Pinto

I thought this would be another black iris, but it has other ideas. Gorgeous as well.



Lentil flowers very pretty.



As are pinto bean flowers. All planted to help the soil.

And amid one area, the raised bed, the Saskatoon Serviceberry. Dry root, soaked overnight, planted today.



The other one, that didn't look as hardy, well it was only 1¢, along with gladiola bulbs that were free, got stuck in the other side, put a cage around it to it won't get lost. But if it survives, it can stay.

Being out there so much has helped the healing, I'm certain. And Derecho has a reverse-farmer-tan.

One very short day at work, and it went pretty well. I'm slow and clumsy, but I can do the job. Pulling off tape the only task my hand utterly refused to do. Well, Derecho couldn't do the armboard with a heavy arm on it, but that was more because the linen was caught in it. The Foot Fellow prepped for me, although I think I'd've been fine, I accepted his help. We were done by 1300, I caught up on my mandatory lessons - that I was not allowed to do on FMLA. It was good to be back, and good to have lots of help, and good to leave early. And to find out that despite feeling slow, and missing a few details, I actually got stuff done in about the same amount of time. I wonder how much of my energy gets scattered because I hurry? How much better I can do when calm and unrushed.

Also doing pretty well at accepting help graciously. Not my strong suit usually.

Dong my exercises last evening, I had a twinge-pop and swelling. In Hand Therapy this morning I reported it to my therapist and was able(!) to replicate it. Probably a bit of scar tissue getting caught in the joint as I'm able to move it more, she wants me to check with my surgeon, suggested I come in on Monday when he's in clinic. I laughed, no, I'll just hit him up for a quick eval sometime when I catch him in or around the OR. Easy peasy. So, uncomfortable, but not critical, not damage. Although I suspect steroid injections are in my future.

Not to say this has been fun, but none of the pain is as bad as herniated discs and my five years never out of pain. This has been more disabling, but not more painful. Not by a long shot. Admittedly I had a block the first night, so if I hadn't that might be the exception, but I would trade any day with the back pain for any day with the broken wrist. Even the surgical day was more reassuring and I felt better cared for.

Warm and pleasant morning, clouds and sun, we walked a while, and I sat out with Moby in the sun and read. Suddenly, it started spattering rain, I still expected nothing much. But now it's pouring down, thunder and lightning, not letting up. Moby under a chair, unhappy with the world. Eleanor in the window watching the storm.

Heatmap

Waiting for the Dreamscapes exhibit to open, we went to the science museum, and found this heatmap.

Dreams of rain and reflections.



Eagerly anticipating the Golden Celebration rose becoming a large bush of these beauties. Another few years.



Black iris blooming in four places, to my delighted surprize.

Lately

Fashionably late.

Balls

I have never been in a ballpit. We went back to Dreamscapes on a special return offer. We were one of two groups, no kids, it was quiet. And so.



It was very fun. Very difficult to get out of, since I was giggling so hard and couldn't use my right hand. Dylan rescued me. So glad I had the opportunity. I don't have to ever do it again, though.

Reins

The rain continues, as do my exercises. I'm getting bored and feeling a bit isolated, a good sign that I'll be ready to take up the reins again. Put the TENS unit on my arm last night, and played mahjong on the pad. At one point I wondered why my hand was aching - I'd forgotten that I'd broken it. Another Good Sign.




Got out and weeded, mostly just the prickly-seed grasses. The thyme and mint on the verge are doing very well, the mint already spreading. Golden roses starting to bloom, the old pink roses once Hedge Engulfed, are going nuts, covered in buds, not an aphid in sight.

The yard waste bin, unused because I compost, is now full of water. That's 90 gallons. It will go on the garden, gradually. I used that before we got rain barrels, and it seemed a shame to waste the rain since the barrels are well full.

Raw

A cool wet spring is not typical here. A raw wind in May is normal for Boston, not so much here. Mountains got more snow, my garden is saturated. The drought is mitigated for now, a hot dry summer could undo that, and the fall fire season could be enthusiastic. Went out to throw the bin in the compost, and weed a bit, and just wanted back in. Bitter bugger of a day.



Last evening waiting for PT, not mine this time. Leave it at that. All shall be well.

Derecho coming along well, she's a bit of a gym rat, "Duuuude, c'mon, another ten reps!" I have to admit, the progress is worth it. My big temptation is the unintentional wrist flick movements, that feels rather awful. I'll be ready by Tuesday.

Bureaucrats

Went back and forth yesterday, about whether I could have just gone back to work, staving off my guilt. My hand now feels part of me, injured but connected in a way it hasn't since the break-up and immobilization. For the first time since, this morning Dylan bravely offered his head to my wobbly hand to be shaved. It went fine, no apparent blood. But my hand was flagging 3/4 of the way through, so yeah, I do need this week to gain strength and coordination. It was a good therapy exercise. He's done pretty well with the electric shaver, but it's not quite as close as either of us likes.

I've never used unemployment, taken maternity leave, never taken more than two weeks vacation in my adult life. A few employment gaps filled with full college schedules do not count as time off. Only took partial FMLA a couple of weeks when Dylan shattered his elbow, when he clearly needed a hand - hell, a whole arm. Even then, I went in mid morning, covered lunches, stayed until 2 or 3. Again, not a vacation. Never used WCF before either. I've accrued enough PTO to keep my income up over the WCF cap.

My appointment Monday was at 1030, I got there early, x-rayed, seen, in hand therapy by 1030. Sent an email to my manager while being warmed up there, with the Return to Work information. Home by 1230, sent all the documentation to the relevant WCF, FMLA, LOA people and manager. CC'd the hell out of it. Then found an earlier email from the FMLA person asking why* she hadn't heard anything from me about RTW, timed at 0930. Um, because I'd just left the house to get to the appointment then? I wrote a reply, but then deleted it. Don't piss of the bureaucrats for no reason.



Not looking too bad, not moving too well.





*

Can you please have an updated doctor’s note or the release to return to work sent to my email or fax? I have you set to return to work tomorrow and have not received anything yet.

WCF - Workers Compensation Fund, the insurance for on the job injuries and income loss.
PTO - Paid Time Off
FMLA - Family Medical Leave Act
LOA - Leave of Absence
RTW - Return to Work
CC - Carbon Copy
BCC - Blind Carbon Copy

Paperclips

Moving my wrist feels so excruciatingly good. Eating with a fork and my right hand a messy pleasure. Out of the splint when at home. Wear it out, because there is less control of my environment. The skin is so sensitive, though, irritated, from being under cover so much of the time for so long. Slept with a sock on my arm, but without the splint. Glorious. One of the exercises is exactly the same as two handed cat throat scritching, so I'm ahead of the game there.


Picked up some paperclips to palm and practice fine opposing finger skills. I can use dry beans as well. It's still hilarious to have a drunken right hand. Also, play-doh.





My joy and distraction.

Abbynormal

The x-rays were good, I'm healing well. The ulnar issues are normally abnormal, the sort of thing that happens when one of a pair of bones abutting a joint is broken, the other one gets a new position, and concomitant soft tissue issues. It'll get better. Back to work right after Memorial Day, with a pared down splint that I can keep clean. No padding, no velcro, I'll keep it on with coban that I get at work. I feel confident I will be up to it next week. I'm so close even today. Turned the key in the ignition, and could do the push-turn to take it out. Took me a few seconds longer than with an unbroken hand, but not too much more.

Warming up for the torture.




First real therapy session, and it was a doozie. I breathe through it, and it does feel strangely good to move it. Heat was lovely, the movement was searing. Trying to get little pegs into a peg board... I got laughing so hard, because my right hand is drunk. I have a lot of work to do this week, to get it in shape. Right now, I'm stunned and worn through.

Black iris on the verge.


Hungry cats.

Steps

At the Post Office, general store, gas station.


From Shorpy.

March 1940. "Post office and general store in Sandwich, New Hampshire." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration.

District

And I think this is the fate of this area, to be in the intertidal zone. Not exactly downtown, one of the streetcar suburbs. Indeed, Trolley Square is the next block over, abutting mine.




Lots of duplexes, worker's cottages, little half streets, apartments and businesses. There is a market for housing that pushes for rehab of decrepit buildings. But some absentee owners are letting it get worse because they don't want someone else to get a bargain, they want to make a fortune.

Low rent historic district. Well, relatively low rent.

Some photos are from my block of the other sides of the street.

Decay

It's changed a lot in the last seven years, some torn down, some rebuilt, some merely neglected and decayed.

Varieties

I kept walking.