I Love My Job

We are having a slow day or two at my place of employment. From what I understand, this is completely normal between releases and I should enjoy it while it lasts. (I've already seen the busy time, so I am loving this.) So, while we wait for the chaos of the next project to hit, here are the kinds of things are going on:

• Right now, I hear someone playing acoustic guitar in his cubicle.

• A few minutes ago, someone had gotten a rubber dart stuck to the ceiling, so people were throwing balls at the ceiling to knock it down. Finally, someone duct taped my crutches together, and climbed on a chair to get it off the ceiling.

• Yesterday, my friends were holding stopwatch timed "crutch races" with my crutches around the building. (I did not participate for safety reasons--but I did laugh.)

• I took a long lunch and went and got my nails done. Long lunches seem to be almost mandatory.

• People sitting outside on the loading dock, with drinks (non-alcoholic--we are still on the clock) and/or cigars is becoming a regular occurrence.

• People are figuring out how to play 80's songs on recorders and playing them together, as a group, in the office. (Yes, recorders. Those white, plastic musical instruments from your childhood.)

• Yesterday, there was a common practice to end every sentence with "...if you know what I mean" and/or "...that's what she said".
  

This is one of the strangest places I have ever worked, but I truly love it here. These people are crazy!

I hate my crutches.
I hate that my arms are sore because of my crutches.
I hate the big ugly boot on my foot.
I hate how swollen my ankle and foot are.
I hate that I can't even carry my coffee across the room.
I hate that even getting into the shower is difficult.
I hate that this injury has totally screwed up my Halloween costume idea.
I hate that if I had just slowed down, none of this would have happened.
I hate that there is so much that I cannot do by myself.

However....

I love that I wasn't a wimp when the injury first happened--even though I wanted to cry and scream and felt like vomiting.
I love that the pain has decreased significantly.
I love that my co-workers are all so sweet and helpful.
I love that my ankle isn't broken.
I love that I have become really creative with using my 2 good arms and one good leg.
I love that my toes are painted on that foot, so they look cute sticking out of the boot.
I love that I will still be able to ski in February.
I love using the handicapped bathroom stall at work.


And most of all....

I love my husband. He makes and carries my coffee. He does all the chores. He waits on me hand and foot. He holds ice on my ankle. He tries to make me comfortable. He takes care of the dogs. He is my hero.

Ouch!

So, I had my first trip in an ambulance last night.

I was coming down the stairs in my house last night around 9:00 or so, and the heel of my shoe caught on one of the steps. I could feel myself falling, but there was nothing I could do to stop myself. I put my foot out to try to catch myself, and I felt my whole foot turn over and my ankle touch the floor. I knew that wasn't good. I started sweating and I felt a wave of nausea come over me. After a minute or two, my husband helped me get my shoe and sock off. My ankle was so swollen, it looked like (in his words) that someone had glued an apple to the side of my foot.

My husband desperately wanted to carry me out to the car, but I know him well enough to know that if he were to slip or miss a step, he would end up falling however he could in order to save me and probably end up injuring himself worse than me. I figured an ambulance was the best alternative so that one of us could remain un-injured.

Within about 10 minutes, the fire department and an ambulance showed up. Ugh. All of a sudden I had a team swarming on me with all sorts of equipment, taking my vitals and then I was on a stretcher and out the door. (I was, however, encouraged by the fact that my blood pressure after my fall was still better than the EMS guy's who was taking it. I guess that is a good sign--either that or he is in really bad shape!)

The EMS people wanted to give me pain drugs intravenously. First they tried to find my vein on my left hand. It didn't work. Then they tried my right hand. That didn't work. I suggested a pediatric needle, since my Mom has this problem too. Finally, that worked. Although, now I look like a junkie with bruises all over my hands.

The EMS guys thought my ankle looked broken. The ER doctor thought it looked broken and said that more than likely I would need to stay for surgery, if that was the case. After the x-rays, I surprised them all--it was only a bad sprain.

So I am on crutches because I can't walk, and I have to wear a giant, ugly, black boot (like the one Samantha had to wear on Sex and the City when she fell down the stairs), but at least my ankle isn't broken and I will still be able to ski later this winter. Whew! (That was my biggest concern!!!)

So, take my advice - when taking the stairs, slow down and hold on to the banister--because this is really not fun.

Friday Feast 10/20/06

Appetizer

What is your favorite beverage?

Non alcoholic - I love Diet Coke with lots of ice and fresh lemons squeezed in it. Mmmmmm.

Alcoholic - Red wine

Soup

Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

On my desk at work:

1 - My Ipod (currently playing "Stay With Me" by Rod Stewart)

2 - A big, red Starbucks mug filled with Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle tea (soooo good on a chilly day and they use real pieces of caramel in the tea bag!)

3 - Pink and green Post-It Notes.

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

I try to be honest most of the time. Obviously, no one is perfect and sometimes you HAVE to tell little white lies not to hurt feelings, etc, but I would give myself a 9 overall. I'm not a big fan of dishonesty.

Main Course

If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

I always thought that Intercourse, PA was such an odd choice for a name of a town. Maybe I would just tone it down a little for the poor Amish communities out there--maybe "First Base, PA" would be easier on the community. The sign welcoming you to town could read, "You've Just Made it to First Base!"

Dessert

What stresses you out? What calms you down?

Stresses me out - I like planning and sometimes I plan things in my head without other people having knowledge of it. Then, if something deviates from that specific plan in my head, it stresses me out a little, but I think I am quick to recover.

Calms me down - I like to curl up on the couch next to my husband and greyhounds and watch TV with a glass a wine while wearing some warm, fuzzy socks. It's the perfect therapy.

Cabin Fever

This weekend, we traveled from Franklin, Tennessee down to the Morganton / Blue Ridge area of Georgia to see my sister and her husband at their new cabin. The cabin was gorgeous and was perched at the top of a mountain. This is one of the guest bedrooms.

This is the view from their deck.

The leaves were breathtaking and we were surrounded by trees and forest.

We hiked, walked, grilled-out and admired the scenery.

Blue Ridge is the town that was at the bottom of the mountain. It is an adorable little town with cute shops, beautiful foliage and apparently a rooster that crosses the road so regularly, they had to install a sign.

You can't make up stuff like this.

Happy Birthday, Smoke!

This is my boy, Smoke. He is eight years old today.

He is gentle, sweet and one of the calmest dogs I have ever met in my life.

I knew we were getting a special dog when we adopted him because his "foster mother" (who only had him for 2 weeks) cried and cried when she had to give him up. (We actually suggested that she just adopt him and we would find another greyhound, but she said she knew he was going to have a good home with us).

He loves the couch more than anything. He sometimes gives up the opportunity to eat and/or go outside, just to stay on the couch.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Smoke! May you have many fabulous years ahead of you.

Grey Meet and Greet

Last Saturday, we took our greyhounds to a greyhound "meet and greet" with the local greyhound adoption group, Greys Matter. This is Hoola, one of the dogs at the event, pictured under the sign.



It's a great opportunity to get people interested in greyhound adoption, and our dogs love to go to them. That's my boy, Smoke, pictured below.


They are all used to being around other greys since they are exposed to so many at the racetrack before retirement. There is a lot of tail wagging and butt sniffing. You would think they were at a family reunion. That's my girl, Hollywood pictured below (along with Smoke's back and my foot).

Finally, pictured below, this what happens when you have greyhounds and you are decorating for Halloween.


To quote the words once spoken by a character we encountered as we were walking through a Tennessee haunted house: "Boo y'all".

What Happened to Just Regular or Decaf?

My husband and I were at Starbucks over the weekend. I had walked up to the counter after he had already ordered for both of us and we were waiting over to the side for our venti fat free quad espresso pumpkin spice latte that we were going to share. (Have you had the pumpkin spice latte? Mmmm.)

A woman was getting her coffee in front of us. She was older, well dressed and looked like what I might imagine a high-society southern woman might look like.

Most people who order at Starbucks are very specific about what they want. You go to Starbucks because you want to be particular about size, flavor and consistency. Why else would anyone pay this much for coffee?

This woman was not only particular about all of the normal things you are particular about when going into Starbucks, but she had one unusual addition to the laundry list of requests.

She wanted her coffee to be exactly 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

I don't even know what else to say about it.

Friday Feast - 10/6/06

Appetizer

Name a song you know by heart.

The Eagles Hotel California is the first one that jumped in my head.

Soup

What will you absolutely not do in front of another person?

Shave my legs. I like my privacy when shaving. I don't know why. Stop trying to spy on me when I shave my legs, dang it.

Salad

How often do you use mouthwash and what kind do you like?

Twice a day. Listerine Whitening Rinse.

Main Course

Finish this sentence: I am embarrassed when...

I remember accidentally grabbing the arm (rather affectionately) of a stranger when I was in DisneyWorld, thinking it was my husband standing next to me. I was mortified, but then I laughed and laughed...and then I was still mortified. The guy looked at me like I was nuts.

Dessert

What was the last food you craved?

Last night I was craving Mexican food. Taco Bell not only satisfied my craving, it was cheap too. And you just can't go wrong with a double decker taco.

Words of Wisdom

This is a photo of an inscription in the sidewalk in downtown Franklin, Tennessee where we live.

Supposedly, this brick was purchased after a Franklin woman received a pretty hefty divorce settlement when her husband was caught cheating.

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words, isn't it?

Cedar Point Halloweekends

My husband and I traveled up to Sandusky, Ohio this past weekend to visit Cedar Point. Being the big roller coaster fans that we are, Cedar Point is one of the best amusement park destinations for us.

They have 16 coasters.

We had so much fun!

Fall was definitely in the air and the park was decorated for "Halloweekends". We enjoyed riding two of our favorite coasters: Millennium Force and Top Thrill Dragster. Top Thrill Dragster got a little chilly riding at 120mph in damp 50 degree weather, but it didn't stop us from riding it twice!

For a short time, the rain poured down, but we didn't really mind. It gave us an excuse to ride the "haunted train" and snuggle up in the cold. It was a great weekend.

When we got home last night, we watched a special on the Discovery Channel about roller coasters and the people who regularly ride them. They described coaster fanatics as "Type T" people. These people's bodies apparently don't generate as much of a particular chemical (monoamine oxidase) as the general population. Therefore, Type T's seek out things that might be stressful for some people.

They showed roller coasters and downhill skiing as examples (both are activities that we go out of our way to participate in) of Type T activities. I thought about how I enjoy my work when I have the excitement of deadlines to hit. I thought about the horror movies and haunted houses we love to go to.

Hmmm...I thought I was just crazy, when all along, I might just be a Type T!