L'Orangerie

Birthday shmirthday...

The old b-day was yesterday so I'm feeling much better now ;)  Why is it the older I become the more annoying the natal day?  It's not a number thing.  I'm not particularly fussed about getting older.  I mean, there's only one alternative to that.  I suppose I have a good excuse this year for a bit of weirdness.

I changed my Facebook picture to the above yesterday.  Precious, n'est-ce pas?  Unfortunately, it's so sun faded the true glory of my orange locks is lost.

Sister came over yesterday with deliciousness from Cupcake Royale--wooo!  Now that's a birthday treat.  I took photos and "Polarized" them with my other birthday treat, let's call it, the new iPhone. *drool*  I hemmed and hawed over that phone forever.  Grant needed a replacement since his mobile was ruined and it was annoying to be on two seperate carriers.  He certainly can't be left alone when the day comes with no phone.  Now with us on the same plan at the least number of minutes--neither of us actually like to talk on the phone so much--we're basically paying what I paid for one.  Savings!  Yeah, I rationalized this up the wazoo.

Anyway, super fun.  I love it to distraction.  I no longer have to carry multiple devices.  I've got my calendar, contacts, internets, camera, phone, and many, many fun apps.

This is the "Magazine" setting on the Camera Bag app.  COOL.

In other more important news, we got word today that we've got two more weeks of in-home therapy--wooo!  Such a relief.  Each member of our Rehab Without Walls team is worth their weight on gold, as far as we're concerned.  Grant's made amazing strides--literally, walking is coming along so well.  He made it about two blocks with his PT yesterday before needing the wheelchair.  Sweet.

Six week anniversary edition.

That's right. Grant's been home exactly six weeks today. It's so...strange. Good, of course, but everything about this experience has been strange. We were discussing our general cluelessness re: rehab today. It's finally dawned on us that we are free to experiment and try new things without a therapist hovering. I'm pretty sure it's been fear holding me back. Well, that and the tired.

Take yesterday for instance. I was at the table on the computer and Grant was sitting across the room. He declared he was going to get up, walk over and give me a kiss. Which he did. I'm sure the fear was rolling off me in waves, but the whole adventure could not have gone smoother.

(If that doesn't have you sniffling, dear reader, you are a shell of a human being. I was in floods.)

My emotions have been swinging wildly this week. Rage was a biggy. 1.5 hours in a waiting room only to be told the cranioplasty won't happen till the end of August did not a happy couple make. On the other hand, we're back to brushing our teeth in the bathroom--yay!--instead of in the chair at the kitchen sink. (It's a tiny, tiny house.) I think I've mentioned the wheelchair is really only popular with Ginger, and even she doesn't use it lots. Since standing, walking and balance keep improving we decided to shake up the routine a bit. Turns out it's quite a time saver, too.

Stair practice is next. We had the cute railings built on Tuesday. Micah is a wonder! He built the ramp at the side door then these to match. I do love the matchy-matchy. Grant's been walking up and down the ramp too. Again, me scared, but him roaringly successful.

In other news, I feel I've been under-utilizing my iPod so today I loaded a couple CDs, several new apps and am blogging. Go me! Always late to the party, but how cool is it to see my car pulling into my driveway on Google Earth?? Ok, also a bit disconcerting, but I giggled just the same.

Weeds be gone...

Sadly, I'm not really about gardening.  As is obvious from the state of our grounds.

Fortunately we got some enthusiastic help this weekend from Brent & Danni, Grant's brother and newly minted sister-in-law.  What a couple of gardening dynamos.  At one point Grant had to go lie down because watching others work so hard tired him out.  Heh.  Ginger supervised from inside.  Ok, it was all three of us, if we're honest.

They hauled off 700 lbs. of weeds which is not a little embarrassing.  Actual plants can now be seen, and the hidden path is revealed.  Nice.  Our therapists and postal carriers will be so surprised.  No longer will they have to machete their way to the door.

Thanks, Brent & Danni!  Let's do it again some time ;)

A good day...so far.

It's not over yet, so I really shouldn't attempt to jinx myself.  Still, a good day so far.  A good couple of days actually.*

The weather is lovely.  Not too hot, but not too cold neither.  I've had coffee.  Grant's done many walkies around the house with me and his therapists.  He's decided Ginger can have the frakking wheelchair.  He'd rather walk.  And in his new trainers which we're calling Assassins:

Just need the vanity plates.  They offer more stability than his Chucks.  Go figure.  And they're easier to get on and off which is a plus for all.  I should mention that Beth, the occupational therapist, went shoe shopping for Grant and found a smokin' deal.  How great is that??

In pleasant outside news, I noticed today as I unloaded the boot** that Brother Cadfael is in full bloom:

Best. Rose. Ever.  Anyway, I ran out to PCC--oh, how I've missed you!--for some nice organic groceries.  I'm glad to have shops conveniently located, but I still prefer my less convenient one. I scored some mango sorbet and bananas for Grant to try out during speech therapy.  Super fantastic!  Makes a nice change from applesauce, I daresay.  We'll be experimenting with smoothies, possibly soups, and a thickener called Thick It 2.  We've been riffing a bit on that, I'm afraid.

Thick It 2: The Sequel
Thick It 2: This Time It's Personal
Thick It 2: The Final Reckoning
and the classic Thick It 2: Electric Boogaloo

Anyhoo, his therapist suggested freezing some coffee into cubes and blending up something scrumptious. I've put off seasoning my Moka pots--new gaskets are smelly--for some reason.  Probably my crazy love for Caffe Ladro.  I tried out a couple of pots today with a little something from Bakery Nouveau--oh, how I've missed you!

Note the coffee crumbs on the counter.  I removed them immediately.  We had Seattle Green Cleaner come yesterday and oh. my. god.  A-freaking-mazing.  The house smells so lovely and the floors feel so clean.  Ok, not proud of my previous cleaning track record, but now I can really use help and am beginning to reach out for it.

And just because she's super pretty, here are more beauty shots of Ginger:

I'm not sure she's at home to the intrusion of a camera during nap time.  But then when isn't it nap time?

*I forgot about the conference call with the team and the insurance guy later.  There's that stomach churn I was missing. --Update: insurance case manager was a no-call, but we had a really good talk/report with the rehab team.  Yay!
**Hey, I drive a MINI. What else am I gonna call it?

I really should keep more lists...

Maybe that would keep me on top of things.  Or perhaps I should spend less time on the internets and more time doing.  I've been reading sewing/craft blogs and the amount of adorable projects...!  I've been pining for lovely summer skirts and it's not like I'm hurting for fabric.  Just time.  Always time.

I'll get you, my pretties...

I think the clinic dragon I dealt with yesterday may actually part time as the Wicked Witch of the West.  Whatever.  I've had a knot in my stomach ever since, so I think it's time for some pretty.  The one good thing about the sweltering heat--that has passed, thank the gods--is having all the doors and windows open to let in the rose fragrance.  I've never understood roses that don't smell.

Not entirely sure, but this may be Harrison's Yellow, aka the Yellow Rose of Texas.  It's in a fight to the death with this unnamed and aggressive shrub:

My Auntie calls it the White Rose of Harpster because that's where it's was, er, acquired.  Speaking of white roses, Madame Plantier is coming along nicely.  She's another good one for spreading and taking over paths.

And finally, please be upstanding for Brother Cadfael:

He's a David Austin that I just had to have because I've spent many an hour with Brother Cadfael over the years.  I even forced us to go to Shrewsbury when we went to England :)

More later. A guest has arrived!

I'm back.  Thank you, L, for the visit and the coffee!  Please join Facebook now :)

I'm never in the back yard.  The ground is squishy when wet and it's buggy.  But I did at one time stick a couple of nice roses back there.  Maybe they should be moved so they can be enjoyed... Probably not me doing the moving though.

I don't have names for either, unfortunately.
 
My climbing rose Rosa 'Zephirine Drouhin' is a bit of a wreck.  I really should take better care of him.  He tends to have one really good explosion of blooms then limps along for the rest of the season.

Hmm.  I went kinda heavy on the pink roses back in the day.  Finally, there's this little one.  Wait, little? It's another one that likes to take over paths and sidewalks.  This was another Auntie rescue from Lewiston.

Nice :)

Where do I begin?

"Be careful what you wish for," perhaps? Yes, we were in a bit of a rut and needed a vacay, but really. Large right brain stroke? That's going a bit far for some time off, precious. 2 days after I wrote that hilarious post about orange and decor and junk one of us got a trip to the ER via ambulance, a long stint in ICU and a few more weeks in rehab.  I'm suddenly exhausted just recalling that. 

It wasn't all bad...in that the fantastic staff at Harborview took excellent care of Grant:

and there was a Room with a View at one point:
 

But the less said about the inevitable loss of dignity via the hospital gown and other daily functions, the better.  As a result we're SO much happier being home.  9 weeks and some change is a long time to be apart. Time enough for me to wear a deep rut between home - work - hospital. Sigh.

I'm not one to dwell on the bad, being more of a live-in-the-moment type, and Grant's been a trooper throughout. I still can't believe that even in the horrifyingly tense moments (hours?) waiting for help he was joking with me and quoting the Simpsons.  Something from Mr. Burns (Those paramedics have sticky fingers) as I recall.

So yes, we're comfy at home and very fortunate to have an excellent rehab team coming to us for the next few weeks. Unless Ginger is occupying it:

Grant's getting around well on wheels, and practicing more with a rather unfashionable quad cane. He floated the idea of a sword cane until I mentioned the existence of a hidden flask model. Hmm... Then my research uncovered the availability of House's cane and well, we're just spoiled for choice, aren't we?

In previous knitting news, remember those cool leg warmers?

Turns out they're fabulous arm warmers too. Lefty is not playing ball at this point and tends to get chilly. Good thing I had these ready as I haven't had time to knit in ages.

I feel rusty as I haven't blogged in 9+ weeks (or is it 11+ now?) and I imagine this is a rather rosy posting. That was one of my major complaints with a certain book that was recommended to me. In the early days of hospitalization I craved information, but was so not in the mood for chirpy, gerbil-faced optimism. I clung to "everyone gets better" which was one of the first things I remember being told in the ER, but gnashed my teeth over "every stroke is different" after the first 50 hearings. This is probably the hardest thing I've ever done, but really what's the alternative? There isn't one. There's just stepping up, taking care of the house & my two faves and seeing Grant improving every day.

I hope to get back to blogging my redecorating. Major rearrangings and paintings helped keep me sane so I had to laugh when Grant received an eerily prescient get well letter from P in England:

"...You must be careful though. You may find that when you return home, all may not be as you left it. Jill may seize this opportunity and redecorate the house to her liking. That probably will not happen, but it would be foremost on my mind if I were in your situation and would encourage me to get up and out of the hospital soon..."

Snort.

Embrace the Orange...

Had a brainstorm this weekend.  Yes, another one.  And no, it's not about hanging a Jandy Warhol (love that reference.)  The above was just a bit of orange-y fun.

I'm developing a way to liven up our tiny bathroom with orange accents.  I've got sort of a shabby chic thing going which is fine, but as I contemplated my Orla Kiely for Target orange & brown kitchen towel set the thought occurred they would do well with a couple of Linen Me bath towels...hmm!  So what if they're kitchen towels?  Decorative is the operative word, and it's gonna be adorable.  I'm very keen to update/rearrange the art too.  What's really exciting is that I don't have to repaint that room--woot!

In other decor news, Ginger is thoroughly enjoying the new duvet cover.  I'm not thrilled by the wrinkles, so may have to make friends with the iron.  More importantly, this pose makes me laugh and think of Yoga For Cats.  I think this is The Sphinx (egyptudra) transforming into The Meatloaf (meatheadundra).

Too...many...ideas...!

I feel so scattered.  My to-do list may look small, but there are many steps before actual success. 

• Move bedroom to larger front room -- repaint, arrange furniture, hang art
• Create office in smaller back room -- repaint, move bookshelf & file cabinets, get new desk?
• Organize sewing room downstairs -- get rid of ancient paperwork, weed books, set up machine
• Repaint living room -- accessorize with new pillows & curtains?

I've been editing furniture and rugs.  I think I always knew that in small rooms scale is important and one mustn't overstuff, but never really practiced it.  I do love the space that's opened up, and more freshening can be achieved with a lick o' paint.

Painting...ugh.  I especially dislike the prep work.  Scraping, sanding, washing, priming.  I'd much rather paint lovely colors then hang lovely art.  And if I don't want to freeze to death I'll have to wait until the weather warms up.  It was snowing this a.m. and we were not amused.

To keep me sane, I had to try out a small sewing project:

K wants to learn and if I am to teach I had to do the prep work.  Yeah, that kind of prep work is fine ;) 

As it turns out, we both love the Square Deal so here is my practice pincushion.  I would not choose home dec weight fabric again.  The brown linen was ok, but the other is a bit fiddly to work with on something this small.  Note to self: if you buy some fabric, get a bit of coordinating to go with.  Trying to match things from my stash was annoying.  The jury is still out on the button.  Also, I can't decide if my pincushion is dull or not.  Maybe it's just comparing unfavorably to the livelier fabrics in the pattern.  The green in the fabric and ribbon do go well together.

Speaking of brown & green combos and despite the weather, I wore this gorgeous linen scarf from Etsy twice this week.

I'm developing quite a fondness for linen.  I'd like to knit with linen and/or hemp some time.

My poor knitting is so neglected.  What I've got on the needles is totally boring me except for a bag I'm planning to felt: 

Grey tweed yarn for the exterior.  I'll get something fantastic to line it with then litter the thing with hardware.  Feet, turn lock, handle, possibly some rivets.  It'll need some stabilizing too.  The felting will help, but I want definite structure.  We shall see...

Cherry it is.

We had a pie tasting/birthday party this weekend and I think the cherry was a hit:

The chocolate custard was also a hit, but unavailable for photography.  My brother-in-law and his lovely fiance (not to imply B isn't lovely as well) are having a pie pyramid at their reception in April and I am delighted to contribute.  One cherry and  one other flavor if, as she said, I'm feeling "frisky."  Oh yeah! 

Weddings bring up another issue, of course, and that is What To Wear.  If the weather is fine the ceremony will be held in the garden.  Dare I break out the garden party millinery...??

Of course not.  I was once upon a time enthralled with the Victorian aesthetic, but it's really not me.  So that's one fashion idea shot down.  Suggestions?