a movie called Civil War last week and never got past the first half hour. There was soooooo much gore and mayhem in it, I simply couldn't watch anymore. Basically, it was what is currently going on in this country only on steroids. There's enough misery on the morning news, without having to pay to get more of it imported. I do miss a good comedy. It's been awhile since I've seen a movie that made me laugh out loud. All the wonderful comedic women like Sandra Bullock, Meg Ryan, Lily Tomlin, Dianne Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Doris Day, Lucille Ball, who could really make you smile. The "feel good" movies seem to have dissolved into the past. Perhaps that's just me missing an era that has long outlived it's usefulness in today's fast paced world. Insert a little melancholy here. lol
Speaking of the news. Well, I was loosely speaking of it in the previous paragraph, the upcoming election is consuming most of the air time of late. This race is definitely slated to be a nail biter with the two candidates polling neck and neck. This will be, to say the least, a contentious time for citizens of this fair country. So much at stake here. I hope everyone follows the patriotic urge to get out and cast their all important vote. I stand 100% behind women's rights, which leaves little doubt of where my choice is as far as candidate. I do not wish to take a giant step back in time to begin the movement forward for women once again. It is time we stand up and say "enough". I have a feeling there is a lot coming down the pike this November. It will be interesting to be a fly on the wall.
Hope your holiday weekend is all that and a bag of chips. I am at work this morning and if it were any quieter, I possibly could hear my blood circulating through my veins. Supposedly this is to be the busiest holiday travel weekend on record. I am glad I'm not going anywhere thank you. I shall drive home after work, put my feet up, and chill. That is more than enough holiday for me right at the moment.
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