Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Defrocked

It was a week ago when I last posted...about Super Tuesday. The primaries continue, as we all know. The Democratic race is closing in. Hillary is losing her precious delegates to Barack, but I don't care any more. The important thing is that our country gets united. If it's through Barack, then so be it.

My heart's no longer there (don't get me wrong--I still pay attention!). Too many other serious things are going on, most of which I can't talk about. But I can tell you this:

My goal was to get the Xmas trees back to the basement BEFORE Valentine's Day, which is this Thursday. They're not quite yet into the basement, but they are at least both defrocked!


The Disney tree without Disney.


The Everything Else tree without anything but the bows.

BEFORE Valentine's Day is always my goal, only because I LIKE Xmas trees and want them lit as long as possible. But by VD, one DOES need limits, I guess.

THIS YEAR, however, the bigger reason is that Donica has rotator-cuff surgery on her left shoulder early on VD! Right now the procedure will scrape the bone spurs that are rubbing against her ligaments/muscles (too much lifting of suitcases and backpacks the last 4 years or so). IF they're tearing those muscles, the doctor will repair them, which will make the procedure more extensive, of course. So we're hoping for the lesser of the two evils.

She'll be in a lot of pain! (Sister Ruth recently went through all this with her husband!) But we're hoping for a speedy recovery in the following 2 weeks before she has a leadership week here in Atlanta the first week of March. Then the plan is to leave for Amsterdam on March 10. GOD WILLING AND THE CREEK DON'T RISE.

So, here's to goals and plans and all the stuff that happens between the cracks when only the Universe knows what's really happening.

And oh yes, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!


From Donica's mom's yard this past Saturday.

15 comments:

  1. (I just wrote you an e mail about two seconds ago!)

    A big "hoping for a successful outcome" for Donica and Happy Valentine's Day in advance.

    Beautiful daffodils. The Universe (mostly) knows what it's doing, I think.

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  2. Doing is simple compared to having to sit back and observe. The spaces in between, when we don't have any control, when there is no action we can take, these are the most challenging moments of our lives. Beat the drum of the outcome you desire.

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  3. Happy Valentines day to you too!

    And I do hope for a speedy recovery for Donica...

    Hmm - I think we will be in the same time zone and same continent while I'm in Switzerland!

    Lovely flowers!

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  4. Oh my gosh, daffodils! How lovely! So sorry that you have trials ahead. Hoping for the best outcome on Donica's surgery. (Oh, and low creek levels this spring.)

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  5. Real daffs! Lovely. All we have here are mounds and mounds of snow and in fact we are in the middle of yet another snowstorm right now, guaranteeing nasy dangerous roads for the morning rush hour.
    My grandbaby is already 2 days overdue so I am hoping that the snow will subside and the roads will be cleard by the time they have to make the hospital run.
    As for those Christmas trees, I'm ashamed of you.... they should all be packed away by Twelfth Night, or bad stuff will happen!!!
    All the best to Donica, I hope all goes well and it's a quick repair and recovery.

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  6. You did work hard to get those trees down before VD (grin) for me that is just amazing, I am just LOL if I would do the same with my Christmas tree, I always have a real tree, so imgagine all the needles on the floor in my carpet...bare branches with only the ornaments and the lights, I can 'picturit' and just smile, well you are familiar with my 'huge' imagination.
    For Donica I wish her all the best of luck with the upcoming surgery, no fun at all being familiar with her tight schedule of work, but now I would advise as 'doctor' Astrid, please take the time for a full recovery!! I hope it will not be too painful. The flowers are just amazing, we only have crocuses and 'snow/clocks/drops (??) but these will come soon too in my yard. Being Dutch and not all to crazy about 'American-celebration-days-flying-to-our-country' I was delighted with some really nice card in my mail box yesterday ;)

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  7. Christina: What good synchronicity, my friend. Good ESP! You are right about the Universe knowing. It always does!

    SHart: The spaces are where so much of it all is at, Rachel! We need to go there more often! Thanks.

    ET: I hope we will be with you in the same time zone then, Jen. There is a lot going on right now that is out of our hands, but we will trust for the right outcome. Thanks.

    Karen: Yes, daffodils. We need that reminder of resurrection! Thanks!

    Ex-S: They had lots of snow in Michigan, too, as I was talking to my sister yesterday. WOW. A real winter! And HA! You'll be happy to know I do not have one superstitious bone in my body! :)

    Astrid: Sometimes having a fake (silk) tree is just what the doctor ordered! :) We used to ALWAYS have real trees but that stopped several years ago, especially when we began traveling so much and couldn't keep up with the watering. I promise that I will be a good nurse maid to Donica after her surgery. I think the daffodils were there just for me to see and to be reminded of resurrection glory. It sounds like someone was trying to rub VD in, if you're not that crazy about it! Hmmm. Good for him/her!

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  8. It's your turn to take care of your dear spouse's shoulder, poor things. I hope hers will be minimal and her recovery will go as well as Don's.

    Ah, so this is how it will be for us next Christmas, since we had to break down and buy a silk tree after Peter's allergic reaction. We bought in the post-Christmas sales, and it's still in the box.

    Ohh, daffodils. I have to keep telling myself that those early daffodils come in a climate with NO WINTER (which I love) and HOT-LANTA SUMMERS (which I don't love). So I will wait patiently! :)

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  9. Your Christmas tree was still up??!! I couldn't have done that because ours was a real one... Can you imagine what would be left of it?? LOL! ;)

    I hope that all goes well with Donica and that she has a speedy recovery. Let me know if your plans to Holland change (due to the OP). We'll be there on March 20 (as far as planned)

    Happy Valentine's Day to you both. May your love keep flourishing as it has up to now :)

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  10. Ruth: There comes a day when we all must switch, I think, to silk! :) Anyway, yes, this is how it is. You can keep it up as long as you want! If I need to call anyone about Donica's surgery, you'll be the first, so be prepared. Thanks.

    CS: HA! Yes, Sandra, it was still up. :) Thanks for your thoughts towards us and YES, we still plan to be in AMS in March. I will pray for that. It's HIGH TIME we meet after all these years!

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  11. Happy valentines day to YOU and DONICA. Musketeers until the end. Your words and these daffodils brought a tear to my eye mijn vriend.

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  12. I really hope that it's not as painful as it's supposed to be for Donica..........here's wishing you a beautiful Valentine's day...those daffodils added color in my otherwise dull day, Ginnie. Thank you :)

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  13. Happy Valentine's Day and hope all will work out in the end. Oh i wish for daffodils, but the weather is still way too cold and snow is just starting to melt all away.

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  14. Ginnie,
    I hope the recovery is going well, and Atlanta is coming out of mercury retrograde!

    Miss you,
    Susan

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  15. I do hope you had a nice Valentine's day after all and even more: I do hope Donica recovers real soon. Of course she, but also you deserves that!

    Wishing you the best week ahead :-)

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