Good news: after my mishap with the wheelie bin there are no chips in either my tibia or fibula. My face is only a bit scabby now, and many of the abrasions are gone, or nearly so.
Less good news: The physiotherapist is wondering whether I have broken bones in my foot. I am currently encased in a compression bandage from toes to knee. Not stylish and, which affects me much more, too warm for my liking. Three of the toes poking out the end of the bandage are the attractive dark greenish grey of an approaching storm. A big storm. The bandage has reduced the swelling beneath my knee, so there is good news there too. The idea is to wait until next week and see the physio again before rushing off for more x-rays.
On the books front: A while ago, after I received these books as an unbirthday present from my nephew's wife, I said I would post a review when I had finished reading them. Which promptly escaped my mind.
I read 'The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove' first. It could probably best be described as a combination Sci-Fi, Fantasy, cosy murder mystery, romance novel. Sound confusing. Well it is. It gallops across the genres taking flying kicks at the accepted conventions (and a few other sacred cows along the way). So I giggled my way through it. Good literature, well no, but fun just the same.
I then moved onto 'A Dirty Job'. I found myself bookmarking my place and wandering off and picking up other books, not once, but several times. Not a good sign. I did (finally) finish it, but didn't like it nearly as much. Many of the same elements are present, so perhaps I just tried to read it too soon after the first. ( And I warm so much more to Terry Pratchett's take on Death.)
One of the books I am reading at the moment is completely different. It isn't a recent publication and I picked it up from a remainders table. 'A Midwife's Tale: The life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary 1885-1812', by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Martha Ballard lived and worked in Maine in the USA. Ulrich intersperses excerpts from the diary with information she has gleaned from available historical records, including court reports, title deeds and other diaries. She then ties the information together to give a much more comprehensive picture of Martha Ballard's life, times and the society she lived in than I would have gleaned from her diary alone. It isn't easy reading, but I am finding it completely fascinating.
And to something different again. In July, while buying a present for a friend I fell in lust with a Brazilian Edelweisse and bought it for myself. When I first bought it, it looked a little like a badly baked donut. It has been sitting on the kitchen window, and how it has changed.
And there are more shoots coming from the base to come. It is one of the first things I focus on when I come into the kitchen to make my first cup of tea of the day, and I am really pleased that I weakened and bought it. I just noticed that it has come out even more today!
Less good news: The physiotherapist is wondering whether I have broken bones in my foot. I am currently encased in a compression bandage from toes to knee. Not stylish and, which affects me much more, too warm for my liking. Three of the toes poking out the end of the bandage are the attractive dark greenish grey of an approaching storm. A big storm. The bandage has reduced the swelling beneath my knee, so there is good news there too. The idea is to wait until next week and see the physio again before rushing off for more x-rays.
On the books front: A while ago, after I received these books as an unbirthday present from my nephew's wife, I said I would post a review when I had finished reading them. Which promptly escaped my mind.
I read 'The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove' first. It could probably best be described as a combination Sci-Fi, Fantasy, cosy murder mystery, romance novel. Sound confusing. Well it is. It gallops across the genres taking flying kicks at the accepted conventions (and a few other sacred cows along the way). So I giggled my way through it. Good literature, well no, but fun just the same.
I then moved onto 'A Dirty Job'. I found myself bookmarking my place and wandering off and picking up other books, not once, but several times. Not a good sign. I did (finally) finish it, but didn't like it nearly as much. Many of the same elements are present, so perhaps I just tried to read it too soon after the first. ( And I warm so much more to Terry Pratchett's take on Death.)
One of the books I am reading at the moment is completely different. It isn't a recent publication and I picked it up from a remainders table. 'A Midwife's Tale: The life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary 1885-1812', by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Martha Ballard lived and worked in Maine in the USA. Ulrich intersperses excerpts from the diary with information she has gleaned from available historical records, including court reports, title deeds and other diaries. She then ties the information together to give a much more comprehensive picture of Martha Ballard's life, times and the society she lived in than I would have gleaned from her diary alone. It isn't easy reading, but I am finding it completely fascinating.
And to something different again. In July, while buying a present for a friend I fell in lust with a Brazilian Edelweisse and bought it for myself. When I first bought it, it looked a little like a badly baked donut. It has been sitting on the kitchen window, and how it has changed.
And there are more shoots coming from the base to come. It is one of the first things I focus on when I come into the kitchen to make my first cup of tea of the day, and I am really pleased that I weakened and bought it. I just noticed that it has come out even more today!
Ow!! The description of your toes, makes a Halloween story. It sounds painful. I love your donut plant. It looks like something a hummingbird would love, too. I've never seen one before, but then....I'm told there's a lot I haven't seen.
ReplyDeleteI need to get my foot looked at by a podiatrist too. i haven't fallen or anything, but the bone across the top of the foot at the arch hurts a lot all the time now, even when I'm barefoot, so clearly something is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI like your edelweiss, I thought they were only in cold paces like Switzerland and Austria (sound of Music country).
Have you ever read a Sci Fi book called Caduceus Wild? It was recommended to me long ago by a friend who was a doctor with a sense of humor. It's about a future where the medical establishment has taken over the running of the world. For some reason, it seems fitting in this context (alas).
ReplyDeleteI dig your Brazilian Edelweisse! Good choice, that was.
Whatever the humanist equivalent of prayer is, I'm doing it for your foot!
barbfroman: My toes sound more gruesome than they feel (though if I had much sensation in my feet I am sure it would be different). I too love that plant. And had never heard of one before I bought it.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I think that the name is all that my edelweisse has in common with the Sound of Music plants. And yes, it sounds as if a podiatrist may help you.
Paper Chipmunk: I haven't come across Cadeceus Wild - it sounds like the stuff of horror stories to me, to give the medical profession more power than they currently have.
Thanks for your humanistic wishes for my foot. I appreciate it. Lots.
ouch. hope the healing continues and you have a complete and speedy recovery...
ReplyDeletei enjoyed "Lamb" by Christopher Moore. tried reading a couple other of his books but didn't catch. i do, however, adore his blog -- when he does "Art", he is beyond brilliant!
Gorgeous photos. Oh, those black cats are awesome.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Christopher Moore as well...
ReplyDeleteWow, a super plant. Great photos of its development....
ReplyDeleteThat foot and the whole description of the damage doesn't sound good. But at least you are on the recovery side of things. The plant is truly amazing, I love the pictures of its development.
ReplyDeleteOuchy...I hope you don't have broken bones. Your ugly duckling Edelweisse has turned into quite the swan!
ReplyDelete"Lust Lizard" was most certainly one of my favorite Christpher Moore books... And I think the first one I read as well. There ARE others that stack up, but the Death one is not among that group. Sadly, I find them rather predictable, while appreciating the sense ofhumorr. "Lamb" is very good, as is the one about the Whale. That's my favorite one. Even if I really stink with remembering book and song titles. I could get off my duff to go check the bookshelves, But I think I donated most of them to charity. They were good... But not something I'm going to read again.
ReplyDeleteAlarm bells went off in my head when i read "greenish toes" doesn't sound right to me. Your donut cake has transformed from a ugly duckling into a pretty boy :-).
ReplyDeletedaisyfae: fingers crossed. I will look out for his blog, thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteAnon: Welcome and thank you. The black cats are much cherished (and spoilt).
BaliRing: It seems I am going to have to hunt down some of his other books.
Sienna: It seems the kitchen windowsill is the perfect spot - both for the plant and for me to watch it.
DJan: That will teach me not to fall over.
Karen: It is a swan now isn't it?
Julianna: I think you are right and they are not books to reread, but it is obvious I will have to track down some more. I have heard good things about Biff too.
Windsmoke: The attractive green/grey colouration of my toes (and indeed my foot and ankle) is bruising. Thanks for your concern, but I don't think alarm bells are necessary.
i hope you get to spend a relaxing weekend with good books, cat cuddles and that now sweet looking edelweiss in sight. add a hope that next week's xrays will show no bad 'news'.
ReplyDeletePia K: Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you have mostly recovered from Grevious Bodily Harm assault by the wheelie bin. The Brazilian edelweiss looks like it's all dressed up for Carnivale!
ReplyDeleteMitzi: I hadn't thought of the Carnivale link, but you are right. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteFantastic plant. Is it a type of succulant?
ReplyDeleteHope the foot is better soon.
Cat Drawings: Yes, it is a type of succulent, but not one I had ever seen before.
ReplyDeleteI love plants like that, proper ugly dry old things that turn into something quite beautiful when you least expect it. On the co-incidence front I read another of Christopher Moore's books the week before last 'The Island of the Sequinned Love Nun'. I just couldn't resist the title amongst all the books with grown up names. It was ok, really not bad....but I slowly lost interest and took it back to the library before I finished it. Not the best heheh. Glad to hear the wounds and bruises are in recovery.
ReplyDeleteAll Consuming: You are right - it is the unexpectedness of the donut's beauty which makes it special. And Christopher Moore does titles really, really well.
ReplyDeleteThat is the weirdest plant! I remember how we were speculating about homesick Nazis... they must have been desperate, because it only looks like an Edelweiss for about three seconds and then it goes all spangled triffid! Good call though, what an amusing thing to watch while you're washing up.
ReplyDelete