My small world

Today I get to take a shower, woo-hoo! The hole left when they pulled the drain is finally closed. I've been sponging myself off and having Steve wash my hair in the sink but I am itchy, especially as I have to wear that straightjacket surgical vest around the clock.

No pretty pictures. It is quite drab outside but I shouldn't complain as it is unseasonably warm. I went for a long walk yesterday spending most of the time chatting with Soulmate, surprising as I thought I was even further from the weak cell tower yet I had much better reception than I do in my house. I have to sit near the front windows to get some type of reception. Sometimes my phone doesn't even register calls if the phone is towards the back of the house (where I sleep). His beach house in Delaware is almost finished so I will have another nice place to visit. I've only been on the narrow strip of Delaware that 1-95 cuts across so a new state for me. Plus there is a ferry going straight to Cape May NJ which I always wanted to see. Since the Albatross is gone, I will be free to travel.

Steve went there yesterday to hand deliver the tax bill. The new owners were inside supervising work and invited Steve inside. We had two levels of hardwood floors which needed to be refinished as there was some surface stains in parts. However, the wood itself was in great shape. They ripped the floors up! I guess it's their money but what a waste. They were replaced with dark wood as all new builds have these days. Honey colored oak is dated. The husband pointed to the kitchen and asked Steve Tell me you didn't chose that hideous wallpaper!
Actually Steve did chose it and I thought it was nice (almost 20 years ago). I thought it had a modern feel and matched by then new white and black kitchen perfectly (which replaced a harvest gold, rust kitchen with dark wood accents). But they are young and can not conceive of a world where wallpaper was desirable. They have been poisoned by HGTV. The new owner did like the latheing that was all over the ceiling the walls that weren't wallpapered. It was a bitch to clean. We had just had the kitchen repainted but they chose to repaint it a whiter white though I swear it was very, very white.

They repainted the lowest level taupe replacing the beachy turquoise I though was pretty. But the paint was coming off and Steve threw away the excess paint so it couldn't be retouched. What they were having done when Steve got there was installing overhead light fixtures in the bedrooms. The husband was incredulous we lived without these. (houses of that era were built without them but we had plenty of wall and floor lamps to keep things well lit.) They had trouble opening the garage door using the code box so Steve showed them how to do that.

It was so warm out I was tempted to bicycle even though this was on the forbidden list. I assume because of the possible jostling and sudden movements to avoid accidents that could rip the stitches. Also I am a bit dizzy. But Steve was gone (so no disapproval) and I slowly went 3 miles just in the neighborhood trying to avoid minor cracks. I was fine.

Also on the forbidden list: driving for 3 weeks. Now I am off opiates but accident avoidance maneuvers could possibly rip stitches open. Also if I were to get into an accident and they found I violated the no-driving restriction, I assume I would be in trouble. Steve called from 20 minutes away. He locked the keys in the car (for the third time!!). I would have to rescue him. He apologized over and over. Right off the bat, my swinging my arm in a long arc to back the car out stretched my stitches. I was careful to use smaller movements turning after that.

For some reason, I am still spacey and spend much more time in bed. I assume this is a lasting effect from the anesthesia. Also being on my back all the time is  getting old. I am a tosser and turner and I wake up once I hit the sore chest.

I haven't gotten to numerous small tasks on my list. I was watching my birds yesterday. Suddenly the red tail hawk swooped in  but hit the window stunning itself. It didn't hit hard: I've heard louder thumps from the sparrows. While it sat in the tree to recover, I ran to get the camera (too late) and the birds flew away to hide. A missed meal for it.

Runaway train: the red line T Ramy used to take to work in Boston took off yesterday with no conductor but full of very frightened passengers barreling through 4 stops until the power was cut off. Still it had enough momentum to get to the fifth stop, the one he used to get on (the JFK-UMass). No one was hurt.

Fun scheduled today: even warmer and sunnier so out for a walk and then a shower!!! Then a visit from Shanna and Tessa. And maybe I will get my chairs today. And maybe I will do some of my chores.

hideous wallpaper?

perfectly good floors destroyed