Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Getting all my Ducks in a Row.....

 Monday morning, as Louis Dean and I sat out on the kitchen deck with our coffee, 


.....this beautiful butterfly came to visit.
We usually see some critter or another just about every morning..... dragon flies, bumblebees, birds, or - as was the case a few days ago - an ugly rat! It ran down the pole of the bird feeder and under the fence! The good news is - we also have a full grown oppossum living under our deck and, guess what? They love to eat rats! The reason we KNOW we have an oppossum? The other night Louis Dean was sitting on the driveway waiting for me to come out, when one sauntered right up to where he was sitting and looked at him.
Louis Dean said, "Well, hello there!" That's when our friend turned around and headed back across the front yard.

I have surgery scheduled for in the morning so I've been getting all my ducks in a row.
First thing - Summer and I went for pedicures at Hollywood Nails on Beltline Road.


They do excellent work! Louis Dean had a pedicure a month or so ago and he said it was the best one he'd ever had!


Summer really needed a little TLC.....


We both chose pumpkin colors!
My big toes have had two surgeries on them and they got shorter with each one.
I'm not complaining because without the surgeries, I would be crippled up.


We decided to go to Chilli's for lunch and margaritas to celebrate.
It was SO good.

So - one task done!
Next up? Aldi!
I wanted to make sure we had a stocked fridge during my recovery.
Summer had her basket and I had mine and we rendezvoused  over in the dairy section.
I had already picked up a gallon of milk and needed some eggs. The cart just inside the door to the refrigerated room was empty - but there were two full carts stacked with eggs right behind it. So I opened the door and walked in and picked up my two dozen eggs. Then when I tried to open the door to get out - it wouldn't open!! I was so glad to see Summer! I was knocking on  the door and the other shoppers were just staring at me. She said, "That's my MAMA!" and opened the door for me!!
Turned out - I was pushing on the wrong side of the door so I wasn't really locked in after all!
Still......it was one of those 'I Love Lucy' moments!

I came home and put up groceries, started laundry and did a few more chores before deciding to take a nap at 6:30. It felt so good that when I woke up, I fixed a glass of tea and went back to bed for the night. Poor Louis Dean didn't know what to think.

Tuesday I had a pre op appointment at the hospital and arrived one HOUR early!!
I couldn't believe it, either! Once again, Summer had come over to go with me and we had dropped a goodie bag off at Kimmy and June's on our way to Arlington.
Turns out that being early was a good thing - I went to the wrong hospital!
I was at USMD instead of Medical City!
I assumed this was the right hospital since I'd had my EKG there.
It took a good half hour for them to figure out I was at the wrong one so I arrived at Medical City - still a little early - for my 12:30 appointment!

Checked that off and then we picked up some pizzas on our way to visit Jesse.....


This time he was not in bed!
Slowly but surely, he is healing and doing well with his physical therapy.

I have to admit, I was not feeling well at all. So deeply tired and my neck and shoulders hurt and I had a headache. I loved hearing my son and daughter visit - you know that's music to a mother's heart! But I was fading fast and still had a few more things to do that day.
As in pick up a prescription for antibiotics. I have yet another UTI!
SO happy I have this surgery scheduled.

We stopped at Walgreens in Irving and then drove to the Sports Clips in Grapevine where Yulisa works.
Summer was trying to check us in on her phone but I just got out of the car and went on in.
Yulisa had already checked me in when I sent her a text saying we were on our way.
I gave her a big hug and then settled down while she worked her magic.


Not only did she give me a great hair cut - and is there anything that can relax you like having someone do your hair???  Then she shampooed my hair after she put a hot lavendar scented towel over my face. Ahhhhhhh.......I was feeling better already!
But wait! There's more! Not only did the shampoo chair have a built in massager - Yulisa gave me a shoulder massage after that!


Now it was Summer's turn!


I was feeling so much better by now and I LOOKED a whole lot better!!
Thank you, Yulisa!

Our last stop - Trader Joe's!


Another reason I love September!
It's the start of 'Pumpkin Season!'


I liken walking through the doors of Trader Joe's to the same way I feel when I enter a Starbuck's.
There's the very same kind of  'AH' moment!


I had not seen ANY pumpkins in the stores yet so I was excited!


How special was this??


I bought several bags of the Orange Chicken and Vegetable Fried Rice for easy meals next week as well as a few other good thing!

Summer drove us home by way of Los Colinas.....


and we saw this!
Normally, there's flowers here but they have been replaced with American flags.

Back home and it was nearly 7:00......
I was in bed by 8:00. I don't usually go to bed so early and certainly not two nights in a row!

Today has been a cleaning, cooking, laundry day.
Changed the bed linens, cleaned the bathrooms, vacuumed the entire house and that's something I won't be doing again for awhile. Vacuming is a real total body workout!

My bag is packed and I will only be gone one night. 
I will be going to bed as soon as I close out this journal entry as I have to be there at 7:30 in the morning for a 9:45 surgery which will take about 90 minutes.

Louis Dean loves to give me unexpected cards 'just because' and sometimes they are sweet, other times funny....and then there's .....


THIS one!!

It did make me laugh!!!



23 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

I am saying a prayer for you tonight! That all goes well, it will be successful, and you recover FAST! Your blog looks beautiful, is this a new background? I love the card!

Sharon Larson said...

Prayers for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery Linda.

Blessings, Shari

Bluebird49 said...

Oh dear Linda! I thought it was for Friday, for some reason. I know you may not see this before your procedure, but please know I just said another prayer that things go perfectly and no more UTIs after that.
You and Summer look great and so did Ulisa, the magic woman. Oh, the orange chicken makes me hungry right this moment, 3:44 a.m.😎 So glad Jesse is healing well! You have had a very busy few days. (Like that's something new! 😊)
I hope you will heal quickly because so many people need Linda Chapman!!πŸ’• Including me, my friend, and scores of family and friends -- you are so special.πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•
πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™
A very dear, dear nephew of ours passed away from cancer today, and it really brought us down. We loved him just a bit more than all the many nephews on both sides-- he was such a sweetie. But I know he has seen Jesus's face now, and we have to smile about that, and that he is no longer suffering. Please say a prayer for his wife of 40+ years, Cindy. She has been so strong through all this, but now and after the funeral Sunday, she will be alone. He was her rock. She has her faith, though, and we are never alone when we have Jesus our true ROCK.
Love you!!πŸ™πŸ’•

Hootin Anni said...

Rofl on the card!! Love it. Also, love your hairdo. But, most of all, you had me rolling with the I LOVE LUCY moment.

Good luck with the surgery Linda.

Kathy said...

Praying for you as you face this surgery. It will make such a change in your life.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I am wishing you the best day and hoping you will be feeling as good as you look! Love your pretty hair and cute outfit...Summer is adorable too! Take care!

MimiG said...

Included you and your docs and nurses in my morning prayers Linda. You are such a special person and I am so grateful for our friendship.
I like Trader Joe's too, don't do Starbucks though, I'm a Dunkin Donuts kind of girl - love their bagels!

MadSnapper said...

prayers for your surgery and I think you are the only friend I have that gets hair done and mani pedi before surgery. ha ha.. sorry about the uti return. i would never go in a regrigerated place that had doors, because I would KNOw i might get trapped. even though you were not, Murphy Law Lurks... made me laugh.. hope you are feeling better today. I am not, finished steroids yesterday, have antibiotic through sunday but am still the same, i have a call into the doctor

Changes in the wind said...

Hope all goes well and you are back home while reading this. I can just see you in that case and how funny people just stared at you and didn't open the door. Glad Summer is there with you and you can do things together.

Arlene G said...

Best wishes on your surgery Linda. I got so tickled at you getting "locked" in at the grocery store...sounds like something I would do!! I am just not good at those push/pull things. So glad Summer is there to be with you and chauffeur you around for those appointments.

Vee said...

Keeping you in my prayers. I know this is not your first rodeo and that you know what to expect, but I am praying that it will even better than last time. Don't fret about blogging. We know where you are.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Sounds like you have done everything you could do to be ready from head to toes. Prayers for a successful surgery and a quick recovery !

Jan said...

Praying for your surgery to go well and for a speedy recovery!

photowannabe said...

Your Hubby is a real Prize Winner..love his card!!
Prayers for you and your recovery...
Love you lots Linda!
Sue of photowannabe
https://allredmop.blogspot.com

Jackie See said...

Linda, I am praying your surgery went well and you are recovering well. Take some time to pamper yourself and let your body heal. I know you will be using each minute to lift someone else up, that is your purpose and you do it so well. Today I want to lift you up! Give yourself a hug and have fun making new friends in the hospital! Love to you! jackie

Carole said...

Linda, will be thinking of you. I hope your recovery is fast. Had to laugh at your I Love Lucy moments ... Cheers

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Also wishing you well during and after your surgery, Linda, and it seems you domprepare from grocery shopping to getting your toes and hair done. That sure was a cute card from Louis Dean.πŸ˜€

Vick said...

Thinking of you, and wishing you the very best surgical outcome. I have to face this too, but I believe you are braver than I.

Love seeing Summer, and I'm so glad she is nearby to take over the things that you are not able to do.

Please take care.

Great-Granny Grandma said...

Wow, you are amazing. Can't believe how much you got done, even not feeling well.
Your and Summer's toe nails look so pretty, and that experience at the grocery store made me chuckle--although I'm sure it didn't feel funny while it was happening.
Praying for a successful procedure, speedy recovery, and no more UTIs down the road.

Deanna Rabe said...

Praying for you friend!

BeachGypsy said...

GET WELL SOON my friend!hope the surgery was quick correct and successful ! Thinking of you please take care!

Lady Samy said...

Hello, dear. It's been a while since I visited your blog. Today I took a break and came to see your adventures. I'm sorry you're not okay. I hope you can face this phase with courage. Hug
Blog Lady Samy/Facebook/Instagram/Youtube

Far Ago Farm said...

Hi Linda, hoping your surgery went well and you are on the mend. Jane