Ice Escape-ades

If you haven't figured out by now, this chick is not a fan of winter. At least not the driving part. Or walking on ice and feeling like I should have ice skates on. Even though I have no idea how to skate!

Yesterday was an OK drive to and from work. Last night I went back up to Stevens Point to shoot some hockey. It was parents night so I said I'd get pictures ahead of time and stay for one period. Figured that would get me back home before the freezing drizzle started.

Glad I was able to go. I got the pictures and more. As two of players were helping me back off the ice, one of them handed me a rose – like they gave to their moms – and assuming I had to deliver it outside the rink to someone, I asked, "Now who does this one go to?" 

They said: "You!"

Awwww. That was so sweet! And I got my team hat, too. And some time with Mr. Zamboni (the machine, not the driver, ha). Oh and they ended up winning 5-4!

I tell you, it's the little things in life that make me smile! And having a mostly rain versus icy drive home was great, too.

Before I had left work in the afternoon, they'd already started closing schools for today in anticipation of the ice. Our team planned to just work from home to stay safe. I planned to watch Hallmark movies from home.

Nope, not playing hooky. Realized I have PTO to use or lose this year and, gasp, it's already mid-December. What?! Anyway, I called into my 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. meetings and then had the rest of the day off. And yes, got 2-plus Hallmark movies watched plus got hubby to rehab (the ice was melting by early afternoon) and got to choir practice tonight. Figured we'd cut it short and get us all home to beat the next round of this winter storm.

Of course it's not over yet. This is Wisconsin. And it's almost winter. We can't escapade, er ESCAPE, it!

Although the ground is still bare here, we could get up to a foot of the heavy, wet, white stuff over night – here and at the office in Point – and they've already called off school everywhere near here.

So maybe tomorrow will be a work-from-home situation again (and I'll really have to work this time) or the frazzled forecasters could be wrong. 

I hope they're wrong. The power blinked off here early this morning. I can't imagine what more ice and heavy snow will do. My poor twin up north spent the day without power! Uff da.

Be smart. And be careful out there! 

Talking Smart Doesn't Get You on the Nice List Either

I'll apologize in advance for what's coming this week. This is what happens when I talk smart! Didn't I learn anything about the talking thing yesterday? No, apparently not.

So my sister Ro texts a picture of the pretty wreath she put by Dad's grave. I commented on all the snow and was reminded that it is winter after all. I boldly and stupidly replied with...

A photo out my front door and a "Not here!"

Oh, I wish I could take those words back! Eight hours later and we're seeing this...

And this...

Either way you look at it, it's snow and ice and a mess. And, yep, my fault for talking smart. Or not so smart.

And selfishly the timing stinks because I have plans to escape the house the next 4 evenings! Oh, and that commute to work, which looks like it will be icy and sketchy both Wednesday and Thursday mornings. There's a change I'll work from home but that's no fun when we're doing Secret Santas at work and I still have more hollying and jollying to do!

We'll see how the forecast shakes out in the next 24 hours. In the meantime, be careful out there.

And if you love winter... you're welcome!

Nice List in Progress

Ever plug your name into one of those online name games on Facebook and get very accurate results? Yeah, me neither.

I did laugh out loud at this tonight! I mean I do take a break from talking once in awhile to laugh. But yeah... he's not wrong. Hopefully that doesn't nudge me off the Nice List. Think I'm safe earning points on that one just by default with hubby's knee surgeries.

Several others are also on that list! I can't believe we've had dinner delivered to our doorstep every night this weekend. We have the bestest friends in our life! We couldn't ask for anything more. 

Based on Santa's snarky opinion of me, that's probably a good thing! 

Anyway, we do appreciate the love. Knee pain sucks and Purple pain sucks, too! Yes, I'm acknowledging some bad television programming today. I guess there are more Lions on the Nice List right now so Santa had to do the right thing.

Just this once I hope. 

Enjoy every miracle this season brings. Even if they're meant to bring someone else joy! 🎅

Ice Time

While the last 48 hours have included routine applications of icing hubby's knee, I got some of my own ice time today. Yup. That's me and Mr. Zamboni reuniting for another season!

Our Pacelli-Assumption co-op team was hosting the Blizzard team from back home – a team of combined players from Luck, Frederic, Siren, Webster, and Grantsburg (where my cousin Tyler goes to school). Since a few of my cousins would be there, I did some wrangling with the patient care so I could be gone a few hours.

Yup, my sister-in-law agreed to Jimmy-sit for a while. Thanks, Sherry!

It was great to see Rachael and her son Luke, who goes to UW-Stevens Point and played in the pep band at the game today. Fun!

Since it was my first game of the year to shoot and I wanted to capture some players from both teams, I ended up taking about a thousand pictures. Haha. Not kidding. I'm done editing and uploading now. Here's a few of cousin Tyler ...

He looks a bit like my cousin – his Grandpa Gene!

Pacelli ended up beating them 7-2 but at least my cousins got to hang around the area for the night instead of hitting the road for that lovely 4-hour drive home. 

My time with them was short since I had to get home to my slowly-but-surely improving patient. Hopefully we'll turn a corner tonight and he'll get some sleep. I may or may not have random hockey dreams. Br-r-r-r.

Be careful out there and watch for ice!

Walker-ing in a Winter Wonderland

Today was just your typical Friday. You know, work and therapy. I prefer saying therapy over "rehab."

As expected, hubby had a rough first night with little sleep. Even with those magic pills! At least he's managing the pain a bit more proactively this time. But powering through his first physical therapy session this morning was as brutal as you'd think. 

My therapy session after work was trigger-point therapy. Also painful, but short-lived. And I feel loads better after.

Hubby's not quite there. I continue to feel helpless but am doing what I can. He's pretty immobile now and needs some assistance getting in and out of the recliner. I had planned to go shoot pictures of the Royals' double-header tonight, but really can't leave him alone for long. Pretty much how it was last time around.

He'll rely 100 percent on the walker for another two days, I'm guessing. Just grateful he hasn't had to maneuver that magical tennis-ball supported contraption through snow yet. I don't know how we escaped the forecast from last night, but we're OK with that! 

Thanks for the continued well wishes for him. And thanks to our friendly neighbors for delivering fish fries for supper. I certainly don't need spoiling just because he does... Not that I'll turn it down. 

I certainly won't take my healthy knees and mobility for granted ever again! Be careful out there.

Bionic Man :: The Sequel

Hard to believe that it's been 6 weeks already since the Bionic Man Steve Austin, er Jim Austin, had his left knee replaced. That meant today was time for round 2 – the right knee!

We were early to bed last night and up early today to get him checked in by 6:30 a.m. 

We've got this routine down now. After he was prepped for surgery, I went out to the waiting area and worked on my laptop a couple hours, then saw him in person. Then went home and worked some more and returned after he ate lunch. 

The doc said everything went well and that this knee – like the other – was overdue for a replacement. 

Same 2 discharge requirements as last time – after being served his antibiotics, he needed to walk around without his BP dropping or anything, and he needed some liquid success in the restroom. He accomplished both much quicker than last time so we were home around 3 p.m.

We learned some things last time and our primary focus is getting AHEAD of the pain and ice as often as we can. His left leg needs to step up now and be the strong one! I definitely won't be leaving him unsupervised much until we're sure Lefty's doing his job.

Thanks for the well wishes and support. We're just grateful for a skilled doctor, a flexible work schedule for recovery.

And the fact that we shouldn't have to pay 6 million dollars for the upgrade.

Count your blessings and be careful out there!

Trifle Tuesday Gets a Bit Nutty

If you didn't know, I do take requests for trifles. Today's was for a birthday boy at work and he just wanted something peanut buttery. Not chocolate and peanut butter, just peanut butter and well, peanut butter. So this is what I came up with. 

From the bottom up...

Bottom layer cubed up cake is a yellow cake mix that I added a half cup of PB2 (peanut powder to). I'd go a full cup next time. Just didn't quite add as much peanut buttery taste as I wanted. Though no one complained.

Next layer is just cheesecake-flavored pudding.

Next layer is crushed up Nutter Butter cookies then a layer of crushed up peanut butter wafer cookies.

They happened to have these in stock for peanut butter but they have a huge variety throughout the year and I grab them when I can. Their coconut ones are good and mint chocolate, too. They just happen to carry them at my Wal-Mart. Not sure about yours.

I repeated the layers and then added some Cool Whip on top and garnished with some Nutter Butters.

Based on the fact I had just enough left over to lick the bowl, I'm guessing it was OK! 

I still need to do a good holiday one before Christmas break. I still call it that since so many people are off! I'm thinking chocolate and peppermint with some tasty peppermint bark somewhere in the mix. Open to suggestions, per usual!

And it doesn't even have to be a Tuesday. We can go nuts any day of the week!