What Makes Your Day Start on a Good Note?
Suddenly, about 10 o'clock yesterday morning, I realized I was smiling for no particular reason. Then I started thinking about what had happened to make me feel so happy. I wasn't leaving on a trip. I wasn't expecting a visit from a far-away family member or friend. Wasn't even going out to lunch. Just a couple of mundane, ho-hum errands was all that was on the docket.
First off, I woke up at 6:20 am of my own volition. No alarm clock because, happily, I am retired. My Sam was still sleeping soundly and finally feeling better after a nasty infection had kept him down for almost 10 days. The sun was coming up on a beautiful spring morning. I knew I might be able to work outdoors later in the day. Soak up the sun. When I put my coffee on, I used the special decaf breakfast brew a blogger friend of mine sent me as a little gift. Yum!
After I tidied up the kitchen, I was online with coffee in my hand. Caught up in blogland. Ronnie made me laugh from way across the pond. Terps shared her wisdom and made me think and thank. Cat had a clever quote that I decided to send on to my brother.
My sweet doggie girl reminded me that she needed to be fed. So I added some roast beef scraps to her kibble, and she said thank you with her tail and with her eyes. She is an old girl now and can't play the way she used to, but hell, neither can I. She won't chase a tennis ball down the hallway anymore, but she still likes to have her chest scratched. When she was a pup, I taught her to "stretch" on command. Just like how we stretch coming awake in the morning. Then she will hold that stretch position while I gently scratch my nails on her ribs. She goes into a happy doggy place in her mind.
More coffee and turn the news on the television. Not to sit on the couch though. Time for exercise. It feels so wonderful to have my knee almost back to normal. To feel strong enough to do my whole routine again. The weather report looks awesome. My weights are hidden in a copper log bin next to the fireplace for easy access. Balance ball, resistance bands, and ankle weights. I certainly don't love exercising, but I surely do love how it makes me feel when I'm done.
Breakfast used to be mandatory for me, but these days I have adopted the 16/8 intermittent fasting program. Advice from another blogger friend. I thought it would be awful to skip breakfast, but I adapted quickly. Again, I love how it makes me feel.
Just had my hair cut and colored so I knew it was going to look its best. I wrapped a towel around it and stepped out of the shower. I had the feeling it was going to be a good day.
Then guess who greeted me as I hung up the towel. Yep, Sam was feeling much better and in the mood to toast my bottom. Oh, it was such a nice spanking. Long and stingy with lots of loving words thrown in. A little rubbing, too, which made us both think of something else that hadn't happened in a while. And one thing led to another. You know.
So there I was a few hours later with this big, dumb smile on my face. Life is good.
Tell me what makes your morning happy.
Hello again, friends and readers! It's been a while since I have posted, and there is a good reason for that. Knee replacement surgery. I knew it was time. That blasted knee has haunted every trip we have taken for the last 2 years. The slightest misstep made it swell.
Even though I am a dedicated believer in exercise, there were times when I had to cut back. When the knee swelled, there were certain pants that were pushed to the back of the closet. No skinny jeans, that's for sure. Not sure why, but standing was worse than walking, so it I was in a situation where I was expected to stand still, I would pace back and forth rather than stay in place.
After hearing the options for anesthesia, we chose something called a "knee block." This choice includes a spinal and a sedative so one falls asleep for the hour long surgery. I woke up feeling wonderful and drinking coffee in the recovery room. The surgery went exactly as the surgeon expected, and I was up walking with a physical therapist early that evening. Twice more the next morning before they released me to go home.
Sam was such a wonderful guy, taking good care of me. Did all the cooking and cleanup. Picked out an excellent BBC series to pass the time. Brought me ice for the swelling. Drove me to post op visits and lots of physical therapy appointments. He also took me out for lunches whenever he thought I might be tired of being homebound. I felt spoiled just a little bit.
Maybe I even started acting a little spoiled too. Most times I pretty much know if a spanking is imminent. I can read Sam's face and know if I have stepped in some doody. His brow furrows, and he gets kind of quiet. Then the ax falls. But I've had fair warning. Every once in a while, though, a spanking comes right out of the blue. As far as I know I have been the perfect wife.
Then.....Bam!
Sam had driven me to PT that morning and waited with his Kindle in the lobby to bring me home. Usually, following the exercise, my therapist would ice down the knee, top and bottom, for 15 minutes. This time I promised I would apply the ice when I got home. That was my intention as I hung up my coat and set my purse on the table.
"You'll need to wait on that ice a little longer," Sam said. "I think I'm gonna to take care of a little more physical therapy you need today," and reached for my hand.
"But I didn't do any....."
"Oh, but you have," he corrected and by that time we were to our bedroom.
Well, Sam was in charge of therapy now. He pulled down the black knit pants I was wearing. Then he arranged me over his knee on the edge of the bed and made sure my bad knee was safe and comfortable.
Apparently I had been telling him what to do and how to drive all morning. Since I couldn't really remember my bossiness, Sam was good enough to repeat all my indiscretions. I had to admit, there were quite a few once he had listed them for me.
There was no paddle, but his hand was very busy. Between protests I kept thinking of my morning PT session. All the repetitions that Sandy was putting me through. Thirty repetitions here and 30 more there.
"Now stand on one foot and stick out your bottom a bit so your knee doesn't extend past your toes," she said. I should have seen the foreboding there for sure!
"Okay, now for some resistance. Let's do 5 minutes to start. I know it's hard; just grin and bear it," she directed. Oh, that's easy for you to say. Just try it from my position.
Sam was putting me through my paces, and there was one big muscle that was getting mighty sore. He finally slowed down and then did some rubbing. His voice changed too.
"I know you don't like being less active or curbing your normal schedule. That's the breaks, Ells."
He helped me up and looked into my eyes.
"I will help you every step of this recuperation, but let's keep things happy and remember who's boss."
Point taken, Sam.
When I finally pulled the ColPac out of the freezer, I had a moment of indecision. There were now two places on my body that were inflamed and needed cooling down. Knee or .....? Mmm...?
What to do ?
