Sunday, July 31, 2022

AT A CROSSROAD

Tomorrow is the last month of summer, when the weather is the hottest and which pale-skinned Fio avoids as much as she can . To tell the truth, if she could, your girl would avoid all of summer if she could. Remember, her mother's folks were from Ohio and her father's from Pennsylvania/ Eastern Europe--not good candidates for lying in the sun or playing in the surf. 

Son L just took his daughter over to Walmart and invited Fiorella to go along, your girl couldn't find her knee cane, which meant she had to ride in a cart. Whoopee! It was like the first time she'd driven a car at Driver Training in Waco High School so many years ago--all the other kids had been under their mothers' tutelage for quite a while, but since Fio's mother didn't drive, Fio was in the unusual situation of being at the bottom of the class. And in a way, that's the same situation your girl is in right now--she needs to get around town on her own, but has been away from Austin so long that she doesn't know where everything is. 

Obviously, a paid driver is the answer, and Fio's working on it. (She'll tell you more on Friday.)

Beware--your girl is entering yet another stage now--cleaning everything out. As said earlier, she's winnowing her collection of pictures and information on the inside of her bedroom wall and plans to be more active in her studio. She'll also be seeing what's left in storage from her old home, including the boxes in the garage and attic. Maybe she'll even get around to selling some of her mother's limoges. Those carefully wrapped pieces of china can't stay in the closet forever and, sadly, there doesn't seem to be anyone else in the family who values them. Ah, well--time marches on....

One last thing: Fiorella has somehow lost her "lifts," those $200 apiece partial forms she inserts in her shoes so her feet don't ache. MOTHERS: Please heck your child's play bin!

 

 


 





 





Saturday, July 30, 2022

Bits and Pieces for the Weekend

 Oops, here we are at the 30th in July, and Fio didn't realize it, partially because she was all wound up about meeting her daughter's bouncing baby boy for the first time and partially because she had a strange wave of nostalgia floating through her--maybe because she had recently mailed off a charming family picture of her oldest when when he himself  was an only child.

Did Fiorella tell you about her left knee, the one that she thought could be easily treated but turned out to be about a two-month-long venture? Pray for her--she's supposedly in the final phase (walker and cane) but who knows what will happen next?

Your girl is reworking the long inside wall of her bedroom which involves looking over an old stamp collection, all the notices, sketches, photos she's collected, and quite a few important phone numbers she thought she'd lost. Why not just throw everything away, you ask? BECAUSE FIO NEVER TRULY THROWS AWAY A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!

Totally changing the subject, Fio just wants to say that she thinks TV weekend news is watered down and stupid. Surely there are interesting, MEANINGFUL things happening on Saturday and Sunday as well as the rest of the week. (PS: She herself likes to keep up with political news.) 

Just sent off a nice check to MEALS ON WHEELS. Hope you did too!

 


 

 


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Friday, July 29, 2022

TRIVIA AND THE BITTER, BiTTER END

 Fiorella's been looking over the TV schedule and couldn't help wishing that Kukla, Fran and Ollie would make a come back. If that's not current enough for you, how about Mr. Rogers or I Love Lucy. Hey--I've got it--BIG BANG THEORY?

Has Fio ever told you that her family had one of the first televisions in Waco? Having migrated to from Ohio to Texas, we were way in front of the game, and for some time, identified our house as "the one with the aerial on top."

Your girl recently found a pair of her mother's old eye glasses and was surprised that her own prescription was near enough to Mom's that she could watch TV with them......

Wondering how her parents, die-hard Republications, would have reacted to Trump and his antics. Ah well, different times/different circumstances.

Speaking of different times and circumstances, it looks like FB is on its way out, which means Fiorella will be losing her major method of back-and-forth multiple communication. Televisions don't talk back, no matter how loud you shout, and remember, she never was able to make a friend in her new neighborhood.


Thursday, July 28, 2022

From Stepladder to Osceola Mills

 Where, oh where, has my stepladder gone?

Where, oh where, has it gone?

The one I brought from my former home

Oh where, oh where, has it gone? 

Fiorella, who needs the stepladder to stack her twenty-odd Blogs on their own upper shelf, has looked all over the house, but can't find it. GRRRRRR!

Your girl spent the morning re-reading an old Linda Howard paperback, The Cutting Edge, and realized  that in her (ahem) more mature years, she wouldn't have made the heroine so perfect or the hero so--well--boring. By the way, are paperback novels still in style and is Romance Writers of America still running the show?  Fio attended meetings all over the nation when she was riding high...and getting a fair number of awards.

Guess what Fiorella has on today--the blue shorts and the white tee-shirt that her father got at his last high school reunion when the family visited  Osceoa Mills. 😊😊😁

SON L SAYS THAT THE STEPLADDER IS SOMEWHERE IN THE GARAGE!😊

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Wednesday, July 27, 2022

 I'm up early

What should I say?

Except HOWDY THERE--

HOPE YOU'RE OKAY 😁


The Uvalde massacre tore Fio apart, but now she's on the up-spring and a-raring to go. She even rearranged her bedroom yesterday--and plans to checking out her long-neglected studio today. 

Oops, your girl's physical therapy nurse (for the stupid knee surgery) is going to come about twelve, and Son L has planned for us to to go out on errands this afternoon. Hope they won't overlap.

You should take a picture of Fiorella today. She's got on a white shirt topped by a gold necklace, and --uh--bottomed by black shorts and black shoes. Now, if she could just find the $400 lifts that keep her feet from hurting. Your girl has a vague memory of putting them somewhere out of reach of Granddaughter's never-failing curiosity, but they may be gone forever. Oh well, no one can see the inside of Fio's shoes.

SUDDEN THOUGHT! Wondering if wrapping her affected elbow with foam rubber would mitigate the carpel tunnel....


 

 


Tuesday, July 26, 2022

This and That, Etc.

 Your Fiorella is so bored that she could scream. The TV news keeps repeating itself, she's done all she can to make her bedroom look cute, she'll explode if she eats any more, and there is nothing NOTHING for her to do but whine. What else does one do in hot, hot weather when an outside walk is asking for a heatstroke and even her fingernails are splitting?  GRRRRRRR!

Well, at least the newspaper came today. Now, if only her favorite comic strip, Louann, would be more about her than her covey of side characters--although Tiffany and Bernice are okay.  

Regarding Fio's problem with carpal tunnel, she's got her left elbow propped up on a fat pillow today to see if it makes a difference.....

WHOOPEE--it's time for lunch and your girl is having one of her favorites which she recently rediscovered--a turkey sandwich. (To tell the truth, she thought it was only available at thanksgiving.)

Fiorella has decided to start playing the piano again. As you'll remember, the last time, she got stalled by the minor scale, which she had ripped right through as a child.. Maybe she'll have better luck this time around. Any pianists in her neighborhood?

 


 


 



Monday, July 25, 2022

Hope for Carpal Tunnel?

 Hey, hey, hey--my wonderful, WONDERFUL sister-in-law told me that she had carpal tunnel for a while until she changed the way she typed! THERE IS HOPE! 

Fiorella had three lady callers today who came to look after her health, mental and physical, and, apparently, she made a top score with all of them. Carolyn took charge of Fio's overall attitude and welfare, the second lady checked out her recovery from the knee surgery, and the third grilled her on using a cane.

Actually, there was a fourth visitor, the crowning glory--my friend from Vermont--who called to talk to me about everything afterwords! Thanks, Paula--my day is made!

Hmm....Fio thought Son L and she had picked up a food order at HEB this afternoon, but as far as your girl can tell, there's nothing knew in the refrigerator.

Back to carpal tunnel--actually, Fiorellal has often wondered if the way she supports her left left elbow against the bed while lazing the rest of herself onto a set of pillows to write her blogs has anything to do with the dreaded tunnel. We'll see.

Sunday, July 24, 2022

CHAINED!

 Ho-hum--all Fio has done today is the washing, never an exciting venture but necessary in our society. By the way, speaking of societies, have you ever thought that the reason our planet is so HOT these days is because we've overloaded it? That maybe if we'd practiced birth control, there would be room for all of us without anyone sweating?

On the other hand, it might be that Earth's time is up, that we should zip up our space suits and check out the purported wonders of outer space....

In the meantime back on Earth, your girl is still bemoaning her expensive carpal tunnel operation, which DID NOT WORK! If anyone out there knows of a sure-fire way to combat this painful and irritating condition, please pass it on. (The way Fio figures it, if she keeps beating the drum, someone is going to hear it.)

By the way, if you're ever chained to a "walker" like Fiorella has been ever since her knee surgery, contact  her. She's worked out a fare number of ways to do necessary things like move the laundry along to her room with a plastic bag suspended between the metal hand-holds. Chocolate, apples, and Cokes can be moved in smaller bags hanging from the hand-holds.

One last note: your girl is thinking out a scheme that will allow her to take an admittedly curious look at all of the places she and her husband lived in while they were in Austin.




 

 


Saturday, July 23, 2022

TELLING YOU E V E R Y T H I N G !

 You know that irritating post intimating that a tired-looking Crown Prince Charles (?) is waiting with baited breath for his mother to die so he can  claim the crown and run the show? Well, Fio sincerely doubts it. She's guessing Charles has a very good life as a king-in-waiting with all the advantages and none of the responsibilities while Mom takes on all the responsibility. Also, Fiorella (who knows nothing about the circumstance of crowned heads) would guess Elizabeth will outlive Charles or that he will abdicate and pass the crown to Prince William (the one who married a commoner and has three half-commoner children).                                                                                                                                   

Sure makes Fiorella glad her country elects its leaders, because even though we've been known to choose some real whoppers from time to time, we can throw them off the stage after four years.

Guess what? Your girl is barred from Facebook for three days because she suggested bombing Putin, so if you notice that she's missing from Blogger tomorrow (or maybe today, if the powers-that-be are quick enough), you'll know what's going on. WOW--FIO DIDN'T KNOW HER WORDS WERE SO IMPORTANT!

If you've been following the saga of Fiorella's left knee, you know that after surgery, it swelled up to twice as much as her right leg, and she's been dragging herself around on a walker ever since. Wish her well-- she's not supposed to go back to the doctor's office until August 9th, maybe because by then she'll supposedly be tired of squawking about how her minor knee problem ended up as a cracked tibia. GRRRR!

While your girl is complaining, she'll grumble about that carpal tunnel operation she had that DID NOT TAKE! ANY IDEAS HOW TO HANDLE HER SITUATION?

 




 


Friday, July 22, 2022

Wading Through the Slush....

 Fiorella is still in a low spot, and it doesn't help that she's having to haul a walker everywhere she goes for God only knows how long. Yep, avoid all knee surgeries if you can, because this one, which was supposed to be a minor "correction" turned into a full-out replacement, and you don't want to know all that was involved. GRRRRRRR!

One of the things one has to deal with is said walker, which irritates Fio no end. And hen there is the cane, which supposedly will supercede the walker, but actually confuses your girl because she can't figure out what its exact use is.

Well, at least Fio isn't in DC listening to the follow-ups on the attack on the Capital, although she has to admit that she was following every word on TV. Scary times, scary times, and, being the excitable type, your girl would have stuffed subpoenas down every one of their throats--or that's the ways she felt as she absorbed everything that was happening on the big black screen hanging down above her chest of drawers.

Swinging down to national news, Fiorella has always thought that all that telephone cuddling between Trump and Putin at the beginning of Trump's reign laid the basis for what is going on now in the Ukraine. Think about it....

 





Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Reporting In for Real

Yesterday was not a good day, but today promises to be better. Fiorella is now huddled on her bed and typing with one finger (as usual) as she eyes the two large bundles of newly washed clothes at the foot of her bed, all of which she'll have to move into the closet by herself despite the fact that she's still using a walker. 

A walker, you say? Yep, because of her knee surgery--and under threat of Son L, your girl has had to drag that wicked contraption everywhere she goes, which can be quite difficult when one is trying to maneuver a bathroom or narrow passageway. It's also irritating because, with one hand on the walker and the other carrying a milk bottle or whatever, Fio has to make extra trips to the kitchen for whatever she is doing.  Oh well, maybe she can use the experience in one of her stories.

 Granddaughter seems to have decided that Grammy is a good playmate because for the past two mornings, she's appeared at Fiorella's bedside with a box of play-toys in hand and we've had a jolly good time of it. (!f you're interested, your girl have been designated as a camel.)

Did Fio tell you that, thanks to the flank of turkey that Son L added to her grocery list the last time he picked up her groceries, she's got a new favorite meat. Steak and chicken are great, but turkey is TREMENDOUS! (How had she forgotten it? Probably because one doesn't think much about it till Thanksgiving.)

Re Queen Elizabeth--more and more, Forella sees her as a  national sacrifice. Think about it--ever since she has 25, her whole life has been dedicated to England et al. Meghan and Harry were right to pursue at least semi-real lives.

 

 


Monday, July 18, 2022

Random Thoughts

 As far as Fiorella can tell, she has between 100 and 200 readers per day, but if  your girl has gotten her numbers wrong, please don't correct her--she needs all the bolstering she can get. 

 The time is near, the walrus said, when Fio will be able to walk the walk without dragging along that con-found walker to protect her from falling because of that unexpected operation on her left knee.

Fiorella feels sorry for Queen Elizabeth. She has wealth, but no real power except over her own family--and even then, they can pretty much do what they want to. Remember--England, like the United States, is governed by elected officials. often as grievous as Johnson.

Actually, as your girl remembers, all those sex scandals with young girls that have come to roost lately in England (and the US) were considered stylish back in "the day." Remember Playboy?

Hmm.... Fiorella has been up and running for about an hour already, and she hasn't heard even a murmur from the rest of the house. Has she been deserted? As it turned out, everyone else was still asleep.

 



 

 

 

 

 


Sunday, July 17, 2022

Poetry of the Moment

 

Happy birthday to Fiorella, who has been blessed by having so many wonderful people in her life--and hopes she will have many more through her writings.


Oh, dear God, I'm eighty,

Almost a whole life through--

Eighty years of living, yet I still have things to do...


What is it about me that I write

About everything within my sight

As if the world would fall apart

If I didn't portray it with my art? 

 

How sad it would be if poetry died,

If lovers forgot how to rhyme

If all the world was at the same pace

And at the same step and time


Will my poetry light you up

And incite you to write you own?

Or will it make you fold your ears 

And groan?


Whatever you think of my poetry,

I hope that you'll be inspired

To write your own

Whenever you're prone

So that it can be admired


 HOORAY FOR VERSE!!!



OOOPS!

 Carpal tunnel is really acting up so Fio's decided to do what she can to take care of it herself

Saturday, July 16, 2022

Yet Another Recovery!

 The weather is burning hot outside, but cold inside, although actually, your girl thinks the inside cold is more likely to be a slight fever. Yes, Fio is one of those strange creatures who can catch a summer cold.

The knee seems to be coming along, but Fiorella hasn't started on her carpal tunnel problem yet. Wish her well....

Son and his family are going to be gone for the day. Hmm...wonder what mischief Fio can get into? Actually, she's minding her P's and Q's (whatever they are), even answering the mailman at the door and delivering Daughter-in-law's mail to her vacant chair.

Your girl is still recovering from her knee surgery, which is no fun, despite the chocolate, potato chips, Twizzlers , etc, bestowed on her by her family and the extra care she's been getting from the home-care medical brigade.  

Somewhere along the line, Son L remembered how much Fiorella likes turkey sandwiches, and her little fridge is now overflowing with them--YUM!

Fio realizes that this blog isn't up to par, but stick with her and she'll be back to her usual sassy self before long.😊

 



 


Friday, July 15, 2022

It's All About ME, ME, ME!

It's Fio's birthday and she's feeling pretty good. She'll need to do some work with her left knee, of course, but day-by-day, it's getting better. A couple of nurses of various talents have shown up to help her along the way, thank goodness, and at this rate, she'll be twinkle-towing in no time.

Your girl actually got all her clothes washed today, with Fiorella sorting them out and Son L stuffing them in the washer. Now to get them all put up tomorrow. (Hmmm... maybe time to call in her former maid--the one who called her this evening so she and her family could sing happy birthday to her.)

The very sweetest thing that happened today was a long-distance (Vermont) call from friend Paula Marks. We taught together at UT and have stayed in touch ever since. 💗

The very sweetest thing that happened to your girl in the evening was Daughter calling her to report on everything cute and charming that Baby had done today. Is Fiorella baby-crazy? YES! If she could have, she'd would've peopled the world with her offspring!

Not guaranteeing anything, but hoping that the horrible strip of two-inch-wide tape that now decorates her left leg will come off next week when she sees the knee doctor.

 

 


 




Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Whistfulness

Hmmm......now comes the rest of the story. After the left ankle is fixed, then what? Your girl loves each and every one of her offspring, but she also wants  to have a life of her own beyond the nearest hospital and kindergarten. Let's see--music, art, languages, and literature....

Oops, with the dang carpal tunnel returning in force, it looks like music is on the shelf, but maybe your girl can get back to working on a salacious story or painting a nice portrait, or even pick up bits and pieces of another language....or two.

Whatever--at least Fio is settling more into her new home, and Lord knows what will happen next.



Tuesday, July 12, 2022

GUESS WHAT! THERE IS HOPE!

 When it comes to mass murderers like the ones at UT and Uvalde, they seem to be loners with no feelings of self worth--so they decide to take everyone who has self worth with them to even things out. The UT shooter was mercilessly criticized by his father, as she remembers, and from what your girl has made out in the newspaper, the Uvalde shooter considered himself  to be in the same category.

*

Fiorella is still mostly bed-bound, which is not fun, but she brought it on herself when she decided to have her left knee, which had been getting a little wobbly, operated on. Little did she know that the tibia-- whatever that is--would break all the way down the leg, but since then, has been told it is a common occurrence with football players.

*

Dang, you won't believe it,  but your girl has used up ALL of her television shows....or at least the ones she's interested in.

*

 An ankle expert came today and worked with Fio's left ankle--HOOPAY, HOORAY!



Monday, July 11, 2022

Your Girl Reporting In

 Obviously, Fiorella will be in and out for a while. The carpal tunnel is playing havoc with her knee surgery recovery. The whole situation is quite painful.

Still Alive

 Fiorella is trying to work her way into the world again. She's talked to an organization that puts people in need in contact with people who are good listeners, which is what your girl needs right now. With all the traumas in her life these last few years, then the Ukaldi (which her brain keeps trying to forget how to spell) to top them off, she needs a someone she can dump all her sorrows on. 

Will keep you posted. Meanwhile, a few prayers would help.

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Negative

 Fiorella is not happy. She's always tried to be a good girl, so why is she being subjected to a painful knee- cap mistake and a recurrence of carpal tunnel at the same time? So much for her plan to move upward and forward. Now it's just survival time. Wish her well.

 



Wednesday, July 6, 2022

The Build-up and the Baby

 Fio's world is beginning to look up, but she still has a way to go. Being incarcerated for a week or two (one also loses track of time) with no one to talk to or listen to does things to scramble the the brain--never knew that was part of getting knee surgery. Thank goodness Son L and tribe came galloping to the rescue.

Of course, Fiorella is still not yet in full bloom. The knee seems to be improving, but not as quickly as she would like. Hobbling around on one foot is not her preferred way of travel, but hopefully, your girl will be able to score a small wheel chair sometime soon. 

In the meantime, Son L has loaded Fio's bedside with chocolate and an occasional CocaCola,  and, above the bureau facing her bed, hangs a TV which informs her about everything horrible that's going on in the world--no wonder she can't sleep nights! (Not that she doesn't want to know what is happening, but she does wish we would all be kinder to each other.)

Ah, it feels so good to loll on her bed with a computer half-balanced on one of her legs, but Fiorela's world will feel even better--in fact, it will radiate--when she meets her new grandson, just born this morning. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

 

THIS BLOG IS BEING PUBLISHED ON JULY 6TH.

 


Just out the Door and Heading Home Again

 Swing and sway, and don't go away--your Fiorella's back home again! It turned out that, after all, the best place for her to recover from knee surgery is at home with her family, not packaged in a room with people she didn't know. 

The relentless calling back and forth by employees in the outside corridors didn't help either...nor did the hospital's insistence that your girl needed a diaper from the second her foot crossed the door. (Fio being Fio, she played along with them for a day or so, then ditched the diaper and used the toilet in the little bathroom inside her room.)

The place being a hospital, Fiorella got dinged a lot about wandering beyond various red and blue lines, but she was honestly trying to obey each and every one of the demands.

Your girl should also mention that scattered elements of her family appeared from time to time to check up on her, but she didn't have that much to say at the time--good grief, what was she--the constant commenter-- being stuffed full of?

To conclude, the gym people, who were assigned to her bad leg, were fabulous, and she thanks them, each and every one, as she does all of her wonderful family who rescued her.

WRITTEN ABOUT  JULY 4th

Friday, July 1, 2022

Hi, There!

 Hello, hello! A couple of giddy ladies just dropped by to remind your girl that, in the midst of dealing with a bum knee, she also has a blog to write---but where is the cord to the power cord? Ah, well, all will come in due time....hopefully. But in the meantime, Fiorella will update you.

As you know, she made an appointment to get her left knee fixed--the one that she had injured a bit when trying to break a branch to make a fire in the fireplace during the The Great Ice Storm.  Unfortunately, when the day came, the doctor hit Fio's tibia, messing her knee up even further, which means your girl will be limping around on for four months more, which will DRIVE YOUR GIRL CRAZY!

But Fiorella, determined to cut those months at least in half, is now in a rehab facility and doing the best she can to get back in shape. 

HOPE ALL OF THIS MAKES ANY SENSE!