Don't let the difficulties of the present moments overshadow the reality of God's promises. God's promises still stand. And God's promises are stronger than our failures.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Old Man Is Snoring

Remember that verse from your childhood - It's Raining, It's Pouring, The Old Man Is Snoring! Wonder where that came from....is the snoring thunder? It has poured down here today. Lots and lots of rain. I love summer rainy days - how much better can it be than to snuggle in and read a good book or stitch in front of an old movie on a rainy day. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get to snuggle in this morning.
Let me remind you that I'm a "bit" OCD. Just a tiny bit. And if you believe that I have some land....well, you get the drift. I plan my days is an understatement. The day before. In my head and woe to anyone who can't read my mind! Today I was going to get up at my normal time, grab my chai latte and Bible and head for the deck. After that I would bake the bread I had left rising the night before, make the beds, sweep the kitchen, shower and dress, and head for a 9:40 doctor's appointment which might take an hour. Then I'd drop books off at the library, go to Kroger, come back home to finish my housework and cook dinner for a friend who was coming over later. That should leave time to read a few blogs and stitch a little on my wool wallhanging. Except....
At 9:00 last night a friend called my husband to remind him of the Methodist Men's monthly breakfast at 7:00 a.m. And that wives were invited. We're never invited. And I hate surprises. Especially when I have plans. So instead of my calm and methodical day I rose at 6:00, put bread in the oven, dressed and went to church. Where I froze. I mean really, they complain about the utilities but the temperature is set at minus seventeen. What's up with that? Then WE ran to Kroger (it always costs me twice as much when my husband goes with me, does it you?) and then back home where I dropped him and the groceries off. I made my doctor's appointment, barely (and remember that all of this is in a torrential downpour!) where he told me I had something that sounded like Jose Cuervo (Di Qupaorvain Torosynoulis or something remotely similar) which really means I'm getting older and the tendons in my thumbs are not happy about that whole aging thing. He sent me to the people who make braces and I ended up like this:



The doctor said wear them in the day time. The brace people said wear them at night too. Excuse me? There are things you cannot do in braces like this. To put it delicately, or not, the bathroom is one place where you have to take them off. To do the dishes. To take a shower. If there are typos in this post it's not my fault.

And then, to top it all off, he sent me to get a shingles vaccine. Anybody had one? Where they talked to me about getting a flu vaccine. It's just July people! And I had two allergy shots this week....you are not sticking a needle in me again this week.

Despite it all, it's 2:00 and I am snuggled in. Chicken is in the crock pot, bread is baked, dishes are washed. I didn't dust but I can't use this as an excuse because I rarely dust. Dust is a protective coating for furniture...did you know that? The Old Man Is Snoring!

20 comments:

Lori said...

I'll send my dear DIL over. Out of the blue one day, she told me that when I get old and incapacitated, that she would help with those bathroom duties if I needed her to since she knew my sons or husband wouldn't! What a hoot!

Amelia said...

My dear friend...what a time you are having with a variety of things.

So glad to hear the dust on all my furniture will make it last longer...sounds like excellent reasoning to me.

Take care - the best way you can.

amelia

Tracy P. said...

Oh no, Marlene! I have a feeling you will overcome.
:-)

I actually love Mondays too. There is something quiet about them that seems to help me focus.

Lena . . . said...

I LOVE it - dust is a protective coating for your furniture. Do dog and cat hair on the carpet protect that too? I sure hope so because then mine will last forever!!

Love Bears All Things said...

I love it! The best laid plans of mice and men. The road to hell, etc...
I don't plan my days either. Somewhere in my head is an idea of what I'll do but if I have to put it off, fine.
However, when there is a wrench thrown into the plan such as your brace, I am very irritated. It is fine to let something go when you're able to do it but just let an illness keep you from it and all life is asunder.
The doctor once told me to go home and go to bed and not get up except to go to the potty. Well, before I could do that, I had to buy groceries, clean house and do the laundry.
Hope you are feeling better soon or that your hand is. Take advantage of the time off. Have Hubby do the housework and cooking.
Mama Bear

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

I think days like that are a real test of out muster - or mustard or something like that! I hope dinner with your friend made it end on a better note.

By the way, that old man is visiting my next of the woods too - all week I heard!

One of the great things about prim furniture is the dust doesn't show as much!

have a great evening! hugs, Linda

judycolby said...

Can you still quilt?!!!

rlbates said...

de Quervain tenosynovitis named after the Swiss surgeon Fritz de Quervain who described it in 1895. My post tomorrow is on this. Sorry you have it.

Teresa said...

(((Marlene))), I see a rainbow after this storm.

Susannah said...

Marlene, you poor thing......this was a bad day BUT tomorrow will be beautiful...just you wait and see!
Good luck with your hand.

Friends,
Susannah

Lindah said...

"Dust is a protective coating for furniture" HOW COME no one ever told me this? How could my education be so lacking! No WONDER my furniture is looking so tacky!
Now.... those little fluffy things on the floor UNDER the furniture... are those to protect the floor? I hope?

Dandelion Quilts said...

Oh dear...that is a terrible day. Seriously. Have you ever read the picture book...Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? Perhaps I spend too much time reading picture books these days, but I think you could relate to young Alexander...that is a very bad day indeed. I hope tomorrow is better.

Joy said...

Oh Marlene ... you poor thing!!! Tomorrow just HAS to be better!!
Fingers crossed for you - cos I know you can't do that in your brace ;o).
Hugs,
Joy :o)

Anonymous said...

I think I must be dull to other people because I like my personal boring routines and living in what my mom always called 'a rut' and when things go awry it flusters me, kind of like the day you had. If my day doesn't startout 'right' it doesn't feel 'right' all day. I've heard the name of the syndrome you have with the tendons but here I am married to a doctor and didn't know there was a vaccine for shingles. Guess I've been away from medical office management for too many years now. I hope things get back into routine for you soon and you don't need those braces for too much longer. I know if I had to wear them I'd probably not be compliant for just too very long. Best wishes...

Jacquie said...

I'm thinking that brace might be a handy dust rag... just swipe your forearm over the furniture and you're done!

~Bren~ said...

Crack me up!!! It is wonderful that you can find the humor in those kinds of days!

Tipper said...

Sorry about the braces-but I do hope they help. I don't like surprises to my schedule either.

Sunna Reyr said...

I must have known subconsciously about the dust for, well forever as it's continually used so in my home.

I don't make plans anymore, it's useless for me as I get .... urges for a lack of better word. But when I get the urge to really clean the house I've learned to take only small portion of it at a time, or else it's left half cleaned when the urge leaves me. You know, all the pillows in a heap on the living room floor for days because I was just vacuuming the couch. And the vacuum... lets not go there.

I hope you will get better soon, does warmth not make it easier to use your hand. Years ago my doctor told me I was starting to get this thing and wanted me to buy some heating braces (with gel inside I think). We were having little money at the time (and how was I to keep that darn thing clean while milking and doing stable work) so I just ignored it, (if ignored it might go away, yeah right)and still are ignoring it though it's getting harder to do, especially in the winter. Cold just makes my hands really hurt. And sometimes sewing but that's not something I talk about much.

Marilyn Robertson said...

Those braces can be fun at all! Here are my hope and prayers that you won't be needing them for long.

Sharon said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your tendonitis! I had it in my thumb this spring, and it was Not Fun. Painful, and the brace was a real pain in the patootie. Yes, you sure do have to take it off to do some things. Especially since you'll be sleeping with it, etc! So, I feel your pain! It does get better, but it takes time. Then you get to have physical therapy, which hurts even more. Getting older isn't so fun some days, is it? Wishing you quick healing, Marlene!