Shooting in Connecticut

Yesterday, the unthinkable happened.  A gunman walked into a school in Connecticut and shoot 20 children,  little  kids aged 5-10, and 6 adults, plus at least one adult in a home (possibly his mother).  I don't want to discuss the political implications of gun control or gun rights.  Not today.  Today we should honor those who died and the wonderful quick thinking of the teachers who hid their students and protected them from this evil.

Being the geek that I am, I keep hearing a line from Star Wars.  "There's a great disturbance in the Force".  Yes, it is the souls of those innocent children leaving earth for their Heavenly home.  God bless them, their families and everyone involved in this tragedy.

Medical Update of the Day

I finished my oxycodone this morning.  I still ache.  I don't know if it's the pain or just the healing, but I seem to sleep all day.  (Note:  this isn't like when I had my heart attack and couldn't stay awake, it's just nap time).  Due to a mixup my PA didn't get back to me until late yesterday, so I have an appointment Monday at 3.  He did say he didn't see any reason for me to go to an orthopedic specialist, although he was adament that I couldn't take off the temporary splint (ok, I wouldn't have, but damn it's annoying).  I still haven't made it to the grocery store.  I did find a can of diet coke (Praise the Lord!) that I had for lunch.  My groceries are getting low, I'm going to have to wander out in my temp splint soon (remember I was on my way to the grocery store when I got hit).

In other news, Bijou went to the groomer's (my cousin Beth).  I didn't do a good job grooming her and she is now a naked Tibetan.  When I get to the store, I'm going to have to see if they have any Christmas doggie clothes.

Medical Update of the Day

Well, I'm feeling better.  I've only taken two oxycodone today (it should have been 3).  I can basically walk fine with a cane and my temporary splint. (But I still need a walking boot or something before I can really be mobile again). I still feel like I was hit by a car (but it now feels like a Buick and not a MAC truck).  My PA is getting my records from the hospital so I'll probably go to see Rich (my PA) tomorrow.  Then it will be decided if I can go back to work.  Seriously, I think I would like to have the rest of the week off, because there's still enough pain to make me exhausted just going down the hall to the bathroom. And I doubt I can take the oxy at work (it is a class 2 narcotic) I still took a two hour nap this afternoon (it might have been longer but my aunt called to check on me, which was sweet and more important).

Tomorrow I should go to the doctor's, then the grocery store (wee, I can drive one of those little handicapped carts), and get food and ibuprofen.

Oh, regarding my ankle.  Years ago, I broke my fibula.  It's the little bone in your leg, but I broke it clear through.  I could not put any pressure on it, had to walk with crutches.  This crack is in the tibia (the main leg bone), I can walk on it.  So I'm not too worried.

The Shadow and the Star

First of all, I’m laid up for a while with a cracked ankle and bruised ribs (see the previous entry for the saga of my latest visit to St Alphonsus’s  Emergency Room).  Secondly, I want to talk about Internet friends.    I met Beth years and years ago on a writer’s site.  There we met Laura Kinsale.  Laura and Beth’s friendship blossomed into a good long lasting friendship that lasted long after I quit going to the website or when I was basically off the internet for several years (no I wasn’t in prison).  Anyway, as most of us know Beth’s vacation this year was to visit Laura.  Thursday, I received a package in the mail, it was from Beth, a 1991 copy of “The Shadow and the Star” personally autographed by Ms. Kinsale.  As I told Beth, I want to put it on the floor and roll on it like Bijou the dog does with her favorite toy.

So with that intro, I shall talk about The Shadow and the Star and what is currently wrong with romances today.   I don’t read a lot of romances anymore.  I don’t think there is a lot of depth in most of them (I do like Sherry Thomas).  But for the most part, they seem slapped together, badly plotted and because they are so darn short, the ending is wrapped up in the last three paragraphs—basically saying everything that the heroine holds dear and was her goal in life is out the window because she has met the perfect Duke or Earl or Royal whatever.

So let’s go back to the glory days of 1991 and The Shadow and the Star.  Samuel Gerard was raised in Hawaii by the Marquis and Marchioness of Ashland, but he is not titled.  In fact he was rescued by his foster parents from a brothel where he had been sexually abused as a small child.  Forget these whiny heroes that now exist who had such a bad life, their nannies didn’t give them pudding for dinner, Samuel has major problems, and there is a reason he does. He is physically strong, emotionally he has been trained in the ways of a ninja (yes a ninja, but it works).  But because of his past he is sexually repressed. The heroine, Leda, is a shopgirl in a London dress shop.  She is prim and proper and probably my favorite heroine ever.  Leda never becomes the long lost daughter of a nobleman.  No she’s always the illegitimate daughter of a Frenchwoman.  (yes, illegitimate and half French to boot!)

This isn’t a fast, wham bam thank you ma’am romance, it is a saga.  It starts in London and then travels to Hawaii.  It’s rich and lush and lyrical.  There are so many memorable parts, but the ten thousand and one red paper cranes at the end of the book has to be one of my favorites.

Finally, I must discuss Kinsale’s descriptions.  This is, without a doubt, the most perfect description of a hero. ‘  “The room full of women went uncharacteristically silent as Mr. Gerard appeared in the door. . .a collective intake of feminine breath at the sight of him—a golden, slightly wind-blown Gabriel come down to earth, minus nothing but the wings.”

Grandma got run over by a reindeer while I just got hit by a car

Friday night after work I was walking from the bus stop to the Fred Meyers grocery store across the street.  Now I had to cross Chinden Blvd which is a major thoroughfare in town.  It was dark and raining heavily, and I did have a little flashlight with me (yes, it was on).  I waited until I had the walk light and then I started crossing the street.  Never saw a thing until this HUGE light blue thing the size of a MAC truck hitting me (OK, it was a Buick LaSabre).  Then I was lying on my back in the street, and every inch of my body hurting.  Yup, I got hit by a car.  No, I wasn't scared, I was too angry.  I was cussing like a sailor. I do feel sorry for the woman driving the car, I think I said some very inappropriate things to her.  (She stopped immediately and raced to me).  One of the witnesses was a nurse and she briefly checked me to make sure I was alive (I was conscious the whole time) and held my hand while we waited for the ambulance.

So, I got loaded into the ambulance (yes, the EMS guys were cute, so was the gal EMS guy but not in the same way).  Then I was off to the hospital.  I spent three hours in the Emergency Room, xrays, blood being taken, waiting.  Then I was released, my dear cousin Sue and her Harry and their granddaughter Laken (who is 8 and was very concerned and caring.) came and got me, brought me clothes (mine were soaking wet), stopped at Walgreens and picked up my prescription of oxycodone and a whopper meal from Burger King and took me home.

I have a cracked ankle and slightly cracked or definitely bruised ribs.  And I hurt, I ache all over.  I think my left leg which would have been what was hit by the car is bruised.  I do have a lump on the back of my head.  And I ache all over (I think I may have mentioned that before).  Sue says everytime I talk to her on the phone, I sound better.  Which is good, but man I hurt.

So I currently have a temporary splint on my ankle.  The crack in my tibia (which is the main leg bone), it must be minor because with the splint and a cane I can walk on it (years ago, I broke the fibula, the little bone on the outside of the leg and could hardly put any pressure on it until it was casted).

Friday night, I slept sleeping up on the sofa.  Saturday night, I slept in bed.  Big mistake.  I could hardly get out of bed this morning.  I'll be on the sofa tonight.  Bijou has taken good care of me, sleeping right beside me at night, and going out to do her thing and then coming right back in, instead of taking a tour of the neighborhood.

I was in a very foul and grumpy mood Friday and sometimes I guess God has to hit you with a car to remind you of your blessings.

Random Holiday Thoughts

I've never been big on Thanksgiving or parades (I know, I'm unAmerican).  But Boise is decorated for  the benignly named Holiday Parade (which used to be the totally politically incorrect Fairyland Parade) which is Saturday (no, I won't go), the Christmas tree is up in the Grove just waiting for Master Beater (oh, sorry Mayor Bieter) to light it.  So what does this mean?  Christmas time has arrived.

As much as I'm anti Thanksgiving, I love Christmas.  Christmas has gifts, and giving, and cold weather and Christmas carols and Santa and of course the Birth of the Big Guy (I just miss sharing birthdays with Him by 10 hours and 25 minutes). One custom that is sometimes celebrated here is the Mexican tradition of fireworks at Christmas.  There is nothing more gorgeous that fireworks in middle of a snowstorm.  (yes, I also love the Fourth of July, I think I was a pyromaniac in a former life)

Now I can confess I've been listening to Christmas Carols on Spotify for the last week.

And as for the Mayan calendar,and their prediction that the world will end on December 21.  Please, that is the Druid's day of Yule.  I respect the druids, they worship oak trees.  As an Oakes, I have to like that.  So my bet is the Druids can beat the Mayans any day.

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving and happy beginning of the Season of Yule.

Morning Has Broken, Sort of

I have today off (have to work tomorrow, but these two day workweeks are nice).  Anyway, I can sleep in this morning.  That's why I woke up at TWO in the morning.  Now at 5:22 AM, I've taken all my drugs, shot up my peptide and am eating breakfast.  It's still dark out.  Growl!