http://journals.aol.com/dbp2000/DustBunnyProtector/

This is the link to one of my AOL journal.  I took a two year hiatus but I am back and was asked to share it by a MySpace friend. Hope you enjoy it. 

Now this is someone who has too much money or is lacking in common sense or both.  This person paid $6,100 for a rare black watermelon just for the prestige of getting the first one of the season. Watermelons are still perishable the last I heard.

And, I here I was, just this week, thinking how the cost of milk, eggs and bread were getting too high.  Silly me!!

http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/rare-black-watermelon-sells-for-6100/20080606095209990001?icid=100214839x1203406655x1200134544

Look out!  I have given up my seat on the short bus and am driving myself around now. Yes, it has been a bit challenging since it is my right leg that is cast/braced but I can handle it. 

I've learned that if I move the seat all the way back, put up the middle arm rest, close the cup holder, sling my right leg over the console and reposition the seat close to the steering wheel, I can reach the gas peddle with my left foot.  It is no small feat but it works. If I travel more than 15 miles, when I get out I look and feel like I have been on horseback!

Once I am in position, I look for all the things I can do by using a drive through.  Breakfast, lunch or dinner? Of course. Pick up my prescription at the pharmacy? Yep. Banking? Check. (Pun intended.) Get the car washed? Only if I want it to rain. Mail my bills? Yes, I still use snail mail and it is getting more "slug-gish" every year. (Insert groan here.) Return books to the library. Drop off the dry cleaning.  Pick up the kids from school. Oh, that's right.  I'm done with that. Grab a gallon of tea. (How lazy do you have to be to buy tea already made rather than boil the water yourself?? Especially when it costs the same as a gallon of gas!) Return my rentals to Blockbuster.

Yes, I can do all of that from the air conditioned comfort of my car. But you know what I cannot do without getting out of the car?  Get a fill up at the gas station.  Remember the days when gas was 35 cents a gallon and someone else put it in your tank, checked the dip stick in your oil and polished your windows?

Yeah, I know. I am older than dirt. 

Now that enough time has passed, I can look back on my recovery and laugh at some of the events I have been through since my car accident.  For me, the pain has generally subsided and I am left with the pleasant, if not downright funny, memories.

I do not have an addictive personality and typically, when the doctor or dentist prescribe pain meds for me, I may take one or two tablets and then, what is left in the bottle sits until it expires.  This time was different. I was grateful for the C-2 meds.  The controlled substances. No over the counter meds this time.  I became a clock watcher and was relieved when it was time for me to take my next pill.  I make no apologies for it.  I had a shattered knee held together by wire and screws.  I had an ankle broken in multiple places, a chest that had taken a hit from the seatbelt and the airbag, two black eyes thanks also to the airbag and a thumb that turned black although I can't remember how I hurt it. I was a mess!

Between the initial knee surgery and the follow-up visit to the doctor, my parents came and stayed with me. I was instructed not to put any weight on my right leg, which was immobilized by a brace, for fear I might undo the surgeon's efforts to save my knee. I found I was not very steady with crutches so I opted to hop on my left leg while balancing with a walker. This meant I had to plan ahead to move from one location to the other, identifying the shortest route and avoiding any obstacles. 

Since everyone was waiting on me, I had little need to move from my sofa. I just needed to give myself plenty of travel time to get to the bathroom. As I made my way across the room I would place the walker a step in front and then take a hop on the good leg, swinging the injuried leg foward.  Clickety, hop, swing. Clickety, hop, swing. I was in the groove. And then it happened. I became over confident and was going too fast.  As I was swinging the right leg, the forward momentum took over. The brace hit the bar across the front of the walker, right across the knee. Ouch!

I immediately started a series of little left-legged hops to regain my balance but it was no use. Backward I went, landing flat on my back, sprawled across my living room. Hop-hop-hop- oh no! Oh no! Whack! My parents were immediately at at my side, horrified that I had fallen and concerned that I had injured myself further. At that point it was only my dignity that was suffering.

We soon realized that due to the immobility of the straight leg brace that went almost to my hip, I could not get any traction to get back up. We tried a series of manuevers but I then realized I needed to be raised straight up from floor to standing in one motion.  There was no way I wanted my parents to hurt themselves by lifting my deadweight off the floor!  I needed them to be in tip-top shape to care for me over the next few weeks and I could just imagine my dad ending up in traction, throwing out his back.  I had no choice.  I called 9-1-1. "I've fallen and I can't get up."

Fortunately, I only had to lay on the floor for a few moments trying to make light of the situation, entertaining my parents with my audition for the next Medic Alert commercial. When the paramedics arrived it took seconds for them to get me back on my foot and then seated on the couch.  The paperwork took much longer. But, I soon realized - I never had made it to the bathroom.

Next blog entry:  Depends Are My Friends

With gas pushing toward $4 a gallon, the earthquake in China, the cyclone in Myanmar, the war, and the election rhetoric, I felt the need to give some thought to the little things that can make me happy. 

A parking space with plenty of room to open the doors and not ding anything.  A coupon for something I like - free. Clean sheets. Grass with no fireants or dog pooh.  Forgotten money in a pocket. Ceiling fans. The latest issue of my favorite magazine. Going the speed limit when I see the radar gun. Being greeted with a smile. An aisle seat on the plane.  Seasoning.  Front row tickets.  Sunglasses.  The HOV lane. Warm cookies. An empty dishwasher. Correct change. Turning on the radio and it isn't a commercial. The remote control. Velcro. The snooze button. Crayons. Ring tones. Cruise control. Seedless watermelon. Valet parking. Cinnamon toast. An open checkout line. Spare toilet paper, papertowels and batteries. Drive thru anything. Shade. Prepaid envelopes. Finishing a book. Crushed ice. Auto shutoff irons. A clean ATM.

What's on your list?

It has been a good week.  I saw the doctor and the xrays show that my knee is finally starting to heal.  He increased the degrees of mobility in my brace and replaced the ankle boot with a much smaller ankle brace.  Yeah!!  My good leg has taken such a pounding for the last few weeks/months I have damaged the cartilage in that knee and caused significant swelling.  Had to have the knee drained with an enormous syringe but it gave me immediate relief and it was worth the short term pain. 

I can now get in and out of cars much easier not to mention stepping up or down a curb, over doorjams and into the tub.  When I have to get into a car I was having to raise my leg up and over the edge of the car door trying not to scuff the interior with my boot as I eased into the seat.  Not that graceful but it worked. Being able to bend the knee more is a blessing.  It is the little things that can mean so much!

It is amazing how one little split second action can have had such a big impact on my life.  I have never had to depend so much on others in my memory. Everyone has been so helpful. Driving me to and from work.  Taking me to church. Doing my shopping.  Bringing me meals.  It makes me realize how limited my orbit was before and I am determined to be more aware of the needs of others and do what I can to help them in the future.  I am already doing better sending cards to people who are sick or hurting.  It has a lot to do with slowing down.  And a crash will definitely slow you down!!

And, since I am not driving myself these days I have cut out fast food and that has had a positive impact on my diet. Woo Hoo! 

Things are looking up.  2008 is going to be a better year.  

Christmas Carols for the Disturbed

1. Schizophrenia
Do You Hear What I Hear?

2. Multiple Personality Disorder
We Three Kings Disoriented Are

3. Dementia
I Think I'll Be Home for Christmas

4. Narcissistic
Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

5. Manic
Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and…..

6. Paranoid
Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me

7. Borderline Personality Disorder
Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire

8. Personality Disorder
You'd Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna' Cry, I'm Gonna' Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

9. Attention Deficit Disorder
Silent Night, Holy ooooohhh look at the Froggy – can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away…..

10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells……..

For those who have not heard, I was in a car accident Monday evening, 11/12. Not sure what the other driver was thinking but she turned left in front of me as I drove through an intersection with the green light. I t-boned her car and I believe all of us are lucky to be alive.

My car was a total loss and it breaks my heart since I only had two payments left.  I had bought the car new with all the bells and whistles I had wanted and it was still in excellent condition. With the low mileage, I was looking forward to driving her a few more years. To add insult to injury, I had just filled the tank with gas moments before the accident so now there is a heap of metal with two deployed airbags and a full tank sitting in the salvage lot. Wahhh!

As for me, I thank God I am not in worse condition. My most extensive injuries are a broken right ankle in two places and a shattered kneecap. I think the goose egg on my forehead was from the gate remote on the visor and the airbag left me with two black eyes. It is scary when those things go off!! I saw the passenger one explode and the panel hit the front windshield, breaking it. No wonder they talk about not having children in the front seat. Beware!  There are other assorted bumps, bruises and indignities but I'm still here to tell the story. 

I had surgery on my knee last Friday and while the prognosis is less than encouraging, I am praying for a full recovery. For now, I am grateful that I have friends and family that are taking care of me and keeping my spirits up. I am so use to being on the go all the time, this sudden inactivity is tough. Thank heaven for internet, cell phones, and my dad's state-of-the-art recliner.

There have been some pretty funny moments along the way and I will share those in a future entry.

That's all for now.

I have seen hockey on tv and I have watched Brandon play but last night was my first time to see an official game with the Stars, Dallas' team in the National Hockey League.  Thanks to Brandon's boss, we had seats four rows up from the ice and were sitting right behind the opposing team's penalty box.  This was also the first time for me to be in the new American Airlines Center and it was impressive.

Melissa and Brandon are big sports fans and they were all decked out in their official Stars jerseys.  Layla was there, of course, and she was a cute as a button in her longsleeved Stars shirt with black sweatpants and a green and black bow. (And, yes, she has a bow to match all her outfits!)  This was not her first NHL game.  She went last week, too and loved everything except when the announcer first came on and scared her.  This time she got wide-eyed when it got loud but she never cried.

Not to be outdone, I stopped in the pro shop first thing and bought a Stars sweatshirt. It may have been close to 90 outside but down by the ice, that sweatshirt was perfect.   

As we walked through the arena, heading to our seats, everybody was ooing and ahhing over the baby.  She was wide awake and taking in all the action around her. Of course, there was the requisite taking of the pictures.  There has not been an activity in this child's life yet that has not been documented.  It was quite the Hallmark moment with the little family in their matching Stars-wear.

As with any professional sports event, there is a lot of fanfare, cheering and visual treats.  When I held Layla, she just lay back and was mesmerized by the jumbo tron. I, on the other hand, was having a blast watching these guys flying by on their skates.  For someone who cannot even stand upright on iceskates, I was duly impressed. 

Within the first five minutes there were two fights. Not sure what the rules are but the refs stood back and let them duke it out for a few seconds. It seemed to be a version of wrestling in one fight and when the Stars player put his opponent's shoulder to the mat/ice, the crowd cheered and the refs pulled them apart.  The refs were not quite fast enough in the other fight and the guy from the opposing team ended up with an obviously broken nose.  Oh, joy.  He got to come over by us and sit in the penalty box for two minutes.  Not a pretty picture. At the end of the penalty, he dripped his way across the ice and headed out for whatever medical attention those guys get.  From what I saw of the other players, no one bothers to have their nose reset until their hockey career is over.  Why bother?

Layla drank a bottle and took a nap around half time. With all the action, I could not believe that child could fall asleep but she did!!  After her power nap she woke up as perky and happy as ever.  She had obviously caught the eye of one of the officials because soon someone came up to me and covertly handed me an ice cold hockey puck from the game. They pointed out who was giving us the puck and when I caught his eye, he was adamant that the puck belonged to the baby and not any of us adults.  It was in honor of "her first hockey game."  How great was that? 

Of course, out came the camera and another round of pictures of Layla holding her hockey puck.  It will go on her bedroom shelf right next to her little pink Stars hockey stick.

It was a great night.  Of course, the Stars won and I am already spoiled thinking that every game will be as much fun as the one when I sat in the $150 seats.  

I bet I got your attention with this headline.  But it is true.  Follow me on this.  It is so easy to get caught up with negative things that impact your day.  You overslept. You got cut off in traffic. You had more work dumped on you at the office. You got into it with your spouse. You didn't get your way when you knew you were right.  Before you realize it you are sharing that negative energy with anyone in earshot.

That is how I found myself so I have been working on trying to focus on just the positive things in my life.  This has been so much easier in the last ten weeks since my granddaughter was born. Every day I actively look for three positive things that define my day.  At the end of the day I write them down. I have found that throughout the day I am trying to find something else to replace the original three. It really works to improve my attitude.

Then, I just found a Readers Digest article on this very topic.  How cool is that?!Research has shown that making it a point to recognize the good things can change us positively. We will sleep better and exercise more. We'll be more alert and active. A study at the Univeristy of Miami showed that people who focused on gratitude were happier.  They saw their lives in favorable terms.  They had fewer negative physical symptoms such as headaches or colds and were active in ways that were good for them.  Plain and simple, they had a higher quality of life.

The article talks about recording three things that happened that day for which you are thankful.  Anything that made you feel uplifted. They took it a step further than I have been doing.  After each situation or event for which you feel thankful, write down WHY this was good for you. You heard from an old friend and it reminded you of the good times you had shared. Or, it forced you to realize that people think of you even when you have been out of contact, which must mean you are a pretty special person.

Also, the article suggests to  make a note of WHO, if anyone, played a role in what you have recalled for the day and how that person impacted your life. 

After reading that first article, I got on line to print it out and I then found an article about the "Healing Power of Hobbies" (Readers Digest, Sept 2003).  It talks about how a hobby keeps us healthy in both body and mind.  Hobbies reduce stress, they distract you from everyday worries and they elicit the relaxation response, marked by lower blood pressure.

We know that physical activity extends life but less active pursuits are healthy as well. The article told about a Japanese study of almost 12,000 people found that those who engaged in hobbies or community activities were less likely to die of stroke or circulatory disorders than those who didn't.

So, there you have it. Scrapbooking = makes me happy = positive attitude = more optimistic = sleep better and exercise more = lose weight.  Now that is going on tonight's list!!!