Bits and Pieces

 I let March slip away without one last post... and now we're almost an entire week into April

* Still fighting plantar fasciitis with athletic tape. (My feet absolutely despise new shoes.) 

* I heard from my attorney Tuesday afternoon. The CPS case from last year has been deemed "unfounded" for both myself and my coworker. We are both much relieved. Sadly, I have a second remaining "indicated" report, a direct result of the first, that still needs to be addressed if I am to put it all behind me. 

* Things at home are settling into a new normal with "our" new baby. He's a sleepy little guy, and much loved. 

* I took the boys to visit a farm yesterday morning. It was wet, cold and blustery but they had a fabulous time. I think we need to go back on a warm sunny day. Maybe after the lambs are born. 

* I took a hop about the Emporium this afternoon looking for bunnies.

* Here and there I've been picking up a weekend shift at Dunkin. I worked the morning of my birthday, and again last Sunday morning. I was asked if I could work Easter Sunday. It felt weird to say yes, but I have been so short on hours that I said I would do it. I will be out of work by 1 o'clock. Too late for a church service (I'm not know where I would go anyway...) but early enough for a family gathering or dinner with a friend should the opportunity arise. 

Plantar Fasciitis

I bought new shoes. Same brand I always buy and not cheap. I wore them over the weekend and on Monday. Monday evening I went for a walk with Killian. On Tuesday at work my feet began to ache from the heel up through the arch of my foot. I worked an extra hour and a half on achy feet. By the time I got home I was googling plantar fasciitis, looking for hard rubber balls to roll across the surface of my foot (feet), and doing my best to stretch my calves. Yesterday I worked six hours, went to get an allergy injection, and then visited my eye doctor. (I have a permanent floater thanks to aging...) Last night I iced the worst foot and wore my old shoes to work today. I posted about my "fascist feet" on Facebook and my nurse friend Randy suggested athletic tape. I bought some after work. I also bought some new insoles. The tape feels interesting and seems to be helping. 

PS. Kili found a little nest outside.

About That Pedi-Party....

I have been fighting a headache for a few days now even though I started taking ibuprofen as soon as I felt it coming on. Perhaps hormone induced headaches haven't heard of ibuprofen and don't realize its headache fighting capabilities... At any rate, I would much prefer to fight a headache this week than next. Next week I want only to admire that new grandson.

Yesterday I freshened up my toenails with a new coat of polish. Earlier this summer I wore pink nails on nine toes and a happy face on my right big toe. The smiley face staring back at me every time I looked down made me smile, and sometimes others commented on it too. Usually they were nice comments, but my husband asked me why I couldn't just be normal... haha! I wore them that way so long that the polish started to grow away from the cuticles.

This time around I decided to let my shoes dress up my feet instead. My nails are a paler shade of pearly pink and I'm sporting my new pair of Teva Mush II flip flops. (Wouldn't you know it? The blue ones are on sale this weekend.) I wore the black and white Tevas I bought last year all summer! It's been my first Flip Flop Summer ever and I love them.

Come join the party over at Betsy's place!

Pedi Party

I did not paint my nails, not my toenails and not my fingernails, however, there was some nail painting happening this week, and so I give you some toenails other than mine. Little girls love painting nails and they tend to be a little more adventurous, as a rule, than me, although I am still thinking about doing Ladybug Toenails again.

Emily was sporting alter- nating blue and purple nails, and since they are headed to Disney soon, she was working on putting Mickey Mouse on her big toe.

Emma, still feeling patriotic after the school's Flag Day cele- brations, went for red, white, and blue with a striped big toenail. Pretty fancy, I'd say! She's all set for the 4th of July! (I'm told the other big toe was blue with a white star, but it was inside a tall sock and tucked deep inside her Ugg boot. She only pulled out one foot to show me.)

And that is my Pedi-Party entry this time. Maybe, if I get them painted up purty, I'll show off my toes next time. For more fun, go here.

Phoebe S.

I'm halfway certain she really said, "VBS," (that's Vacation Bible School) but it sounded more like Phoebe S., and I thought that was funny.

In other news, my feet are much happier in my new shoes and flip flops. They're still are bit touchy and temperamental, but once I slip them into those Tevas, they begin to smile again. They are especially pleased when I decide to sit in my rocking chair and go for a swing.

This evening it rained. Not only did it rain, but it poured! There was wind, and there was thunder and lightening. Pretty cool. I haven't seen a good rainstorm in months! I don't expect our yard will be instantly green and lush tomorrow morning, but we did get a good drenching.

Tomorrow is another VBS day. Hannah is working the sound system and I will drop one small "flower" off to enjoy Bug Zone. She came home with a plastic butterfly finger puppet today. For a minute Grandma thought it was real and told her to take it back outside. Instead I gave her a clean, empty Parmesan cheese container to keep it in. It even had holes in the top so the poor creature could breathe. I should have taken a picture! (Ah well, it was kind of like this.)

Sore Feet and a Very Sad Looking Cat

My feet hurt. I thought they were getting used to flip flops, but each day they cry out a little louder. It is the arches. They ache. Okay, the toes hurt too, especially the ones I sat on my entire childhood and half of adult life whenever I had to go to the bathroom too bad. I can still walk, but they have to "loosen up" whenever I get off my backside. I suppose there is better footwear out there than Old Navy flip flops, but this is what I have available at the moment. I think perhaps I shall try some foot stretches. Maybe that will help.

My little old cat is still here. Each day she looks a little bit worse. She lays on the floor in the kitchen or hides in the ferns out in my garden. She drinks small amounts of water, but isn't interested in eating anything. She doesn't cry, but her breathing is labored. Each morning I expect to find she has passed during the night. I think about whether or not I should have taken her to the vet, but I don't want to traumatize her any further. She has been a sweet little friend to us for 12 years now and I am going to miss her.

PS. My friend says I need to buy a pair of Teva's for my feet.

Hannah's Toes

Our internet went out as we were adding Hannah's toe party picture last night. Since I don't have her blogger password, I'm putting it up here until we can add it to her site. I'm glad I still have a daughter at home who likes to play these games.

Meet us over at Betsy's place.

Pedicure Party

Monday, March 26 at Betsy's Place. You don't want to miss out on the fun! Be there or be square.

Details here.

Like an Old Friend

Yesterday I took Ben and Hannah to the mall. It is a rare occurrence and rarer yet that I actually spend any money while there. I wanted to look for something special in the toy store, but on my way was stopped by a pretty young woman working at a kiosk. She tried to sell me a manicure kit, which was very nice, but not on my list of priorities. On my way to avoid walking back her direction, I decided to go through Bon Ton and ran into a sale on sandals, a sale I couldn't pass up. I have been looking for these particular sandals for the past few years, so it was like running into an old friend. I knew I would forever regret it if I didn't buy them. Today my feet are cool and happy and it only cost me twenty bucks!

Today was the first day of soccer for Hannah. I woke up with a migraine, but still managed to take a shower and get out of the house on time to get to the park. Too bad I didn't look up the directions as it has been quite a long since I was last there. I had forgotten the way and so, rather than arriving early, we got there about ten minutes late. Next week I won't be getting lost, I will bring a chair to sit in, and maybe I'll even take a photo or two. Hey, maybe I'll even see Stacy instead of just her husband and four absolutely adorable children.