Big Ouchie!

Hi Everyone...

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while! I was very busy around the 1st of the year. My family had a surprise party for my sister's 40th & her godfather's 65th on the 1st, their birthdays are on the 2nd. I'll tell you about it later, but on the 2nd I swung my hand into the french door handle at my folks & I almost fainted from the pain. The thing swelled up so bad, no knuckles, couldn't move my fingers...took a week to go down but no fracture.

Then I had to go back to work that Thurs & the following Monday we started back at school...unfortunately my back went out then! Ugh! I managed to get through the week & I just had a miserable weekend. Basically, downed the drugs & laid on the lazyboy watching movies. Yes...I need a winter spa day...make that a week! HA!

I think part of it may have been the soft cast on my foot. It was really bothering me under my arch so I'm sure I was walking wrong and then standing in class. On M, W & TH I go straight for over 3 hours & on those days I had to really take off my shoe as it was swelling so much. Friday I went to see Dr. Z. & he did take my foot out of the soft cast. He didn't cast me, probably I was not in extreme pain. It doesn't feel right though...I just have this feeling. There is some hard spots & across my heel it is really numb.  I know my foot. We figured in my AFO brace I can take it off & ice it & also get some PT so we are going to try that. Of course when I banged my hand I joked with my family that my foot didn't hurt so much now. Same thing happened when my back went out. Over the weekend it slowly got worse. I'm sure it is the more pain I got the more tense I got & less moving which then causes more pain & the cycle continues. I did take my niece & her friend to see Charlotte's Web...which was cute & the funniest thing is my old PT guy was there with his wife & daughter! I laughed & thought if I ended up on the floor & couldn't get up I know he'll be thereto help me! HA! I sat on their coats...those theater seats tilt down so much.

So I don't quite have Happy Feet yet, as the one is bad still & the other is pissed off at the other one because it is not pulling its weight! HA! But my PT guy is back from his Mecca trip so I got to go yesterday. I was in tears! Couldn't help it. And he is someone I feel so safe with to do that & know he will not think less. He knows it takes a lot for me to get that way I'm usually fighting it so hard until it stops me & then I get so frustrated because if it stops me it has broken my spirit & then that is when I just break down. I felt like the angel below...or maybe that is my guardian angel & it is just exhausted & can't keep up with me so I don't have too much protection right now! Hmmm!

I know my weeping Budha (I have this one right on my desk in front of me at home & school) is probably overworked also! It is out of tissues! HA!

 

Well, my PT guy of course assurred me I would leave a different woman. Hmmm I joked with him if that was going to be the case I want to put in a few other options for the order! HA! He said I was in luck that they just got in that morning a new laser machine which somehow works on releasing your own endorphins. I told him that I didn't care if they did some type of tribal dance & it was all placebo effects. As long as I'm not in pain I don't care what they did. HA! Well, between the tens  unit, the laser, heat, biofreeze (which I was putting on like crazy this weekend, along with heat & drugs) and bending me into positions I said should not be allowed unless I'm going to get some fun with (Hee Hee!) I think I'm about 50% better. I also get to go back Wed & Fri so maybe by next week I'll be good & just have to maintain. 

Dr. Z. said they were also getting in a new brace which prevents swelling so we'll see on that next time. My foot was bothering me more today, maybe because the back pain is less I'm walking & feeling it more?! I think mom is right...I should wrap myself in bubble wrap. Though...hmmm that could be fun too! HA! Apparently I am in less pain...hormones must be kicking in! HA! I've got a few more things to do for my students since I got nothing done on my lovely 3 day weekend. Hopefully this weekend I can catch you up with the rest of my Christmas Break etc. Sorry again for being gone so long. Soon as I'm feeling better I'll be posting again. Oh..Thurs I have accupuncture so that should help!

Happy New Year 2007

Happy New Year Everyone!

I wish you a year of Wonderful Health & LOTS of Happiness & LOVE!

Well, the Bears didn't win their last game but I'm thrilled Brett could go out in a great way, just like "For Love of the Game"....love that movie!

I must be getting old! Chicago's celebration for the New Year is just pathetic...for many years now. NY puts us to shame! It was so great when I was a kid! I'm not thrilled with rock bands for the general celebration. Who wants to see that? The young kids maybe & I know I'm young but give me sentimental New Years celebrations...rock can be later afterwards. I'll be 80 yrs old & they will have rock bands on? Who are they marketing for? I don't to listen to that. Maybe they think everyone else older is in bed already but that is just not true & quite frankly if they are this is why! So have some great entertainment & then 20 minutes after you can have rock! HA! And Collective Soul isn't even doing that great of a job anyways! Get Tony Bennett on! And they have older announcers than me with the rock band...that doesn't even look right! Have some multi-cultural celebrations on stage or something! 

Well, need to get some sleep. Big Party tomorrow...tell you about it later!
Stay safe...Don't Drive if your nose still tickles & you don't have any more bubbles! :-)

It's A Wonderful Life Pt. 2

Hi Everyone!

I thought I would update my posting on seeing "It's A Wonderful Life" on the big screen & meeting Karolyn Grimes "Zuzu" from the movie while I wait 20 more minutes to call Dr. Z. & see if I can get in to have him look at my foot.

The picture above is her now! Wow! She is 66 yrs old! I wish I could look like that then! Now to refresh your memory, ZuZu is the little girl Jimmy Stewart is holding below. In the movie it is "Zuzu's petals" from her rose she won which he places in his pocket. Zuzu is the one who says at the end of the movie "Everytime a Bell Rings an Angel Gets His Wings" :-) I got this picture as my autograph! :-)

I had the time of my life! Well, at first I thought I might not! I got there at 4:10 & the 6:30 show was sold out! I was so lucky, I didn't even get to feel any disappointment because they right away told me they added a 8:30 show! I bought my ticket right away! I then went shopping a bit & came back at their suggested time of 7:50 to get in line. I got to meet Karolyn, get my autograph & I also go the ornament below, which was the first on my tree (I'll post on that later!) and the cookbook below. Well, the cookbook had TONS of pictures & stories of behind the scenes & personal stories so I just had to have that! :-) I took a picture with Karolyn. She was so sweet! After a bit the manager came & told us that we would not be seated until about 9:10! YIPES! Well, apparently Karolyn was taking 20 min before each show to talk with us & tell us info which was sooooo valuable. Everyone seemed to be ok with that when they heard the reason.

We got in the theater, I got a great seat! I was going to order some food but I had eaten dinner at Max & Erma's so I wasn't really hungry. Got the popcorn...ICK! Never order theirs again. The people next to me did too & didn't eat it. I should have asked for a refund but...then later when I wanted something the kitchen was closed? Huh? Well, it was much later than usual so...

Ok, so I took notes...well I'm a prof what do you want! Ha! Plus I know after grading my life away my brain is mush so here you go...

Karolyn was 6 yrs old when she did the movie. She started acting when she was 4 yrs old & had done 4 movies before It's A Wonderful Life. There is a museum for the movie in Penn and she is on the board. She was born in IN & her mom died when she was 14 yrs old of Alzheimers. Then the next year her father died in a car accident. The state awarded her to an aunt & uncle in Iowa where she lived & she really did not do acting after this. Her mom was the one who got her into acting really so her mom didn't have to go to work.

She told us that the movie was Jim Henson's favorite & so yes the characters of Bert & Ernie on Sesame Street do come from the movie! I always that it was quite coincidental!

The movie was nominated for 5 Academy Awards but did not receive any. If I recall right a gentleman wrote this as a short story & put it aside for like 5 yrs. Then he pulled it out & read it to guests for a Christmas Party he had. They all loved it & encouraged him to finish it. He did & sent it out with his Christmas Cards. One recipient worked for a movie company & suggested it be a movie. Frank Capra had bought the rights & had several rewrite it for a script but didn't like the scripts so he kept some parts and wrote it himself. I believe it was a play too because I think some of the lines he kept from the play. Frank Capra used for the first time I new type of SnowFlake material. Seh made us watch for scenes with the snow to notice it running. Apparently, before they used Cornflakes painted white & it would always crunch & they had to do the audio over it. Frank Capra made the snow with the foam they use for fire extinquishers and Ivory Soap Flakes thus it would run when it got wet & melted. Down a car is the biggest area you can see it. Another spot is the River Keeper when they jump in the water...you can see onhis shoes.

Everytime the blackbird appeared it meant Potter was coming. And if you look on Potter's Desk you will see a Skull with a chain attached to it. Capra had a lot of symbolization in the movie & this was to symbolize George being chained to Potter & death if he accepted his offer.

Jimmy Stewart was in 6 Capra movies & so was Beulah Bondi (played George's Mom). They shot 35,000 feet of film but only used 11,900. Such a shame they still do not have this now. They also destroyed the props in 1950. Karolyn does have one ornament from the tree.

(Update...I had to leave & I'm now finishing this...BTW soft cast just on my foot for right now, but about 5 "If it gets worse call!" UGH! I think he is trying to tell me something again! I'll keep you posted.)

Jimmy Stewart's favorite part of the movie was when he asks God for help. Karolyn's was on the bridge when he says he wants to live again.

There were 2 mistakes. One is quite obvious, you may have noticed already. When George comes in the Savings & Loan he throws the Christmas Wreath on the desk but then they cut next to him & he has the wreath on his arm. The other was actually when Uncle Billy is drunk after the party for Harry's new wife & he goes the wrong way. This was not planned! A worker placed something on the wrong side. It was funny so they left it in & the worker got a $10 bonus. I'm guessing in that time $10 was a great bonus.

Karolyn also told us that when they are in Martini's you see quickly a woman with a flower in her hair & you hear her singing in the background. She told us this was the woman who was Snow White's voice. Her name was Adriana Caselotti (Check out her pix!) 

Zuzu was only in the movie for 6min! She has a website www.zuzu.net and you can see many pictures, order items ETC.

Karolyn was also in The Bishop's Wife playing Debbie. I love this movie also. Just watched it last week! :-) She said both Jimmy Stewart & Cary Grant were very lovely to her. In It's A Wonderful Life during the scene where George returns & is carrying all the kids down the stairs, she has her arms around his throat, basically choking him to death & they had to do it many times. She said he let her down every so gently each time. She said Jimmy was 6'4" so he towered over the kids so much but they loved him.

Ok, that is all I can read of my notes so far. If I figure out anything else I will let you know. I'll also be reading the cookbook so I'll let you know some tidbits from that as I go along! Enjoy!

This is Getting VERY OLD!

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to let you know the reason I have not been posting is because last Friday I went to get down to sit on the floor & I think I wripped my foot muscle again...bad!  I've been just trying to survive getting through Christmas. I didn't call my doc, I mean it was Christmas Weekend & I really didn't think he'd come in for me & then if he did I'd have to get ready with a cast so...only problem is making it worse without so??? I did get to sit on Christmas Eve & Christmas & rest it more. Today I found out Dr. Z. doesn't come back until tomorrow so I rested until noon & then headed to see "The Pursuit of Happyness" which was a bit slow but still good. So that was 2 hrs of not walking. Then I went for a pedicure (& manicure) figuring if I had to go in a cast I might as well get my foot in good shape. I also thought I'd try to relax & perk up my spirits with some fun...got green glitter polish for my toes & red glitter for my fingers!   

Afterwards I walked just a tad in the mall because there wasn't much time & I couldn't walk too much. I think it was just the thought that I may not be able to for a long time after today that made me want to a bit. Bought some really THICK socks. I can't find too many. My toes will be cold & my feet are a bit anyways. Then I went to Ruby's & ordered a Pina Colada (they have the best!). I figured why not that rather than Vicodin! HA! Vicodin just knocks me out & does nothing for the pain anyways. Had my Caroline Chicken Salad...yum.

I'm really trying hard to not let this get to me. I mean when it happened, I knew right as I was going down & couldn't stop mid motion. Once it was I just figured it is done, nothing I can do now. It wasn't like I did the wrong thing. I picked up my other foot & went that way because my knee was bothering me. I think it is that fall a few weeks ago that made it weak so it couldn't handle the flexing of the foot. I had just seen Dr. Z. the day before & he checked it out & when it seemed ok he said I was Very Lucky usually they cast for a tear of that muscle...which he said was not the muscle they repaired so...I'll have to tell him he jinxed me! Ugh! 24 hours later it goes! It is big, hard, numb & burning. Ugh! Well, hopefully they can take me tomorrow. Just not a great ending to the 2006 & certainly not a great start for 2007. Not how I was thinking the New Year would be! I thought I got away with it being not so bad this year as the previous but now it is worse this year than the previous with 2 set backs.

Well, as soon as I know something I'll let you know & then quite frankly if I'm in a cast, I'll probably be back posting a lot since I'll have to be sitting so much again! Ugh!

Wassail Recipe!

Here is a recipe from Geneva my family LOVES! Of course the amount of rum is up to you! Remember, Friends don't let Friends drive when they are Full of the Holiday Spirit!  Enjoy! I can't wait to have some...too busy right now...I'd get less done if I was nipping at this now! HA! Great for New Years too!

 

Persimmon Tree's Christmas Wassail

 

6 cups apple Cider

2 cups cranberry juice

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp aromatic bitters

1 cup rum

3-6" sticks cinnamon

16 whole cloves

1 tsp whole allspice

3 oranges, studded with cloves

 

Combine first 4 ingredients in saucepan. Break cinnamon sticks into pieces, add the cloves & allspice & put into cheesecloth bag (or use "Good Time Mulling Spice"). Add spices & oranges to saucepan. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove spices, stir in rum. DO NOT BOIL! Pour into warm serving bowl & garnish with the clove studded oranges. Add red food coloring if desired. Makes 9 - 8 oz servings. To Triple the recipes, use 1 1/2 times the spices.

It's A Wonderful Life Pt. 1

I'm heading to go see "It's A Wonderful Life" on the big screen at this dinner & a movie place. The woman who played ZuZu will be there! I'll tell you all about it when I get back! :-)

I'm FREE!!!!

Ya, right! HA! I know...but grades are in & I am FREE! Woo Hoo! (No comment on Easy!)

Well.....Now I just can't decide what to do first since I have SOOOOOOO much to do! HA! Just keep repeating "Hakuna Matata!" HA! What do you think..."Hakuna Matata Clubs"  Well, they have that red hat ladies one so....Somehow I'm not sure it would work! HA! They should have bumper stickers with this...so people don't road rage....hey...that was my idea...don't anyone go make a mint....I gotta contact Disney! HA! I think I'll print this pix out & tape it in my back window! HA! Maybe on my door for my students!