What a Difference a Week Makes

Let's begin with the good news of the past week, shall we? I had a great birthday! We celebrated at Austin's, our fave High Point restaurant, with an excellent dinner and a toast to another good year. And then, the song having been sung, we fired up the three candles ("past, present, and future") on my cake. Ooh...we all know how much I love cake!

I mentioned this on Facebook, but I'm still amazed at how closely the rose on my card from Mr. T (shown above) resembles the beautiful bloom on one of our new roses called Hynotized! (shown below)...which became part of my birthday bouquet. 

In other good news, as of the start of this week, I have retired my cane 'cause my foot feels better. Make that much better. Apparently, the foot doc knew what he was talking about (2-3 weeks)...imagine that. Anyway, I'm up-and-at-'em once again, although the observant might notice a slight limp. I have faith that will be gone in another week or so.

And now for the not-so-good-news. We had planned to take a little trip to Gatlinburg last weekend. However, on Friday morning, just as we were getting ready to take the pups to the Glamour Slammer, Mr. T noticed that Abbie was exhibiting some strange behaviors. She was quite agitated, wandering the house in a dazed state, and vomiting a mucusy-bile. Then she began pawing and scratching at her face and neck. Finally, she stumbled around and kind of fell over, like she was stunned.

I called the vet, but while I was talking on the phone describing the situation, Abs appeared to be settling down. She was breathing normally, drinking water, and she had stopped the frantic pawing activity. The vet suggested we monitor Abs for the time being, and if things changed to bring her in. 

So we "monitored her" for several hours. We followed the vet's advice to try to get her to eat, limiting her intake to plain rice (which Mr. T fixed...because he's gotten pretty good at making rice...;-) and some shredded chicken (we were lucky to have a leftover rotisserie chicken on hand). And, all the while we kept pondering "what was wrong with Abbie?" 

Well. Mr. T may have figured it out when he observed some wasps on the deck. We think she may have snapped at one (or more), like she does when the buzzing bees bother her in the garden, and she may have been stung by one (or more)...possibly even in her mouth. Looking back on her behavior, she was exhibiting signs of an allergic reaction. And doing some research on that makes me think we should take her straight to the vet should this ever happen again. Live and learn. 

Meanwhile, we had to make a decision about our trip. Should we go or should we cancel? Since we had a 5+ hour trip ahead that would mean being away for two nights, we chose to cancel and stick close to home. The mountains will still be there in a few months.

So we spent a quiet weekend at home, enjoying the simple pleasures: harvesting garden goodies like watermelons and sweet corn, playing with our Pound Puppies (who were both better by the next day), and just catching up with each other. It was nice.

Now, it's time to get caught up with all the other things I've had on hold. Since we have more tomatoes and cucumbers than we know what to do with, I am in full-on pickling mode: salsa, green tomato relish, zucchini relish, and sweet pickles. We enjoyed our first sweet corn over the weekend, as well as cutting into our first ripe Sugar Baby watermelons (check out the pics above). Oh my goodness...makes the hard work of gardening worth it!

I hope to get everything under control this week, since it looks like I'll be in GA more than NC in the next few weeks. A week ago, I was struggling to imagine ever walking normally again, much less getting things nailed down so I could start traveling. Wow! What a difference a week makes.

Indeed.

I Am Not Amused

Uncle! I give!! Enough already!!! This isn't funny anymore...if it ever WAS a laughing matter. Title says it all.  Not. Amused.

First, some background, which I have mentioned in this space before: I used to shake my head and chuckle at Nana/Momma/Edith, who could come down with some of the most obscure health problems in the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR). There for a while, it seemed she was playing "Stump the Doc." And Daddy was no piker either; I mean, really...aplastic anemia? Good grief.

So, I guess as I age, you could say the chances I would start repeating my family history are high.  Oh, not repeating the diagnoses, mind you. Just repeating the "odd and bizarre" part of the family legacy. 

Well, here I go again. Actually, I'm not going anywhere...

In my last post (which was ostensibly written about my odd and bizarre diagnosis of Bell's Palsy and its legacy, synkinesis), I may have mentioned learning what sesamoid bones are...and that I had a "chronic" stress fracture of one in my left foot. Not entirely sure how or when it happened, but I'm blaming gardening: at least the practice I had (past tense, please note) of using a kneeler while working on my raised beds and hyper-flexing my toes (which were encased in fairly stiff garden clogs, mind you) when I sat back on my heels...in order to relieve the pressure on my aching back. I probably aggravated whatever I did gardening when we went to a Braves Game to celebrate Father's Day...and walked a "nice stretch of the legs" from the parking lot to our seats in the stands on the third base side. Oh my aching ball-of-the-foot!

Trip to the foot doc (same one who treated Momma for Morton's neuroma...had to look that one up at the time...:-), X-rays, diagnosis, and directions to RI_E...which is the usual RICE, without the compression. "Self-correcting in 4-6 weeks," says he. "If the rest, ice, and elevation don't resolve the pain in two weeks, come back for a steroid injection." Right. And knowing how much I despise needles, you can imagine how fast I wanted to run from the building, right?  Hampered by the aching ball-of-my-foot pain, I limped away as quickly as I could...putting distance between me and the doc.  That was on a Wednesday. 

After being a sloth for a whole weekend, I realized that not only was my ball-of-foot pain still there, I now had top-of-foot pain...but higher up than the toe area. Ball-of-foot pain = "bruised-like, pressure-pain." Top-of-foot pain = "sharp, stinging, sensitive-to-the-least-touch pain." As in, I was having difficulty tolerating the ice pack touching my foot. Simply put, it hurt. I was reluctant to leave the confines of my recliner because walking was becoming difficult...even the crab-like forward progress I was employing to get from the recliner to the bathroom...my only real destination for days...even after I broke down and started using a cane. And, in addition to the daily dose of Celebrex I already take for arthritis and back problems, I was now consuming way too much Tylenol and aspirin for the foot pain (I can't take Advil or Motrin, unfortunately). Back to the doctor on Monday.

And he says, "well you have another problem unrelated to the first." Say what?  It seems I had somehow managed to develop a ganglion cyst...same foot, different place.  (Ganglion cyst of the foot...explained here. ) And this time, I wasn't getting out without having close encounters with his needles. Plural.  

Sigh.  Double sigh. Triple sigh, even. Actually, I "sighed" 11 times, for pity's sake. Which, I suppose is better than CRYING 11 times. But not by much. It took 9 shots of Novocain to deaden the nerves and tendon where the cyst was located before he finally aspirated the thing and gave me the steroid injection. Three sets of three, none of which seemed to do the trick. Sigh...again.

Picture taken after the second set of three shots. OW!

Funny story: so, I'm on the exam table, which was arranged quite comfortably to allow me to lean back while my feet were propped up for the procedure. And then I remember my "focal point" training from childbirth classes, way back in the day: select a stationary object to focus your attention upon in order to calm your breathing, decrease anxiety, and help get you through "temporary" pain like a contraction. Looking out the window next to the exam table, I spot a perfect object to focus my attention while he gives me the first series of three "deadening" shots. Eyes locked on my focal point...breathe in, breath out, breathe in, breathe out. OWWWWWWW...stop! Focus...breath in, breath out, breathe in, breathe out. OWWWWWWW...stop! Focus...breath in, breath out, breathe in, breathe out. OWWWWWWW...stop! 

And then, I had to laugh. I realized that the object I'd selected for my focal point was the bright, red STOP sign at the end of the parking lot. Subliminal message. Stop...indeed!

I survived. And I have been a halfway decent patient since. Ok, so I'm restless, but I've done very little requiring me to walk or stand for long periods. And I seem to be making progress, slowly but surely. Of course, I tend to focus on the "slowly" part and ignore the "surely" part. Still, I think I might make it to the finish line in a couple of weeks...limping much less visibly. 

Mr. T gets a gold star for going above and beyond, plain and simple. Plus two or three medals for bravery and valor.  He has shouldered everything...and put up with me, the least patient patient on the planet. Bravo! He's doing his own work while putting the "in sickness and in health" vow to a test. He's stepped in to the role of Chief Gardener, as you can read about here. Oh, and he's gotten pretty good at all manner of cooking chores. Just ask him how to cook rice!

Himself in the kitchen? Now, that is amusing.

Bell's Palsy Update: Day 1,095

Let's start this post on a positive note, courtesy of the folks at Blue Mountain cards (http://www.bluemountain.com):

Happy? Good. Remember that feeling. 'Cause it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Sigh.

Three years ago today, I experienced the worst day of my life.* After a few frightening hours, I was diagnosed with a neurological condition known as Bell's Palsy, which in my case affected the left side of my face. If you are just joining me on my adventure...or have forgotten how it all played out...you can revisit my original post on the subject and read forward, starting here: http://adsit2.blogspot.com/2012/06/there-good-news-and-bad-news.html. Go ahead...I'll wait.

Fast forward to 2014. At the two-year anniversary, I wrote about my realization of how I had moved from "recovering from Bell's Palsy" to "living with the residual effects of Bell's Palsy" in this post, written one year ago today. I specifically mentioned my "new normal" in this one:  http://adsit2.blogspot.com/2014/06/bell-palsy-update-day-730.html. Yeah.

Well, here it is, June 25, 2015. So, how do I like Normal, now that it's no longer new? Truthfully, not much more than I did then. Because of the lingering effects of synkinesis (explained very well here:  http://www.facialparalysisinstitute.com/8/synkinesis.html), I still have to take Neurontin (generic name: gabapentin) daily to manage the unpredictable and painful muscle spasms in my left jaw, although I still cannot take the dosage level recommended by my doctor. He first said 1200 mg/day...which practically made me catatonic; down to 600 mg, which was still too high; down to 300...and finally down to 150, which still makes me drowsy but which allows me to function better. Thank goodness, because I don't think I can cut the pills down any further! 

My speech patterns remain the same as this time last year, with stress or excitement causing me to stutter over certain sounds (b, p, f, m, and s) and struggle with certain words (specifically the word "specifically"...;-). I also still involuntarily wink my left eye when eating, drinking, or sipping through a straw, or when I try to smile really big. Nothing has changed there. 

The other things that haven't changed are (1) how often I hear "oh don't worry about it. No one can tell." And (2) how much I still want to respond "but I can tell." And (3) how very fortunate I know I am because some people with Bell's suffer much more lasting nerve damage for many more years, and/or much greater visual evidence of synkinesis.

So, pretty much same song, third verse. At least on the Bell's Palsy front.

[Digressing a bit. Otherwise, healthwise, I'm currently sitting here in my lounge chair with my left foot on an ice-pad. Why you ask? Because I have sustained another repetitive motion-type injury, and I'm following doctor's orders to "ice, elevate, and limit use."

What now? Well, after looking at the X-rays of my foot, Dr. W said "non-displaced acute sesamoid stress fracture of the great toe." Never heard of it? Me either. Treatment: restricted activities (limit walking and standing with weight on left foot, no stairs, no climbing ladders...as if!), elevate when possible, ice several times daily, anti inflammatories, wear thick-cushioned shoes, no barefootin' it even from the bathroom to the bed(!), and STOP HYPER-FLEXING MY FOOT WHEN KNEELING & TENDING TO MY RAISED BEDS (the probable cause of the problem). Here's a link to more info if you are curious: http://www.footeducation.com/foot-and-ankle-conditions/sesamoid-stress-fractures/

I'm really beginning to wonder whether a friend of mine is right-on-the-money when she asked "is there a little black rain cloud hanging over your head?" Either that, or whether I'm right in thinking "who knew gardening was such a dangerous sport?"! Geez-Louise! At this rate, I'm going to work my way through the Physicians Desk Reference in record time.]

Ok, back on topic. I figure I can continue to sing this same Bell's Palsy song, updating my posts year after year...or I can try something different. If you know anything about me, you can probably guess which one I have chosen.

I am pleased to post that, in writing this update, I did follow some of those links, just to test them. Lo and behold, I discovered that Dr. Steenerson's Atlanta Ear Clinic...where I received fabulous treatment years ago when dealing with the acute phase of benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV), also offers neuromuscular facial paralysis retraining for Bell's and synkinesis patients. Read more here: http://www.atlantaearclinic.com/facial.htm.

How fast do you think I made THAT call? Hooray! I have my first three appointments on the books, starting in August.

My fervent hope is that, this time next year, when I write my Bell's Palsy Update — Day 1,461, I will finally be able to put that period at the end of this chapter in my life.

Until then, would someone please pass me my ice-pack?

====================

* So, how can I think that the day I was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy was worse than the days that my parents died? Probably because both of my parents had suffered prior to their deaths (Daddy from aplastic anemia, and then being in a vegetative state for seven weeks; Momma from lung cancer for several months), the day that each died was a blessed release from their pain. The day I was diagnosed with BP was the day the world shifted for me...without my permission. 

All This...and Heaven Above

"I'm just an old hound dog
Roaming around, oh Lord
I've got all this and Heaven above

Oh, Atlanta
I hear you calling
I'm coming back to you one fine day
No need to worry
There ain't no hurry cause I'm
On my way back to Georgia

On my way back to Georgia..."

— Lyrics by Alison Krauss

We are on the road again, for the second weekend in a row. And since our destinations involved Nashville and Atlanta, I thought the song lyrics above...written by one of my favorite "country" artists (she is just so talented: singer, songwriter, and performer!) about one of my favorite places...was apropos.

Last weekend, Mr. T and I made it to a very special picnic with a very special group of people: my Lunn cousins. It was held at a fabulous park in Goodlettsville, organized by my oldest first cousin and his wife, who not only coordinated everything and everyone...but also grilled the hamburgers they provided...on one of the hottest days of the year, so far! Three generations from near and far were in attendance, and we were delighted to see the duo who drove the distance from AZ. Someone said "that's a long way to come just for lunch!" But you know what? I wouldn't have missed this chance to see these folks for all the tea in China...or all the meclizine in my medicine cabinet. Yeah...I had to overcome a vertigo episode to get there, but dizzy or not, I was determined to be a part of this happy get together. And Mr. T, who had driven 8 hours to get home from NJ on Friday, got right back behind the wheel to drive us the 8 hours to get to middle Tennessee on Saturday. Go, Mr. T!

Here are some photos of the family picnic (forgive the first few, as the lighting in the pavilion was not the best):

Thomas Adsit; Julie and Jack Lunn

Foreground: Terry Lunn

Roy and Ann McGuire

Walt Lawson; Kenneth Fly; Steve Clark; Kevin Lawson; Helen Fly Clark; and Ann Brown McGuire (back)

Thomas and Patricia Lunn Adsit

The First Cousins, from oldest to youngest: Kenneth, Wayne, Cliffordene, Terry, Ann, Helen, Walt, Patricia, and Jack

The "Outlaws:" Granville, Madge Ann, Steve, Roy, Irene, Thomas, and Julie

The Seconds and Thirds

Julie and Jack Lunn

Patricia, Terry, and Jack (Sidney Lunn's children)

And even though the picnic lasted just a few hours, we got to spend time with Bro and SIL J & J...spending the night with them...and Bro T, who met us for breakfast on Sunday. We also got to meet two extended family members (Bro T's stepson who drove him to TN and SIL J's aunt who joined us at Cracker Barrel). Oh, and Mr. T and I had an "interstate 40 reunion" with a couple of my Stewart cousins on our way to the Lunn picnic! So, all-in-all, it was a very social family weekend.

Then, it was back on the road this past Friday (with the Pound Pups this time) to get to ATL in time for a Braves vs. Mets game that Missy M had arranged as her Father's Day gift to Mr. T. We made it to our seats in time to sing the National anthem...which is an accomplishment, take my word. With somewhat low expectations for a good outcome (have you heard what they did to our roster this year?!), we endured many scoreless innings for the Bravos. Then, as the 8th inning rolled around, we went ahead 2-1, and the crowd went wild! It was a great finish, capped off with the Friday Night Fireworks...ooh, aah! Loved it!

Missy M made a fabulous salad (fresh baby greens, strawberries, walnuts, feta cheese, and cherry tomatoes from her garden...with a vinaigrette dressing...yum!), while Mr. T grilled fresh corn on the cob and thick strip steaks last night, and today I made blueberry pancakes for our breakfast...with blueberries from our garden. At least we ate well before we had to get back in the car!

And we have enjoyed being together. As a family. As it should be.

Oh yeah. I've got all this...and Heaven above. Sing it, Alison!

====================

Remember, check out the latest post over on our gardening blog, Gardening with Giants. Click here to go there! 

All Aboard!

Time to tell about another Adsit Adventure!! But first...a little background information for you.

Friday was a special day for us...very special indeed, as we celebrated our 39th anniversary. And, by default, the beginning of our 40th year as a married couple. We had promised in our wedding vows, standing together at the altar of Jackson's Christ Lutheran Church (using a phrase insisted upon by the Lutheran pastor who co-officiated) "for as long as we both shall live together," which sounded both silly and rather like hedging our bets...but guess what? Here we are...still "living together"...and more importantly, still having adventures together. 

About this year's anniversary adventure...it all started on a rainy day last month. Nothing unusual about an April shower, right? Well, as it happened, I had planned to work in the garden that day (again, nothing unusual), but the weather wasn't cooperating...and I got bored. So I decided to amuse myself by planning a trip. 

I think I've told you before...and often...that I love train travel. Always have, probably always will. No, the recent wreck hasn't deterred the little pitter-patter my heart does when I hear a train whistle. And I have always wanted to go cross-country on a train...well, on several lines as it turns out.

And that's what I was amusing myself with that rainy April day. I was on the Amtrak website, cobbling together a trip from East Coast and back. I was enthusiastically sharing my findings with Mr. T...when I realized that he had a look of sheer panic on his face. 

"Wouldn't you like to travel cross-country on Amtrak?" says I.

"Well, maybe we could start with a shorter journey," says he.

"And where would you like to go on this "shorter journey?" I said, starting to see the humor in the discussion.

After thinking about it for a bit, Mr. T says: "Raleigh."

And so, there we were, on our two-hour train ride to Raleigh. Actually, my trip was two hours, since I left from High Point, using a ticket that I'd rescheduled from an earlier planned-but-untaken ride. 

Mr. T dropped me off at the HPNC depot, then headed 20 minutes away to the Greensboro station where he would board. This would work out better in the end, with me getting off in Greensboro on the return trip, since we needed our car to be in GSO, in order to get to our next adventure: the Greensboro Grasshoppers baseball game.

We enjoyed our relatively uncrowded ride and arrived in the State Capital without incident. The day was absolutely beautiful, and we enjoyed our walk of a few blocks to the downtown Marriott. Here we would take advantage of their lobby Starbucks and WiFi connection to allow Mr. T to participate in his conference call (yeah, so much for "taking the WHOLE day off). Then, business managed, we headed to Bükü...my favorite downtown Raleigh restaurant that I was eager to introduce to T.

When we shared that it was our 39th anniversary with our waiter, he brought us glasses of champagne to celebrate! How lovely!! Since neither of us was required to drive a vehicle until much later, we enjoyed every drop. 

I had the yummy Greek Salad with a grilled salmon steak, and Mr. T ordered the burger that he pronounced as both good and "huge!" And then we shared a dessert they call Trilogy: three cremé brûlée cups...one vanilla, one chocolate mint, and one ginger...with fresh fruit. Delicious!

To walk all these calories off, we headed toward the Capitol building and the state museums, starting with NC History and ending up in the Natural Science's cafe called The Daily Planet. If we'd had three days, we probably couldn't get it all done. Here's a shot in front of the Capitol (admittedly, not the most impressive state Capitol in the country), of the three Presidents born in North Carolina...but from Tennessee...

Our ride home didn't go as smoothly, with our train running nearly an hour late. No matter, we arrived at the ballpark in time to see the Hoppers score first...and last...in the game with the Blue Claws (gotta love Minor League team names!). In between, we also were treated to a mention on the Jumbotron and by the announcer: "Happy 39th Anniversary to Thomas and Patricia!" Woohoo! I wasn't quick enough to snap the moment, but it's a nice memory all the same.

And now, loyal readers, you probably know what comes next. "Wonder where we'll be this time next year?" Guess what...I have an answer! Seattle. Yes, we already have our reservations on an Alaskan cruise for our 40th...on the Ruby Princess, for the ruby anniversary! We should be returning to port on the 29th, and we will probably return to one of our fave University of Washington-area restaurants, Ivar's, to toast this special occasion...with a fave wine that is a local there (Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling).

Wonder if we tell the waiter, s/he will also bring us champagne?

Ye Merrie Month of May

Goodness, time is flying! Hyper speed. And since I haven't figured out how to work in the garden and blog-post at the same time, I've had to defer one for the other. Garden wins this time of the year, hands down. And since I am one "hand-down," so to speak (back to the orthopedic doctor in mid-month following a flare-up of the DeQuervain's tendinitis...another cortisone shot...back in the splint...take it easy...yadda yadda yadda), I sometimes have to choose. Gardening or blogging.

[Yes, we have a separate blog for posts about the garden, which you can find here (http:gardenwithgiants.blogspot.com). I'm no more diligent about posting there at this time of the year, either. Sigh.]

This is the week to remember. As of tomorrow, we will have lived here for six years. Count 'em, s-i-x! Not yet a record, but give us six more months and it will pass our previous "length of stay" in our Cordova house (6 years, 5 months).

Of course, it may be a race at this point, since a move in conjunction with retirement is on our horizon. Still no date for either, but we discuss our options often. No matter...what is for certain, we need to do a little prep work between now and then...whenever "then" might be. In making our lists and checking them twice, we have three BIG to-do's that have been looming large:

1) Decluttering, in general; getting rid of a ton or so of paper (records, receipts, etc.) that we have just boxed up and moved instead of destroying 

2) The Garage

3) The Deck

While gardening and yard word leave little time for other to-do's this time of the year, I am pleased to report that I successfully combined something from the above list with a necessary garden chore. It was time to weed, feed, and mulch the corn. And, once again, we found a use for several pounds of documents that we can't just toss in the trash (sensitive and/or personal information that identity thieves would love). Maybe you will remember that last year, we mulched the corn with a mountain of my parents' old documents (some dating back to the '70's!) that we first thoroughly soaked in the galvanized tub before using to suppress weeds in the paths...worked great! This year, I shredded a large part of the contents of the box dedicated to 2005...which will keep weeds at bay and make a nice dent in Item 1. Check out the corn in the Block Garden...where it looks like it has snowed!

Item 2 is still on hold until the cooler Fall months, but we can now check off Item 3...the Deck. I'm happy to report that our old, sad, badly worn but structurally sound deck is now a thing of beauty. We applied a couple of Rustoleum products called Restore 10X and Restore Solid Stain in a lovely, bright clean taupe called Driftwood. Just check the pictures:

From worn (above) to WOW! (below):

Whew! That was a huge project! Time for some rest and relaxation. We certainly are looking forward to turning in our paint brushes for some fun on Friday, when we celebrate our 39th anniversary. And celebrate it, we shall! We are taking the train to Raleigh for a fun day, then returning to enjoy the Grasshoppers game. More on that in my next post.

We've already "exchanged" our gifts: two new roses. I know, I know...seems an odd choice for folks who may soon be leaving their Rose Garden behind, but we couldn't resist. You see, the gift suggestion for 39th anniversaries is lace. LACE. Really? That just wouldn't do, so we just skipped ahead to the suggestion for next year: ruby. Much better! And we chose two ruby-red roses: a Don Juan and a Mister Lincoln. 

To pick out new inhabitants of our Rose Garden, we took a little adventure to Roses Unlimited in Laurens, SC, to check out their Open House. Once a year, visitors are allowed to go through the greenhouses where the newly-propagated roses are...a little like looking behind the Wizard's curtain in Oz. And then we checked out an eatery in Spartanburg. All-in-all, a fun Saturday.

So, May has been a merry month. A merry month, indeed. Wonder what June has in store for us? Hmmmm....

Lost and Found

Hello again! Bet you thought I'd dropped off the edge of the earth, right? No, I've just been lost in the "It's suddenly Spring!" area of my life...with too many projects and not enough time. Stop me if you've heard this before...heck, stop me if you've SAID this before! I'm currently at the car dealership while Lillie Pearl PT Cruiser is being treated for an "idling problem." Yeah, she's having trouble idling, too.

When last I posted, we were saddened by our loss of Duchess. Still are in some ways. But I found a rose called Duchesse de Brabant which we have planted in a container in the Way Back in memory of our beautiful Basset girl, and we have begun the "remember when..." portion of the grieving process. While Duchess was not an enthusiastic fan of the Way Back...probably because she was challenged by all that walking...she did seem to enjoy coming into the Rose Garden when we took our coffee to the patio, which provided a perfect nap spot before returning to the house.

Duchess in the Way Back Rose Garden
2013

 

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter (links over there in the right column), you probably have figured out that I've been chasing my "lost youth" by attending my 40th college reunion at Mississippi University for Women's Homecoming in Columbus..."The Long Blue Line Comes Home."

Callaway Hall, my Frosh Dorm
Mississippi University for Women
Columbus, MS

While I actually celebrated my own graduation year last year (from the University of Southern Mississippi), I started college at the W (it was known as Mississippi State College for Women then) with this group of girls (well, my 60+-year old self has license to refer to my 18-year old self as a "girl," right?), most of whom graduated 40 years ago this May. Since there is no football team at the W (!), we celebrate Homecoming in the Spring...one of the most beautiful, albeit unpredictable, times of the year.

Registration in Welty Hall
It's snowing cherry blossoms!

Rosette Girls Are Back for their 40th!
Margaret Stevens, Patricia Lunn, Debra Simpkins,
Karen Daley, and Donna Luke

Lost youth, did I say? Found it! We had a ball! An absolutely fabulous time together. We laughed, reminisced (remember when...? what was that girl's name...? who was it that climbed out the 4th floor window...?), laughed, took part in lots of planned activities including a double-decker bus tour of Columbus (pictured below...did I mention it was in the mid-40's?!?), laughed, took thousands of pictures, laughed, sang Rosette Social Club songs, laughed, ate at some of our old haunts, and laughed some more.

When we lined up by class years to march into the auditorium for Convocation, we were thrilled to see the Classes of '45 and '55 at the head of the line. And after everyone else had filed into the Magnolia Chain song, we all gave a standing ovation as the Golden Girls (Class of '65, there to celebrate their 50th!) took their places. Even more impressive (for me at least) was the presentation of the Distinguished Medal of Honor to my former Sociology department head, who is still active at age 99. I think Dr. Robert may have found the Fountain of Youth!

Convocation Selfie
Looking back...

Looking forward...Class of 1975
Marching into Auditorium for
Convocation

One of the highlights of the weekend had to be our Rosette Social Club's reunion on Saturday. We poured over the pictures, lined up the pledge books and the paddles, sang the songs, and shared the memories. And...we succeeded in making yet another shared memory.

Check out the photo roundup of The Long Blue Line Homecoming in the April 8, 2015, edition of the Columbus Dispatch paper
here. You may have to copy and paste the address:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/dispatch_web_files/The+Commercial+Dispatch+eEdition+4-8-15.pdf

I snapped a screen capture of the page...which isn't the best quality admittedly:

After you have been euphoric for several days, it's difficult to find your way back to the land of even keel...without a loss kin to a letdown, that is. But I didn't really experience too much of a drop, since we got such great news in a few days after I returned home. Mr. T had his 8-week checkup with the Electrophysiologist who performed his recent cardiac ablation, who made us want to dance a jig when he read the latest ECG and said: "now, this is what a normal ECG looks like." I found I had been holding my breath all this time, and truly appreciated feeling free enough to take a deep, cleansing one after that. Ahhhhhhhhh.

We celebrated Volunteer Week at the Guilford County Extension with a gathering of Master Gardeners for the 27th annual Awards Breakfast. Such a great group of folks! Since I seem to have mysteriously found a few extra pounds while I was holed up in the house this past winter, nursing that splinted left wrist, I'm opting to limit my intake of tasty treats...and thus missed a few calories in those lovely sweet rolls. But I didn't want to miss this event just because I'm being carb-conscious! And we were proud to remind the County Commissioner (left, below) of how much all the work we do as volunteers would translate into dollars when our Horticulture Agent made the presentation of the Big Check in the amount of $450,136.52. Woo hoo! That same day, I got to volunteer at a Speakers Bureau presentation on Culinary Herbs at the High Point Library...and then come home to polish off an article for the next State newsletter.

And, somewhere in the past month we seem to have lost Winter and found Spring. No arguments from me! Of course, this means more time in the gardens but that's what makes life here at Casa 3917 so wonderful. Exhausting...but wonderful. I got a new post up on our garden blog, Gardening with the Giants; click here to go there and read about all the goings-on out in the Way Back.

We know our time at this address is growing shorter with each passing month, and that this is probably the next-to-the-last time we'll plant tomatoes and other warm-season crops here, so this will be an extra-special year. We will also be focused on dividing day lilies and irises to have plenty to take with us when we do move, and I'm encouraged by my propagation efforts so far with forsythia and some of the roses. Hey, maybe I will be able to "take it with me!"

All in all, we hope these preparations ensure that this won't be a chapter of Paradise Lost...but instead a scene from Paradise Found!