Norma's Wanderings around a small section of Montana |
So the interview for the town paper went well. I will now write columns about life in Roundup - as a freelancer. This works for me. I can write on my schedule and about what I feel is important to the community. Plus it puts a bit of money in the pocket. My first story will start tonight. A community meeting with the mayor about plans going forward. Should be boring informative, I need to get photos, since I get paid extra for them. Then tomorrow I have a meeting for the church newspaper. This is an ambitious project, and not one I'm sure the facilitator can pull off. But we'll see what transpires. This gig pays nothing but good news for the people of my church family all over Montana. And that's fine, I still can write and be creative. 2 papers - 2 different directions. |
BRRRR - OMG - we woke up to -19° this morning. I think the high was -12°. Hubby took a walk this AM, as did I. No biggies if you're dressed well. Hot soup for lunch. And then we've been sitting in front of our little gas space heater stove in the living room. Nice addition that we really enjoy when it's cold like this. Now hubby is walking up to the library again. I've still having a devil of a time with my hand. I think I fell on one particular spot, and all the pressure from that fall focused there. Painful still, swollen hand still. Even though x-rays show the actual breaks are healing well, the soft tissue bruising is going to take some time. I can move my fingers finally, but the wrist and moving my arm, yikes. I made a sort of resolution to write 300 words a day. So I've been posting on the Flash Fiction challenge site most days. I also have been doing some online exercise classes that my insurance company sponsors. The 300 words are doable, since I am still getting my left hand back into typing. The exercise classes are low impact, last about 15 minutes, so I do about 2 or 3 a day. I don't stress myself, but I still am getting some good stretching and moving, even in this extreme weather. There are two big non-profit tasks coming up. I have to distribute the monies raised in the one I manage. Auditing that one now. So in February I'll give out eleven checks to non-profits. We raised about $17K this year. Pretty decent for a year with a dicey economy. Then the Chamber of Commerce is doing the membership drive, of which I am treasurer. So I volunteered to do that mailing. Working now on that also. Busy work. Good to be busy. Keep warm. It is brutally cold here for a few days. |
Hi there! I'm blogging over at Andre's Banana Bar - check it out. And come visit the bar flies guests there sometime. "Resolutions - Week One" |
The never-ending drama continues. Still no car. Annoying is one way to term this interminable waiting. I have no idea what is taking so long. Bugger me. My hand still bothers me. It is still badly bruised, but at least the swelling has lessened to a degree. But there is just one spot under the cast that still gives me fits. I think it is the spot that got the brunt of the contact with the sidewalk. Then another weird thing happened on Thursday. I got a friend to take me to town, and we did some errands. One was to be a haircut. I haven't had one in at least three months. And to say I am past-due is being polite. Curly hair just gets more and more unruly at a certain stage, and I am there. So I walk into the salon for my appointment. The lady looks at me like I am a ghost. "Sorry, Miss Blah-de-blah isn't in. She called all her clients last week and cancelled. Her father is not well." Hmm. With me standing in front of her, does that say to her that maybe she missed one??? So annoyed. When I got home, I posted a review online stating all this. I mean, people need to know that things get messed up. And from what I read, it wasn't the first time. I then got a call from the salon owner apologizing. Okay, fine. But I already had gone, when in town, to another place and made another appointment for a few weeks from now. Then the beautician calls - to say she's sorry. I just deleted her message. They won't miss my money. So, retail. I hate when people don't open on time, don't stay open the hours posted. I hate a dirty store or restaurant. And I hate when you don't follow-through and do what you say you'll do. Tonight is Christmas Eve. Have fun. Not much happening here. Hubby is going to a friend's house tomorrow. I decided not to go. Too much hassle to drive for 1 1/2 hours one way with a broken hand that still hurts, and then drive home in the dark worried about hitting a deer or elk in a borrowed car. I wouldn't be good company. |
I just got another cast on my hand. Yikes... under was revealed a still very swollen and badly bruised hand and arm. Mercy me. So for those who have had a cast removed, you know the drill. But for me, this was a first. And it hurt like mad. Now I am in a new cast for 3 more weeks - things seem to be healing nicely, says the doc. That's good news. But this hand - so sore. I have to type pretty much with my right hand, and one finger on my left hand. It takes me twice as long to get any thing done. Dressing myself, brushing my teeth, fixing food. And as for a shower, good thing we installed a walk-in tub. I can sit and hubby can wash my hair and rinse me off. I figure this is what happened to me. I was walking along out of the bank in town. So close to my house. Then suddenly I am on the ground. I think some unknown force lifted me up and slammed me down. How else would you explain no other bruises anywhere? Weirder things have been know to happen... Something nice tonight, though. A lady from church and her daughter brought over a basket of fruit with fresh flowers sprinkled on top. AHHH.... So nice of them. A nice little gesture to make my heart happy. Be careful out there. Just saying ... |
It's been almost a week since that fall that broke my hand. I went to the orthopedic Dr. I got put in a cast for a week, but since the arm/hand was so swollen, it will have to be changed next week. And another x-ray to see if things are still aligned. I don't want surgery, but it may be in the immediate future. My hand and arm is an impressive shade of purple which coordinates nicely with the neon green cast color. But the swelling has gone down a little. I'm getting used to doing things one-handed. Typing is challenging, also dressing myself, taking a bath, really anything that requires two hands. This is the first time i've had a cast. So I think that is pretty amazing to go all these years and not have a broken bone til now. I'll be lurking about the site, but no real writing currently. Perhaps soon. And we still don't have our car. I could write a thriller novel about that ordeal. |
Friday on my way back home from the bank - a journey of one block - 5 minutes on foot - I tripped over something on the sidewalk. Oopsie daisy. Down I went - hard. I hear a sound like glass breaking - thought it was my glasses. So I was worried about my knee, since it was just repaired. No problem. Then my elbow - I broke that several years ago - no problem. I could stand, so no broken legs or hip. Thank you God. Then I checked my glasses that were in my jacket pocket - still intact. But...my hand. OMG - it hurt like the devil. So I walk home - hubby and I confer. We go to the ER. I have a closed fracture of the 4th and 5th metacarpal of my left hand. So - my ring finger and my pinkie. Closed means it didn't break the skin. Real definition: Fourth metacarpal: The bone that connects your wrist to your ring finger. Fifth metacarpal: The bone that connects your wrist to your pinkie finger. I have a splint on this hand, not a permanent cast. I am to see an orthopedic doctor as soon as possible. Well, try to get someone in the office to pick up a phone call... This morning when I woke, I see the bruise extending beyond the splint, heading toward my elbow. And then bruising coming down the fingers that are exposed beyond all the wrapping they did. I call the ER - come in if you think you must. Bruising is to be expected. SO my theory is this - I fell with my full weight on my left hand. The sound I heard was those little bones breaking. My friends, this year has been of the most challenging, annoying, distressing years in my life. I've had a few others, but I won't bore you with those details. Be careful out there. Danger everywhere. If I find the gremlin that tripped me, well... |
My life is still in the garbage dump, but at least I have a new computer on which to complain about it. I took the plunge the other day. At the well known BB a friend and I wandered in, I checked with the people behind the counter that fix things. "How much and what is wrong with my wonderful little Mac?" A little time later they emerge from the back and tell me it's a software problem and I have a cracked screen and it will take some time to rebuild that laptop. So about several hundred dollars later and some time, I could have a rebuilt computer. No thanks, I think. But I did do that investigating required by hubby. So we then marched over to the new computers, and I promptly decided to purchase a new Mac Air. More money than I want to disclose, but it should last 6-10 years, if I don't drop the bloody thing or do something else stupid with it. The bad news is all my info is now locked securely on that dead laptop. I guess someday I can get it taken off, but not right now. And I'll get the Apple Care, but not right now. I have 60 days to purchase that warranty. So, I guess I'm back. Limping along because I'm still having personal issues, not physical issues. But back. |
Bugger me all to hades and back - my Mac laptop took a dive last night. Just flat out stopped working. Now I am posting this on the one I use at church. So soon I have to go back home and try to restart that bloody thing. I keep my entire life on that computer, crap! I have to recreate a lot of files now. Not to mention see about buying a new machine. And with no car, I'm not going to Billings until Friday this week. A friend is taking me to my last post-op appointment. Perhaps I can pop in somewhere and get a new one. I hate complications. I hate problems. |
Here it is Thanksgiving - and I have all my blogging this month over at Andre's Banana Bar. Check out my posting on my Banana Bar Blog. Last entry is here: "Number 22" NaNoWriMo is having a hard time right now. Anyone keeping up with their mess? I was at first, but quickly got bogged down with minutiae. I'll check the blogging again after today. They were to reinstate the forums again tomorrow I believe. |