Farm Journal - 2025

[Hopalong]

An enormous YAY for Kay! Professionals like this make dealing with our aging bodies so much easier. Well trained, clear communicators, believers in informing and empowering us.

And particularly YAY for you, Amber. You're doing an amazing job of rational research and I'll go out on a well-focused limb to say again, I think you're going to be VERRRY happy with this change. And if I'm wrong I'll eat worms, promise.

More likely, when my turn comes I'm going to return to this post of yours for perspective. Thanks for sharing your process with us. And please be careful driving. Or better, maybe don't drive until afterward?

hugs
Hops

[sKePTiKal]

The new temp glasses are helping a lot with the blurriness Hops. I'll be able to drive, except when my eyes are dilated and immediately after the surgery. Info I got was 24 hrs immediately after surgery before I can drive. And that's a perfect opportunity for B to chivalralously "take care of me". Which I have no objections to. Done it for him, often enough. He'll probably cook that day too. Escort me, if I attempt to go up/down stairs - most likely quarantining me to the couch.

I will enjoy the extra mileage I'm getting from that reflex, while I can!  <wink wink> <giggle>

[Hopalong]

Ahhhh, yessssss.

Milk it for all it's worth, I say!
Let B earn his keep...not that he hasn't, in pain or out.

It's a nice thought though, you lolling on the couch while B waits on you hand and foot and Knuckles plays with your toes.

hugs
Hops

[sKePTiKal]

He's been really sweet through all this. And a lot more caring than some other. He lets me babble all my thoughts; puts up with my frazzles and talks me down again. He knows.

Hol's been a bit too wrapped up in her own stuff to show up. She does care & offers to do things to spare me crap & tedious or heavy work. But she's holding down her own fort too. Is OK. Cody got back from a work/family trip so I haven't seen much of her the last couple days.

I know I probably won't have perfect vision after all this, without glasses - but I'll take what I can get. When I was still tiny, Gramma always asked me to thread her needles for her. I can still thread my sewing machine - but a lot of it depends on the color of the thread. High contrast is easier to see right now. And I did get 2/3's the way through assembling a new console for the front door entrance. Lighter - 'coz of some wild hair, I went with French Country!! But it's solid wood, which is unusual in flat pack furniture. A whole day spent on the floor, bent in weird positions that rival alien insane yoga. The temp glasses are pretty helpful.

Things are ok here. What are youse guys doing this autumn?

[Hopalong]

To-dos. Trying not to make a to-do of To-Dos.

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

Ahhh, Amber.  Currently I learn all the differences between using ways unsanded grout and sanded....
on mosaic tiles....
with tiny half dots....
that keep coming loose.

I plan to grout the entire bathroom today.  Yesterday I finished the wall and flooring beneath the vanity....so we could get it in place, before storms beginning tomorrow.

I'm glad you're feeling optimistic about you ur eyesight. I was half blind, and didn't realize it.....just rubbed and rubbed my left eye, thinking my view was obstructed, not gone.  Everything is better, post op.  Just needed to let my poor brain adjust, and Bob's your uncle; )

Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

Lighter, I think I'd used glue - then grout.

Sigh. Strange week; my first eye surgery is next Thursday. S'posedly, the lift is on it's way - and we still don't have the hole made in the deck yet. The company isn't good at communicating. Rain & wind, and places to be got in the way. B is being way overprotective. Part of me wants to let him, at least a bit. And part of me resists; I'll be able to do a lot of things myself. Going to review section 1 of the Tai Chi form, to boost my propriception some.

Hol and Doc, get that I'm doing all the conscious work about just chilling out about the surgery, while at the same time - other less conscious, instinctive parts of me are still freaking out. It shows up in dreams and a sneaky dread/worry that I'll do something silly like have a coughing fit during surgery. I'm catching up with housework and planning for a calm recovery week; second eye should be easier. B knows I'll resist him being "hovering" too. But I'm planning to be pretty sluggy the first day or two. No stairs.

Still having some issues with the board. Tried to post a reply to Meh the other day, that didn't go. And can't get the site loaded sometimes, in the earlier morning. Fingers crossed - this one goes.

[Hopalong]

You got through! I've had on and off trouble posting, too.
But all seems well now.

If anybody ever put me in charge of anything computer I'd take to stone and a chisel.

Anesthesia turns off the cough reflex, and in fact is a great nap for many.

I slept 12 hours last night. The no-sleep nights and a few AM anxiety attacks (from too much news consumption, I know I know) had really caught up with me. And for a couple weeks I had no walkers for Pup so, wow, his cabin fever was through the roof. That means he goes for trampoline sessions on my bed, me being the trampoline. OW. 14-15 pounds leaping on me is quite uncomfortable! His young fella turned up this week though, as did his sister, so he joined me in the huge sleep last night...until noon. Woke up finding that my lawn was mowed and I hadn't even heard it. Lawnmowers under the window.

I'm glad you're preparing your inside for the surgery and eager to hear about the simplicity of it afterward, which may amaze you.

I know a big part of this is having no control, Amber. Maybe it can become something surprisingly good. An exercise in trust, or submission to the good in people.

hugs,
Hops

[lighter]

I don't know about Amber, Hops, but I'm relieved anesthesia turns off the cough reflex.  Lordy, I be was mentally wringing my hands once that thought was going on my brain.

Amber ....all will be well.  They do thes surgeries all the time.  Very common.  Very routine, yup yup yup.

Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

The lift is going in!! So far, so good.

But the deaf, ADHD, OCD person around here is about to make me crazy!!

[sKePTiKal]

Lift is all done. I'm pleased. It's a very simple functional "elevator". Will carry about 1000 lbs and is reasonably safe. There was a bit of panic over the measurements I was told would allow enough clearance for the box to travel through the deck. B made it one inch too short. But the installer told me the actual basket measurement was several inches smaller than I was given to believe. Now B is focused on A) making it pretty and B) keeping the cats safe.   <rolling eyes so hard they hurt>

When I'm doing something like this, I acquire all the information I need. I measure multiple times. I'm totally immersed in the project. Mr. Helpful constantly talks about all the things he thinks I haven't already thought about... and he obssesses over some of them. I usually gently hold him and kiss him... telling him to PLEASE stop talking until the current work is completed. From now on, I will be either asking Holly or contracting any other projects out. He assumes "ownership" over way too many things, and he moves so slowly working on them (Holly's jeep electical issue has been sitting a year, and still isn't done.) and like the rest of us, overwhelms himself with so many things going on. Because every week we have to go somewhere, or address other things.

I am not unfamiliar with phenomenon. Both my parents & grandmother were Aries and could make something like making breakfast as difficult as planning the Battle of the Bulge. It's kinda funny how much it triggers me. But, in the end, I understand he's trying to help and protect his "charges"... and I am responsible for managing my own emotional crap. I'm definitely doing something different now than I was THEN. It just feels weird. And will pass because distractions are taking my attention elsewhere, rather rapidly.

First eye surgery is tomorrow and like it or not, I am dependent on B for the first 24 hrs. Hopefully he doesn't overdo it. Having weird dreams and tomorrow is a full moon. SIGH.

Onwards, deliberately and slowly. Just use what I know to "think". Try not to imagine anything "extra" - or that I can't know for sure.

This too shall pass and I shall feel like a silly goose.    <grin>

[Hopalong]

Wish a B. would appear here.
I'm going to buy one of those "tupperware" sheds...four feet high and 2-3 deep, I think.
It'll fit on my lower patio, which I call the "industrial patio."

It'll need assembling. Will fit right under my bedroom window and be a very helpful storage
and plant-pots kinda place. My garden tools are all rusty, as just under the eaves was
all the storage I've had here. I could store them in the outside-access basement, but getting to the entrance while carrying anything is hard on the back.

I'll ask my newish garden guy if he'd feel up to the task.

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

Amber, my sister had a super easy recovery, after recent similar surgery.  Much easier than mine, 10 years ago.  Just remember to line up the toilet before dropping your weight.

Congrats on lift install, and good luck managing your emotions around old stuff and B.  Boundaries are a good, and necessary thing.....you already know that.  It's difficult to give up autonomy and control, once it's part of your life, IME.  Pick and choose what's important..... what's easier to leave go.

B has his triggers and charges too.......maybe speaking them, out loud, will diapers/reduce them?  Maybe you already have. 

Hops, I hope your little garden shed goes up easily.  I'm happily picturing your garden tools, pots and bags of soil arranged to your liking.  Projects more joyful....more ease.

Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

I was just a grumpasaurus. I think I'm over it. We're up early because (thank you time change) we went to bed shortly after dark. Last night Stinkers hopped up, sat on my book, and proceeded to give me lots of kitty kisses, even licking my eyelids! It was really sweet.

Yes Hops, you could use a B. Maybe a local high school youth group has service projects? I don't remember how it was organized, but I know I participated in some yard cleanups, and exterior painting for people requesting assistance. It wasn't affiliated with any school or church group, I don't think. But finding things for kids to do, used to be a "thing" back in the 70s.

If anything tweaks my triggers, i plan on "removing myself" from my bodily sensations Lighter. Deep breathing, mental focus elsewhere, whatever "magic" is involved for me to just "step out" for the 10-15 mins the doc said was required for the surgery. it's just the coming back that could be a tad dicey. And since the location of the surgery is right next door to B's pain management doc, he's going to pop in there and see if they've heard from the gov't yet. (Not likely.)

[Hopalong]

The incredible intuition and kindness of many animals blows me away. I note that he was kissing your EYELIDS. Wow. Go, Stinkers, you empathetic creature.

Hope it all went well today and you'll soon be through the wake-up tunnel, comfy and settled in for a couple more days of not much.

Sending much love and not much light until those big dark glasses are off....don't worry about anything. Maybe that's your real job right now. Releasing worry. Relaxing with full comfort. Releasing others' over- or under-reactions or clumsy help.

It's okay. You're okay, they're okay, and Stinkers is most DEFINITELY okay!

(One way I weather medical procedures is to go when I can into Very Grateful mode....orienting myself as both cooperative and appreciative, thanking everybody before and after, etc. If I do that I find my feelings do catch up with my intent and I actually am extremely grateful for their expertise. It's a good trust-and-receive experience, ime. But I also understand ymmv.)

hugs
Hops