January 22, 2014

Comparing Notes

January 22, 2014

Today at the office was busier than some days.  Ron was out on three different jobs and my afternoon was very busy with customers.  Part of the morning was spent with a salesman, and then I worked rearranging some things in my office.  I am setting up a sewing machine in my office so when I am not busy with customers or bookkeeping, I can sew instead of being tempted to play computer games.  I don't do the on line games, but I play Free Cell and a couple of other games like that.  So currently I am in the process of setting up the things I need to be able to work on some scrap quilt squares at the office.  I don't expect to be able to assemble a quilt there, but I can make squares.

During the afternoon I stayed very busy with customers.  That is good.  That is why I am there.  It was a day for broken keys - when a customer brings you two pieces and wants you to copy them and make a new key.  Sometimes that is not too hard; other times it is nearly impossible.  One this afternoon was missing a piece in the middle.  I still think I got it and he didn't come back, so maybe mine worked. 

After finishing an order for one man, he asked if it was me he had seen at physical therapy at Dr. Olson's office.  I said it was, although I did not recognize him.  He remembered me and had watched me doing my exercises.  It turned out he had dislocated his elbow and wondered what I had done to mine since some of our exercises were the same but some were different.  Our mothers all warned us to always be on our best behavior because you never know who is watching.  They are right. 

Apparently I had already been at physical therapy a few sessions when he started, so he decided if I was getting better, he would, too.  He had been dove hunting and was tromping through mud when he fell and tried to catch himself with his left hand and dislocated the elbow.  Apparently he is still seeing if he will be able to fully recover without surgery.  We had a nice chat, comparing notes on our progress.  You just never know when someone is watching, needing to be encouraged.

When that customer left I had picked up a heavy object with my weak arm and realized that I continue to make progress.  I noticed several other chores as the day went on that I had not been able to do for a while without pain.  This evening as I opened a can of beans, I thought back to how it was impossible for me to use the can opener in the beginning.  I opened a jar that I couldn't have opened a few months ago.  I can use both hands to shampoo my hair, I can drive without pain, I can open the car door with that arm, I can turn a doorknob with it.  On and on, I took stock of the things I can now do.  There are still some that are difficult or painful, but I continue to make progress.  

I didn't do too much sewing during the afternoon and I still have a lot of cleaning and rearranging to be able to work comfortably, but I made some progress.  I made up a deposit, paid some bills, went to the bank, and did a little sweeping.  (The sweeping was impossible in the beginning of my recovery from the broken elbow.) 

Once I got home I cooked supper, took care of the ponds in the backyard, and did some cleaning in the kitchen while the cornbread I had made was baking.  It was so good with the brisket we picked up on our way home from San Antonio.  Yummy.  While in the yard I enjoyed lots of hibiscus plants blooming and wondered what this next cold spell will do to them.

Our youngest son Stephen, called and we had a nice visit.  Later in the evening I talked to our daughter-in-law, Vickey.  I exchanged some texts with our son Jeff, and he shared a picture of one of his sons with a bandaged hand.  He had tried to rescue a cat, caught on in a fence and the cat was to the point of panic.  Cat is doing well.  My grandson is doing OK after a trip to the doctor.  He used to tell me he wanted to be a veterinarian.  I am not sure if that is still his chosen field.  Before long I fell asleep in the recliner.  It had been a busy day.