100 books in a year

I'm still working on this challenge, but, like a lot of things, I'm not really keeping up with writing about it.  I added a couple more books that I've read and I'm really going to try to keep updating as I read and not letting it slide and try to catch up.

I've been alternating between reading and watching Olympics today.  Lazy day really.  Still, it's a day off work and my foot is still killing me so a good excuse.  I really should get off my lazy arse and go for a walk, but I have to work tomorrow so trying to stay off foot as much as possible today. 

Olympics

REALLY disappointed that the Opening Ceremony wasn't live and that none of the sports are either - at least on the telly.  What's up with that?  It kind of spoils the whole watching thing if you already know who won.  Sad in Kalamazoo

Doctor's appoint

Yeah!  Went to the Doc's this morning and I can 'wean myself off the foot brace'.  Does this mean I can run around the room jumping up and down?  I would - if my ankle wasn't still in pain.  She showed me where the tendon was damaged and that bit doesn't hurt half as much as my ankle - apparently where the bone bruise is.  Anyway now it's just a matter of strengthening my ankle, doing ankle exercises and putting up with the pain.  I go back in five weeks.  She said the other option was physical therapy, but really, I can't see spending a bunch of money on something I could probably do myself.  A therapist came in and showed me what to do and it's not rocket science.

I did put on a shoe - which felt really strange after four weeks - and walked around the bookstore.  Ow.  Not sure what I'm going to do for work tomorrow.  I might take the brace with me and see how it goes without.

Back to the dentist

I was back at the dentist's today.  Still not my most favourite place in the world, but I have been plugging away at my dental issues and am now almost three quarters of the way done!  It was just a cleaning today but I scheduled my next two lots of treatment.  I have to do it slowly as my insurance only pays up to $2000 a year and the rest I have to pay out of pocket for.  I still have to pay for some each treatment but it would be a heck of a lot more if the insurance didn't cover some of it.  After the next two treatments (one for lots of fillings and the other for core buildup work) I only have bridge work to be done - this will have to wait until next year when new insurance kicks in. 

I think the people at the dentist's office are more excited than I am to be near finishing.  I'm glad I found the place.  It is all women who work there and they are all very friendly and caring - especially to a chicken like me :)

I am addicted to...

...American Colony.  This is a tv show on the US channel National Geographic.  It is about a Hutterite colony.  I wasn't even sure what this was.  Apparently the people who live in this colony (there are 54 of them all related) hold strict traditions - there is 'man' work and 'women' work.  The women don't wear trousers and they have to cover their hair.  Few of them seem to finish High School and most seem to leave school when they are 15 or so.  The show is really interesting - despite how old fashioned their roles are they all seem to have cell phones and computers. 

The funniest episode was when Wesley was told he had to change his habits and decided to cook a healthy meal with his cousin. They cooked tofu and the looks on the other colony members' faces were hilarious. 

My favourite character has to be Bertha.  She's an older woman but she seems a bit of a rebel.  She ended up being shunned for letting her son play sports and go to school.  Her daughter, Claudia, is a rebel too.  Check it out if you can!

MRI update

Had my MRI on my ankle on Monday.  Wow, that was an experience.  The machine is the tunnel thingy but my whole body didn't go inside just my foot.  They put headphones on you but the machine is really loud.  There is a WOP WOP WOP noise and then something like a machine gun sound (or the sound kids make when imitating one lol).  The technician kept telling me how long each test would last.  I felt something - probably the vibrations on my ankle. 

When I was back in the room where my valuables were being kept there was a guy naked except for the paper bottoms.  The technician was stifling a laugh as he said that the guy didn't need to be naked he just needed to wear the paper trousers as the zipper on regular ones would interfere with the machine.  I SO didn't need to see that!

Got the results too - I have a bone bruise and a partial tear in my tendon.  Guess that's why my ankle is still bothering me.  Luckily it is usually healed without surgery.  I just have to wear the boot a bit longer.  Oh well.  At least now I know what's wrong. 

Little bit of everything

Foot update - had Drs appointment.  Go for MRI on Monday.  Hopefully they can say what is wrong.  Just want it to stop hurting.  On a (not so) funny sidenote - the woman who is working the desk at work this week broke her foot and is in a cast and boot.  That makes 3 of us at work.  Hopefully that's it.

Mum update - talked to Mum today.  She said she had gone down to the waterfront in Ipswich to watch the Olympic torch go by.  Wish I could have been there.  She's staying away from London while the Olympics are on - can't say I blame her.

Reading update - despite not adding any books to my reading lists, I have been reading quite a lot.  I was well pleased with all the books I sorted out before my Mum came.  Wish I had taken a before and After pic of bedroom as it looks 1000% better than it used to.  I am adding some books to the Read list.  I will hit the goal by the end of the year.  I'm on a bit of a mystery kick right now. 

Cooling down and other Sunday natterings

It's cooler today - only 86F (30C).  Still hot but a relief after the past few days.  It's supposed to be cooler at night time so it will be easier to sleep.

Worked today but not a lot else.  Came home and put my foot up.  Have a Drs appointment on Wednesday.  Ankle is still hurting so not sure whether this boot thing will come off or I'll be stuck with it longer. 

Got some more pics to share.  These are from our trip to Holland, Michigan.  There is such a nice beach there, though the weather was quite hot and sand was ultra hot.  Mum and I walked along to where the lighthouse was.  I only went so far as the walkway out there had no barriers on either side and I'm not too fond of the whole water thing so I was chicken and only went so far as where the barrier ended.  I waited there for Mum to come back.  While I was there I saw a mother bird and her babes in the water  - so cute I had to take pics.  They were swimming their way around the rocks.  Such a beautiful sight. 

Still hot

YUCK.  It is half past seven in the morning and it is already 85F (28C).  It's really going to be too hot to do much of anything today especially with the boot thingy on my foot/leg,  Maybe a trip out of the house just because it's been work/home, work/home for the last few days.  We haven't been cooking anything as we don't want to turn the oven on and heat up the house some more!  We are lucky enough to have window air conditioners (two) but at this temp they keep things more bearable than cool.  :(

Phew it's hot

Temperature has reached 101F (38c) and the heat index is even hotter.  Yuck.  I don't like it this hot.  We have a couple window air conditioners, but the cool air doesn't reach the bedroom and it's really yucky to sleep in.  The last couple nights my foot, the heat and fireworks have been waking me up.  What crazy person decides it's 'fun' to let off fireworks at midnight?  Obviously kids or someone who doesn't have to get up in the am to go to work. 

POSITIVE - I have air conditioning in my office at work :)  This is the first summer I have had it.  I don't think I could have survived without it.  Last year I had to keep leaving the office every few minutes as it was well over 100 in there.  We can't keep the door open as it as a cash office with money and safe.

POSITIVE - DD made a lovely strawberry thing for desset.  Yummy.  Not sure what we're having for dinner (something that doesn't require oven) but dessert sounds good.

POSITIVE - it's my day off tomorrow.

Ball and Chain

I feel like I'm dragging around a ball and chain.  The ankle brace makes my ankle feel better but after being on my feet at work for three or four hours the boot thingy makes me feel like my foot weighs a ton.  :(

More holiday talk.

When my Mum was over we went up to Northern Michigan.  It's really beautiful up there.  I was apprehensive about going over the bridge - I have a thing about going over water - but it was really worth it.  The views were spectacular.  I have more pics to share.  Sometimes it's hard to think of the memories as my Mum is back in England and I miss her, but I know I should think of the good times AND I plan a trip over to visit her in October so it's really not so far away.

The weather up north was beautiful.  We had a bit of a heatwave with temps reaching 90+ F - quite hot to Munising.  We all came away with lots of colour. 

The pictures are of Mackinaw Bridge. The first two were taken before crossing the Bridge the second two were taken from our trip over to Mackinaw Island.