Hello!

     Today was another physical therapy day. I was able to do a bit more but ended up with another new prescription for pain.  This arm is very different and I am having a SIGNIFICANT amount of pain with it. Doc thinks it's probably due to the fact that the bone was broken in addition to the tear. I also had some kind of cyst on the bone in my shoulder that has been sent for biopsy. It caused the tear to appear smallish but as he went deeper the tear became much larger...that is kind of scary! I see the Dr. again on Tuesday so maybe I'll have some answers then. Meanwhile regular things like dressing and feeding myself have become exercises in proper planning and pain management. I am ready to be well and strong again! As a side note, sleeping while sitting upright is miserable! Wow! So much whining in such a short amount of space! Thank you for your thoughts and well wishes...I know you care.   :-)

Post-Surgical Update

    I was so nervous going to the hospital that I forgot my camera. Just as well because it looks pretty gruesome! Apparently arthroscopic was a good beginning - but he needed more room - so I have larger incisions. He had to put permanent stitches on the inside - yuck! Exterior stitches came out yesterday, coupled with the first torture session AKA physical therapy. It is amazing how much you cannot do when your dominant arm is injured. Today was the first day I have made an attempt to use the computer. I was so very happy to hear from special friends. You mean so very much! Thank you!

Tomorrow is the Day!

      I am starting to get a bit nervous! Surgery is tomorrow to repair torn rotator cuff. I know it will feel better...but first it will feel so much worse!!  To help get my mind in a better place, I am enjoying hot cocoa and carrot cake all snuggled in bed! I am taking my new super-cool camera so there will be photo documentation...maybe a layout? Maybe too weird! Anyway, I am wishing the surgeon a good night's rest...I hope his game is on for me tomorrow!

Surgery :-(

    The Dr. has scheduled surgery for December 15th. The broken arm is healing nicely (even without a cast) - but the rotator cuff is torn almost completely. Couple that with severe bone bruising and tendonitis in my elbow! Let's just say I'll be ready to get the surgery over with!! That means I need to have Christmas all wrapped up before then!!  :-) I got a good start on shopping over Thanksgiving and the tree is up...but not decorated yet. I hope to get in my craft room and finish up some projects before surgery.

Surprise!!

   I went to see my doctor yesterday. You may remember that I went hiking in late August to a place called Rock Island State Park. You may also remember that I fell early on in the hike and hurt my arm. I toughed it out and finished the hike and actually had quite a good time. My arm has not gotten better and, since I started Yoga, it has gotten a bit worse. Here is the shocker! Apparently, I broke my arm when I fell!! I have been walking around, kayaking, hiking, working, etc. and my arm is broken just below my elbow and has been since August!! Duh!! Healing has occurred...but not enough...and my rotator cuff is also torn. I go to the surgeon Monday for an MRI and whatever else he thinks is necessary.  It is looking like I will need surgery over Christmas break from school. That is NOT what I had planned! Anyway, look for an update Monday night. Meanwhile, look at my older posts for Rock Island. In those pictures I had already fallen and my right arm is broken! When you're dumb...ya gotta be tough!!

Happy Halloween!!

   I finally got some time to spend in my craft room! Yay!! I made some treat bags for the grandkids. Very simple with punkins, ghosts, and Peachy Keen faces!  I love my Peachy Keen stamps! I hope the kids like the treat bags....but anything with candy is usually a hit!

BOO!

Losing a ghost!

Camping/Kayaking Weekend!

    I had a wonderful weekend camping and kayaking in Celina, TN with Paddle Adventures Plus! The good points...great people...great kayaking...great food...great time! One problem area...overnight temperatures in the 30's!!!! Yay for long johns, campfires, and sleeping bags! Enjoy the pictures. I will add more soon! Remember that you can click on the pictures to view them larger!

Also Saturday's paddle. The Obey River.

My campsite! Kayaks parked behind my tent.

Cool rock on Sunday's paddle. 

Green River Paddle!

 I had an awesome day paddling on the Green River in Cave City, Kentucky! My new kayak is a sweet thing! The weather started out rainy but turned out wonderfully warm and sunny! There were 21 of us in all with some experienced paddlers mixed in with us newbies. Everyone had a great time and we were really up for a longer paddle...it was over too soon! I really do need a paddling partner...soon!

That's my baby! The red, yellow, and orange one!

The nose of my boat and some of the paddlers.

A cave I wanted to go in...I got out voted!  :-(

Beautiful, misty morning!

My New Kayak!

   Here I am on the maiden voyage of my new kayak! I took the plunge (no pun intended!) with a little help from a couple of wonderful friends! One had expert knowledge of kayaks and went with me to the sporting goods store. The other - well you know who you are! Thank you sooo much! It is a great kayak and tomorrow is a trip down the Green River in Cave City, Kentucky! Wish me luck with NOT swamping this one! LOL!

80's Dance Party!

  Last night I attended an 80's themed dance party in Nashville! I had a blast dancing to some great music and visiting with some very nice people. Of course, I got a few odd looks as I walked a couple blocks to the venue. This picture shows part of my 'costume'. I added huge dangly silver hoop earrings and a wrist full of  silver bangle bracelets. Then I put on black high heeled boots for a finishing touch! Oh! And blue eye shadow! LOL!

Meet Up Group Pictures!!

  Look what I found on the Kayak Lesson Meet Up site! Two cool action shots of ME from my first 'real' river paddle!! The other paddles I went on previous to this were very quiet lake paddles for practice. This was the paddle where I got hung up on some rocks and swamped my boat! Drowning was NOT in my plans for that day! LOL! Luckily I had some help getting the water out of my kayak - but I was still bogged down and moving slow! These two pictures are before that happened. I hope you like them!

Leslie took this picture - that is the nose of her kayak

How do you like me now!

Cool Find!!

   On this rainy Labor Day I went shopping with my daughter Aimee. We went to an indoor yard sale and I found this cool motorcycle helmet!! It was marked $35.00 but I got it for $20!! The face shield is missing but I prefer to wear sunglasses...plus I can get the face shield replaced if I want to! Check out the pictures! I already have a leather jacket from years ago so I am ready for my lessons!! I will be taking pictures from my lessons later this month...I can't wait!! Now I just have to sit down and create some scrapbook layouts from my adventures so far!

Kayaking Pictures

   School all day...then back at night for Open House! Smiling is so hard sometimes! My kayak partner is on vacation in Ireland for 10 days!!! Luckily she posted a new paddle for when she returns. Our last big paddle was on the Red River. The next one is on the Green River in Cave City, Kentucky! Another 8 miler---can I do it? My shoulder is still sore from the fall I took hiking last weekend---I think I can---I think I can! I hope to have my own kayak by then! Meanwhile here are some pictures from last time.



Funky old bus we rode on!

blue sky, white puffy clouds, calm water...Beautiful!

More Pictures from Extreme Hiking!

  I wanted to share a few more pictures from my Saturday rock climbing. I thought it would be a trail hike...no such luck! Check out the rocks we climbed up and down! My cuts are healing nicely and the chiropractor is working on my shoulder...might be an MRI in my future! Hoping not!
   Tomorrow after work I'm going to Bowling Green, Kentucky to test drive a couple of Harleys! Hopefully there will be pictures involved!

Some of us

BIG rocks!

Even Sadie had trouble and she has 4 feet!

Decisions, Decisions!

  OK...so I have picked out my kayak and have almost $300.00 saved for it!! Yay! I have been riding motorcycles lately and I picked one out that I like.  I am going to take riding lessons at the community college here so I can get my license again and get discounted insurance! ALSO! I have decided on a new car! That won't happen for another 6 - 8 months but the decision is made!





Extreme Hiking!!

   When a guy named Zach says "easy to moderate" don't you believe it!! LOL!! We did 4 miles of 'rock hopping' today!!  I hurt in places I didn't know I had!!  It was worth it to enjoy the swimming under the waterfalls! Is this beautiful or what??!! It is on my 'to do' list again. Then we all shared cook out foods and had a smorgasbord of yummy stuff to eat. We worked up quite an appetite!!

Me and my 'cool' hiking hat!

Waterfall and swimming hole

Me again - tired!

 

Twilight Paddle

   This evening I was able to meet my kayaking instructor and go for a twilight paddle to hone my paddling skills!!! It was so peaceful!! We saw blue herons and Canadian geese and lots of fish jumping out of the water! I know for sure that I have to have my own kayak! I hope you enjoy the picture...it got dark really quickly!

borrowed kayak!

Kayak!

  I have been researching kayaks since I decided to purchase one of my own. I have chosen this 10 foot Pungo kayak from Wilderness Adventures.  I am saving up as we speak...but it is possible that I may find it on sale as the season is drawing to a close. Tomorrow evening I am joining Leslie for a paddle until dark! I really enjoy the night time paddles...even though I look like a miner with my headlamp on!!

I think I can!

Sunday Nature Hike

 Today was my first nature hike at Long Hunter State Park.  Short 2 mile hike with stops to identify flora and fauna! Since it was 91 degrees I was glad it was short!! We ended the hike with a view from the bluff overlooking Percy Priest Lake. Of course we left our gear on the bluff and climbed down to play in the water for a few minutes!! Next Sunday is a 4 mile hike - think I can? Remember you can click on the pictures to enlarge them!

Pre-hike sandwich!

View from bluff

bluff

Red River Paddle!

   Last Sunday I went on a river paddle! It was the first 'real' paddle I did! We paddled 8 miles and at the end I could barely raise my arms! There were about 20 0f us and we had a blast! We had several 'incidents' but everyone survived! I have decided that my next major purchase will be a kayak - I even have one picked out! I will try to post a link to show which one I decided on. Meanwhile, here are some pictures of the paddle. Hopefully I will get some scrapping time to do a couple of layouts.

New Hobby!

      I have a wonderful new hobby! Kayaking! I went on a paddle last night under a full moon! We paddled to a water-side restaurant for dinner and then paddled until around 11:30 pm. What a wonderful time! We even saw a shooting star! Next paddle is tomorrow - can't wait!

My Craft Channel!

I wanted to share a great new resource with everyone! This is an online TV craft network! How cool is that?!  This is not just scrapbooking! There are new shows each week featuring sewing, photography, crafts, etc. Check it out!

Happy July!

    I wanted to share some pictures of my grandchildren.  You can always count on grandchildren for unconditional love...and the sweetest baby kisses! I had fun in the pool with them today and nobody got sunburn except Granny!

Clark

Taylor and William

Criss

Lee

Devin

James

Father's Day!

   I spent a little time in my scrap room today. I re-arranged and re-organized some things. I made this very plain and simple card. I hope you like it. I used Martha Stewart's "Seasonal Cake Art" to cut the 'Happy Father's Day'. The sentiment is printed on cardstock from 'Word'.  I really need to take some photography classes!

MIA!

     Sorry to be MIA for so long :-(  Lots of personal stuff going on and not much scrapping. I just can't seem to get back in the swing of things. Today it is thunderstorming and I will be going to my scrap room to just sit. Hopefully that will spark some enthusiasm for creativity. I love thunderstorms and I love my scrap room - maybe the two together will help get me out of this rut. I will be back later to let you know how that goes!

A Layout of Me!!!

   I don't usually scrap myself. I have made a new vow to try and get myself into some shots and not always be the photographer.  In this layout I was whitewater rafting with my sister in the Smoky Mountains last summer! We had a blast! My sister was sure we would drown - but we didn't! This will definitely be something I do again! I hope you like it! Remember, you can click on any picture to enlarge it. I'm not quite finished, but wanted to get this posted quickly. The only Cricut cuts are the ovals and letters from Plantin Schoolbook.

2 page layout

not quite finished

right hand page

close up

Cricut Circle!

  Yippee! I am almost in The Circle! I have already received the information from the Imaginisce blog regarding the Cricut Circle! I quickly responded and heard back from ProvoCraft by email.  Now I am impatiently waiting to get the login details so I can finally enter The Circle!! I am so excited! Stay tuned for details!!

Imaginisce Blog!

  I wanted to share a cool blog today! I have finally purchased an I-Rock tool to add some bling to my projects. I wanted to find some tutorials online for it and stumbled on this blog:
                                          http://www.imaginisceblog.com/
  I have been following them and checking out their awesome projects. I entered their giveaway and was chosen as one of the winners! How cool! I won a three month trial subscription to the Cricut Circle!! Wow!

GIVE-AWAY: CLICK-IT WITH CRICUT
Prize: Eight Trial Memberships to Cricut Circle
WINNERS:

scrapgranny said...

I am now following both blogs! Their projects are wonderful! It must be Happy Camper coming soon! Thanks for the chance to win!

Oldest Grandson

   Did I mention that I also like to do digital scrapping?  Well I do! This was my first attempt. I used another "owie" picture - this time of my oldest grandson, Devin.  We did have to go to the ER for this one! He was trying to be acrobatic as he jumped in my pool - didn't work out for him!
   I have a flash drive with digital elements on it. I chose ribbons and buttons and a "d" for Devin. The "d" was a different color so I changed it to match the ribbon. Can you see the stitching element I added? I thought that was appropriate! LOL! The two small picture frames are another element I added and put pictures of the ER Doc and the suture tray! Devin actually took the picture of the Doc!

Shape Book

  This is a shape book I made for my grandson's first trip to the ocean. I take basic supplies with me on vacation and then hit local craft shops for papers I want. I made this entire book while we were away! He was almost 2 years old and he had the shaggy beach boy hair! This is one of his favorite books to look through and he wants to go again soon! I also have a blank book to show how it started out. The "Tahiti" stack from DCWV is my favorite "beach" theme paper and that is what I used here. I hope you like this book.

Finished Book

Beginning/End