A Gift & Kristin Hannah’s Book The Nightingale
I want to tell you about a gift and Kristin Hannah’s book “The Nightingale.”
First, look what my sweet reader Myrna sent to me.
The Gift:
I opened the gift package and there were all these cute little bowl fillers ready to sew together!
I’ve ordered stuffing from Amazon, though it hasn’t been delivered yet. I’ll sew the squares together and stuff them. These will be fun to put together.
Thanks, Myrna! And also thank you for the embroidery transfers. I sure appreciate being given a head start on my sewing projects.
I’m thinking it might also be fun to sew sachets and put lavender in them.
What’s Happening With You:
So what have you been up to this weekend?
I haven’t been out in days, but Greg said yesterday when he came for PT that it was supposed to get really cold. My ankle hopes not.
Speaking of my ankle, I got tired of that walking boot leaking air. It was like hauling around an extra weight. My hips and back are tight and aching all the time.
I don’t know what’s causing my back and hips to be hurting so much. But I took the walking boot off on Friday and put my sneaker on instead. And I haven’t worn that darned boot since.
I’ve been walking very gingerly around my apartment. Sometimes I use the walker, but mostly I still use the knee scooter to get from room to room.
The Biggest News:
But here’s the biggest news. Lately I’ve begun the habit of driving to McDonald’s for my beloved caramel iced coffee on Sunday mornings. It’s kind of my outing of the week and it’s only about a mile from here.
Normally I wear the walking boot.
This morning I made it to my front door before realizing I didn’t have the walking boot on. So I suddenly decided to try the biggest test yet.
I walked to the parking lot to my car with both my sneakers on!
The cold was brutal, but I walked slowly.
Using The Repaired Tendon:
Last week when Greg was here, he saw me moving my right foot from side to side absentmindedly while I was sitting in my chair talking to him.
He sits across from me and he said: “When did you start doing that?”
I told him I didn’t really know. It’s just hard for me to be still, so I move my feet about when sitting.
He said: “That’s big! It means you’re using the repaired tendon.”
I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing, but he seemed pretty excited about it.
Now I’ve got a new achievement. I’ve walked to the car and back with my sneakers on, albeit slowly.
I wonder what he’s going to say when I tell him that? I’ll text him in a bit and tell him about it.
He’ll probably say: “Now don’t do much else the rest of the day. And I didn’t tell you it was okay to do that.”
I don’t know how this will pan out. Whether I can keep doing this or not. I’ve had quite a few setbacks since June.
But this was Greg’s initial goal for me. To walk to the parking lot without wearing the walking boot.
And I did it! Plus there was no pain!
Greg will tell me not to get ahead of myself. And to slow down until he sees me on Wednesday.
The Nightingale By Kristin Hannah:
I started reading another book. The novel is “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah.
About Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale”:
The book is set in 1939 France in the quiet village of Carriveau.
Vianne Mauriac must say goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front.
She really doesn’t think the Nazis will invade France, but she is wrong.
Airplanes suddenly begin to fill the skies and drop bombs.
When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy.
Without money or food she is forced to make impossible choices for her family.
“The Nightingale” must be good. On Amazon over 108,000 reviewers gave it five stars. I don’t think I’ve ever seen ratings quite that impressive.
I’m so glad I got out of my comfort zone and began reading different kinds of books!
It’s like a whole new world has been opened up to me and I’m grateful all of you pushed me in a different direction.
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Brenda, this is such exciting news about walking to your car and driving! I’m slowly catching up on all of your posts, and I hope that when I get to the current one, you’ll still be walking in your sneakers, pain free!
So glad to hear some good progress with your ankle. I know it must feel sooooo good to go without the boot and even better to be dealing with less pain.
So glad about your small excursion. Hope this is the next step to better mobility.
Congratulations on your accomplishment of walking to the car in your sneakers to make a quick coffee run! That’s really big news! I’m so happy for you. I’m sure Greg is equally proud of you; he just doesn’t want you getting ahead of yourself. The fact that your using your repaired tendon is equally big news! Very good, Brenda. Way to go! What lovely little gifts from Myrna! That was so thoughtful of her. I can’t wait to see how you finish them off. I had a nice weekend. Yesterday was cold, so I waited until late afternoon to go grocery shopping. I did tons of laundry yesterday too. Today, I had company, and we watched the play off games. That’s about it. Nothing too exciting.
So lovely you were sent an unexpected gift…those are the best kind!!
Also, very happy you have made some progress walking!! Hope things improve. It is surely very slow isn’t it? My Hubby still struggling to regain where he was a bit over a year ago…but at least he is still doing better than a year ago!!
What a lovely and generous gift you received from Myrna!
I’ve heard from others that The Nightingale is a very good book.
Fantastic news about your walking!
Yesterday we went to the antique mall a couple of miles up the road. Even though it’s so close, we haven’t been there in about 4 years. We were enjoying our time there, having fun browsing, when they announced they were closing early due to the snowstorm. So our fun got cut short. Oh well, we can go back anytime. Today I stayed home and rearranged some furniture, did lots of housework, and 3 loads of laundry. Now making a pot of homemade soup.
Wish I was there for the soup. I knew you went there yesterday and they closed early. Can’t recall where I read that though.
So much terrific news in today’s post, Brenda. I’m so excited for you! Woo-Hoo!!!!
Just continue to be very, very careful. You’ve come a long way; don’t do anything to suffer a setback or two.
The bowl fillers from Myrna are wonderful. Have fun doing the “finishing”.
Today I’ve been working on my little quilts to post on IG tomorrow. I’ve been posting two identical little quilts since the beginning of the year. Hoping to do it every Monday in 2023. Fingers crossed. LOL
Enjoy the rest of your day.
My body is sore this afternoon. My back and hips more than my ankle. I spent some time in the sewing space doing this and that. Ivy managed to get off with some embroidery thread I must have dropped. I found it; it was a little worse for wear though.
Yay Brenda! I’m so proud of u that you’re making progress!
This wkend it’s going to be in the negative numbers!!!
Getting really cold here. I had groceries delivered this morning and I’m staying in my cozy apartment. I had what was probably my outing of the week.
Happy you got to walk to your car and go to McDonalds! did you use a walking stick? I bet that felt so freeing! I e of my all time favorite books is by Kristin Hannah and is The Horsemasters Daughter. I love her and this book blew me away. I’ve reread it several times over the years. I hope you give it a read! Marilyn
Oh, I will, Marilyn. I’m going to work my way through all her books. Nope, no walking stick or anything. I just got to the door and thought: Well, I don’t want to put the boot on. So we’ll just see if I make it to the car. Don’t know what I’d have done if I didn’t make it!
Brenda, did you write a post in the fall about seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and different lighting options to use in helping combat it? I did a quick search, but didn’t see anything, and decided it was faster to just ask.
No, I haven’t written anything about it. But I’ll look into it.
Yahooo!!! Of course we all knew you’d make it out to the car sooner or later, but I’m so glad it didn’t hurt. What really impressed me is that you wanted that coffee badly enough to go out in this bitter cold. Iced coffee, at that!! I love taking care of my horses, have goose down jackets, goretex gloves, and sherpa lined boots, but if could have stayed in this morning I would have. I’ll be reading Nightengale as soon as I can. I read A Light in the Forest and liked it. Speaking of trying new genres, I’ve always intended to read some Hemingway so I started one yesterday. I’ll read a little more but I’m not sure Hemingway is my bag.
Haven’t read Hemingway. Liked Steinbeck
So happy to hear about your trips to McDonalds and that you did it without your boot.
That is the very best news!
I love the things Merna sent you especially the rabbit. Looking forward to seeing what you craft.
Thanks for all the book reviews.
Sure, I’m slowly adding them to Cozy Little Book Nook. Most recent at the top.
Brenda
Congrats on making such significant progress. You are an inspiration!
Isn’t it fun to try books that have a new theme? I am just beginning one entitled The Reading List. Highly recommended by the librarians.
Continue to keep us posted about your reading adventures.
I’ve been kind of reticent about reading different book genres. I think I made assumptions about writers and what they wrote. I was wrong.
Brenda! This is wonderful – I am praying that you don’t suffer anymore setbacks, and can move on ahead with slow and steady,pain free progress. I know what you mean about a seemingly simple thing like driving to McDonald’s IS a VERY big deal! I too hope that you’ll rest and continue to be very careful.
Just love the little fillers that Mryna made for you to complete. Super thoughtful.
And I just checked my library reserve list and only one person ahead of me for The Nightingale! Yay! I am reading The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams now – I do recommend it.
Something so simple was monumental for me.
So happy for you…this keeps up and maybe you will be able to go to the flower nurseries and pick out your own goodies.. the detail looks amazing on the bowl fillers you were gifted…one day at a time…continued blessings💕
That was my first thought!!!
Brenda, this is wonderful news! I bet that you are “walking on air” the rest of the day! Congratulations on treating yourself to an iced coffee, pushing yourself to get out, to walk without the boot and living life! Cheering you on my friend.
Love these little bowl fillers.
Have a wonderful day!
I will be staying off my feet as much as I can the rest of the day so I don’t jinx it.
Lavender is one Of the easiest herbs to grow I believe so you might wish to get a plant this spring and put it outside on your patio to watch it flourish. Then dry it come fall and you will have the sweetest smelling sachets. I do that and love little squares of fabric sewn with stuffing and lavender sprinkled in to the fabric square. Glad you kept at the walking and now you have the confidence to know the distance to the car is manageable for you.
I have never been able to keep lavender alive. I think I water it too much. And here I don’t think I have enough sun.
Glad to hear of your ankle improvement and hope it continues!
The Nightingale is a favorite among all the books I’ve read, just a great story. There is a movie, but it doesn’t seem to be available yet.
I read that there would be a movie based on it.
It’s noon here, -5 degrees and 25 mph wind,and 6 inches of new snow. My husband has been working on his days off plowing snow and I’ve been keeping the wood stove full in the house and out in the 20×40 shop. We only heat with wood in both places since the electric furnace is too expensive. The more you use your ankle the stronger it will get. Push yourself to get past the pain. I did when my knee was broken and it hurt but got stronger and less pain.
Have a nice Sunday.
My PT says not to push it. That if there is pain, I’m supposed to stop whatever I’m doing.
Great news about your ankle!!! Thank you for sharing your progress with us. I’m cheering you on from FL and I hope this starts you down a path to healing.
Thanks! It was a very big deal to me. Sounds minor to most people I know.
Congratulations on your walk without the boot. A big success for you!
I love the type of book you are now reading. I’ve got several “fiction based on true stories” to read, and have read quite a few WW2, already.
Some bring tears to my eyes, sometimes happy, sometimes sad.
They all are a good read tho. I put “Nightingale” on my to buy list. Thanks for posting it.
Hugs, and have a wonderful Sunday…
It was a big success. I just texted Greg. Wonder what he will say? The book is wonderful!
So wonderful to hear about the improvement in your mobility and the sweet gift of sewing projects. It looks like there will be a bowl full of spring and I look forward to seeing it! Sachets with lavender sounds like a treat for the senses. The Nightingale was one of the best books I have ever read. It led me down the path to reading many books about WWII and the Holocaust, difficult genre, but reveals so many strong women who endured such hardship and heartbreak. I hope that you enjoy it as well.
I don’t think women were mentioned much in regard to WWII. It’s nice to read about strong resilient women.
So glad to hear your great news. You must be so excited and I am so happy for you. I am counting on you to take it easy the rest of the day. I can’t wait to see the beautiful bowl fillers finished, that was very nice of Myrna to gift them to you. She is very talented. Take care, Cindy
Yes, she is talented. She created very sweet bowl fillers and instead of keeping them she gifted them to me.
One thing about The Nightingale that struck me was how history books fleetingly state “France was also occupied by Nazis,” leaving us to our own devices to find the heart wrenching daily life stories endured by those citizens. I loved the tremendous research done by Hannah to flesh out those parts for us, deeply touched by the global suffering Hitler ignited. And I loved the ending of the story!
Happy for you about your ankle
Me too!!!