Echo Park Playground collection (patterned paper, cardstock, alpha & heart stickers, sticker with date), brads (MME Lush - orange) Tim Holtz distress ink. Misc items: Offray ribbon & twine (The Twinery). Tools used: QK pinwheel die, Fiskars border punches, staples [Based on a PageMaps card sketch]
Cropchocolate.com has been keeping me busy, with what little free time I have left. Today, our February challenge submissions were due - we were to try and use pinwheels, at least 2 kinds of ribbon, at least 3 colors, and staples. I managed to fulfill all 4 requirements, so I was pretty happy - especially since this was a layout I'd wanted to do for a long time.
Hey, who am I kidding? There are a million things on my "to do" list but most things will have to wait. I'm still spending a few hours a day working on rehabbing my knee. The mental/verbal list of exercises had gotten so long (things kept being added on) that I finally had to ask for a new copy of instructions today. On the bright side, I was permitted to "graduate" from several exercises (some of which were pretty painful, like having a 5-lb weight sitting on my repaired knee for 20-30 min [as long as I could stand the pain], to increase my knee extension) and a few more challenging ones were added on. It sounds funny, but one of my exercises it to bounce a ball against a wall and try to catch it while balancing - on only my bad knee - on a balance disk. COOL BEANS! PLAY BALL IN THE HOUSE!
I did my first 12-min mile while walking today, so I am pleased with my progress. The orthopedist told me I could stop wearing the brace after 4 weeks (it took 1 week to feel ok, and another week to feel significantly stronger) and in two days, it will be 7 weeks post-op. The knee is still feeling stiff - I was only able to start going down the stairs (like normal) last Thursday. I'm not permitted to take my bike outside (it's still on the trainer, but at least I found out how to increase the resistance on it) or run - not that I could, without killing myself - until after I see him again at 12-wk post-op. I don't know about you, but this rehab program feels really slow! It's hard to believe, 4.5 months before I can go play soccer!
But still, I'm lucky. I ran into another soccer friend when I took the girls to the Lowes clinic last Saturday. I hadn't seen her in awhile (we started to play on different days) but as things turned out, she had apparently broken her heel back in September, and hadn't returned to play yet (and it's been about 6 months for her). So really, I'm pretty fortunate - I should be in pretty prime shape at the end of my 6-months of rehab, unlike people who have broken bones or had a baby (there's a whole host of issues there!). My skinny jeans still fit, so I think walking 5 miles every day and biking for an hour is keeping me (relatively) in shape.
On the other hand, I am watching A LOT of television now, while doing my biking exercises. I try to watch mostly HGTV and DIY (although I liked OWN's "Extreme Clutter" show, and now The Style Network's "The Amanadas" show for home organization) but I will admit to watching "America's Next Top Model" (there wasn't anything else on! And then I *had* to see how it all ended!) and American Horror Story (since it was created by the same people who developed "Glee"). As a result, I finally cleaned out my dresser drawers and closet - something I'd dreaded doing, because I finally had to toss out all of my business clothes (bye bye, business suits) and my "fat" jeans.
Okay, I'm off. I have one more CC project to finish (a Valentine's Day card or layout, using non-traditional colors) and must make special valentines for the girls' teachers - and finish my PT exercises. ARGH! I need more hours in the day... getting 5 hours of sleep/night is going to kill me... Zzzzzz..... :)
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