Fair weekend

This weekend is the 4-H fair. Every year I look forward to volunteering and working it... This year notsomuch --- I am STILL on crutches (26 weeks for those keeping track which I certainly am). There won't be walking around or checking out the sights there will just be doing what I was brought there to do. 

And... It's raining today! And... It's an outdoor show... And... My outfit for today included a white shirt! I'll be rethinking that!

What are your weekend plans? 

8 is enough

Wednesday I went to my 8th funeral this year.

My father's

It was his 79th birthday. I spent the morning with him and as I left he called me back to kiss him goodbye. 

What! A! Gift!!! 

I will always remember that the last thing I said to him was I love you, and the last thing I did for him was kiss him goodbye. 

I was excited for his birthday this year. I had spoiled him with food and booze and scratch tickets. I told everyone I ran into "it's my dads birthday" 

We have a difficult past but we've spent the last year and a half loving one another. I will miss him SO much, and I can only hope that he and my mom are dancing among the stars.

There's something very lonely (even while surrounded) about being an "orphan"

I had leader of the band sung at his funeral and really "papa I don't think I said I love you near enough"...

Go hug someone you love

Favorites

Name Your Favorite…

Person: living? That'd be J. Unless you want to count the poodle as a person... Then J is bumped down a notch

Color: it's been pink forever but I'm really loving pastel aqua and peaches lately

Food: Italian ice

Smell: the fairgrounds. Sort of like horse manure, dirt, dust, grass, fresh hay, shavings and home all mixed together 

Book: skeezer a dog with a mission. It's the reason I have a therapy dog

Movie: hmmm I really liked the colors in oz the great and powerful 

Time of day: when I first wake up and just when I'm going to sleep are tied

Day of week: Sundays 

Things to do when bored: crochet, organize photos, clean

Celebrity: secretariat

Drink: water with fruit in it

TV show: lately I'm all about Big Bang theory 

Fruit: what ever we just went to the orchard and picked, in the winter grapefruit 

Vegetable: carrots

Store/shop: etsy

Workout: boxing

Quote: it's always been "the only way around is through"

Potato chip flavor: hate hate hate potato chips! Don't like finger foods and despise my hands getting greasy

Meal of the day: 

Ice cream: I'm more of an Italian ice fan... Vegan ice cream isn't really worth the calories IMO 

Season: late spring and summer

Dessert: watermelon

Life hack: I don't know that this is my favorite but it's pretty cool!

A random bit of... What?

Silly questions

1. What are you wearing?

 White tank with really pretty crochet in the back, black yoga pants with gold filigree painted at the bottom of the left leg and the ever present compression sock 

2. Ever been in love?

 Yes. With my husband. My horse Needles, my poodle, my kitty Tiki!

3. Ever had a terrible breakup?

 Oh yes. The break-up with the cab driver from Kentucky - long story short he left me for his step sister (truth)

4. How tall are you?

 5' 4" 

5. How much do you weigh?

 Not answering 

6. Any tattoos?

 Yup, I've got my momma's wings on the back if my neck and plans for 2 more once I'm a little more mobile

7.  Any piercings?

 My ears

8. Favorite song?

 Currently? All of me

9. Quality you’d look for in a partner?

 Friendship - my husband is my best friend and without that I think we'd have nothing

10.  Favorite quote?

 "The only way around is through"

11. Favorite actor?

 I don't have one

12. Loud music or soft?

 Soft everything UNLESS I'm in a class at the gym then it's all loud!!!

13. Where do you go when you’re sad?

 If I'm mobile? For a run or a good heavy bag class or spin! Now? I just watch another tv show

14.  How long does it take for you to get ready in the morning?

 Depending on if I'm giving myself a facial or not (today I am) anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour)

15. Every been in a physical fight?

 Nope but I wouldn't hesitate if someone I love needed me

16. Turn on?

 Eyes

17.  Turn off?

 Cruelty

18.  Fears?

 Being trapped

19.  Last thing that made you cry?

 Pain

20. Last time you said you loved someone?

 About 3 minutes ago to the poodle and about 500 times already today to him

21. Meaning behind your YouTube name?

 It's alwaysjoy - a reminder that my name is my name and not a command

22. The relationship between you and the person you last texted?

 It was Laura - she's one of my dearest friends and the person I am most honest to.

23. Favorite food?

 Popsicles

24.  Place you want to visit?

 Disney - I need some lighthearted child like happiness

25.  Do you have a crush?

 I have love 

26. Last time you kissed someone?

 Last night when J got home

27. Last time you were insulted?

 I think my insults come from my own insecurities so who knows when one was actually real

28.  Favorite piece of jewelry?

 The diamond that was my moms and before that in my fathers family I treasure it! 

29. Who should answer these questions next?

 Anyone who wants 

 

All the world is a...

Circle

Well at least it is for me. Here it is 3:00am and I'm still wide awake. Why you wonder? Easy, anxiety & pain. And seriously I could easily do without both!

I realize that in the grand scheme of things being stuck on crutches is nothing but at almost 5 weeks in I'M GOING NUTS! And then I feel guilty... I have friends who have lost spouses and fathers and uncles and and and... I have sent out more sympathy cards in the last month than I think in any other time of my life. 

Tomorrow I go for another MRI of my stupid hip (to see if when I fell a couple weeks ago caused damage). And Wednesday is the ortho and really I look forward to them because what else do I do? Sit home and watch dance moms, some ranch show (I like it I think it begins with a b) barry'd treasure and storage wars. Yup that's what my life is reduced to ooh and if I'm not in too much pain I crutch walk down 4 houses and back and that has me huffing and puffing and sweating like I've just run the longest race of my life...

4 walls you can only stick in them so long :-(.

I'm not a very cheery person right now so lets see if I can at least find you a cute pic or 2 on my dying phone

It's the best I've got unless you want a 50000th pic of the poodle... It's a painting I made for my niece - I'm not sure if she actually liked it :-/

A few more things I've made

And then I think we are caught up ;-)

Quilt for my friends' new baby

Medal and bib holders for friends who ran the NYC 1/2 marathon!

A duct tape wallet for J for our 11th anniversary (he's a dr who geek)

2 minion cakes for a friends' son's second birthday :-)

The last 2 were post surgery - at least I am starting to move again! And there will be more than just past stuff :-/ 

What have you been up to??

I was also baking cakes

Like a crazy person 

This is obviously pre hip surgery because now my specialty is making a dent in my couch :-/

This was for my friends birthday the inside was purple too 

This was for a friends daughter. It's my take on lalaloopsy.

It was rainbow marble on the bottom and funfetti on top!

Cupcakes for another friends daughter who wanted tie dye frosting - funfetti in the middle. (This is my favorite picture I took of them all)

Chocolate and vanilla groom cupcakes for an engagement party

The bride (all vanilla and I found this on Pinterest - the groom I had to improvise)

The cake that started it all! A gymnastics outfit for a friends 3 year old! 

It's been fun can't wait to be up and making them again.

Hopefully a minion in a couple weeks!

xoxo

Are you a cake yay or nay? I'm not a fan but I like to bake them

Ohhh my have I been crafty

Lets just agree that Pinterest made me do it 

These 3 were a Christmas present for a Harry potter loving friend... She pinned the accio coffee one onto her "I need" 

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/1200x/53/be/06/53be0685d67f7dfcfb101b3859ea28f9.jpg

board and I went from there!

These 3 I got the idea here:

http://www.squidoo.com/hair-bow-holders

And then just made them my own! 

They went to 3 preschoolers 

J is in love with the Olympic Games so I made him my

(Cheap) version of this (with color appropriate candy or

Cookies that are his favorites):

This was my own punniness at play... Snacks in a mason

  jar  with chewbacca glued to the top with a tag that 

said for when you need a little something to chew on!

This was a get well for my friends daughter who broke

 her arm. I got this idea from here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/89059571/dinosaur-planter-with-air-plant-room

LASTLY...

This idea I've seen everywhere so I just made my own

For a friend of mine who loves the bruins almost as

Much as she loves shoes!!

And there's a few of them!

I've got tons of cakes to show you too!

Have you been up to anything fun lately?

Do it yourself fool - pedicure version

So the hippies aren't allowing me to go get manis or pedis (can't stay in one position for too long) so today I decided to give myself the works at home and thought maybe I'd share some of my favorite "recipes" with you.

For the pedicure I soak my feet in a bucket of warm water

It's just a plastic shoebox I got at the dollar store. I put some foot soak in it.

I got the recipe here:

http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-foot-soak-recipes/

And it's the basic the only difference is instead of essential oils I used red food coloring so I could have pink water! I made a bunch and I just store it in a ziplock

So I soak my feet for about 10 minutes then use the pumice stone and get rid of dead skin. After that I put on some foot scrub.

I made this one:

http://www.aandbstories.com/2013/03/simple-diy-exfoliating-foot-scrub.html?m=1

With this I just make it as I use it. I'm not sure how well it'd store

Then let the ole tootsies dry and slather with lotion. If you're going to paint your toenails (I'm not it hurts to bend and this was already MORE than enough) just remember to wipe off the lotion on your toenails with some nail polish remover. Then put on socks to keep the moisture in your newly soft feet!

Do you DIY pedicures at all? 

A rough week to love the poodle

So this week the poodle was sick :-(

The vet originally thought it was cancer and although that hasn't been 100% ruled out its looking less likely!!

Day 22: how you judge intelligence

I have different standards on this... For other people I judge it on how they take speak and act. For myself my lack of intelligence is the fact that I have no degree :-( whomp whomp

Day 23: a month/year of your life when you were happiest and why

I really like march 2003 AFTER our wedding - we were in Disney for over a week and I was carefree :-)

Day 24: your favorite 10 people right now and why

The dumbest question I've ever seen and has no hope of being answered by me since its only purpose would be to hurt someone you forgot (see look at me showing some smarts right there!)

Day 25: a friend you have lost that you’re better off without/one you wish you had back

I'm not sure who I'm better off without but I know who I wish I had back:

My mom - she was my very best friend :-) I love her to this day and I wish that she could come back even just for an hour.

Day 26: 5 things you’re looking forward to

1. Meeting a friends new baby

2. Summer

3. Poodle snuggles

4. Horse shows

5. Hips good enough to use them

Day 27: a person you wished lived closer and why

2 friends going through a health crisis because I wish I could be there to help them

Day 28: something you makes you really angry

Cancer! It sucks!

What are your weekend plans?

Going back to the ortho tomorrow

I miss walking without pain! 

I miss running

I miss working out a lot!

I missing playing with the poodle 

But here's this weeks questions

Day 15: a song that makes you cry and why

Ohhhh holy hell - mommas shoes. Have you heard that song? It makes me cry like a baby! 

Day 16: someone you trust

The poodle! I trust a lot of people with a part of me but the poodle is the only one I trust with all of my craziness

Day 17: your idol and why you look up to them

My mom! She was never supposed to walk or talk... But her parents didn't give up on her and they made her into an incredible human

Day 18: why you made your blog, why you still have it

Good question. I think I started it because everyone I knew was starting one and I still have it because I'm alone everywhere and this is where I talk to people

Day 19: your thoughts on your family

It's complicated

Day 20: what you think makes someone beautiful

Gentleness kindness love

Day 21: everything you wish for in a significant other

The same as 20 and foot rubbies!!!!

Do you like foot rubs?

A 3 day post

So this has taken me 3 days to write. I keep sitting down to write it and having to stop because I'm in pain. These hips of mine are for the birds!

A month ago today I was running 13 miles - today I'm hobbling through the store. I'm going to PT and the chiro and hearing that "I need to take it easier" really? What's easier than nothing? Because all I am doing these days is sitting on my ass envying all the people who are getting in shape for the new year.

Day 8: things that make you sad

Most often it's just me that makes me sad. My thoughts, my fears, my me...

Day 9: things that make you happy

The poodle. A good run. Making stuff for people. A pedicure.

Day 10: what you think when you hear the words “be yourself”

I wonder who I am :-/ seriously I have no clue who myself is

Day 11: the worst advice you’ve ever heard, or ever been given

A family member told their daughter not to be a hair dresser because its not a career that'll make them money. I totally disagree and also think that money isn't the be all end all and if someone loves their job...

Day 12: the best advice you’ve ever heard, or ever been given

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. My mum used to say this all the time and I think she meant it like don't not do something you want to do because you're mad at someone else

Day 13: your favorite quote

The only way around is through 

Day 14: write about something you believe in, anything at all

I believe that love can fix anything and that's why animal therapy works. Animals love just about everyone 

Pick a day... Any day... Answer it

So I found this:

http://heckyeahtumblrchallenges.tumblr.com/post/6409389349/365-day-challenge

A 365 day challenge - the flaw?

I will never blog every day 

Soooo I am converting is to the 52 week challenge - still all the same questions just answered a week at a time!

Pretty smart huh?

So here we go with days 1-7

Day 1: hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days with a picture of yourself

I hope to be as good to my dog and other people as he is to me. The poodle defines love and dedication and I'd like to walk through life that way 

Day 2: something that’s illegal but you think it should be legal

I don't really know of anything? I mean I wish texting and driving were legal but it's stupid and causes accidents so...
Day 3: what you think your reason for being here is

Here in this world? I wish I knew
Day 4: how you think your life would change if you achieved your dream

Well first I'd have to pick a dream... I have tons of "I'd like to..." But I haven't worked towards any of them
Day 5: something you would change about the world

If I ruled the world people would be kinder to each other. And not because they HAD to be but because they wanted to be...
Day 6: something you would like to change about yourself

I'd like new hips ;-)

I'd also like to ditch the anxiety 

And be more decisive
Day 7: a show or a movie that has changed you, and how

Sounds silly but LILO and stitch... In my house we live by the RULE that ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.

Well there's the end of week one!

On another note I went to the dr. And my hips (quad and lower back) are a mess and I'm back in PT and upping the chiro visits. But the BIG change? No running or hard (on my legs) workouts for 2 months. This is a hopeful way to avoid surgery... I'm not feeling too good about this yet! But heck 2 days down 58 to go...

How was your New Years?

Trying out the cheap hips

I've been having some hip problems pretty consistently since August. I fell at an obstacle race and since then my hips have well sucked... 

Here's the timeline:

At first I ignored it

Then I saw the dr who sent me to pt for what he said was a torn glute (aka pain in my ass)

PT disagreed and sent me back to the dr who sent me for an MRI 

MRI said torn labrum and SI joint inflammation on my right leg

Back to pt and add in chiropractor 

Been doing both multiple times a week 

Back to dr Cortisone shot

Still chiro and pt

Back to dr because sitting hurts running hurts standing too long... You get the picture here!

2 more cortisone shots 

4 days of HELL pain where anything but laying in my bed was impossible 

🎄Christmas🎅

Next day dr says I'm good to run again BUT

I get sick...

2 extra days off of all workouts.

Yesterday spin and barre class

And I'm back from the run soooo...

Today 6 slow & flat miles and 4 miles in if there was a saw near by I would have chopped at least one leg off to make it stop hurting...

So tomorrow is another call to the ortho to see if he has any great ideas...

I'd love to celebrate ANYTHING march 16th when I'm scheduled to run my next half... But since I've been DNSing races like crazy lately we will see...

Got any words of wisdom? Either on how to fix my cheap hips OR how to deal with yet more down time :-/

Hey mister where's your Christmas spirit

Anyone remember what movie that's from?

Anyway... In a typical year my little family goes like this: J super excited about Halloween and me thrilled for Christmas and valentine's day. But this year I just couldn't seem to muster up the spirit to decorate. I got the gifts (albeit a bit later than normal) and they're wrapped - rather prettily I might add! But putting up a tree? I'll pass.

Well apparently Joy without a tree is just not a thing. Friends kept saying they were going to break into my house and put up a tree... I laughed! Yesterday I went to the gym and when I got home there was J with our old tree half put up (we hadn't used a fake tree in a couple years) and the bah humbug I am pointed out there's rust on it ;-) he soldiered on BY HIMSELF. And in the end I have a tree.

I told him while he was making it that I was going to blog that I admitted that I have an ugly tree (because people always post trees that might not be pretty and say "look at my gorgeous tree") and he laughed. I asked him why he was putting it up he said "because you'll regret not having a tree after its too late for me to fix it" I don't know if he meant after Christmas or after the nor'easter we are getting this weekend! 

But now I'm going to say to you look at my gorgeous tree because rust (and the fact that its only half a tree so it could squish against the window) and all it's the most beautiful tree I've ever seen - its a tree built with love!

Before I forget blueberry pie

J had a birthday a week ago and he isn't a fan of cake but he LOVES a good blueberry pie so I decided to make him one. Well I decided to make him a blueberry pie there were no promises it would be good seeing as I'd never made a blueberry pie before.

I looked at recipes and none were exactly what I was looking for - it was November and fresh blueberries were NOT in the budget (I'd have needed at least 3 baskets and they were $4 a basket) and I couldn't find a recipe for a pie made with frozen blueberries so with fear I made my own up. The opinion of J, and my niece and her husband was that it was "the best blueberry pie I've ever eaten" 

So I want to keep this recipe and share it with you. The recipe that it is most based off of is Betty Crocker's but changed to what I had (I was out of cinnamon and not going back to the store)

Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/oglmyp7

BIRTHDAY BLUEBERRY PIE

4 cups frozen blueberries (that's one large bag) do not thaw

1/2 cup of flour

3/4 (slightly less) cup of sugar

1/2 teaspoon (little more) pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon butter cut up

Pie crust (I used store bought - make sure it has a top and bottom)

Mix ingredients from blueberries to pumpkin pie spice. Pour into a pie crust that you've placed in a pie pan. Place the butter over the top and then cover with the second pie crust rolling the edges so the juice doesn't escape. Poke a fee holes to let steam escape. Bake at 350* for about 50 minutes

Enjoy!

Have you ever baked a pie?