[MourningDove]

Maleficent - You know years ago, I used to get chain letters that were hand written and at first this one reminded me of that. I had a feeling of "oh, you have got to be kidding me" before I read it. I recommend if anyone else gets one, don't bother reading it. Mine had a return address with the woman's name, but it was the church's address.

I think what gets to me now is that it is presumptuous of anyone who doesn't know another's story to just see something like "divorce" in a public document and judge. There are so many situations where a divorce can be more than a standard Hollywood scripted version of "we grew apart." And even then - we are not walking in that person's shoes or on their path. Without any information beyond seeing it in public records, it is someone passing judgement. From what I recall from my Sunday school teachings, that is a pretty big no no as it is. But, I guess that doesn't apply. 

As for room on the bus to Hades - I am sure we can save you a window seat. We will have to check in with the HS Cultural Director to see what the on board entertainment will be. LOL

As for my strength - I am not sure about that some days. It has gotten me into trouble in more ways than one - LOL. But, I am truly humbled and am shocked any of my rambling or what goes on in my head, much less my life is terribly interesting or helpful. But, thank you. 

With that said - I may have to put a warning in my posts when it comes to things like my flip flop fail - Do not attempt this or reenact it for you own safety - LOL. I am paying dearly for that injury. This morning, my plan was to just get things done around the house. I was going to take it easy. Hah - yah, I am taking it way easier than I originally envisioned. As in, I have spent a good portion of the day on the couch with ice or heat and my foot elevated. I discovered this is apparently normal with this type of injury, but I am now rocking a fantastic swollen ankle with a bruise that is a whole rainbow of colors encompassing my ankle and up my leg. I felt tender when I got up and looked down I thought I was seeing things. I didn't anticipate this bruising with an injury to my shin, which has it's own bruising and swelling. Not loving this. Those flip flops really should have been shot out of a cannon or should have met some type of destructive end.

I am trying to avoid getting sucked into TV, so I trying to find things to occupy myself that keep me off of my feet for awhile. I tried to sketch and work on some artwork, but the puppy is not allowing for that to happen. She thinks she is a great help trying to "catch" the moving pencil. So, that hasn't been terribly productive. S and his friend "T" stopped take the dog out before going back to the cottage for the night. D made dinner. So I am going to find a good book or something and hope the puppy is quiet for the night after they run her around.

[Reinventing]

And URSA, the first images from Webb were from URSA Major. Just saying.

[JohnnyBravo]

As for room on the bus to Hades - I am sure we can save you a window seat. We will have to check in with the HS Cultural Director to see what the on board entertainment will be. LOL

I realize I have a lot of competition with the music side, so I should probably stick with movies. Speaking of which, Feb 9th was the anniversary of the release of The Warriors.

And beggin' the captain's pardon, but I thought we were all on this site because we already found ourselves ON the bus to Hades, and we want to get the heck OFF. 

[Reinventing]

But in all the years that they have coexisted in this community, I have never experienced this type of, well, an attack. Something within their community, I suspect has changed.

Yes, COVID changed their capacity to go door-to-door and so they changed to letter writing as a tactic.

For some churches, declining numbers of young folks joining the church has changed who they are trying to bring into the fold. I've heard of more than one elderly person who lost their spouse in their end years being invited to join groups doing non-religious things and then the conversation slowly turns to attempting to change their religious beliefs. They then bring a person who converted from that religion to talk to the elderly widow or widower. It is a concerted and organized effort and of course it eventually goes with attempting to change wills and to raise donations.

They are taught how to persuade and debate so there is an answer for everything, written materials to leave with the person to read, and they are specifically trained how to do all this.

[Thunder]

Oh yes they are using the super markets now too.   

I had a lady, in Walmart, who slowly walked by me smiling and staring at me like she knew me.  I just thought maybe she just wasn't all there, hey I'm talking Walmart.

I finally just said hello as we passed each other...well that set he off with her spiel.
Did I know I was going to heaven?

I just said, yup and kept walking, she kept talking to me until I couldn't hear her anymore.  Do you want me to explain how Jesus helps you get there????Ha ha

So look out for the "smiley's" when you're shopping.

[MourningDove]

I realize I have a lot of competition with the music side, so I should probably stick with movies. Speaking of which, Feb 9th was the anniversary of the release of The Warriors.

And beggin' the captain's pardon, but I thought we were all on this site because we already found ourselves ON the bus to Hades, and we want to get the heck OFF. 

Ah, interesting. I hadn't considered perhaps we keep taking detours on this road trip and our objective is to get out of Hades. Hmmmm. Well, I must admit, at least I am kind of having some fun along the way. Oops. LOL

Reinventing & Thunder - Their interactions are for me, exhausting. Sigh

I am not feeling terribly strong today. I am frustrated and my family is not helping. My M has gone into hyper concerned and checking on me non stop. She feels helpless, I am sure. Thankfully, she has not seen my ankle or I would be moved back up to their house and under house arrest. LOL. S isn't here today. C stayed over at a friend's house and he hasn't surfaced yet. S's friend T did show up to work in the garage and saved me from the puppy, who has been a demon all morning. She is full of extra energy and needed a good run. She kept pouncing on me this morning thinking it was a game all while I was trying to ice my leg. After taking her out for her morning routine, she proceeded to still have 3 accidents in a span of 3 hours because she got too busy to stop playing. That is not her normal routine - hence today she is really wound up.

D showed up and is all worried about the bathroom getting done. That is how she greeted me this morning. I wanted to just scream. I went in and drew a bath for myself and tried to hide from the world. That lasted 10 minutes.

I don't know how I am going to get anything done. I am having a hard time figuring it out at the moment. I know I have to let my leg heal more and behave. I have to be able to do things that allow me to keep my leg elevated with this swelling. I just feel completely helpless at the moment and frustrated beyond belief. I can't even relax enough to embrace this as a "day off". And part of it is because no one is letting me.

D is so stressed out for a variety of reasons. She is convinced things won't get done now and like Xh she is not good with having to deal with any hiccups that mess up her routine. Gee, sorry kid - I was aiming to move the sink, not smash it against my shin - my bad.  Twenty one year olds are really so self absorbed sometimes and it drives me insane. She started on the whole dramatic "if this doesn't get done soon, I am moving out". Oh, I wanted to just snap back at her because that pushes my buttons - those types of veiled threats like Xh made. I paused and looked at her and I think she was shocked. I told her "do what you feel you have to do. It is not what I want nor am I the one pushing, but do as you wish. You are an adult.". Of course, then came the "you would like that" response. SMH

I could feel myself just wanting to scream. Yes, I will admit, I was filled with sudden sarcasm. Not pretty. I looked at her and said "yes, that has been my evil plan all along. You caught me. I busted my butt to keep the house and then I removed the offending screws in the pipes, just to destroy three rooms in the house. Then I rebuild your (D's) room first so that you can move back in only to make sure I slam my shin against a sink so that my ultimate goal is reached - to make you move out."

Okay - not my finest moment. But, I have had it and it isn't even noon.

I feel like an utter failure right now and I have to work out of that mindset. I would say a walk would help, but that is out of the question. LOL. I will push past this. I need to just stay away from people. I have turned my home phone to mute as well as my cell phone. It will only ring if there is an emergency. I am off the clock.

[UrsaMajor]

Actually, I am not convinced that your reply to D was not totally in order...

She needs to get a good dose of reality and experience the fact that her self-centered rants are not only inappropriate but also totally unacceptable and out of line. If she is so freaking concerned about things getting done, then she should be contributing to making sure they get done rather than spending the weekend off with BF or whatever... and her sarcastic snark being met with an equal and opposite dose of the same in return might just be an eye-opener that you are not a punching bag for her bad mood and inability to cope...

And you being off-the-clock for a while is also an appropriate reaction.... especially if you are lugging around a softball between your shin and foot.... 

[MourningDove]

UrsaMajor - Things settled down shortly after that exchange. In all fairness, D does help out a great deal. I can't say she doesn't. She makes dinner every night, in part because she likes to cook, but it does help me when I am able to work. And most times she is very thoughtful and has a big, tender heart. She just has a hard outer shell other times and is a lot like Xh. Any chaos when she is stressed leads to what happened yesterday. And, it isn't acceptable. At all.

The problem for me is not just that behavior. It is that when she gets that way, it reminds me of Xh and I bristle even more. I have to count to 10 and remind myself that she is not him and not all of his qualities were bad. It is her phrasing that sets me off. I have to just think about how I am going to respond because I certainly don't want to do the "OMG, you sound just like your F" knee jerk reaction.

And, I have been around enough 21 year olds to know that being self absorbed is not uncommon. Their problems are the only ones in existence some times.

But, again - doesn't excuse it. I just remind myself most times so that it doesn't escalate into something more than it actually is.

After I bit back and then went into hiding, I came out to find the kitchen had been full cleaned and D was making dinner. I spent my day in the library with my leg elevated and working on some potential class offerings. The puppy spent the remaining part of the day at my feet and D did take her out without me asking.

This morning, it is like nothing happened and the world is back in order. At least in that part of my life - LOL

I decided I probably should see an orthopedic. I know bruises often appear later, but the additional swelling and pain concerns me. I figured I would rather be safe than sorry. I don't typically get too concerned, but it dawned on me that if I let this go and it is something worse, it might do my hiking and walking completely in for weeks or worse. And OMG - what if I can't wear my stilettos anymore -  LOL.

I called and made an appointment for later today. I think I stumped the woman at the front desk. She was trying to figure out how my name popped up immediately and sounded familiar, yet I had not been a patient of theirs. My last name is not that terribly common in this area, so that does add to the dynamic. I laughed and said that I am on both S's and D's accounts listed as a primary contact. S had been in there a couple of times over the years, but I told her I suspected she knows me from D and her frequent flyer status. D at one point knew the Dr's schedule better than the front desk - which location he was at on what days or what days were his surgical days. But, I won't be seeing that doctor. I will see the specialist for sports injuries, which is amusing to me right now. Is there a sport that involves flip flops and sinks? 

There are flurries in the air today and the sun is out. My library has drapes on the front windows that I threw open. I have a spectacular view of the hillside across the way and it is truly stunning this morning with the little silvery, glistening flakes of snow falling down. I am going to embrace it for today. By tomorrow the temps are going up and by the time midweek rolls around, it is supposed to be like spring weather. It could mean that with mild temps right now, we may pay for it in March. I am just hoping that I can get outside this week when it is warm and sunny. I would have gone out yesterday had it not been for the swelling in the ankle and the ice that keeps forming due to the freeze/thaw pattern.

I am going to see what kind of trouble I can stay out of today.

[UrsaMajor]

Na ja, 21-year-olds... Can't live with 'em and can't hang 'em by their toes from the ceiling fan either...

I guess the time form 15-22 is just... well.... they know EVERYTHIG, see themselves and the center of the Universe, and that the world should revolve around them... until it doesn't and then they are surprised.... Actually , sort of like a Mid-Lifer in many respects but, at THAT time of life (15-22), it is to be expected as it is part of the maturing process... with 40-50+ it is a bit late in the game....

As for being the , that happens... We reach a limit and then <snap>

Good idea to hide and, as you noted, there was a bit of reflection on D's part so she appeared to want to make it up to you (Acts of Service?)

So, let us know what the Orthopod says.... Hopefully NOT a hairline fracture somewhere

[MourningDove]

UrsaMajor - LOL. I guess my kids should be thankful we don't own a ceiling fan 

S came in and admitted it isn't easy coming home and having to think about what to make for dinner or having to buy groceries. He out and out said to me that he has a new appreciation for when I have come through the door and still did laundry, dinners, helped them with homework etc, after commuting from my jobs over the years.

D definitely leans towards Acts of Service as one of her love languages. Last night, as she made dinner, I was washing the dishes as she did the prep work. I wasn't really paying attention, as she was listening to a lecture while she cooked. I can't say I could keep up with her 300 level Cell Bio course lecture  so I was just thinking enjoying the moment of "normal" activity. I suddenly heard a cup being slid along the counter towards me. I thought it was something to wash, but I looked over to catch D with a Cheshire Cat grin and a hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top. She whispered "Happy Valentine's Day" to me and went back to her lecture.

As for the doctor's assessment…it's a bad bone bruise and the extra swelling is from the tibia rubbing when I walk. So, I am so lucky because he gave me a boot to wear. Oh, it is the latest in fashion and everyone is going to want one. LOL. Okay, maybe not. I am to wear it during the day. I can drive and the like when I have it off, but I am to wear it for about 4 weeks to help isolate the injury and keep my ankle, etc stable and from swelling. It is clunky and awkward, but I will admit, it does help the injury hurt less. And, the trick was trying to find shoe for my left foot that is similar in height so that I don't throw my gait off so much that I will need PT on top of it. That was a trick D mentioned to me, as she has had a whole array of boots since her ankle injury.

It is putting a real damper on my idea of long walks with my sister, at least outside. I may have to accept the mall may be where I go for now, as at least there aren't icy patches. Sigh.

It is disappointing, as I had so wanted to see this one park in the winter. The waterfalls that are frozen right now are spectacular based on the photos a few people have been sharing. Unless we have a winter that extends past March, which is possible, I am out of luck. No way I can manage or will attempt that feat. There are too many hills and steps alone the way.

My Civil War lecture is also off the schedule, as there is an ice storm predicted for that area. I am kind of hoping they postpone.

But, I am not letting this boot get in my way. I am going to be mindful and behave in ways that don't somehow risk more injury. It means a reset of my thought process. It is an inconvenience and it does make some things impossible right now. It isn't the first time life has thrown me a curve ball. I keep reminding myself it could have been so much worse.