What Would YOU Do?......Post Views 8979

     It all started last Feb.  Actually it started 3&1/2 years ago.  Actually it started 19 years ago, but nobody knew it at the time.  
      Granddaughter, Angie, was born with a tethered spinal cord.  However it was not discovered until 3 years ago. And not until after 16 years of athletic activity.  Suddenly early January of that year she became virtually bedridden.  Not until late spring did a doctor realize what was incapacitating her.  
    The remedy is a "simple" snip of a fiber attaching the spinal cord to the tail bone.  At birth the spinal cord should be "free floating".  However this involves removing a vertebra in order to access the site.  Post op healing left Angie with excruciating lower back nerve pain.  For the past 3 years it has been  continuous doctor visits to try to alleviate the pain.  She is now hoping to have a permanent nerve stimulator placed in a few weeks.  So......
     I'd like to say this post is about her, but it is not...... 

It is about a PUZZLE.  Yes, a puzzle.... a puzzle?.....That puzzle is causing me quite a puzzle.  
    Angie is crazy about pigs.  When she had her surgery I went on line to find a piggy puzzle for her to do while she was recuperating.  

    However.....little did realize the complexity of it.  It is something called a photomosaic.  That means there are thousands of tiny pictures within the the puzzle itself. 

    So after Angie heroically set it all up, she gave up on it after a long while.  It sat at her house until I moved out here a year ago.  Then in February we decided to set it up at my house and DO IT.  We worked on it dutifully bit by bit until spring and Angie got tired and back achy from bending over it.  Then one day her little dog Bentley decided to snack on a piece.  That probably ended the project for Angie.

 
    I left it set up so I could occasionally work on it on rainy days. Rainy days out here are no different than most other days out here. Life goes on as usual.  The puzzle set on the 2 tables as usual.  
   Now the dilemma for me. Get busy, finish it and put the tables away or chuck the whole thing?  Now I suppose the answer for anyone will depend on what makes one's engine run, on what motivates one---is one stubbornly "give it up" resistant or is one "you gotta be kidding, just junk the whole thing" inclined?   I am stubbornly "give it up" resistant.   

     left--Feb, 2013
   right--Nov, 2013




      I know for sure there is one piece that will not fit--it is rather chewed up with a tinge of green in one corner. That can be the Bentley water mark when the puzzle is finished.  However---there may be other pieces missing.  MISSING...

      But since I believe in finishing what I start, this puzzle WILL be finished.  Hopefully within 2013.  
                           What would YOU do? 
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     These past 2 days have been unusually COLD for the Pacific Northwest.....down into the 20's overnight.  The weather predicting folks say there is an east wind bringing in the cold and dry, blue skies.  Guess it is suppose to last for another few days.
     


woke up to frost on my pumpkin this morning....and on the picnic table and house roofs.









Bonus....bright blue sky....



     This is day 3 post tooth extraction.  I am still a little numb and swollen, but not using any Tylenol.  Guess I need to be careful what and how I eat for a few weeks and then on to other things. 

     This has been a good 2 "unusually cold winter" days in the life of Grandma G.

     "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city."  (Proverbs 16:32)

Grandma G has an Excuse// Post Views 8953

        I spent Monday afternoon at the endodontist office. I finally gave up on trying to save my upper back right molar. Though there was discussion with the dentist about options, we decided that to have it extracted was the best decision. 
     I admit I was quite apprehensive.  The "freezing" took the longest time--about 20 minutes to set in.  The actual extraction was took about 10 minutes--or that's how it seemed.  The procedure was not as traumatic as I was fearful it would be.  Also turns out the tooth was quite decayed under the crown.  Extraction was the right decision.  
          Since I knew this was going to happen I spent Sunday afternoon making chicken dumpling soup and doing the laundry.
(Sunday morning I shared a Bible message on giving thanks at my church service.  I was concerned it would be boring, but several people said it was meaningful to them.)
The evening Deb invited me over for tacos with their family.  
          Monday morning after sleeping in a bit I cleaned the bathroom so I would have a sterile environment to care post extraction.  
           So...Monday evening and today was a Lord of the Rings marathon, Tylenol, soft foods, tea and lots of water, and sitting around enjoying my electric fireplace.....  
           Hopefully tomorrow will be more "as normal".     

What Grandma G wants for Christmas.....
What....is it?   NOT chocolate...





        This has been a good 3 "molar extraction" days in the life of Grandma G.

        "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."  (Psalms 9:10)

         

    

  

Blogger's Block.... Post Views 8902

     Grandma G has Blogger's Block....I may have come up with a new term.....I have heard of writer's block (I think)....when a writer just can't come up with anything to write.....while I can't come up with anything to blog.....OH, DEAR......I'm not even sure what has gone on the past 3 days.......actually it is all coming back now.  

      Sissy had a temporary nerve stimulator inserted into her spine on Wed.  I had a picture but can't find it.  She had back surgery  3 years ago to correct a tethered spinal cord.  Consequently she has constant nerve pain in her lower back.  Since pain pills have not helped, nor therapy, they have chosen to try this mechanical approach.  
     Anyway Thursday I spent part of the day with her---after searching the grocery store for food to take to her----she said anything was fine---so try to figure out the anything that she would like.  
     I haven't talked to her today but as of yesterday there seemed to hope that the stimulator is relieving the pain.  The next step is a surgery to implant a permanent one that she will regulate with a small remote she'll always carry with her.  The wonders of modern medicine!! More on that as time goes on.
(Sissy holding Gemma by the Grand Canyon)

      Friday I think I stayed in all day. I spent several hours working on a message from the Bible about thanksgiving (giving thanks) to share on Sunday (tomorrow).  I will talk about 20 -30 minutes.  This was a bigger challenge to prepare than I thought it would be.  
      Later in the day I took a break to watch a 2 hour episode of Star Trek  while cooking a good down home dinner of breaded pork chops, mashed potatoes and fried apples. Yum...
And then washed all the dishes (that had accumulated since Tuesday).
      Today, Sat., I went to water aerobics and then home where I stayed the rest of the day.  More work on my Sunday sharing.  I think I know why I have Blogger's block.  Evidently it didn't cause writer's block after all.  

Fun picture...five white vehicles clumped together...mine is the 5th....

                  tree at Deb's  house

Grandma G with Jude and Gemma at Grand Canyon

     This has been a good 3 "blogger's block" days in the life of Grandma G.

      

      "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving  and extol him with music and song."  (Psalm 95:1&2)

The Colors of PNW Autumn....Post Views 8873

     We were treated to sunshine and cool temperatures.  A good day to enjoy the flavor of a PNW autumn day in mid November.

                                              ENJOY

    This has been a good colorful PNW autumn day in the life of Grandma G.

    "For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.  The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love."  (Psalms 33:4&5)

11/12/13....Nifty Date....Post Views 8839

      This is simply a fun date that you won't ever see again.  Enjoy.

      Friday Flashback....

       I got myself up early to be at the senior center for a day trip to Astoria, OR. near the coast.  It is an historic seaport city located at the mouth of the Columbia River.

       When we left Vancouver at 8AM the weather was rainy and chilly.  It stayed that way most of the 2 hour drive.  While we were there the sun came out and the temperature cool, but pleasant to me.

         4.1 mile long Astoria bridge in the background.....the longest continuous truss bridge in USA.

It is located 14 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River that empties into the Pacific Ocean.

 This area is known as the Graveyard of the Pacific because of the turbulent water in the area as vessels are trying to come up into the Columbia River.

  Some of the many ship wrecks markers......

 A lightship that used to be equipped with a warning light for ships....they are now on buoys powered by solar batteries.





The length of the rope to climb onto large vessels from the "pilot" ship used to guide them through the sand bars

                                                       A BIT of MODERN HISTORY

Barges on the Columbia River, 

waiting for their cargo in Portland or Longview.  

New Friends, Julia and Dottie,

one is 90 and one is 90&1/2

I won't tell which is which....

We stopped at the Silver Salmon Saloon for lunch.  My new friends were not impressed with my artistic skills......

This is what Grandma G wants for Christmas.  Anyone know what this is?

Hint, it is NOT chocolate

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      Unfortunately I have been lazy again.  These past 3 days have passed fairly routinely.  I function on a lower energy level when home alone. Watched a couple old movies, Planet of the Apes and Annie.  Have been plowing through endless paperwork.   

      On Monday Carole invited me to lunch with her to a Thai Restaurant. I was glad to go, otherwise I would have spent the day traumatized by the realization I need to have a back upper molar removed very soon.  Like it is going to happen next Monday. I've tried very hard to keep it, but after heavy-duty "repair" work I've reluctantly decided to have it out.  Yikes.  

     This has been a good 3 "fairly routine" days in the life of Grandma G.

    "Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.  They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep."  (Psalms 107:23&24)