Freedom from the hard brace is awesome Yeah, I’m doing a lot, and Sunday evening, I’m super tired, but so happy to be able to do things.

–I wrote a quick scene that I’ll refine and finish today.  I still keep my work hours limited, and I’m trying to make more effective use of my time at the computer. That’s a work in progress!

–We’re looking into options for our vacation.

–I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Now the dumb thing here is that I wouldn’t stop for one minute to go get Wizard to have him stir in the oats and chips for me. Of all the things I’ve done in the last week…that’s the one that made me sore, LOL! However it won’t damage my neck, so ***shrug***, not really a big deal.

–I’m working on stretches that don’t put too much pressure on my neck. While they are making me sore in the short-term, they will be a big help long-term. I’m doing these before I go back to the gym (for light, doctor approved, workouts).

–I held Baby Slayer for hours yesterday and everyone is relaxing around me. Again, I’m careful. For instance, I won’t carry him down their steep stairs yet, I just hand him off to his mom.  Wizard was over there helping CPA Boy trim back trees, weed and do some spring yard cleaning that was a big job. Wizard was really tired, so I drove home. That’s a huge win for me! It’s a long drive, and even over-protective Wizard was comfortable. Plus he got to see how I’m compensating. I’d lost some of my ability to turn my neck before my surgery, so the limitations from my fusion now isn’t really a big adjustment.

–I’m walking Maggie all over. Here’s a picture of Maggie when she hears the girls across the street. Maggie loves them. When she sits like this, she wants out. Of course, sometimes, she’s doomed to disappointment, but she still tries just in case I’ll take her out to say hi to them.

–Wizard told me yesterday I’m doing great. How is it that after all these years of marriage, his complements still make me happy? I’m really glad he’s relaxing now. He did so much for me for three long months.

Obviously, I’m feeling the high of this step of recovery. I’m very aware of the road ahead, but right now, I’m just happy to be this far along. Today I’m going to dial down the physical activity to give my muscles a break

So that was my weekend, how was yours?

TGIF! Time to share five things around our week:

1. I’m officially out of the hard brace!! I’m so happy. I’ll sleep in the soft brace for another month, but being totally freed of the hard brace is a huge relief.  I’ve graduated to no heavy lifting and common sense restrictions. My doctor could see shadows in the x-rays that indicate some bone growth around the donor bone, exactly what we were looking for. I’m still sore and have some pain, but this is progress, and a really good visit. Overall, it’s going to take a somewhere around a year to fully heal.
2. The doctor okayed me to fly, so Wizard and I are getting serious about a Hawaii trip late spring or early summer.
3. Maggie threw up the other night just as we were sitting down to dinner. Impeccable, and gross, timing, LOL! She seemed fine after that so it was probably just one of those dog things.
4. The weather has swung from big rains to dry and windy. My sinuses are annoyed. And everywhere I go, it seems everyone else is suffering allergies too.
5. Writing…well I didn’t jump ahead, instead I got the reunion scene like I want it for now. I’m hoping to move the book forward today, and tomorrow. Sunday is a Baby Slayer day

That’s my five! Your turn! I really do love hearing whatever you all want to share about your week. I hope all of you have a great weekend!

It’s Wednesday! Time to review our weekly candidate:

So what do you think, is he worthy?

The weekend was good!  Wedding dress shopping of Friday with youngest son’s finance was a success! She’s going to be a beautiful bride! I’ve known this girl 12 years, so we are very excited for the wedding in November.

Saturday, I was able to access my x-ray results ahead of seeing my doctor this week. My fusion is stable! That’s the good news. There’s one thing in the x-ray report I don’t understand, so I’ll find out what that means when I see the doctor on Wednesday. But knowing my fusion is stable is a huge relief. I’m hoping that Wednesday, I’ll be freed of the collar, at least in the day. I can deal with the soft collar at night if I need to keep wearing it.

Sunday we went to visit Baby Slayer, and as a bonus Middle Son and his wife came by too. Then we went to a Gymboree style baby play group. Wizard was out there crawling around on the mats with Baby Slayer, along with his parents. I was out there too, but it was so much fun just watching the way Baby Slayer brings out Wizard’s inner child. It was an awesome day! When we got home, I took Maggie for a long walk.

I maybe have overdone it a little bit yesterday, but it was all worth it.

Today, I’m writing, I’ve declared Groundhog Day Hell over and I’m skipping a head a chapter or two in order to move ahead. Once I know more about how the plot unfolds, I can come back and work on the skipped chapter(s). The problem with that is the logical side of my brain pitches a hissy fit when I don’t write it order, but I’m going to ignore the tantrum and go, go, go!

How was your weekend?

TGIF!! Okay here’s five quick and random things from my week

1. Thursday morning I was downstairs having coffee about 6: 45 in the morning when someone knocked on my door. Because I was dressed in pajamas, robe, wild hair and my super stylish soft collar, I looked out the window before answering and saw a police officer. Sigh. Since it was the fourth day of rain, I knew why he was there. To his credit, he didn’t even flinch when I answered the door looking frightful (trust me on that!). He calmly informed me he was there with an evacuation order and a lot more rain was on the way. However, he told us we could “shelter in place” which meant it was super dire, and we chose to do. As I’m writing this in the evening, it looks like the worst has passed by, and we should be fine. A final comment, I really appreciate the police coming by and notifying us. The officer was nice and helpful. I was never annoyed at him, a cop at my door before 7am is just not my preferred way to start the day
2. Sad news. My sister, Biker Witch and her husband, Biker Hubby, had to say goodbye to their beloved dog on Wednesday. They had her more that 12 years. I’m not sure how old she was when they got her from a rescue, I think about 3 or 4. She had a great life, but it’s so heartbreaking when you have to make a really tough but loving decision and say goodbye. My heart aches for them. And I sincerely hope that if/when that day comes with Maggie, that I will be as brave and strong as were when they did what was best for their beloved dog.
3. My book has been a version of Groundhog Day Hell this week, but I will prevail! Fighting with characters and story is normal for me, and I’m glad to in the battle again.
4. I’m reading BENEATH A SCARLET SKY, a novel based on a true story about Italy in WWII. My reading has been really eclectic in the last couple months to say the least.
5. This afternoon, I’m going wedding dress shopping with Youngest’s finance, her mom and I’m not sure who else. I’m excited that she included me. She’s going to be beautiful no matter what she chooses. And I also really like her mom so it’s a win-win.

That’s my five, now I’d really love to hear five random things about your week! I hope you all have a great weekend!

I’ll be honest, I only picked this one because I have a guitar just like his I haven’t played the guitar in decades, but I still love it for the memories. The guy doesn’t do much for me, and the pose strikes me as contrived and silly, but that could just be me.

So what do you think is he worthy?

P.S. We’ve done fine through the rains so far. As I’m writing this late Tuesday afternoon, the second wave of storms has just moved in, and we’re “on watch” but not worried yet. If it stays steady, but not torrential, we will likely be okay.

It was a nice quiet weekend. Writing, kind of, sort of, happened, but I’m more pleased have solved a plot problem that has bugged me forever. I’m still tweaking around the reunion scene, but it’s as it’s a huge turning point so it has to make sense.

I meant to tell you all that when I went to the courthouse for jury duty, I went through my first metal detector with my brand new titanium plate in my spine, and it didn’t set it off. That was pretty cool. I’d been told it wouldn’t, but it was nice to try it and see.

Anyway, Saturday rained, then Sunday was crisp and sunny with clouds, a perfect day for being outside. Maggie and I went on our longest walk yet since my surgery. I’m guessing we covered about almost two miles, going in the field and winding through the neighborhood. And I can work at the computer for a few hours a day with breaks. The book isn’t any easier, but I’m enjoying the challenge, while not letting myself reach a seriously stressed stage. Even Wizard commented that I’m doing well at walking away, and relaxing. He’s even started to ease up on the protectiveness just a tad.

So that was my weekend. This week we’re expecting rain Monday through Thursday, which is good news for our severe drought conditions that caused so many devastating fires last year. We’ll be watchful for flooding and mudslides, but so far, we’ve been okay. I’m keeping the other burn areas that are more prone to mudslides in my thoughts.

How was your weekend?