It’s Once Again Friday + The Value Friendship

It’s once again Friday and a whole week has passed. How does time race by so fast?

It seems like a week passes in the blink of an eye. I don’t recall if it always felt that way, or just since I’m older.

Physically, the only real progress I can point to now is strength and endurance.

Getting to where I can walk again is slow as molasses. And sometimes beyond my capacity to believe it will ever be.

Some days I get a bit down because it’s been 2 months and there isn’t any real concrete progress to point to. But then, what do I have to measure it against?

When I feel that way I quickly remind myself of all that is good in my life. Of course, there is Ivy. My sweet, precious Ivy.

I took some photos of her last night while I was watching TV in my bedroom. Here they are.

I’m telling you, one thing this cat makes me do every day is laugh. Who can feel down for more than a minute or so when there’s Ivy to entertain you?

She rarely gets into this blue cat tree house, so I had to photograph it.

I recall when I ordered this for her about 3 years ago. She wasn’t so big then. But now she barely fits inside!

Day After Day:

One day seems to fade into the next right now in many ways. I rarely go outside these walls, so this is currently the extent of my world.

I told Kasi the other day that I’ve been in here so long I’m not sure I even want to go out.

When thinking about all the places I could drive in my car, I can’t think of one place that I’m really looking forward to going.

I loved driving to Woodward Park and Swan Lake and taking photos of the leaves turning in the fall. So that might be nice.

But I can’t think of anything else.

The first 4 weeks inside my apartment were a little difficult. But the second 4 weeks, nearly 5 now, have not really been hard at all.

Sure, I’d like to take my own trash out and not have to ask someone else to do it. I don’t like to ask other people to take care of tasks that I once managed on my own.

But my days are never boring. I’ve never been the type to get bored or lonely. I can always find something to do that interests me.

I have most anything I could possibly want or need to have delivered right to my door. Well, if it’s Amazon or Walmart it gets to my door. And I placed a grocery store order a week or so ago and Shipt managed to get it to me.

I like Whole Foods too. They are very good about packaging your food to keep it cold as well as safe.

Shipt Delivery Versus Others:

Shipt delivery costs a bit more, but their customer service is top-notch. There’s a number you can call and talk to someone, which is great. And they respond to your needs quickly.

There’s nothing more frustrating than ordering food, paying for it online, and then never receiving it. And that’s happened.

I called the number for Shipt because I’d placed an order for over $100 and wanted to be sure they would find my address.

When I phoned them, the woman at Shipt promised me that the person who delivered would not just place my groceries somewhere, as DoorDash and GrubHub are wont to do.

And I was pleased with the young man who delivered my groceries to me.

He was all smiles, and even brought my groceries into the kitchen and placed them on the counter for me.

I was very pleased with that delivery and the fact that everything I ordered was in stock.

I Like Shopping From Home:

I’ve become enamored of shopping from home and not having to put gas in my car to drive somewhere.

Someone, for a fee, will shop for whatever you want at the store of your choice. And you don’t even have to walk to and from the parking lot. Which I can’t do right now anyway.

After this, I don’t know if I’ll ever really want to shop for myself again. Though I suppose I will from time to time. I have to take into consideration that my car is old and gas isn’t cheap.

I don’t miss driving at all.

It’s also nice to have a friend who will help you with things you can’t do yourself. And bring boxes inside that have been delivered and who also will take your trash out when necessary.

If I still lived in the other apartment, I don’t know what I would have done. I probably would not have had surgery, because I had no one there I could call on for help.

My only friend there was 86. She could still basically take care of herself, but she wasn’t able to help me with everything I currently need.

I know how lucky I am to have such good neighbors who have also become friends.

I’m very fortunate.

The Heat Of August:

I’m told it’s really hot out there, so I don’t know if I’d want to go out due to the hot temperatures anyway.

This time of year is pretty miserable. Very hot as well as very humid. So I don’t think I’m missing much outside.

What I have missed is gardening, and hopefully next year I can get back to it. Although gardening in August has never been that much fun because it’s so hot and the season is coming to an end.

Physical Therapy:

I probably only have a couple of weeks of physical therapy left for the year. So then I’ll be on my own I guess.

Though I don’t know how that’s going to work. I’m certainly not trained in that area. But I’ll manage.

Things tend to work out, don’t they? What is that saying about worry?

“Whatever is going to happen will happen, whether we worry or not.”

― Ana Monnar

Worrying just deprives you of joy in the present. So it’s a meaningless way to spend your time.

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36 Comments

  2. I’m mostly a homebody, but I do love getting out once in awhile, otherwise I’d go stir-crazy. I can find plenty of things to do at home and never get bored, but I have to have fresh air and sunshine and the interaction of community and other human beings from time to time. It’s crucial for our mental well-being. I hope that you are soon able to get out – even if it’s just to sit on your patio and be with your neighbor-friends, to say hello to strangers in the park, or a cashier at Tuesday Morning.

    You WILL walk again. Have the faith and positive attitude that you will. And get that PT extension. If Greg can’t do so on your behalf, then call your dr.

  5. Thanks for sharing your shopping experiences…among the other subjects you share!! I sure hope and pray you will be getting mobility back soon…surely there is a way you could continue to get more therapy…don’t be afraid to ask…everywhere you can!!

  6. Sorry..I am not computer savvy and have no idea what a URL is…lol..I reposted my comment…got the kitten and I am in love…softess kitty I have ever had.. my heart is full 💓

  7. Brenda,
    I’m gonna buck all of your readers posting on how special it is to just stay home! It’s not HEALTHY! I understand your mobility issues. My husband just had a total knee replacement and has to P/T everyday. I know your condition is completely different. What about your primary Dr. on the health of the rest of your body? How is this healthy for your heart and brain? If you are TOO SEDENTARY the blood thickens and you are subject to blood clots which can lead to stroke or heart attack. I feel like you are courting a disaster.

    1. There’s not a whole lot I can do about not being able to walk. I can’t swim due to a skin condition. My primary doctor knows all this. You do what you can do. About staying home, this is how I’ve pretty much always been. I like to go out if I can be alone somewhere where there isn’t chaotic noise. Like a park, etc.

  8. I love that picture of Ivy in the blue house! Actually, I love all pictures of Ivy no matter what she’s doing. She’s such a beautiful cat.
    Well, Brenda, it’s Fri-YAY!! I hope you had a wonderful day. “See” you tomorrow!

    1. Well, it’s already tomorrow because I didn’t get back to the comments until now. Ivy was back in the blue house last night. And I can probably count on one hand how many times she’s been in there in the past year!

  9. I wish the grocery stores around here would do delivery but unfortunately it’s only Walmart. I like to buy the sale items in the other stores and stock up on a few things.

    I bought 2 lanterns for myself for my bday and excited to get them. Today I got an email telling me that only one is being shipped out! The other was canceled! Then she tells me that they can’t send anymore thru shipping! They have them in the stores not around here but they won’t ship one out for me even thou it’s their fault! I’m sooo beyond disappointed and aggravated!

    Have a good weekend Brenda and everyone else!

    1. I’m sorry. I ordered something recently and they couldn’t send it and I was disappointed too. It was just a set of 3 little wooden house blocks. Still, they would have been cute on my fireplace across from the others I found some time ago.

      1. Was it from Kirkland bc that’s where I ordered it from?!
        I even talked to someone in corporate or so she says she was, but I hardly doubt it! I was talking with customer service and then the supervisor! Why do ppl lie? Oh well, I believe in karma will get them for it.
        There was 2 of them left, so I think someone wanted it that was working in the warehouse. I’ll never know but those are my thoughts! Lol

  10. PLEASE talk to your doctor about getting an extension on your PT. It can easily be done with doctor’s approval. It sounds as if you do need it. I’m a homebody, too, and love it.

    1. I was just going to add a similar comment. If the therapist/doctor thinks you will need more sessions, it is almost always approved. I’ve had PT before and after I was on Medicare, and that was how it worked for me.

    2. Greg will be here in less than an hour and he was supposed to check into it. If he can’t find out something, I’ll call the doctor.

  11. I had surgery five weeks ago, so I have been in recovery. I can’t lift any more than ten pounds for another week. My daughter has been doing everything for me. I watched my great grandson three days a week , but now I can’t do that because the doctor said I can’t lift more than thirty pounds for the rest of my life! So now my daughter and I watch him on my daughter’s day off! We all had to adapt to a new way of life! As they say “life goes on”.

  12. This is Yvonne with yesterday’s comment..today I have busy shopping for kitty stuff. ..we lost Spooky when he was only 4…I gave everything away determined not to go through that again…well here we are and tomorrow I will bring home a white and light butterscotch little cat with butterscotch rings on her tail named Hope..she is timid…the runt of the litter..our little dogs are used to cats …but I hope she can get used to them..she is at a rescue here in town…is four months old…so life goes on…I lead a quiet life like many of you so might as well enjoy another critter in our humble home..wanted to share the news..wish us luck…enjoy your blog everyday and Ivy stories…continued blessings💓

  13. You might be housebound by necessity, but you’re happy and content, and that’s really all that matters. When you are feeling better, you will slowly be able to get back to the things you enjoyed doing outside, like your gardening and photography. Other places, like Tuesday Morning and the local plant nursery, will happen again in time as well. But for now, you are by nature a homebody, so just enjoy this recovery phase of your life. As with most things in life, they are temporary, so it’s good to just be happy, no matter what. A positive attitude will help to keep your spirits up, and that’s way better than going down the rabbit hole of negativity. Everyone has good days and bad days. Hopefully there’s more good days than bad days. I think you’re doing a great job, Brenda. Earlier today, just for funsies, I decided t go back and read some of your older posts. I went as far back as I could, to July 2013. From the comments, it must have been right after you lost all your early posts. I read a few random posts. I found your blog sometime after Abi passed. It gave me an idea I thought I’d run past you. You used to do different series on a particular day of the week, such as featuring people’s homes and decorating ideas, and another series was Frugal Fridays, where we all shared ideas on ways to save money. So I was thinking, what do you think about a series where you repost old posts, so that some of your newer readers might get to know a little more about you. You can read all new comments. It doesn’t even have to be a weekly series. Maybe once a month. That way your long time followers won’t get bored, and some of your new followers might get to know you a little bit about your past. Plus, it would almost be like a day off for you, since you wouldn’t have to think if new content. I know that is a lot of work for you, which I personally really appreciate the fact that you post everyday. It was just a thought. I sill think caption the picture would be a fun series too.

    1. PS- I love the pictures of Ivy in her old cat tower. It kind of looks like a bird house. And with her being so big now, it was funny to see this big cat sticking out of the “birdhouse!” It made me laugh!

      1. Where you post a cute picture, say off Ivy, for example, and your readers make a caption for it.

      2. Or, you could post a picture of a cool looking cloud, and see how people interpret it to what they see.

  14. Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave and grow old wanting to come back to. I just found this quote today. Our daughter is like my husband, can’t sit home. But, the older she gets, she is changing her mind and wanting to stay home. I think when you get older you feel more comfortable in your own skin, you are more settled and your home is comfortable. I was explaining to a younger coworker how sometimes in retirement since your days are not planned and you feel kinda useless. We do take care of my 90 year old Dad who lives by himself 50 miles away and our daughter and 2 grandsons who live 4 hours away. I guess it is the day to day comfortable rut we are in at home. As we get older and reach out to help old friends or new friends, I think people are happy to help when they can. I always help without wanting something in return and have faith someone will lend a hand when I need it. That what good community is and should be. Well the sun is hiding in the clouds so I had better get the laundry off the line. All we can do is have faith and take it one day at a time. Wishing you well. Have a good weekend everyone!

  15. I’d love to be able
    to see Yvonne’s post about Hope. A new kitten/cat in the home is always fun. The cat we took after my friend died is such a love. We are still merging her into the family slowly. The picture of Ivy curled up in the bed is adorable. She is a beautiful cat.

    We have taken to using mostly Walmart and Whole foods for our food. I drive to pick it up. Walmart charges $10
    for delivery and it’s not that far. And you are so right about the way Whole Foods packages their cold and frozen foods, very impressive.

  16. Brenda, you and I are leading similar lives these past 2 months. I too have been home most every day for 2 months with the renovation and honestly I have not missed the outside world. Obviously I am not healing from surgery as you are.
    I have done a little online shopping from Walmart and love that they leave it on the doorstep. Saves a lot of time and gas.
    Love your beautiful and playful photos of Ivy.
    So happy you have such kind neighbors!
    Have a wonderful weekend.

  17. Hope you read my post from yesterday about my new 4 month old kitten coming today…her name is Hope…loved the pics of Ivy. I hope you can walk again soon…💕

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