Day 58- A New Appreciation

I wanted to add to this post that my new appreciation isn't only for this wonderful handicapped bathroom which was located in our hotel room but even more for people who live their whole lives in wheelchairs or on crutches. Things like ramps rather than stairs, rails for the toilet, a chair for the shower make life on crutches so much easier and closer to the average human experience. The height of countertops while sitting in a chair is also noticeable and I wonder how someone in a wheel chair adapts. .. if they put up with it or if they have their kitchens custom built or what.

Day 57- Chinese New Year

Friends of ours from college invite us to their family Chinese New Year dinner each year. It's great fun but slightly bittersweet since two friends of ours don't attend it anymore and I miss their presence.

Day 56: Good Friend

Jess and her daughter, Emily, came over yesterday to keep me company and she cleaned my playroom for me! Yea! Thank you, Jess. I love the light that comes in through our windows and I love my $86 dollar Oriental rug. This is the room I had started to take the wallpaper down in before I hurt myself. The wall behind Jess will probably be partially painted with chalkboard paint per the kid's request. I'll probably paint a frame around it and then get some easy frames for putting artwork in above the chalkboard. But, those projects are on hold for awhile.

Day 55: Ladybugs and Drugs

Prescription drugs aren't what they are cracked up to be. This one did help to get me to sleep somewhat but I could still feel the pain. Luckily, the pain is subsiding substantially since two days ago. But, it is still difficult at night to get my mind off of that claustrophic feeling. I finished a book last night and returned to reading "Shattered Dreams" by Larry Crab which put me right to sleep.

Pain!

I am not looking for sympathy. This is how I feel in more ways than one. Having a cast makes my leg feel claustrophobic especially at night. And, the pain goes in and out.

The bright side: I've played more chess and Barbies than I have in a long, long time.

Jeff's Work- Day 53

Waiting Room with Red Fluevog and Red Purse...

Overdue Birthday Party...

And, actual post for today, Life on the Couch...

Chaya Snowboarding Yesterday Before I Got Hurt...

Stupidity + Snow = Broken Ankle

Sadie, my partner in crime.





Temporary splint.


All day I declined from going sledding down the hill. At the end of the day, I finally gave in just to get a good photo from the bottom of the hill. We smacked into a tree... duh, the yard is rather wooded with only one path for sledding. And, I put my foot up to brace us from the impact since Eve was in front of me on the sled. She was OK. I am not. I have a multiple fractures in the talus bone of my ankle. I will find out when I go into see the orthopedic surgeon this week exactly how bad it is and whether or not I'll get a cast or surgery. Either way, I won't be able to put weight on my right foot for possibly up to 12 weeks. I am completely and utterly beside myself and feel like the ultimate ass.

His and Hers... Fluevogs

Yeah, this probably won't be the last photo I take of my shoes. And, you got to see a different pair of Jeff's Fluevogs in the photo he posted last night. This photo doesn't do justice for the color of the shoes but I like it in b/w just the same.

Happy Valentines Day!

This is what I found when I came downstairs and looked out upon the porch.

I also received a handwritten card with a poem inside stating the following:
"Rose are red
Violets are blue
You are as pretty as a rose in a garden
And I am, too."

It gave me a chuckle and warmed my heart. This year Chaya, who wrote the poem, had us each draw names out of a hat so that we could each do something nice for someone else in the family on Valentines Day.

Snow... at last!

I love snow! I really wanted to try to capture how it looks when it is falling down so I set the shutter to be open longer.

Strawberries with Dinner, Hands...

"Old Hand"


"Outreach"

About Eve's Photo Last Night...

When I took this photo, I realized it reminded me a lot of a sculpture by my favorite sculptor of all time, Constantin Brancusi. Here's a photo of the sculpture it reminded me of...

"Sleeping Muse", 1910 (taken from www.artsjournal.com)



Brancusi was known as an Abstract Expressionist. He pared down his subject to it's basic meaning or essence. I think that's why his work always speaks to me.

Mother's Eye View...

I used to try to draw at least one quick sketch of each of my kids while they were sleeping after nursing. I don't know if I ever did one of Evie. So, here is a photographic one years after being weaned.


And, here are two photos for pure fun. I like experimenting with the shadows and shapes and sometimes with secondary meaning.

Boys: Sleepover

Josiah finally makes an appearance in the journal... phew! On any weekend, there is at least a few extra boys in our house. They all tell me they love me and share their junior high senses of humour with me, unguarded... fun!



Just playing around. I think I am addicted to self potraits.

Fork, Meat, Plate...

Fork you, meat!



Fork stabs meat. (Fork contemplating victory)



Temptation. Hey, you can't use dog... it's fork, meat, plate not fork, meat, dog!

Especially for Julie...

I can't believe it's been almost 20 years since I saw them in concert. I remember it like it was yesterday. We didn't even have tickets. We drove down and scalped tickets so we didn't pay that nice $18.50 price you see on the ticket; instead, we paid $50 each. Bruce Springsteen came out and joined them for a song or two. My best friend and I met some guys who let us sit on their shoulders so that we could see well above the crowd since we were on the floor. We conveniently "lost" them in the crowd once they set us down... young thangs that we were.

And Away We Go...

I actually took Eli to drive for the first time yesterday but I forgot my camera so you get the SECOND drive photos.

Eli driving the Suburban...



Mom gripping hand grip with right hand and snapping photo with left.



E: "Why do you always look so nervous when I drive?"

M: (surprised) "This is me trying my best to not look nervous."

Today I actually screamed I think because he almost sideswiped a dump truck. I let him drive through the side streets of my favorite town and it was much harder to remain calm as opposed to when we drove through the park yesterday. Town has narrow streets in some parts and parking on both sides of the road in other parts offering all sorts of challenges for the new driver. He is actually doing a great job and is much more cautious than I expected.

Self Domesticated

"Inside/Out"



Once in awhile the layers peel off easily other times you have to keep picking and picking to uncover what lies beneath. And, what makes you decide to start peeling off the pieces in the first place? Perhaps there was already a nick and you start picking because it's there and you can. You think you can stop yourself but once you start the process you pick some more until what's underneath is half exposed. At this point, you realize you can't go back but you are unsure if you have the strength, patience, discipline and willpower to move forward. Afterall, some of the pieces aren't as easily removed as that first little deceptive piece. It's those damn tiny ones that want to stick there like a barnacle on a rock that can make a person feel crazy and hopeless. You have to keep scraping and picking and even when it comes off, the moment you turn around it can adhere itself elsewhere further down and out of sight only to be found when you think you are finally finished.



Joy (Ode to Cindy Sherman)

Field Trip...

This is the outside of the castle we went to today... I am sure none of you realized there were even castles in PA and now I get to show you another one. This is Glencairn and to the right of it is the Cairnwood Mansion. The castle was built in the early 1900's. There is a cathedral adjacent to the mansion and castle where the Swedborgians practice their religion which
is called The New Church.



These are the stained glass windows that you see when first entering the castle.



And this is the balcony that overlooks the main room which you enter.



The archway is a mosaic with large type that states, "THE NEW CHURCH IS THE CROWN OF ALL THE CHURCHES THAT HAVE HITHERTO EXISTED IN THE WORLD." Pretty lofty statement, huh?



And, here is a stand alone shot of a tree that I was more enamored with than the castle and mansion which sit behind it. I love trees.

Spread the Love...

Chaya hard at work. My spot was across the table from her. Eve joined us intermittently and Jonah decided he'd wait to make some next time.



Can you tell whose is whose?