LadyGypsy.net – the blog of Kimberly Dowd of New Jersey

Screaming Banshee, from Hallmark

I had a great Memorial Day weekend. I took Friday off and Mom & I went to Ocean City. I was off Monday anyway, but upon return to work Tuesday, I was immediately behind the 8-ball with stuff to do.

The weirdness started out on Wednesday night when a friend of the family passed out at her job. She was put on life support, but was brain dead. At only 50 years old. It’s sobering and sad and I feel heavy pangs of sadness for her survivors.

Then on Thursday, I got a phone call that Mom was in an ambulance heading to a hospital.

Wha?

She stumbled during a field trip and broke her ankle. She’s in a partial cast and using crutches. Her orthopedic follow-up is Tuesday afternoon. I’m pleased, because the doctor we’ll be seeing is associated with the Rothman Institute, known around here for skillfully reassembling South Jerseyans. But no matter what the doctor says, she’ll be off her foot for a bit. John and I and Kristen and WM and Mom’s friends are all pitching in and helping out, but it’s still chaotic. Tomorrow, I’ll swing by there before work to feed Chip, let him out, and get her settled for the morning. My brain is on hyperdrive trying to come up with crutch-friendly ways for her to go through her daily life without having to depend too much on other people showing up.

Work is a hot mess because I’m super-HYPER behind from missing most of Thursday, on top of the Monday & Friday before. And I’ll be off Tuesday afternoon, too. Yikes! I pre-emptively worked 2 hours on something today so I’d be set for a meeting tomorrow morning. (And so I can count the 2 hrs toward leaving early Tuesday & any other time I might need to leave to take care of something for her.)

And I have something else cooking too. Just can’t blog about it. No, it’s not a baby.

Oh, and everyone at work seems to think we’ll be having layoffs again before the month is out. Whatever. At least it’s summer.

But none of this is BAD, just chaotic. I used to pirouette gracefully when everything around me was up in the air but as I move more toward the “get off my lawn” stage of life, unpredictability leaves me cranky and short-tempered.

Anyway, dear CookieCrumbs, if you have tips on how to make crutching around any easier for a lovely lady, leave them below.

Funny thing is that 3 years post-picture, my hair's almost that style again.

Welcome, everyone new! I’m not a mom blog and not a food blog and not even a design blog. This piece of virtual real estate is about an ordinary life in South Jersey. And that picture of me on the BlogHer page is easily 3 years old. I should update that. Heh!

But without further ado…the Friday Five! Today’s topic is “Horsies!”

1. What are your feelings about horses?

I LOVE horses, but I’m not in the area (geographically or financially) to interact with them regularly. But when I was small, I had some of those “Breyer” knockoff horses. They’d play with Barbie’s horse, who was named Dallas at the time. And who is apparently so stinking old that he’s in a museum.

2. How far would you have to go if you wanted to ride a merry-go-round?
Campbell’s Field – home of the Camden Riversharks – is about 5 miles away. But I wouldn’t do that because I’m one of those fogies that believe that if you go to a ballgame, you should watch the ballgame.

3. When did you last eat something containing pinto beans?
I had a Chipotle burrito on Wednesday. Nom.

4. How’s your mane?
Teriffic, actually! I trimmed off the dead ends and after over nine months of trying to grow out my natural color I bought a bottle of hair dye and my color looks natural and even! (Garnier Light Golden Brown aka “Brown Sugar”)

5. When did you last go hoarse?
All week long, as I’ve been suffering from an early appearance of my yearly June cold.

Well, hello, Blog! (nervous laugh). Happy New Year!

I’ve become a subscriber to Better Homes & Gardens magazine. That seems odd since I have neither a home nor a garden, but a one-year subscription was offered to me at $5. FIVE DOLLARS. I couldn’t turn it down. If such a venerable magazine is selling itself for only $5, it’s in trouble and I need to help save it. Viva print media!

The January issue is all about decluttering and becoming better organized. One of the ways BHG is offering to help is by giving us FREE labels for laundry baskets.

If you are into this kind of thing, click the picture to go download. You will have to register at BHG.com, though.

I guess it’s handy to separate laundry while it’s being collected, but I’m not at that point yet. If I was, though, here’s what my label setup would look like.

That/'s more like it!

***

Summing up since I saw you last: We (humans AND dogs) went to Michigan to spend Christmas with WM’s people. It was my first Christmas EVER not at home. It was hard, but I had a nice time. “Fair and Balanced” might be mocked when it comes to news, but I think it has value in relationships. Also, I’m trying not to repeat past mistakes. I spent NYE and NY day at home, reading. New Year is my holiday — the one holiday I don’t go anywhere.

I’ve been off of work since December 22nd and while I fully expect to see my desk and surrounding file cabinet in flames when I return tomorrow, it’s been nice having such an extended vacation. I wonder if they make elastic-waist workpants?