Tomorrow makes four weeks since I had my knee surgery and I have not been on here much at all. This week I have to admit that I have been a pretty grumbly bear, growling and snarling and biting the air alot. Stir crazy is what they call it I guess. I keep coming here and finding I dont have anything to say really... and actually it is just not the same as it used to be. I miss my friends that used to come by all the time. I miss the community. Maybe it's just me... maybe I am bored with the Stream or just bored in general but I come in and surf a bit and leave again over and over not really having anything to say.

I thought I would be estactic to blog as much as I wanted but you know what? It's not fun playing by yourself so I don't feel like playing at all anymore. Maybe I am just in a mood. Maybe I am tired of doing the same things over and over and over day in and day out.

Maybe.....

I dont know.... just maybe.....

Well hello peeps! Today was a beautiful day...cold but still nice outside, like a crispy Fall day. I took a couple shots of the Bradfords and was going to post them and a few other pictures and discovered that I cant because my gallery already exceeds the limits! YIKES! No pictures? No funny pictures? Seems like Fall is bringing more changes than one to the Stream. So I guess unless I can upgrade I wont be able to post any more photos unless I clear out all of my other photos. Bummer.

On another note, today was a pretty good day. I actually spent a little bit longer on here today and was able to surf around and read other peoples blogs and even make a few comments here and there. I still have to get up and move around so I dont get stiff but as I said everyday is an improvement.

Today I felt like making some homemade potato soup so I told Lovie if she would help me so I would have to stand for very long that I would make it for dinner tonight. She has been so good through my recovery. She got out all the ingredients that I needed and opened the cans for me and cleaned the onion and such. I put it all together and let it cook on low all day and we just finished eating a yummy bowl of it. Boy was it good! Perfect for a cold Fall day like this.

I just throw in whatever I feel like when I make soup and most times it probably is not the same each time but that's kind of what makes it good. My grandmother used to cook the same way and I am so glad that I am like her in that. I am a great cook and very instintive meaning I can usually tell what is in something by tasting and then I can make it most times without a recipe. My grandmother never used to measure anything. She just threw in this and that until it was right to her and it always came out great. I love that I inherited her traits in cooking. She was a good down home country cook. I am too at heart but I try to cook a bit healthier than she did -I use less salt, less sugar and less fat hopefully. BUT not today!

I started off with a bunch of fresh potatoes and a large onion- washed and diced em up and into the pan they went. Then I added creme of celery soup, black pepper, parsley, water and a can of chicken broth. After those had simmered a while, I mashed up some of the potatoes in the bottom to thicken it. I added huge slices of Velvetta cheese, a large can of evaporated milk, and a can of fiesta corn. I let the flavors all blend together and the cheese melt and Wa-La! Soup was served! It was divine and rich and creamy! I usually add butter but not this time since I used the rich evaporated milk. I can tell Lovie liked it because her eyes rolled back in her head as she was eating... It only makes me smile. The woman loves my cooking and I love cooking for her.

As I said she has been taking great care of me, cooking and all... which cooking is not really her thang... but I am happy to be taken care of and am not complaining one bit in the least. I love her with all my heart so I appreciate everything she has been doing to take care of me. She is ready for me to get back in the swing of things too I think.

We were going to go out to eat for Thanksgiving originally because of my knee surgery, and then we discussed getting the Krogerine Thanksgiving meal thing to save us a bunch of time and work, but you know... I think I am still going to attempt to fix our dinner like I do every year. I was looking at the ads for all the deals and you just cant beat it with a stick! Yep, I think as long as Lovie helps me alot in the kitchen this year we will have a fine feast just like always... It's tradition, so why break it now?

Okay peeps... Lovie has been watching football and yelling at the tv today... we both have read over the Sunday newspaper with all the store ads and making our Christmas wish lists... yep... It's starting to get back to normal I think and starting to feel like the holidays are approaching! That's because they are!

Have a great one guys and gals and I will catch ya on the flip side.
Tomorrow morning I have PT again.. OH JOY!



Have a great Sunday night and I will talk to you all soon!

Love yas!
PolarB ;)

Okay Yes I know it is Friday Fives, but I haven't done them in quite a while..... okay what to write.... what to write???? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...okay here goes....

1. I am glad to be rid of the torture machine. Today was the last day I have to use it. I managed to get up to 114 on it. Goal was 120 ultimately but time ran out. I am happy with my progress anyway because it still keeps improving everyday. They measured my knee bend today at 106. Last monday it was 95.

2. I am looking forward to seeing a few movies-- One is Happy Feet and the other is Santa Clause 3, third one is The Museum. Yeah I'm a big kid at heart... so sue me!

3. The fall leaves are absolutely gorgeous this year and our Bradford Pears are nearly almost all burgandy and it is awesome to look out the window and see those beautiful trees.

4. I am bored bored bored..... Did I say how bored I was? I am gamed out and tired of sitting. I'd go hiking if I could! Maybe I will dream of hiking.... well I'd have to be able to go to sleep first. Please sleep come and let me sleep through the night.....
Yes I am a bit crabby today.... It's my perogative. You'd be crabby too!

5. My medical leave check came in the mail today! Yippee! I was a bit worried... You never know with insurance if they are going to pay you on time or not. That is a big relief off of our minds.

Okay.... Well that's my Friday Fives.... Have a good weekend peeps. I am in a writing mood so I may just create some more stories soon. Trouble is it is still not comfortable to sit here in front of the computer very long.

Later peeps.
PolarB ;)

I had physical therapy today again.... second time this week so far and man was it brutal! Monday they told me last week they were just being gentle with me so they could break me in slowly but this week all bets are off! OUCH! My quad muscle and my knee is soooooooo sore and feels fatigued. BLAH! But I am making good progress every single day and that is the best part of all. Today they had me doing knee squats of which I could squat about the length of a gnat's ass but all the same it made my legs shake so bad I had to take a break. Then I have to try to stand on one leg like a damn flamigo! Not once but five times for fifteen seconds each. Now I know that does not seem like a long time but believe me it is when you dont have any muscle strength to support it.

Then I had to do leg lifts from all angles! GEESH! Then they had the nerve to set my ass up on a bike of which the crotch of my sweat pants got hung on the front of the seat because the damn thing was too high up for me and of course how do you correct that in a politically correct way in public? So here I am trying to keep my butt crack from everyone's viewing pleasure all the while trying to get my legs to pump forward and backwards as far as they would possibly go! They set the timer at 10 minutes today! The dignity of it all! Finally after I was able to get off the dern thang, I just grabbed the back of my sweats and adjusted the wicked wedgie out of my butt cheeks! A girl has got to do what a girl has got to do! Dignity or not!

After about 10 other sets of various exercises the PT guy came over to bend my knee up as far as it would go. I have to admit I cried "I give! I give! more than once but he musta been deaf or sumptin.... the other PT girl was laughing so hard at all my faces and noise... Said it sounded like I was in hard labor or something.... yeah just let em trade places with me! I will show em some hard labor!

Actually I started talking about bloggin and of course they were like what is that? So I explained what it was and how addicting it can become. They asked me if I was going to blog about them and I said why yes of course I am! I told them that I was going to say that everytime I see Ryan (who is my regular PT guy) that he just makes me break out in a flushed sweat. He does of course but it is because of the exertion he puts me through. Kim who is the assistant PT is really cool. Besides laughing at all my grunting and moaning and hard breathing she actually is very nice. Gee in reading that... it's almost like sex on display... Hell I only wish PT was that pleasurable. But it isnt unfortunately but still it is what I must endure..

Eye on the prize! Eye on the prize! I will be hiking in the Spring! I will be walking without pain! I will not have to use that damn cane anymore! Eye on the Prize....eye on the prize!

All in all... it seems to be going well... it is just tough right now because they are really working me over good. Oh bonus by the way is I've lost 12 pounds since I had the surgery! That is excellent news and reason to celebrate for sure.

Side note was that Lovie and I had our 23rd anniversary November 3rd of which we have not been able to celebrate yet... I told her I think this year we will just have a anniversary month and we will celebrate whenever we can... Maybe...just maybe.. I can make it to the movies if I can possibly sit that long... and we can celebrate in that small way until I get up and on my feet again.

Well I guess that's all for now....--

Take it easy peeps and catch ya on the flip side!
Love,
PolarB ;)

Hello? Anyone home? Wow one thing I have noticed on my last few visits to the stream here is that the air has changed and there is a slight hollow sound like when you walk into an abandoned building and you can hear your own footsteps. If you listen real close you can hear the echos too.

I feel like the stream has changed quite a bit in recent months. Not really sure what to attribute that to, but there is definately a change in the air. Maybe it's all the new energy of the hundreds of newer peeps who have joined.... maybe it's the absence of the ones who made this place feel like home....which seems to be more frequent than not...I know people get busy and they have their lives, but it seems that slowly our community is fading away.....or maybe it's the ripples of negativity that are becoming all too common in the waters of this stream that muddy up the place like a big ole bullfrog digging in the swamp for bugs. Whatever the cause is, I feel the stream a changing.

Most times people resist change even if it brings about positive things. People become comfortable in their habits and rituals and they resist any type of slight change at all because of fear. Sometimes changes bring about good things and sometimes they dont. This new sense of change in the stream that I feel is different because I dont know and cant tell yet if this is a good thing or not.
Only time will tell.

I just wanted to talk about that since the energy felt strong today for some reason and I am in touch with it.

Now onto other things.

Lovie got me out of the house today and drove me to a park to get some fresh air and a different view. I was able to get out and use my walker and get my legs to moving a bit more than just wearing a path from the bedroom to the living room and back... LOL! Felt good to be out and about but it was also exhausting too and my legs felt it by the time we got back. Therapy is going good and they are working me hard like they should. Everyday I see some progress and that is soooo good. My torture machine is up to 100 degrees angle now for the bending of my knee which makes it really tight but I know it is doing what it is supposed to be doing. I am finally able to actually see my quad muscle moving. Tomorrow will be the start of week two in physical therapy and I know it will get tougher each time I go but it is soo good for me too to be up and moving around more. The only time I really have any real pain is in the evening and at night but really it has been fairly bareable. They switched me from Percocets to Vicadin and it seems to be doing okay. I am still not able to sleep through the night yet but it is getting better. Next week I am sure will be even better and for that I am grateful.

Well that is about it for today peeps. I miss the old days when we had so much fun and laughter on here and you could definately feel the sense of community... maybe the neighborhood has changed quite a bit but still for now, I wont put up the "For Sale" sign just yet.

Love ya!
PolarB ;)