'Twas the Week Before Christmas....

....and we got SNOW! LOTS of it! The official measurement for our area was 7 to 8", but when I brushed off my car yesterday afternoon, there was a total of 10" on top of the car roof.

Needless to say, it really wreaked havoc on the area. Several unfortunate folks were without power (and some actually still ARE), but I've been lucky.

It started Friday afternoon. I've been working 6-hour days, 7:00 am - 1:00 pm, and by the time I left work, there was a heavy mix of sleet and snow falling. About 4 miles south of the office, it changed to rain mixed with snow (BIG flakes). Soon after I got home, it changed to all snow and really started accumulating quickly.

I was very grateful that I had plenty of food in the apartment and didn't have to stop on the way home for anything. By Saturday morning, heavy wet snow weighed everything down. Roads were impassable, and I was happy that I didn't have to go anywhere. My car was buried, as you can see in this photo:

I went out yesterday afternoon with a broom and pushed the snow off it, but don't know if there will be enough melting action today that I'll be going to work tomorrow or not. I actually planned to work my 6-hour days Monday and Tuesday before taking off for the holidays, but now I'll just have to wait to see what the morning brings.

Right now as I look out, the snow is still laying heavy on everything. Tree branches are drooping low to the ground, and cars that weren't moved or swept yesterday are lumps of white. Even the cars that WERE moved yesterday have a fresh new coat (but much smaller coat) of snow.

Though I'm very sympathetic of all the folks who must try to be out navigating treacherous roads in this weather, I have to say that it is just beautiful. For the first time, it actually FEELS like Christmas season, looking out my window at a living Christmas card scene.

And now I see that new light precipitation has begun to fall, as it was predicted to do occasionally today. I feel the need to get into the recliner with the pair of socks I'm knitting, turn on the Christmas cooking shows on Food Network, and sip hot cocoa while watching it snow.

Boy, it just doesn't get much better than this, does it? Happy Holidays, everyone!

I'm baaaaaack.....

Sorry it's been so long since I posted. My surgery was on the 17th, and the staples in my incision made it uncomfortable for me to sit without reclining. They removed the last of thestaples on December 2nd, and I went back to work (half-days) the next day! I'm feeling just great, but have been so tired when I got back home that I haven't taken the time to deal with my e-mail or do my blogging. I'll do better, I promise. :-)

Surgery went just beautifully! The surgeon described the cyst as an "angry grape"; fortunately it had not attached itself to the dura, so removal was possible without damaging anything at all. *whew* Implantation of the stabilization device apparently went just as planned. Except for one RN on the night shift who was wearing some kind of perfume that would have gassed an elephant (why do they ALLOW THAT????), my hospital stay was very comfortable, and I received excellent care.

Mom and Dad picked me up and took me home from the hospital about noon on Friday, and Mom stayed with me the first couple of nights to be sure I would be okay. I still can't bend very far and can't lift anything to speak of (have to make sure everything's healed up properly....I don't want to have to do this again!), but otherwise all is just great. I'm still amazed that my leg pain is GONE. I honestly expected it to fade away gradually after surgery, but it's just plain GONE. I get tired, of course, which is to be expected, but I'm pain-free for the first time since February.

I'll be working short days until after the holiday break; I think that's a good idea, because I'm always ready to get into the recliner for a little while as soon as I get home from work. :-)

I'll be in a back brace for awhile, but that's more to keep me from hurting myself than anything. Sometimes I'll bend farther than I should without thinking, and the brace stops me, thank goodness.

I don't know what I'd have done without Mom and Dad helping through all this. Mom is still coming and helping me do some household things I'm not able to do. She came every day to change my dressings and help out with things. And Daddy was always available to provide "taxi service" anytime I needed to go anywhere at all. They've been just wonderful.

Well, I'll close this up for now. Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm healing beautifully and feeling just great. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and is enjoying preparation for the Christmas holiday!