Post-Op

The irises moved to peonies and now the peonies are spent and the loosestrife and roses are the main attractions in the flower circle.  I make bouquets and I take pictures and I shove my nose down deep and inhale slow, trying to soak up all these wonderful, beautiful, spicy sweet aromas of summer but I can't get my fill.  I just can't.  It all seems to be happening so fast.  I count down summer by the flowers and that we are already at the roses is incomprehensible!  Next it will be tiger lilies and zinnias and then daisies and outhouse bush and then summer will be all over!  

I've been showing all the signs of Lyme disease for two weeks or so and couldn't get into the doctors about it until next Friday.  Knowing Lyme is a nasty thing indeed if left untreated, I was considering going to the walk-in.  Then, Thursday night my stomach started cramping terribly and nothing I could do about it.  I justified the stomach pain as a million other little things that don't matter but that night I spent awake, chilled to the bone and shivering like a leaf but pouring sweat and burning to the touch.  Around 3:30 I wrote hastily a pleading cry for Matt to take me to the walk in...on the off chance I would actually be asleep when he woke up.  I knew, with the fever, that it was definitely Lyme and I didn't want to wait any longer than I had to in order to get things taken care of.  But still- the stomach had me hunched over in pain.  I didn't think I could drive and I didn't want to burden the in-laws with babysitting as they were due to go on vacation the next day.  Matt could go to work after the walk-in.

I walked into the doctors office, Matt staying in the car and hanging with the children until I got back out, and the doctor on call asked "So- what brings you in today?"  "OH- I just want to be tested for Lyme- I am showing all the symptoms and I want to get the bloodtest so I can get it treated."  She gave me a funny look and said "Well, why are you walking that way?   You seem like you are in a lot of pain..."  "Oh- yeah.   My stomach has just been hurting really bad...I am not sure what that is about...."  She started quizzing me and feeling around a bit (ouch.) and told me she wanted me to go directly to the emergency room.  I believe you are having an appendicitis.  I sat, flabbergasted as she said "I can call you an ambulance or you can go and get your husband."

Many hours and a surgery later, I was heading home from the hospital- sliced open and stitched shut but with not even a nice new baby to show for it- having had an emergency appendectomy.  TOTALLY cramped my style, let me tell you!

Matt never made it to work that day (or even today!) and has refused to allow me to do anything since.  I just sit on my mattress on the porch, looking out at the flowers and enjoying the breeze, trying not to make a mental list of all the things I need to be doing right now.   People have brought me meals as news travels fast in the country apparently, the children have been sweet and helpful and Matt.   Matt is just such a treasure.   This morning he deep cleaned my kitchen for me.  The grimy stove glistens, the kitchen aid sparkles and the tiles shine.  His big man hands smell faintly of Windex as he brings me some tea and I think Proverbs left out an important person in that verse.  A righteous man walking in integrity blesses his children after him, yes.  But this wife feels pretty blessed too as this man of mine has blessed my socks off.  

For a bit, I'll be moving at a snail's pace in this fleeting summer.  Perhaps, like the tortoise and the hare, I'll win in the end?  In any case, I am taking time to smell the roses.  

Before the Parade Passes By

Last weekend our small-town-with-a-big-heart held its' Fireman Field Days.  Among the over priced funnel cake and dollar games, all to benefit the firemen, there was a parade.  Usually, it is has a few tractors, a few cars and a fire truck or two.  A smallish, sort of parade.

I decided we needed to liven things up a bit so this year we put together a circus float.

Why?

Well.....why not?!?

Much of it was homemade, from banners to costumes, but since it was all recycled from previous parties and Halloweens, it wasn't that big of a deal to throw together last minute.  Make a sign, blow up some balloons, raid the costume bin, stitch an over-sized bowtie and draw some eye-liner moustaches and we were really clowning around.

The one thing I did make the week before was Ineke's lion mane bonnet and tail.  And I have to say- she was pretty much the cutest lion 

In.The.World.

Looks like someone with a moustache stole a kiss from a lion.  That was a brave thing to do.

Matt got his tractor into working order (after months of trying unsuccessfully) the day BEFORE the parade.  We were thrilled he could use it to pull the haywagon.  And maybe also a little bit terrified it would break down in the middle of the parade.

Oops.  Someone else got caught stealing a kiss.

It was a nice little ride down the hill into town.  As we got closer, I could see the trepidation on Corynn's face.

Our strong man looks a bit different today than he did before...  

FLASHBACK to 2011

The gypsy woman was happy to foresee candy in everyones' future.

Matt checking out the other Deeres

I crocheted Ineke's bonnet and used four strands of yarn for the mane- the main bonnet color, a dark brown and two fun-furs that I NEARLY got rid of because I wasn't sure what I would ever do with them.  Boy, sometimes being a craft supply/yarn hoarder comes in handy!

More info on Ineke's hat/tail here.  

I couldn't believe that I had a yarn that so perfectly matched her Etsy outfit! I mean, look at that!

I must say- I didn't coerce or bribe Matt in any way to dress up with us.  I was so impressed with his willingness to go along with my shinanigans.  He's such a good sport.  I think I may even see a hint of a grin behind that frown.

Home again, home again.  Can you see our house?

Everyone had a ball, despite earlier nervousness.  Ideas are already percolating for next years' float.

And guess what?  Unbeknownst to us, there was a float competition in the parade and WE WON FIRST PLACE.

Wa-HOO!

Yarning Presently: 

I just cast off on this hat which was supposed to be the non-lion alternative to Ineke's special outfit for this fall/winter.  This will be the first ever knitting project I have started and finished all in the same week!  (Progress, right?!)  I was thrilled at this until I realized that the hat turned out to be more newborn sized than 6-12 month sized.  And that, after I increased the number of stitches AND the needle size.  Major buzz kill.  The only option is to do another though I am kinda sick of the color of butternut squash at this point.

And the book First Prize Pies because....well, PIES.  (duh.)

(showing off for Ginny, KCCO, HOHD)