A Two Month Review

Today is the last day of February. So I've been writing this blog for two months.

I just looked back over all of my posts to see if I could sense any sort of pattern or theme. What I discovered is that my blog title is quite appropriate, as my blog is mainly ("Mainely!") about me and what's important to me. But I guess that's what a blog is anyway, huh? So, no great insight there.

My real question is, "How have I done so far?" I haven't "told all" yet, of course. (I haven't even mentioned my hometown or last name at this point.) But I think someone from the other side of the world could have learned quite a bit about me.

I am ending tonight's entry with a brief quiz. The answers are all provided in previous posts.

Good luck!

1) What is my favorite book?

2) What is my favorite food?

3) What night do Lew and I have choir rehearsal?

4) What (or maybe I should ask, "Who") stands in the corner of my dining room?

5) Who was my sister Debbie thrilled about shaking hands with?

6) What was my college major?

7) What is the name of my college roommate?

8) Why was I unable to post on February 17th?

9) When did Matt propose to Emily?

10) Where and with whom did Pepper live before she "moved" to Maine?

BONUS) What is the brand name of my new handbag?

Jeopardy

Category: The Seven Dwarfs

Answer: Because I am feeling like this dwarf, tonight's blog post is very short.

Question: Who is "Sleepy?"

(Postscript: I usually have trouble coming up with all of the names. Let's see...in addition to Sleepy...Grumpy, Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful. And I'm forgetting the same one that I always forget.)

(Post-postscript: Sneezy!)

Weather Report

Lew said that somebody dubbed yesterday's weather a "blizzarcane."

The house didn't blow down. But it sure felt like it was going to as I was trying to sleep last night.

We lost electricity. It came back on in the wee hours of the morning. (I was very aware of when the power returned, because the light next to my bed came blaring on.)

We also lost cable service, which provides our TV and our internet. That was restored this evening.

Local roads were closed due to flooding and downed power lines...and downed poles! I had to drive a circuitous route to get to work this morning. I was able to come home the usual way, though.

As for today's weather, well, it was actually quite nice. And today's view from the conference room window: the most beautiful rainbow that I'd ever seen.

I have a little plaque that my cousin gave me many years ago. It says,

"Thanks, God. I Really Like the Day You Made Today!"

Row, Row, Row Your Car

It has been pouring really hard for most of the day. I shudder to think how much snow we'd be getting if it were colder outside.

This afternoon I looked out the conference room window at work. I could see the puddles on the parking lot being blown along by the wind.

It's still very windy. As I write this, I can hear all sorts of "weather" sounds outside.

There's water in the basement here at home. At least our basement has a dirt floor. And as for surviving the wind, the house has been standing for over a hundred years. So I guess it will make it! Lots of creaky noises, though. And even some shaking.

My biggest concern today was my drive home from work, as the marsh sometimes floods the roads during weather like this.

The water was high, but the roads weren't covered. That made me very happy, because I didn't have any oars....

And I'm also Steady

I've been singing a part of the Petticoat Junction theme song the past few days. Of course, I have revised the lyrics:

"And just like Uncle Joe,
Tracy's movin' kinda slow
At the Junction..."

But moving s-l-o-w is what is best for me right now.

I am going to win this particular race. I'm getting stronger every day!

Quotation Hall of Fame

"You're practically perfect."-- My surgeon, today during my follow-up appointment.

My first thought was that he has very low standards.

But then I realized that he was just talking about my leg....

(Postscript: Once again, Dad got me to where I needed to go today -- including my appointment. And Lew picked me up after work. I could get used to this! LOL!)

A Wardrobe Function

In a previous post, I mentioned my distaste for my compression stockings.

I believe that my exact words were, "I hate them."

When I got up this morning, I almost couldn't walk from the pain. (My leg is still bruised, sore, and stiff.) But after putting on my stockings and puttering around the house for a bit, I felt much better. The stockings are an important part of my recovery.

So I do understand the value of the stockings and appreciate their usefulness.

But I still hate them.

(Postscript: I returned to work today. Drove myself there this morning. Came home for lunch, which was provided by Mom. I found it difficult to climb into the driver's side of the car, so Dad drove me back to work after my yummy lunch. Lew picked me up at the end of the day. I am so spoiled!)

Praying for Suzy

Suzy was my college roommate and she called me the day after my surgery.

She's going to have surgery, too. Brain tumor. That nasty thing is to be removed Tuesday morning.

Suzy is a real woman of faith, and she sees this as just another step in her walk with Jesus. As I wrote to her parents in a recent e-mail: "Ever since I've known her, Suzy has always demonstrated her love and trust in the Lord. What a blessing that she is able to draw on that lifetime of love and trust now."

Suzy has friends all over the world. Literally.

And we're all praying.

Please join us....

Finally!

I got a reprieve from my compression stockings today. Had to wear them three straight days around the clock. They're the pantyhose kind, so you know what that means....

I had never looked forward to a shower more in my entire life.

Fine Dining

Yesterday I mentioned to my mother that it would be really nice to have Chinese food for lunch on Friday.

So, around noon today, she and Dad went off and brought back some take-out. Sweet and sour chicken, pork fried rice, and beef teriyaki. Mmmmmm...Mmmmmmm.

We have already made plans to get Chinese food for the left leg!

Project Recuperation

Right leg surgical procedure is over.

I wanted to write last night, but my pain meds made me ill. I'm feeling much, much better now.

The leg is sore, but not as much as yesterday.

I'm trying to take it easy. Actually, I'm doing a very good job at that.

I just watched a movie about Temple Grandin. An amazing woman. She's autistic and has an inspiring story. I'm going to have to learn more about her. Fascinating.

I'm also reading when I can. Got two books going.

The first is Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin. Interesting and thought-provoking. I can only read a chapter at a time in order to really digest it.

The other is a spy novel by John Le Carre: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. I just started it. It's the first in a trilogy. I have the other two parts in the same book, so I'll be able to read the whole series.

I'm also going to go over the Choir musical for Easter. We memorize the music, and I figure that I should be able to work on it a bit over the next few days.

So, "Project Recuperation" is going well in my estimation. I know that a lot of people are praying for me. I am so blessed by my family and friends.

Gotta run! Well, not really run....

Plumping Up

Tomorrow I am having a surgical procedure done on my right leg. Certain veins in both legs have become problematic. So, it's time to do something before even more serious issues develop.

Today I have been drinking lots of fluids. This is to "plump up" my veins for the surgery. Nature has been calling quite often.

After the surgery, I have to wear my compression stockings for three days around the clock. I hate them. Fortunately, someone from the surgical staff will put them on for me. I have a hard enough time on regular days getting them on; Lew and I call it "The Circus."

I will try to blog over the next few days, if I can, and write about this adventure.

And, will the excitement never end? I get to do it all over again in a few weeks...on the left leg.

Never Too Many! (the Sequel)

Last Friday, I texted Lew right before my lunch break. I wanted to go buy a couple more shells for my new Miche bag, and I wanted to make sure he wouldn't pass out later. Lew said that "of course" I should go shopping.

So off I went.

A friend made some suggestions about posting photos. (And because you see the pictures, that means I figured out how to do it!)



The above shell with the cow-like markings is "Lexi" -- my original purchase.

The beautiful brown one below is called "Katherine". I thought I should have something that looks a little more traditional. (This is the first of two that I got on Friday.)



My other purchase from Friday is this little yellowish-gold number. Goes by the name of "Allie." I love it!




(Postscript: Wow. Now I know how to post pictures. My blogging skills are growing by leaps and bounds. LOL!)

A Challenge Met

I have never been able to do a cartwheel. (To be quite candid, I can not get my rear end to go in the right direction.)

But, if I could do a cartwheel, I would be doing one now.

Because...

I FINISHED MY VEGETABLES!

My brain is ready for some "down" time at this point, so Lew and I are going to watch the movie Wall-E . . . and eat dark-chocolate-covered strawberries!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Progress!

I wasn't feeling too creative last night when I posted, so I just used my weekend to-do list as my blog entry.

As Lew and I were leaving for breakfast this morning, my father asked me if I had finished my taxes yet. Uh, no. (LOL, Dad!) But we were on our way to breakfast...check!

Grocery shopping...check!

Laundry...check!

Read Deuteronomy...check!
(I had my feet up when I was reading. It was also relaxing. And I started Joshua; I'll finish it a little later tonight.)

As it turns out, I don't have many bills waiting to be paid. So that will be easy to accomplish.

Oviously, I have to wait until tomorrow for church and our lunch out.

So, that leaves...the vegetables.

I did purchase our income tax preparation software today. I even installed it on my laptop.

Hey, at least it's a start.


(Postscript: And Dad does know what "LOL" means. LOL!)

To-Do List

Things on my to-do list for this weekend:

Breakfast Saturday morning with our Breakfast Buddies
Grocery shopping
Laundry
Read Deuteronomy and Joshua in The Message
Church
Lunch out on Sunday with a friend from church
Pay some bills
Prepare and file our income tax returns
Put my feet up and relax!

I think I can accomplish all of this.

Except maybe the taxes.

Perhaps I should do the taxes before some of the other things. Kind of like eating all of your vegetables first.

But maybe not.

Blech!

No Longer a Luddite

Trying something new today.

I just set up my blog so that I can post from my cell phone.


IT WORKED! The above two sentences were sent from my phone. Now I'm editing the post on my laptop.

The text message from my cell phone didn't put in a title, so I added that just now, too.

I am so excited that I figured out how to do this. (Actually it was quite easy; I just had to dare to try!)

Now, I can blog anywhere, anytime...as long as I have my phone.

Look out, World!

Weary Wednesdays

A week ago I wrote about how hard it is for me to blog on Wednesdays.

I thought that maybe this week would be different, as our choir rehearsal was cancelled for tonight. But I ended up working late. Then after dinner, Lew and I looked through some choir music on our own. That meant no early start on my blog.

I haven't really developed my "Bonus Wednesdays" idea yet, so that's a fizzle for tonight, too.

So here I am, trying to write something interesting as my eyelids are slamming shut. But that's hard enough for me to do when I'm completely awake!

I think it's time to count some sheep....

Pepper the Cat

Every night I go over to my parents' side of the house to "lock them up" and to give Pepper her evening goodies. After she eats her goodies, I put her on the bed and tell her that it is "ni-night" time.

Pepper is probably about 12 or 13 years old. She originally belonged to my sister Kim, who lives in Illinois.

I got a "surprise" when I went to see Kim, Joe, and their girls in the Fall of 1999. They were no longer able to keep Pepper, so my father had volunteered to take her. And how fortunate it was that I happened to be visiting....

I still have the "Official Health Certificate for Companion Animals" that the airline required that I carry.

And I also have the Excess Baggage Ticket:
"Amount of Excess = 1 Cat"

Meow.

Super Bowl Convalescence Day

Lew thinks that the day after the Super Bowl should be a national holiday.

Although yesterday's game was over at a decent time, there have been years where we've had to stay up far too late to see the end. (That's one drawback of living on the East Coast. It's nice to greet the sun before the rest of the country, but we also have to say "good night" earlier, too.)

Along with staying up late, there is the effort expended in eating too much. Excessive food consumption is required on the day of the Super Bowl. It may even be a law.

I think that Lew may be on to something, as it is practically a patriotic duty to watch the game. In turn, I can see why we should be granted a day off to recover.

(Postscript: Federal agencies in Washington, D.C. were closed today due to the snowstorm. A convenient excuse!)

The Billy Joel Challenge

I was reminded today of how difficult it can be to pray for some people. They may have caused difficulties for me or a loved one. I may find them annoying or dislike them in general. I may even think they don't deserve my prayers. (I am not proud to admit to that last one.)

The overall message of Billy Joel's song, "Only the Good Die Young," is not one that I support. But there is one lyric that hits me right in the gut:

"Your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation
She never cared for me
But did she ever say a prayer for me?"

Wait a minute!

A lesson about prayer from Billy Joel??

Ah, the cry of the human spirit. Those difficult people should be at the top of my prayer list.

But, I must not esteem myself too highly. As the old hymn goes, we are all "standing in the need of prayer."

We Go to a Movie

Lew and I went to see a movie today. Here's an exchange about it that I just saw on Facebook:

LEW:
"Avatar" IMax...amazing! Just a few of Hollywood's inane messages in the story. Ignore the progressive politics and check it out.

MATT:
I knew you'd be looking for those "messages" though... LOL!!

I pretty much agree with Lew's assessment. A very impressive flick due to the 3-D and special effects.

On average, we probably see a movie in the theater every couple months. The theater was packed today -- just as it was for the last movie we went to see, which was "The Blind Side." No 3-D nor special effects in that one.

At the end of today's movie, there was mild applause. At the end of "The Blind Side," there was resounding applause. Is this any indication about the type of "message" that connects with the average theater-goer? I'm just saying....

(Postscript for Dad: "LOL" means "Laugh Out Loud"...LOL!)

Control of the Remote

In a marriage, it is very important to understand boundaries. For instance, Lew is in charge of the remote control. (I believe we are similar to 99.99999999% of other couples.)

I get to use the remote control in two cases:

1) When I am watching TV, but Lew is not.

2) When we are watching a program that we have DVR'd. (This is only because there is no channel surfing involved.)

The only programs we watch when they are actually aired are sporting events and stuff on the Fox News Channel. The remaining few shows that interest us get recorded throughout the week.

We usually start watching on Friday. And that's tonight!

Hooray! I am in control!

Never Too Many!

The first thing I said to Lew when I got home from work today:

"A woman can never have too many handbags, right?"

He knew exactly what this meant.

I usually eat my lunch in the office, but today I went out to do a quick errand. I did not intend to buy anything for myself. But when the Miche bags caught my eye, I lingered long enough for the clerk to come running over to me.

She is a very good saleswoman.

(Postscript for the curious: The big Miche bag and the Lexi shell.)

What About Wednesday?

Wednesday is turning out to be the hardest day for me to blog. I go to work during the day, I come home for a quick supper, then Lew and I are off to choir rehearsal.

I expend a lot of energy at work and at choir, so by the time I'm in for the evening, I am tired. I have ideas to write about, but my eyes won't stay open long enough.

I'm thinking of starting a new feature called "Bonus Wednesdays." I'm not sure yet what I mean by this. I'm a little tired. (Did I mention that?)

So, for now, "nite-nite" from me. Thanks for checking in!

A Beast and A Beauty

This past Christmas Eve, our household received some big news. In fact, there were two big announcements that day.

The first came via a phone call to my parents from my sister Kim. Kim and her husband, Joe, surprised their two teenage daughters with a puppy. (They live in Illinois, so I have yet to meet the puppy. But I have seen several pictures, and he is indeed quite cute.)

Then Lew received a phone call just before we left for the Christmas Eve service at our church. This call brought the best news of all: Matt had proposed to Emily and she had said "Yes!" The caller was Emily herself. While Lew was congratulating her I was jumping up and down in celebration.

So, welcome to the family, Cocoa. I will meet you when you come to Maine next summer.

And a loving welcome to you, Emily. Lew and I have been praying for you for a long time. Even before we knew you....

Cleaning House

Lew and I weigh ourselves every Sunday morning. We both would like to lose a few pounds, but lately it has been an "epic failure" for both of us. ("Epic failure" is a term our niece uses a lot. It seems to apply here.)

Because we started a new month today, we decided to get serious. First, we realized that we have to clean out our refrigerator and cupboards of all of the "bad for us" food.

We are getting rid of this food by eating it.

Tonight was cheese-steak sandwiches, french fries, and chocolate cake! I can't wait to see what tomorrow night's menu will be.

Who knew that dieting could be this much fun?