Rest of Spring Break 2015 *Graphic Pic Warning

(Do not scroll down if you are sitting in a busy waiting room or you have a weak stomach - you have been warned.) We came back from 50-degree weather in Wisconsin and headed for 70-degree weather at the beach. A little cool for swimming, but nice enough to take the dog for a paddle board.


I met my sewing buddy Robbie at a nice restaurant for lunch, and was planning to do a nice review of them, so I took a bunch of pictures. This is the cool fish tank with stingrays and all kinds of fish you can pet...I guess.


These were the cool light fixtures, and the food at lunch was GREAT!


Love the decor! Alas, I took the family back for dinner the next night, and was really let down, so no big review now. But if you're in a boat in Wolf Bay and want to dock at the Cayman Grill, definitely stop for lunch on the deck. If it's nighttime and you want well-cooked fish, keep on going! One funny story - the waitress, who seemed to be from another planet, took our drink orders, then brought the boys' Cokes in tiny kids' cups with bendy straws. Lucas, the 12-year-old, would've been offended if this happened just to him, but it also applied to 18-yr-old Drew, who's 6'2 with a buzz cut. We all cracked up and Drew immediately Snapchatted a pic to his friends. Then when she took our food order, she actually asked him if he wanted the adult pizza or the kid's pizza! The hilarity did not quite make up for the overcooked, unseasoned fish, sadly.


On Saturday, I got up at 6:30 AM to run a 5K - go me! Unfortunately, I came down the stairs in my sock feet, which is a big no-no for someone with Mad Cow disease, as you can see from previous posts. So one foot flew off the step and I fell straight back onto my derriere and right hip, which were clothed in slippery running shorts, so I proceeded to bump down 10 steps as if on the lubed-up sled from Christmas Vacation. My forearm banging on each step didn't even stop me, but THIS time (yes, this was the second time I did this) I didn't bruise the arm up, at least. So I was trying to dress and leave the house quietly, but Dean did jump up to come check on me. I walked around and didn't seem to have broken anything, so I went on and ran the 5K - booyah! Even shaved 3 minutes off my time (33:46), but this was because there were only about 25 people running, and I didn't want to be the last one. Now hold the phone, because I just checked the results, and would you believe that I came in 3rd in my age group?! I'm going back to count - I bet there were only 3 of us.


Okay, back to my Mad Cow. I came home, ate a nice breakfast Dean made for me, loaded up with ibuprofen for the hip pain to come, got in the bed, and proceeded to have that hysterical laughing then crying thing I do after falling - it was just delayed a little because of the 5K. It seems to be a combination of happiness that I haven't broken anything when I fall, and sadness at the inevitability of a broken hip in my future. Whatever...here's that graphic pic I warned you about. It's quite educational in what happens to your leg when you fall down and you're on aspirin. I'm hoping gangrene doesn't set in....and that Giovanni Ribisi doesn't show up and declare my leg "south of cheese."


There was another large bruise perfectly outlining my coccyx down to the 3 spinous tubercles, but I'll leave that one to your imagination. Here's the anatomical diagram. (Yes, if you Google-image that, somebody posted their actual bruise.)


Let's leave you with something more appetizing - this is how Dean fixed Cuban sandwiches for us when we had to come back to the real world of school and work. The man is a whiz with cast iron pans!


Now what are you doing this weekend?

Overdue for a Fall

Well, it was bound to happen sometime, huh? I had 2 bags of groceries and was walking so nicely through the parking lot without a care in the world. I had to step up on a curb to get to my car, but that dadgum left foot (it always seems to be the left one!) missed its cue and sent me sprawling in the dirt. Both bags went flying, my sunglasses hanging on my shirt got bent and a lens popped out, and my left sandal stayed behind. This was not an easy recovery since I sprawled all over the place, so I got up and unlocked my car with one shoe on, went back and gathered groceries (thank you, God, that the milk didn't burst), found my other shoe, and then a very nice young woman going in the health club next door asked if I was okay. Oh crap, all those people on treadmills facing the parking lot...should I go collect some tips for providing the entertainment?

I drove home with brown knees, a scrape on the left one, a bloody right toe (how'd that happen?), ruined sunglasses, and dirt on my groceries. I think I'll be touring assisted living homes later this afternoon.

Another One Bites the Dust....Again

This time it was Jake's fault. I brought Max the neighbor dog over to play, and as soon as the gate swung open Jake ran out and jumped on Max. I yelled for them to come back and made the mistake of walking through the gate in front of them. I saw Jake barreling towards me and stepped to the left to get out of his way, but he went left too. Ka-boom! I was looking down and saw him take my legs right out from under me. Just as I was landing in a pile of dirt and leaves (what, no dog poo?) Drew exclaimed, "Oh! Are you o-KAY?" So sweet. I sustained 2 gouges on my left hand, a scrape on my right palm, and a crick in my neck that hasn't gone away yet. (I won't share what the dogs sustained for their behavior.)

Some people do yoga to stay flexible, but I think falling down is working fine for me.

Can't Help Falling...

So if you've been in the archives or are a regular reader, you may remember a trip in New York City...yes, IN, not TO, as in I fall down go boom in a fancy hotel lobby. Well I took another trip this morning at the beach. I was coming down the stairs barefooted and that left foot just flew right off that step - luckily I fell backwards instead of forwards or this could've been tragic.

As it was, it was quite comedic - Chevy Chase couldn't have done better. Drew was sitting at the table and turned around as the thudding started then went on for quite a while. To his credit, he didn't smile or laugh until I started, but first asked if I was okay. Then when the hysterical laughing began (I always laugh hysterically after I fall unless strangers are watching), he asked incredulously, "Are you LAUGHING?" Once he realized 911 was not necessary, he described how funny I looked bouncing down each step rapidly on my bum. (I was wondering why it took 5 steps to stop when you've got an elbow, wrist, and iliac bone applying the brakes.)

Then the hysterical laughter threatened to turn into sobbing, but that would confuse the children, so I nipped that in the bud. Now I'm the proud owner of a black and purple stripe in the nether-regions as well as a greenish-blue swollen hematoma from wrist to elbow. (When that one darkens up I may post a picture!)

Back From NYC

I'm back! I had a weekend trip to NYC (New York CITY!!!!!) for work, and all I have to say is do not EVER stay at the Hyatt at Grand Central. Unless you bring your irritable crying babies. Or a very loud Ipod. Those walls are paper thin.....and by paper I mean toilet paper. On one side was a nice couple (and by nice I mean I couldn't hear them talking much) with a kid who screamed needlessly at any time for any reason. On the other side was a Hispanic family (although Saturday night they seemed to be speaking French) who were rather loud and sick. The poor lady coughed all night. I started to shove some Sucrets (who remembers Sucrets???) under the adjoining door, but I didn't have any Sucrets. Yes - both rooms on either side of me were adjoining. When I went to bed (and by went to bed I mean lay under the covers to listen to them instead of sitting and listening to them) I could even see the nice people's light under the door! That's the only time I've ever excused myself after farting in a hotel room alone.

(Oh, see what I did there? I made up a funny joke that would embarrass normal people, but I don't ever have gas or fart, so I can say that and not be embarrassed, because everybody KNOWS it's not true.)

The other funny thing was that I fell down in the lobby Friday night on the way up to my room after dinner. Now that was really funny, but don't tell Dean or he won't let me out of the house without an aide! I was coming down 4 little marble steps to the bank of elevators in the huge grand lobby, and somehow my left foot went into space instead of that last step, and I found myself falling gracefully to land on both knees just as pretty as you please. It must've looked like I meant to do it - there was no flailing or gasping, although there's no telling what my face was doing. Two British ladies were getting off the closest elevator and one of them said, "Are you alright there?" while turning to come to my aid. But my expression must've been so peaceful and I said, "Yes, I just missed that step completely," and somehow rose back to my feet without using my hands, so she quickly diverted back to where she was headed. (That or she thought I was dangerous.)

Anyway, I don't think I'll travel alone to big cities too much more by myself. Between the clutziness and the Mad Cow I'm a danger to myself and others. And if I ever do go back with an aide, we sho' won't be stayin' at the Hyatt!