Training Lefty

You realize, of course, that for the past few days Fiorlla has been tapping this blog out with her left hand--in fact, just the middle finger of her left hand.  It's a hazardous undertaking because Lefty is unaccustomed to going solo and tends to omit letters, add in extraneous ones, or accidentally delete the whole of what Fio has just spent fifteen minutes composing. 

Fio's handwriting is even worse.  Lefty writes like a three-year-old.  But that hasn't stopped your girl.  No, she's taken it as a challenge and has carefully completed two daily crossword puzzles by hand--not that she knows any other way to do them--and her handwriting--or her printing, at least--is getting more and more legible.  If she keeps this up, by the time her right hand heals, she may wind up ambidextrous writing-wise.

This is the point at which Fiorella is supposed to say that challenges are just opportunities in disguise, but she doesn't believe that.  Some challenges are insurmountable and you just have to suffer.

If It's Not One Thing . . . .

The foot healed overnight. but the hand's gonna be in splint for a couple of days yet. For once it's a good thing that Fio sight-types rather than touch-types. But getting dressed or undressed is an ordeal. Try fastening all those bra hooks with just one hand. And, while you're at it, try brushing your teeth with an untrained hand.

But Fio has to be careful about Lefty too because a large weighted window shade fell on her while she was trying to lower it for the night, and now her left hand has two gashes across it that have a tendency to keep on bleeding.

And she's just been released from physical therapy for her hip.

Self-propelled

Fiorella's right hand is in a splint and it's driving her crazy because she has a whole list of things she wants to do in the front yard, starting with rerouting the stepping stones so she and Husband can plant ligustrums to hide the twin air conditioner units. 

What about the expensive landscaping she and Husband paid for four years ago, you ask?  Well, the deer-resistant plantings didn't live up to their reputations, and, even with imported dirt, the rest of the stuff simply didn't thrive--and nothing was drought-resistant.

So this time Fio is planning the landscaping herself, starting with about ten linear yards of ligustrums which she hopes will grow fast and never die.

Now, please excuse her while she refreshes the ice pack for her foot.

Sweeping Clean

Fio, once the poster child for "How pretty/interesting/charming--I want it!" has turned utilitarian.  Anything in the house that isn't useful must go.

All that wedding silver is on its way out.  In the first place, Fio rarely uses any of it and has never used most of it.  In the second place, when Fio and Husband tried to shine up the whole kit and caboodle a couple of years ago, they got overenthusiastic and ruined some of it.  In the third place, it's plate and not worth much as far as our children's inheritances go.

Much of Fio's wardrobe, which goes back thirty years, also has to go. Then there are the books, the paperbacks which she now can't believe she ever read, much less adored.  And all the music books for which Fio would like to find a good home now that her voice can no longer handle Mozart.

Her collection of ceramic dogs and miniature elephants will remain, of course.  After all, dogs are faithful and elephants never forget.

 

Family Tidings

Fiorella is writing this last night because she'll be sleeping late this morning because she and Husband were invited by Son's fiancee's parents to have dinner with them at Austin Land and Cattle last night and had a wonderful time, which means Fio won't be able to fall asleep till after midnight.

Fio is very fortunate with the female members who have been added into her family--her brother's Patsy, Older Son's Jennifer,  Nephew Barrett's Rachel.  And now Younger Son will bring Lauren into the fold--and he'll be included in hers.

And lest Fio forget, she thinks she got a pretty good deal with Daughter's Todd also. 

On Stetler Ave

You might wanta skip this one--Fiorella's going to take another stroll down memory lane.  First, she's going to tell you about a major scientific discovery she made when she was about three--that sand will stick to wet legs.  She made several trips back and forth between her sandbox and the lawn sprinkler to be sure the experience wasn't random, then announced it to her mother, who was less than thrilled. The properties of water were also involved in another of Fiorella's memories.  She and friend Janny Orchid (translation: Janet Orcutt), who lived catty-corner from her on Stetler Avenue, washed their dolls in the bathroom sink at Janet's house--and thus washed all the paint off the dolls' wooden faces.

And then there was learning how to tie a knot.  Babysitter Marilyn Capitosto taught Fio that trick, but Fio learned to tie the sash of her dress in a bow behind her all on her own.  She can still remember the glow of accomplishment.

Household Hint

A butterfly that flutters by
Is charmin' in the garden
But a closet moth that nests in cloth
Is really quite alarmin'