FAAP Picnic 2009
I drove to Schenley Park for this year's FAAP picnic with William driving his family, too. I got to take care of some paperwork through the New York Consul General office's Outreach Program. William got all the paperwork he has to fill out for his family. We all enjoyed the food--I especially liked the Shanghai chicken lumpia, adobong manok, sweet corn, brown sticky rice dessert, and we enjoyed halo-halo prepared by Dee Dee and Hector. We sat at a table with Jay, Memie, and Kevin. Charisse and I chatted and headed uphill toward the voting tables...and found out more about an adoption agency located here in the Pittsburgh Area.
I headed downhill to be greeted by Beatrice, who was walking softly and carrying a big stick...a REALLY big stick.
Soon after, we departed, and I went home to take a nap.
Labels: Beatrice, friends, international culture, niece and nephew, outside, Philippines, photos, Pilipino culture, sleep, walking
Chick Flick: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
This morning, Karina and I went to AAA to renew her license (she didn't break the camera!). We had some sandwiches, and potato salad at Whole Foods, then headed to West Mifflin to watch the movie Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, with Jennifer Garner, Matthew McConaughey, and Michael Douglas. Noureen DeWulf and Stephanie Oum portrayed two brilliantly written and acted characters (Melanie, Connor's personal assistant; and Kako, seen first at the beginning of the movie; respectively).
We stopped so Karina could return some containers at a mall store nearby. We then stopped at our favorite taco place for lunch, then headed to Westinghouse Park near my home for snacking. I retrieved some messages from Mom & Dad, and Karina then dropped me off at home for more conferring with them.
Labels: cinema, dining, friends, outside, shopping
Dining chez Beatrice
Yesterday, I had lunch with Marissa and Beatrice, who fed herself pasta and meatloaf with a spoon. I also had pumpkin curry, and also blueberry muffins (which Beatrice had, but I had a la mode/a la "frozen yogurt"). Marissa told me about their rhyming games and card games (War w/o the face cards) earlier today. We read a number of books, and then Beatrice and I took a nap (only after a crying duet by both Beatrice and Solomon). Dad then stopped by to pick me up (after Phyllis and Gene had departed), and we enjoyed dining at their parklet picnic. The neighbors were nice and opinionated, as well. We enjoyed liquid nitrogen ice cream, too.
Labels: Beatrice, dining, family, games, ice cream, neighbors, niece and nephew, outside, sleep
"First" Campfire and Mountain Pie Party 2008
Last night Jen, Brian, and I drove to Houston to partake of Ken, Maggie, and Drew's First Third of July Campfire and Mountain Pie Party. Ken has been doing campfire/mountain pie parties since then-Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Maslov announced Third of July celebrations back in the day. In fact, two years ago Jen, Bri, and I attended their campfire engagement party...but this is the first one for him and Maggie and eight-month-old Drew. There was the usual fare at their new home: Hot Dawgs, S'mores, dough boys, and the ubiquitous mountain pies. Jen kindly made a chocolate/cherry one for me. The rain rain rain came down down down, and the rain rain rain came down down down....It was great to chat with Ken and Maggie, and to see Drew; since I had not seen their family since the beginning of January 2008. Drew is a big eight-month-old, in the 75 percentile, and at 22 pounds plus, he is about the length and weight of my twenty-month old niece Beatrice! He is also not a slender child, being somewhat chunky and long. As we departed, we noted that he looked so sweet slumbering in Maggie's arms.
I described the view of the fireworks to the west of I 79 as we drove past the cars pulled over on both sides of the highway. Jen appreciated the described view as we whizzed north on the wet pavement. I am thankful for my friends from CAC. When they suggested that I join the Club again, I insisted that I have become too busy with the Church....
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What to do about me? Jen has decided to set me up with an acquaintance of hers. Her last attempt to set me up failed, as the other party was "afraid of getting hurt again." I told them the story of my declination of a proposal when I was younger, citing our irreconcilable difference, a difference that our friend Anjali wholeheartedly agreed was fully irreconcilable and that she agreed would elicit a denial from her, too.
Despite all this, I remain open to possibilities...I also am prepared resign myself to a life of teaching, alone, as I am fully happy and feel fulfilled as a mentor to young people in this capacity.
Labels: Beatrice, Blind, CAC, career, celebration, children, Christmas, Church, dreams, friends, list, love, outside, painting, science, transportation, weather, work
Last Day of Home Care Physical Therapy
Today was the last day of home care physical therapy. Margie arrived after lunch, we did some measurements of key angles, and then some exercises. We then went on our last "field trip" to the optometrist's office, to get the left lens of my eyeglasses reinstalled.
I'd popped out the lens of my glasses the night before my surgery, and have been using my older pair of spectacles as back-up since then. It was good to have the newest prescription on my face once again.
We returned to the building, to say hi to Rita De M., Elaine J., and Mary. We then headed outside once more to the parklet, and found out that they were putting marigolds and "red" sage in the garden.
We returned to the condo and Margie and I bid fond goodbyes to each other....she had reminded me of various issues/questions I should raise with the surgeon during my appointment tomorrow.
Labels: BAD, exercise, friends, garden, health, home, neighbors, outside, Pittsburgh, St. Lucy, surgery
My first good look
at my incision site was this morning, in the hallway mirror at my parents' home. The incision is ~4 inches long (as measured in the hospital), and the Steri-Strips are beginning their inexorable curling movement away from my skin. I have a "bruise," too, posterior and parallel to my incision, which I didn't see until today. My drain site is a small puncture hole inferior to the incision. I have pain upon pressure to the skin below the drain site.
As described in my last post, I generally am pain-free now.
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9:30pm
1. My pain upon pressure to the area inferior to the drain site is probably due to the stem in my femur, according to my home physical therapist.
2. My pain in my right knee is mainly due to a lack of strength of my hip muscles to hold my right foot aright when supine, resulting in referred knee pain when I get up. Have been trying to fashion a pillow/sling while I sleep.
3. My pain in my L, R groin muscles are mainly pains pre-op, carried over to now. I have to work on strengthening my muscles once I can stand with more weight on my right leg.
Labels: BAD, health, outside, pain, surgery
First Time Outside
Today was my first time outside since I arrived home from the hospital. Elaine dropped off Jane's shower chair she is lending to me---what a great, new appliance/toy! As she was departing, Margie the physical therapist arrived, I told her my about my "tummy time" yesterday, and we practiced transferring into the tub using the chair.
I donned my "Dorothy" shoes after the movie, the Wizard of Oz, using my dressing stick, reacher, and long-handled shoe horn. Then we went OUTSIDE for a walk with crutches (saw Jane in the lobby). We crossed the street to St. Paul Cathedral, ran into Joe and Tina (!), and crossed the street back. We made our way to the parklet of my building, and then back inside to document our day, as well as Margie filling in for some of the nursely duties.
Labels: accessibility, BAD, excited, exercise, garden, health, home, neighbors, outside, Pittsburgh, shoes, St. Paul Cathedral, surgery
