8:00pm and a runners high! Could be a long night! The day started off so bleak. I did not get up to walk, 26 degrees, cold and damp. I was cold inside, could not face stepping out. It was so dark and grey out at 7:00am it looked like the end of the world. I finished "Double Fault" a book by Lionel Shriver. Very depressing. It was nothing like "Post Birtday World" that was brilliant. I'm not sure I'll read any more of her books.
   I had a hair appt at 10:00, ran a couple of errands then headed to @Pearl's to meet with my parents and an insurance agent. All went well, she now has secondary insurance. :) Sigh! Next a job!!
  On the way home I decided to go to the gym after dinner. Boy was it crowded, not like 5:00am! One hour on the treadmill. Snowing hard on the way back.
  Still working on a big change, Lynne your words are still ringing in my ears. See what next week brings!
  Watching the new "Biggest Looser"

  Geared up for a walk outside, 34 degrees. My driveway was a sheet of ice. The roadway was a little better since they had salted. The sidewalks were all ice. I walked down my side street to the circle and back, big deal. Did some "jump rope" when I got home just to get warm. I am so cold, my bones feel like ice and I cannot get warm. Maybe a hot shower. Gotta get ready for work anyway.

  Woke up with that pain in my big toe agian!. I said to CM that my toe hurt and he said it must be a charlie horse. I said no it is getting worse by the minute. It is amazing how fast it comes on. I took an Indocin as soon as I ate something. It is feeling better but late this afternoon I felt nauseous and really tired, not sure if it was from the Rx. I felt better after dinner.
   Samantha had given us a huge roast a couple of weeks ago. It was mystery meat that a board memeber from the school had donated to the school. Chef John filled as much freezer space as he could and gave the rest to the faculty. We were not sure if it was beef or venison. I made a pot roast and it was beef. I was disappointed because I have never had venison. It was good anyway. Thank you to whoever donated it!
  After dinner Skye and I did some crazy running around in the snow out back. She just bounced along after me with her frisbee, she had no idea we were on a "step" mission.
  Samantha and Evan

  Walked to the gym at 7:00am. 20 minutes on eliptical 40 on the treadmill, seemed like 2 hours. I watched the Food Network while stepping. OMG, they make such incredible stuff on those shows! Most people have puddles of sweat on the treadmill, I have puddles of drool! I spent the whole time smacking my lips.
  Spent the rest of the day running around with CM. We got a lot done! Then I made 24 black bean veggie burritos to freeze for lunches. Did I ever mention I LOVE to cook? What a disaster my kitchen was!! Then CM and I took the tree down and swept away all traces of Christmas!
  Pic of the ingredients for the bean veggie burritos, a lot of chop chop!

11 degrees, drove to the gym, treadmill.
Pic, Eric of olde.

Happy New Year to all!
Missed the whole ball drop etc. Didn't even try. Had a nice dinner with all the kids before they headed out for different parties. CM and I watched a new Clint Eastwood movie, then I went to bed to read. Asleep by 9:30.
  Phone rang at 1:15, Eric and Megan were at a restaurant where they had had an all incusive New Years Celebration. They had called a taxi but had waited over an hour-could you come get us? 12 degrees out! They were only 15 minutes by car. By the time I got there they were frozen and ready to come home and go to bed. I was awake for the next 2 hours waiting for my feet to get warm! Far better than getting a call that they had been stopped for DWI. The police were out in force pulling people over.   
  Hopping to go to the gym later. @Pearl says we are in a competition that is just 2 days, yest. and today? I've lost track of the competitions I signed up for. New Year-time to get organized!!

  The snow was supposed to start at 3:00am but when CM got up at 3:30, nothing yet. He left for NYC, sure to be home by noon!
I got up at 5:30 and headed out. Decided to keep all my steps within the Village. Bobbed and weaved my way in and out of paking lots, up and down streets, thru Fishkill Commons. Must have looked like a crazy lady with my pant on fire!
   Is it feed a cold and starve a fever or the other way around? Well, yesterday my cold wanted t be fed!! Samantha and I spent the whole afternoon cooking. We made a meat loaf, crispy potatoes with bacon, a big salad, brownies iced with peanutbutter, and a tortilla casserole for tonight. I'm making black bean and veggie wraps for tonight also and yellow rice. It will be so nice to come home (in a snow storm) and have dinner ready to go! I finally have a cooking partner-Yeah, my idea of a perfect afternoon!
  This little tree was so cool with it's winding trunk. Look a blue marker, that must have been the one I missed!

  Woke up to the sound of the wind. CM said it was Manson on my shoulder purring but I know the difference between Manson and 40mph wind gusts!   
   I'ts the first morning I have felt like getting up to walk,despite my head cold. I just could not resist an adventure in the wind! 38 degrees, with wind chill ? degrees. No adventures just a frozen face. The gusts turned into sustained winds fine when at my back but not so nice heading into it. Longed for home and a cup of coffee. My neighbor was on her way to work, stopped to chat, she is also sick with a cold. She had some promising news for me-new year new things on the horizon-maybe!
  When I opened the kitchen door lights were on and Eric was busy with his salad bowl  size portion of egg whites, cheese and grits and he had made coffee!! Ahhh, good walk, good coffee, warm house.
   Pic of the misty mysterious woods.

Slept late,(5:30) CM was up and out at 3:30 (ugh!)I have a terrible head cold. Can not stop sneezing and my nose is running like a faucet.
  Another picture from my woodland adventure. I came upon these two chairs that sat facing a pond/ice rink. The woods are such a magical place, you never know what you'll find and you always feel like you are the first to happen upon it.

  Ever gone for a walk on hiking trails? You know State land maintained by the State and marked with hiking trails? You can obtain a map of the trails usually at the enterance to the trail and then you follow the blue, yellow, red or white markers depending on the trail you want to follow.
  I did not get up early and go walking/running like I had wanted too. Had too much of a good time last night hanging out with the kids. So after sleeping quite late, shower and a quick vacuum of the downstairs, I decided to go for a hike, all ALONE. Just me, no one to complain, or tell me when we had gone far enough. Just me, alone, time to clear my head, get some exercise and enjoy the trails. It was 60 degrees out. I stopped for bottled water and I had my cell phone, camera and a Cliff Bar. What more would I need....ah....maybe a lesson in how to read a trail map or what it means when the yellow markers you've been following become double yellow markers or triple yellow markers.
  All went as planned, I started out on the Appalachian Trail that was a stretch of planks suspended over wet lands that led me to a well marked path in the woods. White markers to yellow the "Carriage Connector" to the blue markers, the "Osborn Loop" . The map suggested taking a brief 1 mile "side trip" marked with red markers to the top of Sugarloaf Hill to see views up the Hudson to West Point and down to Bear Mountain. Why not? I even ran into a couple with 2 labs. I think I knew them from high school. Knew one of them quite well, but they did not seem to recognize me and I was not sure it was them. "Thad", had on a baseball cap and dark glasses. Have we really gotten so old that we didn't recognize each other!! I know he and his wife live in Garrison somewhere in the woods. What an odd encounter. We spoke briefly about dogs and then went our own ways.
   All was well until I doubled back on the red trail, to meet the blue loop. Loop does mean that if you start at one point you will eventually get back to start right? Well my "head clearing" hike in the wooods turned into a 4 1/2 hour, who knows how many miles, trek over numerous mountains (same mountian I just went over it several times), crossed many a stream, and climbed over several fallen trees. At about 2:00 I decided to call CM to tell him I may be lost in the woods somewhere in Garrison. As we spoke I found the end of the yellow trail and the beginning of the white trail, which was the Appalachin Trail! Unfortunately I had the choice of going left or right on the white trail. I picked right,walked for about 15 minutes and decided it did not seem right and turned around-BAD idea. 2 hours later I called CM again and said I was hopelessly lost. The trail markers were going in every which way. He called Evan who has done a lot of hiking, but he was not familiar with these trails. It was starting to get darkish and I was starting to think I may be spending the night with whatever wild animals there may be around (I did startle two deer) I tried listening for cars on a road, trains on the tracks but all I could hear was the wind blowing through the woods. I decided to leave the yellow trail and follow a path that had a lot of footsteps in the snow. I knew I was now on an unmarked trail-not a good thing to do, when I thought I smelled wood burning and just then saw a house up ahead. Thank the Lord! A house with a big yellow lab standing on the back step barking at me. I circled the house, found the driveway and walked out to the road. I was about a mile from my car. By then Evan was on his way as well as CM. I was wet, tired, had blisters on one foot and had a wicked Charlie horse in my right calf.
   I'm home now, feeling like a lost dog upon coming home, just wanting a hot meal, and a soft couch!
   I did acheive a new personal best for steps! And I did get some nice pictures. This one is a piece of wood that looked  like a little gargoyle sitting on a rock. It was amazing to just come upon him there. Too bad he couldn't point me in the right direction!

  I was able to get CM to go for a short walk this am. Boom, Boom, Sis Boom BA!, Pom Poms, back flip and a couple of cartwheels and he said "OK" :(. He forgot his hat so we cut it short.
  35 deg, feels like spring is just around the corner. Oh, yeah we still have Jan, Feb, and March to go.
   Did I wake up on the sarcastic side of the bed this am? You bet!

Lazy morning. Had blood work done. Have to get the most out of my medical benefits before 12/31. 
  Went to work and got some things done that we left unfinished Wednesday. All ready for Monday. Brought more home for weekend. CM spend most of the day in bed!
   Going to see my parents tomorrow.
   Official Yankee jersey, (from Eric and Megan)not saying who's number I'm wearing. Never in a million years thought I'd be a enthused about ANYTHING sports related! Anxiously awaiting spring training though!! Crazy!

Nice dinner with CM and the boys last pm. We had  time to re-group. CM gave a moving "Thank you" to all of us. Glad that we had the time for just the 4 of us. Luminaries canceled due to weather. Early to bed. Boys went out.
  Nice day with boys, CM and Megan. CM and I walked up to the luminaries. Beautiful as always but a bit cold and streets were icey. Pics I took did not come out well.

   Got most of what I had to do yest done. Groceries, house clean (CM helped me do upstairs when he got home), wrapped some presents.
   Went Christmas shopping with Evan when he got home. He was freaked out because he had not shopped for Samantha yet. He is getting sick and not feeling well. The crowds were not too bad. We ended up having a good time. I told him the key to shopping is to take someone with you.
  We all decided that right after Christmas we are putting a jar out that we will all put money into during the year. Mid December we are going to count it and pick a local charity to give it to. That's it! No more stress shopping, crowds, over spending! No more unnecessary gifts for us. We are all in agreement. Looking forward to next years stress free Christmas!
   Half day of work, then home to cook, finish wrapping...! 

2 degrees out. You know where Skye and I are! I have got to get up and out soon though, have to beat the crowds. Evan and Eric were out last pm and said the traffic was insane. I have shopping, cooking, cleaning and wrapping to do.
   Pic of the gingerbread house for Judy. It was a kit, so the pieces were already baked. I just had to "glue" it together and decorate it.

The boys put up the tree last pm and decorated it. Another task done. I am really having a hard time acomplishing things. I decorated a gingerbread house yesterday. Had wanted it to be a group activity with Megan and Samantha. Samantha has been snowed in at home in CT. Megan was out shopping all day with her sister. I did a Tom Sawyer, acting like I was having such fun that CM and Evan joined in. It came out ok. Evan put so much candy on one side the wall fell in. He was able to fix it though. Adds a little festivity to the kitchen.
  Want to get to work early. I brought work home for the weekend and never touched it. Should be a slow week, but you never know what the day will bring. Later. Sorry Pearl I used your snowman!

Good People
    In July my son Evan dislocated his shoulder while kayaking on the Hudson. He and his friend Mike were practicing rollovers when it happened. Luckily he and Mike have taken courses on kayak safety. They work weekends for an outfitter giving tours on the Hudson. So Evan was upside down, underwater, stuck in a kayak with a dislocated shoulder. Being 6’5” he fits snuggly in a kayak and had a “skirt” around his waist attached to the kayak to make it water tight. He was able to get out of the kayak, and with the help of Mike get ashore. By the time he got medical help and they popped his shoulder back in 3 hrs had elapsed. Where was I? At a Yankee game in the Bronx with CM. My cell phone locked in the trunk of the car! 11 missed calls from Evan!! Just as well I would not have wanted to see him in pain and certainly did not want to miss the game! (just kidding)
   I was not sure what to do for a dislocated shoulder medically. The MD I work for seemed to think all was well but Evan is a mechanic and needs to work with his arm over his head all day, just the motion that can cause dislocation. He was complaining of pain and was afraid of it popping out again. I called a physical therapist that we refer to often. The receptionist put me on hold and the PT picked up. His name is Matt. Matt spent 15 minutes explaining the injury in detail to me. Saying that Evan’s age and the amount of time his shoulder was “out” were against him. The younger you are the tighter the tendons and ligaments allowing for a greater possibility of injury. Also 3 hours of his arm dangling was not a good thing. He said yes PT was a good way to go. I told him what insurance Evan had and he said he did not participate with it but to have Evan come by anyway. Evan did and Matt spoke to him at length about his arm. He said he would be happy to work with him but first to see an orthopedic MD just to make sure all was well and to OK treatment.
   I stopped by the next day to deliver a couple bottles of wine and chocolates for him and his receptionist. I could not believe the amount of time he spent with Evan and myself. Again Matt spent 15 minutes with me explaining all about the injury. He truly loves his job. He was excited and animated while told me more than I ever thought I would know about shoulder dislocation. 
   Evan just completed 6 weeks of PT, 2 times a week at no charge! (it took a month and 1/2 to see two orthopedic MDs. The first told him he needed surgery, ordered an MRI and we never heard from him again. I had had the MRI report sent to my MD too, so we took it to another MD that also spent a lot of time with Evan and said surgery was not nec. PT would be the best thing)
    There really are good people in the world, that don’t need Christmas to be kind and giving to others. Matt did not just see Evan a couple of times and send him on his way to do the exercises by himself, he rehabbed him like any other patient. I just want to give a word of thanks to all those out there (and those on WT fit the bill) that take the time to be kind to others, give of themselves without judging or expecting something in return.
   Evan went out and bought two gift certificates for local restaurants for Matt and a big box of chocolates for his office staff. He felt the need to pay in some way; making me proud that he did not take the free treatment for granted. Thank you Matt, thank you WT friends and thank you Evan for living the spirit of Christmas every day!
Pic of Evan

Skye romping in the snow. Up early making more cookie dough.
  All cookie steps. Had a good time baking and decorating cookies with @pearl.
   19 degrees out when I got home. Roads not in great shape. Called my nephew Brian to say we would not be coming to the party. He sounded terrible-head cold. He said they were not expecting many people. Just going to stay home and snug up with CM and Skye.

So I posted on the wrong date this a.m. What is today's date? Worked today with Eric. Snow started just before lunch. We were all sitting and having lunch, when Eric after eating some honeydew, cantalope, and strawberries said he thought he was having an allergic reaction to something. We looked at him, his face was red and swollen, eyes watering and itching, then he got wheezy. OHM, I never saw anyone so red in my life. His eyes were almost closed with swelling. Doc ordered a nebulizer treatment, inhaler, shot of cortisone, another type of inhaler. I left them to do their thing. I have complete faith my my boss,nurse practitioner and nurse. It was just one of those moments I don't want to think about how it could have played out if it had happened anywhere else. After about an hour his symptoms subsided. We left work. Took us 45 min to travel 4 miles. Stopped at the drug store for an epi-pen. Got home to find Evan shoveling. But we have a new snow blower! Wouldnt start! I started shoveling. Skye romped around in her sporty red fleece jacket. CM came home and he and Evan worked on the snow blower. Just as I was shoveled out to one entrance to the driveway they got it started! Oh, I thought that dark cloud had blown away!! Gotta give Eric a big hug tonight! By the way he loves work!!!

Omron still sitting on my dresser. Just can't make it out in the a.m.  Worked 8:00 to 8:30 (am to pm) wed. Eric's first day on the job. Co-workers bailed on me, good Christmas attitude! Back to work yest. at 7:30 because we closed at 2:30 for our Christmas party. I worked til 4:30 went grocery shopping, home, party, home at 10:30. Couldn't sleep, stayed up til 12:30 watching a movie on HBO. Up at 6:30. I was supposed to make cookie dough this am to take to my sister's tomorrow to bake cookies, but we are expecting a big snow storm. CM and I have a party to go to tonight which I was looking forward to. (I usually shy away from parties but last year there were some awesome people there. A lot of "good energy" and I was looking forward to seeing some of the same people again) If we can't make it to the party I'll be able to make the cookie dough tonight. Still do not have a Christmas tree.
    But crisis with CM was over yesterday. We can be thankful for soooo many things. I think I have my old CM back. CM, my kids, the rest of my family, my house that is all I need. I am so thankful! (just a wee bit tired) Time to move on.