A cascade of slippery plastic bags full of garden produce slid out of the fridge one too many times this week. I completely cleaned the fridge and re-organized it with a couple of old baskets. Now, the baggies can go in the drawers and baskets, and hopefully everything will be easier to find and use.
I washed and re-used many plastic bags this week.
The garden is producing more and more each day, and we are eating a great deal of lettuce. I picked one last picking of spinach and pulled the plants. I froze a lot of it. Of course, it shrank down to almost nothing, but I put it in very small baggies. Rob can put one of those in with his morning stir-fry if he needs more greens. I picked snow peas, lettuce, spinach, the last of the boc choi, broccoli, raspberries and strawberries. I froze 7 bags of broccoli, in 2 different batches. We also ate it a couple of times.
I picked strawberries several times. I made freezer jam one day. It did not set very well, but I froze it anyway and it will either set some more and be good jam, or it will be berry syrup for pancakes or ice cream. We’ve also been eating sliced berries for dessert.
I got a ripe tomato on Wednesday! It’s a Glacier Ultra Early, but for around here…it’s really early. I’m thrilled!
We worked with the kids a great deal this week. Rob took them for a drive and looked for trains. This time, they saw some. Yea! We did school with Jake on 2 days, took him for walks, read for hours, had him help me with chores, and he helped me pick strawberries in the yard.
Our biggest news is that on Wednesday, Rob had appointments regarding his upcoming surgery. There are many things to be thankful for. 1) His wounds on his legs are healing nicely and will not delay the surgery. 2)His weight is at a great level, several pounds below the weight required to have the surgery. 3) The date of the 29th is a “go.” 4)They just changed the policy again so that I can accompany him to the hospital and be there during surgery, and into the evening. I cannot stay the night, still, but I can live with that!
In response to things the physical therapist we met with told us, I rearranged our bedroom to make it better for Rob’s upcoming recovery. We have some work to do on our bathroom–we need to tear off the shower doors. We are waiting for a new shower curtain to arrive from Amazon, and we will do that. Rob found a walker at a thrift store quite some time ago, but now know we need a bathtub bench, so will go look for one before we buy new. The doctor wants Rob to get tracker poles for after he uses the walker for a while. So that’s another item to look for used, or order new.
It’s going to be another busy week around here!
Wow that is early for tomatoes. I bet it sure tasted good. Yum on the strawberry jam or pancake syrup. Either way it will taste good
So glad the surgery is a go, and I hope that Rob will soon have less pain. Is he counting the days? Prayers for healing and a quick recovery.
Hope you have a good week
It is super early for tomatoes! I was actually shocked when I saw the color in the patch!
Rob is counting the days, but because he has been waiting for so long and it has been put off several times for various reasons, it’s hard to believe it’s actually happening. He has not been able to walk well for literally years, and the past 2 years have been awful. It’s 2 weeks from today, now, on Monday morning. We are scurrying around getting things ready. It’s happening…we hope:)
All the best for Rob’s surgery Becky!
Thank you so much.
Great news for Rob’s surgery. Look on Craigslist for the items. I have seen them many times offered for free by me. I have my first peas this week. Tomatoes are still a ways off.
All right, I’ll get him looking at Craigslist as well! thanks!
good luck on the surgery. What is tractor poles? Son 2 had to get trekking poles after his knee surgery. He now has a traditional walking sticking that he picked up in his travels.
We are eating lettuce daily, radishes and green onions also. Nothing else is ready.
I meant trekking poles:). I’ll have to go back and fix that. I must have been falling asleep when I wrote that and the spell check got away from me.
My garden is much earlier than normal, which has been a blessing during these times when we are wanting to stay home so much. We are still buying cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, etc., though, because Rob is eating so many vegetables, but it won’t be long. It will be an especially blessing to have a garden in the yard right after surgery, although I have family who will bring me groceries if needed.
Ask around your local churches (perhaps a Facebook post if you or your family is on it) for medical supply closets. Lots have them and they just serve as places where you can pick up and drop off used medical equipment like what you need for Rob. Lots of time, people get it for “free” from insurance (not free because you pay for insurance!) and only need it for a few weeks/months. Might save you some time!
I’ll pass that idea on as well!
That’s such good news about Rob’s surgery! So glad it will soon happen, and you will be able to be at the hospital. I expect you have more than enough to do between now and then, but if you do not soon find a shower bench, perhaps Rob could make one from his lumber collection. My husband made a shower seat for us from a piece of teak I found on ebay. If Rob has pine or other non-exotic wood, it may not be as long-lasting, but I bet would do fine through the time he needed it. Just a possibility. I’ll be keeping you all in my prayers.
That’s a great idea.
Call the local Senior Citizen Center in your town. They usually have loads of donated equipment. If you find a shower chair make sure it can support his weight. Some are not that sturdy. The PT /OT at the hospital may be able to help you. When my father was ill, my sister was able to find all of the equipment he needed for free.
Good to know. Thanks.
I’m so glad his surgery is set! I’m also glad you can be there with him. Maybe things will ease up enough in the next couple weeks that you can be there with him overnight, but at least you get to go! I know you won’t remember, but my husband had both his hips replaced at once when he was 50. Over five years and it’s hard to believe he used to be unable to completely straighten up. Some people were surprised by how tall he is. ? I will be glad for Rob to be on that road to recovery!
I’m so encouraged by those remarks! Rob is so much shorter each time they measure him that they kept moving the BMI because the chart shows a different “safe’ weight with each shorter height! I hope he straightens up, too.
Also check with your local office for Red Cross. They some times have loaners.
Oh my gosh – two weeks until the surgery date. I’ll keep him and you in my prayers.
Also, check out grocery delivery. I’ve been doing that since this whole mess started. My grocery store is two weeks out to schedule the delivery times but I can work with that.
Tomatoes!! Just wow, mine have just now flowered. LOL
Cheers,
Thanks!
I’ve got to say that this is extraordinarily early for tomatoes for me.
I’m so glad everything is still a go for the surgery. Rob has done such a terrific job of preparing for the surgery. I know it will be great to get it behind you.
I am very eager to get it done! It’s been postponed so many times.
Best wishes for Rob and you on his surgery! Hope everything goes well, the surgery isn’t delayed again and will be successful, and the healing and recovery goes smoothly. Hope you are able to get all the preparations done before surgery takes place! Take care.
Thank you!
Woohoo!!!! That’s for that beautiful sight of a refrigerator and Rob’s surgery!!!!! Prayers for all!
Thank you! I am in a cleaning mood these days…
Since Rob is tall you may want to think about acquiring a toilet chair, particularly if your commode is on the low side. I seem to remember that my husband needed one after his surgery.
The first month of recovery is generally the most difficult, both for patient and caregivers. Definitely worth doing though! It has been five years since my husband’s surgery (he was 58). To see him today you would not know that he ever needed a hip replacement. Best of luck!
All the relatives are lining up to take turns helping me during that first month, so I’m very relieved. It sounded pretty daunting during the class we took, so I know I need help!
They said there would be a kit available at the hospital with a toilet device to raise the height, a sock grabber, and some other small, helpful devices. We are going to get that there. The shower bench has proved to be elusive, even with Rob calling all around, visiting thrift stores, etc., so today he followed another lead and called a medical supply company. They indicated that our insurance might cover one, with a prescription from our doctor, so the appropriate calls have been made, and we should know in a day or two if that angle is going to work. At least the shower doors are now off, the tub re-calked, and we have a lovely beach-themed shower curtain up now. We are almost ready!