first sign of winter

It may be Halloween (Boo!) but this paperwhite bulb is truly the first sign of winter. Watching them grow; the heavenly aroma... makes winter worthwhile. But not for a while.

ok, it's a photo...

OK,OK, it's a photo... but who would believe it? Nature is a wonder.

single pink rose

I started doing something else with this spray rose (a lovely scent, by the way) and it turned into this. Which I rather like. So I stopped.

pink spray roses

A gray, rainy day. These pink spray roses (3 stems for $4, a veritable bargain) were a treat.
Semi-blind contour with the pink smooched in the background.

another leaf

It may be time to go back to pen and ink drawings. Im not loving this.

fall(en) leaf

Picture has a bit of a blue hue. Hmmm.
Picked this up on my stroll yesterday from Fairfield to Dartmouth. The bending over and picking up the leaf was the party trick of the day.

portrait of a grape

or is it an olive? All in the eye of the beholder.

red maple leaf rubbing

So interesting... this is on Yupo paper, with a #9B Lyra graphite. That silvery sheen was totally unexpected.

Big Guy, sleeping

A picture's worth a thousand words? Maybe a few... Big Guy came home SO tired. Now he's sawing wood with the inevitable NCIS re-run playing. I think he maxxed out of Law and Order and the ever-nasty SVU. Ick... perverts. Give me good ole blood and guts.

first leaf/red

As I said earlier today... penance. Decided to do another to make up for the lost day.
This is the first red leaf I picked up on Beacon Street. On a walk with my fairly useless PT. Fortunately, to be discharged on Monday. yipee ki yay!

penance

The phlebotomy lady came before 6 (that's A.M., folks) and I got stuck 3 times until she got what she wanted. This is the giant bandage on my hand.
Why "Penance?" Well, I clearly need to do drawings of my hands... this needs work. More drawings of everything, actually. And I didnt post yesterday... the day just got away from me, I got out after 3 weeks hibernation at home (exhausting) and then how could I miss the "Restaurant Wars" episode of "Top Chef?" Are you kidding?

A Lily and a Rant

Let's go straight to the rant. (Perhaps I should change the name of this blog to Rant-A-Day... beginning to feel like that)
Needed to replace my bed sheets (are there any other kind?). How hard is that? Googled my little heart out and finally found them at The Company Store. The website wouldnt work. Of course not, because if you actually speak to someone they are required to bombard you with credit card offers, ad nauseum. Dont buy from these people if you can avoid it. They make the whole process as painful as humanly possible. I asked to be taken off the catalog list, and was then offered a "reduced catalog" option of ONLY FOUR times a year! How many trees will die for that? No thanks, I know where to find these people if I ever want to be irritated again.
By the way, the lily smells lovely.

Pinkishness, today

Ah! the 500th post. It's certainly taken long enough. Periods of diligent daily posts, periods of rejection of the OCD behavior necessary to keep this up.
Today we have a pink carnation (an undervalued flower, good color, substance and a nice, spicy aroma) and a borrowed pink cane (which I can use indoors, while still crutching around outside).
My shoulder (on the unoperated side) is killing. Can you say "painkillers?" And as important: "Can you say stool softener?" If you take the one, you MUST take the other, or suffer the consequences.

10.18.09

Holy Smokes! Post #499. Be prepared for those "oh so fey" titles next time out.
More flowers from my get well bouquet.
Here's the philosophical question of the day: How and Why is it MY fault, when having given an on site laundry lesson AND detailed written instructions I'm seemingly responsible for shrinking one of my best shirts? And who puts a second cover on the quilt? Dont you SEE the first? Do you wear two pairs of underwear at the same time without noticing the redundancy?
Grrrr

10.17.09

These are but a fraction of a bouquet that a friend sent. So sweet, and so unexpected.
Today was Head of the Charles, and for the first time in about 4 years I wasnt there to volunteer. Not that they missed me, they get 4000 volunteers, but I miss it. Next year. I walked to CVS to refill a prescription, and walked home of course. Then face planted into the mattress.

10.16.09

Happy Anniversary to C&C. Ten years.
These are my poor interpretation of my new shoe laces. Shoe laces? They're elastic (I prefer to think of them as cute, easy on/off rather than the result of my orthopedic adventures), and apple green (why be shy?).

10.15.09

The Ides of October
Ooops! missed yesterday, but I have a good excuse. Twanged my IT band on the operated side. Almost saw constellations! PT guy came over anyway (late as always) and determined that it wasnt the implant. I didnt think so, but nice to be validated.
Anyhow, these rubber bands reminded me of my oh-so-tight IT bands. Wish I could stretch mine out as easily as these, courtesy of the Postal Service.

10.13.09

In the New York Times Magazine section this past weekend there was an article on calorie restriction. If only! They noted that a lot of the participants munched apples... juicy, sweet, crunchy,high satisfaction versus calorie count. There was also a quote about "if you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, you're not hungry." Too, too true. How hungry do you have to be to eat a cookie?
Here's to apples!!

10.12.09

I think we have to have rules. Here's one: I do the daily drawing, be it good, bad or ugly. Or in need of work (pencil would have been a better choice) as in this case. And it gets posted. No editorializing.
Finally (I think) got my crutches adjusted. Im kind of in between 5'11" and 6'. Set them to 5'11" and then reset the hand holds. In the interim I think I really mucked up my shoulder. Hurts like bloody hell. And of course it's on the more important side. Ick.
I was up last night thinking about some clergyman guy who took it upon himself to visit me in the hospital (I had specifically requested "no clergy"). He was insulting, intrusive and insensitive. For once I wasnt rude... must have been the drugs. Now Im just hoppin' (if I could hop) mad.

10.11.09

I cannot tell a lie... missed yesterday.
Friends came over and brought a feast with them. The utter kindness astounds me.
Gorgeous day; here's the Prudential with clouds drifting in and out of it. Fenway Park is over to the right. Sox lead 3-0... crap! 3-1. Im going for a crutching walk as this cant last. I fear it's the last game.

10.09.09

This is my wacko Nepalese purple satin, beaded, mirrored bag. Right now it's my third hand, holding my cell phone, whilst I crutch around. The strap is held on with a safety pin, so it looks like the last stop on the fashion train.

10.08.09

Adorable little pill dispenser I swiped from the hospital. Of course theirs usually comes with opiates. But I liked the folded, swirly, paper pattern too.

10.07.09

Wow! Post # 490. Getting closer to those poetic titles. Stay tuned.
This the Big Guy's birthday. Oldest guy I ever slept with. If I could sleep. Im so exhausted. Up all night and sleepy and woozy all day.
Being on crutches has put my poor shoulder into overdrive. Hurts like hell. As soon as I can walk, Im calling the shoulder guy to see if I can move up the repair date.
Instead of a winter of discontent, this will be my winter of oxycodone.

10.06.09

Ah! It's erev the big guy's birthday. What do you get for 67? Hair Color for Men? Ick, too nasty... and orange to boot. I look at him and see the guy I dated 46 years ago. So cute. And he still makes me laugh like a loon. Usually at my expense, but that's OK.
This is a rather washy view of the Prudential by IM Pei. I love the way it reflects the sky and clouds. And that coy little indent that IM put down the edge, that catches the light in the most magical way. Maybe I'll get it another day.

10.05.09

A wonderful gift of food from a wonderful friend. Chicken, rice pilaf and double chocolate chip cookies. Super Yum.

10.04.09

Another view of the angel wings. Gonna crutch outta her today!
When I did the whole pre-op thing I declined a visit from a clergyman (my answer to the question was "God, no!") So who turns up at my bedside but this sincere clergy guy. Praying to Jesus for my swift recovery. Little did he know how close he got to getting hit upside the head with my crutches (if they were within reach). My eyes were about rolling back into my head.

10.03.09

Did two drawings one day. Bored? Feeling better? Both.

10.03.09

My friend Calder brought me her good luck angel wings. She said that she meditated on them, hanging over her bed, when she replaced her knee (mucho more painful than a hip). And they were charming, wafting overhead. Calder and I should row a "Joint Replacement Double" next spring.

10.02.09

A red rose that New England Baptist Hospital gives to all it's patients. Nice gesture.
I had what was characterized as the "Larry Bird" suite. Huge room (just for me) with the tiniest bathroom Ive ever seen. And yet my primary goal was to get in there and make use of the facilities. (Yes, I did. A day later)
Hip went super-well. The surgeon did his work and now is the time for me to do mine.

10.01.09

Another paper bag. I should be breathing into it. Didnt sleep much last night even though I did a bit of self medicating... Ambien and a tiny Valium (in the middle of the sleepless night).
JeezeLouise, only another two hours to hang around the house.