Tuesday - Actually It Was Wednesday

So I have spent more time the last two days playing and tweaking and designing blogs than I have writing or following. I love to write (some times) and blogging allows me an outlet for words that I don't, or can't, find another way to express! But there is also an artistic, creative side of my personality that thrives on design. It's the part that used to find expression in scrap booking ... and may again given time and money. And now it's finding expression in playing with the design of my blogs. I hope that other people like it too. But for now it has given me several peaceful hours of creativity ... and a couple of pretty (in my opinion at least) blogs!  The software that I am using, Artisteer 2, suggests designs, font sets, colors, etc. but once I figured out how things worked I sort of ventured out on my own. I did discover through trial and error (as well as having visited a few very cluttered blog sites) that I like simple, neat and clean ... no frou frou and very little frills! I like 2 simple neat columns. 3 is too many ... starts to look cluttered. And I prefer for most of the stuff (buttons, links, etc.) to be grouped at the bottom of the page where they do not distract from the posts themselves. I love photos ... especially nature photos ... and I wanted one at the top of the page that made sense with the subject of the blog. Only sad part is that now they are "done" except for some minor tweaking and I don't want to get into re-designing them every day. Guess I'll wait and see if I still like them tomorrow. :)

Okay ... moving on ...

I have used the walker the last couple of days at work just because walking up and down the halls had become so painful. It really does help. I guess because it allows me to put less weight on my knee. In the meantime I am getting quite an upper body workout with each trek to and from the bathroom! And I'm developing some whopper callouses on the heels of my hands!

Nutritional intake (seems wrong somehow to call it a diet) has been more than a little out of kilter. We are under an unusual level of stress and at the end of the day I rarely feel inclined to fix a meal. Bert and Josiah are being very cooperative and considerate and will gladly provide take out meals on a daily basis. Not that I want fast food every day! That would be hard on the waistline and the wallet. So some days we get take out and other days I make something simple. On top of that the pain tends to make me nauseous especially in the morning so I sleep as late as possible, get ready for work as quickly as possible, and leave without making a smoothie. Then I drink a Special K protein shake for breakfast (they're actually quite good) and live on fruit and the occasional piece of cheese until I'm home again. Last night I made chicken and rice casserole. Tonight we may have rib-eye steaks (if they thawed out)!

Work is really light right now. This morning I had 2 web applications to process (vs. 40 - 50 daily at busier seasons) and then there was no mail! So even doing it slowly ... I had about 15 minutes of work to do so far today. Filling the rest of time with blogging and internet tv. (Flash Forward is my current addiction and the new season starts tomorrow. Trying to catch up in case they take season 1 off line.) Makes for a long day and the slow season is just getting started! At least it's a good time for me to be out for surgery!

I'm trying to write a positive post here but I also believe it's important to be honest so feel free to skip this paragraph if you prefer. This morning was rough. I don't sleep well anymore even when I take medication. Woke up about 5:00 coughing madly and could barely catch my breath. (Sleep apnea, allergies, don't know) The alarm went off way before I was ready. Walking around to get ready for work was excruciating. By the time I got down the stairs and out to the truck I was in tears. Bert had to drive me to work today because his truck is in the shop. All I could think was how badly I wanted to turn around and go home. But ... we headed on and I came to work. And it's not exactly all better now but I'm doing okay! I am so tired most of the time but ... it will be okay!

I'm in countdown mode ... not that I think I will jump off the operating table and be ready to run a marathon! I'm trying to remember to keep reasonable expectations. There will be a recovery period. And I was experiencing knee pain BEFORE I tore my meniscus just from the arthritis. Still I'm looking forward to getting the surgery behind me so I can take whatever will be the next step! And the surgery is next Wednesday and so ... the countdown! One week and then ... ?