SpokEasy

March 2023

Lobo

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Lobo? It’s easy to think “lobo” — aka wolf — today. We were under a wind advisory all morning; and that brings to mind the line: “I’ll huff; and I’ll puff; and I’ll blow your house down!” We were lucky here; but folks in  other areas were less fortunate. They got hurricane-force winds; hail; and even tornadoes! Our afternoon temperatures have been climbing into the 80s; but it’s down to 57 tonight. That’s more seasonable!  I had to be out in the wind today, because I had an occupational therapy session. On the way there, I found yet another item left over from the parades: a fuzzy die. It was maybe 2 1/2 inches per side; and quite soft and squeezable. I brought it with me, because I thought the OT might be able to use it for clients (as in gripping exercises). But first it has to dry; it was rather damp. The OT says I’m doing very well; and she told me, as long as I used mostly my right hand, I ought to do all right changing my bed’s sheets. So I tried it; and it went well. I’m not sure whether I’m ready to use my washing machine yet; but do I want to try it! Not today, though. My hand needs a rest; and in fact, it feels rather numb. I guess that means I’m not quite ready to climb aboard a bicycle.☹️ Our local lobo seems to be easing up; and maybe I’ll go out later and get Chinese food. Just now it’s lunch-hour rush time; and I’d rather wait for things to calm down.   

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Picnic Time

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Picnic Time! It sure feel like picnic time around here. March has barely begun; yet we’re getting afternoon temperatures in the 80s! If it’s picnic time for you, this Carhartt Lunch Cooler is a handy item to have. It’s insulated to keep lunch or a six-pack cool; and the top compartment can hold smaller items (how about M&Ms for dessert?)  The zip-shut front compartment holds utensils and napkins. I don’t know that I’d want to eat al fresco this afternoon, though. There’s a chance of T-storms; and it’s already  drizzling on and off. The wind isn’t very strong at the moment; but starting at 9 pm there’s a wind advisory. It’s in effect until noon tomorrow. I’ll have a breezy walk to my occupational therapy appointment! Getting back to the lunch cooler, I used a similar item to carry my lunch to work for years. It could just fit into a pannier; with room to stuff in a poncho if rain were predicted. This cooler is good to take along when grocery shopping on hot days; I can keep things like yogurt and hummus from getting too warm on the way home. Incidentally, I’m getting anxious to make a trip to the salvage store. But I’d better be careful about stocking up on canned goods, lest salvage store woes catch up to me again.    

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Hand Up

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Hand Up? A hand up? Is that the right way of putting it? My left hand seems to be improving. I had occupational therapy today; and I have a new exercise. I put a rubber band around all my fingers, thumb included; and gently stretch the rubber band outwards. When I got home, I looked at my collection of rubber bands and found one that seems right. I do need to pay more attention to massaging the surgery scar. The OT says it’s “catching” a bit; and I need to fix that. I don’t have any commercial lotion; but I do have my home-made hand cream (à la BBH). I can use that. The trouble with it is that it’s quite oily. I had collected some “throws” along the way to occupational therapy sessions, including seven bouncy rubber balls. The were from a half-inch to one inch in diameter. I thought they might be helpful for OT; and my therapist says they are! That’s a lot better than throwing them away. Before I went home from occupational therapy, I made a detour to pedal on a WattBike®. Oddly, I seem to be able to pedal more strongly when I’ve already walked several miles during the day. Today I tried holding the handlebars with both hands. Hard gripping is still out; but it’s great to be able to use that left hand. The weather continues to be weird. It got up to at least 80 degrees today; and tomorrow we’ll have similar conditions. It’s been quite windy, too. Is that March “coming in like a lion”? It’s time to stop and give my poor extremity a rest. A hand up is fine; but one worn out isn’t so great.

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