Since TIE O’ THE DAY will be without my full services for a couple of weeks after my surgery this coming Thursday, I’ve asked Suzanne and Skitter to assist me temporarily. I’ve been training them about the in’s and outs’s of doing my posting job on the tblog—so y’all won’t miss my adventures at Huntsman and whatever my first few days of recovery are like. (If you have surmised that I have already selected and packed the neckwear I’m taking to the hospital for my week-or-so-long stay, you are correct.)
Skitter will likely do most of the writing for the posts, while Suzanne will take over the photography duties. Suzanne is a fine taker o’ pictures. We’ve had a couple of her “Spain” photographs framed and hung on the walls for decades. I’m currently schooling her about how to properly take TIE O’ THE DAY photographs. She got the shot right in only one of these two pix of me getting ready to enter the bigly doughnut for my CT scan yesterday. You see, the number one rule of shooting TO’TD photos is to make sure the tie/bow tie is visible in each shot for readers to see. The neckwear must always be a star. The first picture you see here follows this rule, while the second one doesn’t cut the TIE O’ THE DAY mustard. However, Suzanne’s a super-smart gal, so I’m confident she’ll figure out how to follow the main TO’TD snapshot rule.
I donned a blue-polka-dotted orange Bow Tie o’ the Day and Skitter was wearing her avocados Tie o’ the Day (which you can’t see cuz it’s covered by her blankets in this photo), and we headed to Delta to see Mom last Friday. Suzanne managed to get the day off work, so she drove us to our destination.
When we got to the care center, folks were getting on the center’s little bus for a short outing. I could see Mom was already in the front seat, ready to see the sights. She had no idea we were there. I could have caught the group before they headed out, but since the pandemic began, the Millard Care and Rehab residents haven’t ventured out until recently. I did not want to keep Mom from a drive with her current neighbors, so Suzanne and I said to each other at the very same time, in almost the same exact words, “While we’re waiting for Mom to come back from her ride, we should go to Mom’s Crafts!” Mom’s Crafts is Suzanne’s idea of Heaven. Because Suzanne always spends a lot of $$$ there, Mom’s Crafts is also my idea of a depleted bank account.😜 So Suzanne bought a ton o’ fabric, and we both got to say “howdy” to Kyla. Mom’s Crafts is always a good time. Even Skitter was grooving about it. Skitter told me she wants Suzanne to teach her to sew, so she can shop for her own fabric at Mom’s Crafts and make her own doggie blankets. It’s gonna be a long and interesting winter, I can tell.
When we returned to the care center, the bus was already there, and Mom was already inside the building sitting with a pal at her table in the facility’s new fancy dining room. What a great space! I didn’t see Mom’s face as we were walking in her direction, cuz I was wrangling Skitter across the room and through the other residents, but Suzanne said Mom’s whole face beamed when she saw me. I was wearing my mask, and Mom had no idea I have shaved my head to the nubs, but she still managed to recognize me. I am always glad for that. It is something so basic, but it has become incredibly important to me now. I need Mom to know me. (So far, it was only that one instance when she didn’t recognize my voice on the phone.)
In Mom’s room, Skitter jumped up on her bed and curled right into Mom like she always does. Mom absentmindedly stroked Skitter throughout our visit, as is her usual way. Mom was in high spirits, as she always seems to be. She says she’s sleeping well—”like a log”— and she’s snoring well. This is true. She says she is in no pain. This used to be true until quite recently. But it’s not true anymore, and she will not admit it. She maintains her playfulness and penchant for humor. But she is also quieter than I have ever known her to be. We left her a stash of peanut butter Snickers and candy corn pumpkins. Mom is beyond pleased when we pretend on occasion that she doesn’t have to watch her sugar. 😉 We can’t wait for our next visit with her.
I told you I’d show you Suzanne’s new rug as soon as it got delivered. Well, today is Tuesday, and it was delivered on Saturday morning. It remains in its delivery state. I don’t know why. Before it showed up, I swept and mopped the floor where it’s going to be spread out to live with us. And yet, it remains under wrap. Now, I could do the simple thing and ask Suzanne when she plans to unfurl it. I could ask her why it still looks like a giant’s cigar is on our living room floor. But I won’t. It’s more fun for me to speculate about it. I can make bets with myself about how long it will take her to decide it’s time roll it out. Will today be the day? On the other hand, it wouldn’t surprise me if Suzanne is waiting to see how long it will take me before I can’t stand it anymore and I finally ask her if we can situate the new rug. One of us will speak up first, but it’s not going to be me.
But for now, Skitter is doing her impression of a mighty mountain goat and wearing her blueberry/strawberry/blackberry Tie o’ the Day. Please note Skitter’s tail between her legs as she climbs the frightening heights o’ the rug.
Skitter is sleeping in, while being fashionable in her kiwi Tie o’ the Day. I am off to the University of Utah Hospital this morning to get my 3rd ERCP in the last couple of months. A scope and a minuscule claw gadget will be sent down my throat in a few hours, yet again—one last try to extricate my pancreatic boulder. If this works, my September surgery can be canceled. Honestly, though, I don’t know why the ERCP would work this time, when it didn’t work the first two times. Nevertheless, I will have hope. Hope is a good thing.
Since the 4th of July falls on a Sunday this year, many Utah celebrations happened yesterday on the 3rd. I’m flexible about such things, but in my deep heart, I would much rather honor bigly, date-specific holidays on their actual dates. But like I said, I’m ultimately easily bendy about the whole scheduling of official holiday observances—which is a good thing, because nobody listens to me about it anyway.
We, here at TIE O’ THE DAY, are blessed and proud to add our voices to the Birthday Greetings heard around the world, in honor of our country’s existential and political independence. I am humbled on this day, every year. I am humbled because I know my citizenship here is a matter of nothing more than luck. I did absolutely nothing to earn the rights and responsibilities that belong to me as an American citizen: I merely happened to be born on this soil—into freedom and safety. I see it as one of my life’s jobs to add positive pieces to the America which I inherited simply by being born in it one day in 1964. I want to improve it, to nurture its ideals. My little contribution is so small. So is yours, probably. But added together, our little works can make ringing and lasting statements—giving lifeblood to an ever-living, ever-changing home called the USA. Like my Delta Elementary School librarian, Mrs. Crafts, always said as she greeted our classes in the hall before we could enter the library, “Leave this place better than you found it.” Today—while considering my love for my country—I wholeheartedly second that admonition.
Suave Skitter chose a perfect tie for the 4th.What we saw from our bedroom deck.
With no prompting from me, the inimitable Skitter went up into the Tie Room today and came out with her fave 4th of July prop: a painted wood Bow Tie o’ the Day. Around these parts, we wholeheartedly get into the spirit of whatever holiday is upon us. And, thankfully, there is always another holiday just around time’s corner.
BTW In case you can’t tell, I enjoy catching Skitter in mid-yawn for photos.
Skitter and I stayed in the house—and out of the heat—yesterday. An outside temperature of 102 in mid-June is not our kind of thing. We did talk about getting in the pool, but the HOA does not allow Skitter to do that—despite the fact that Skitter is a much friendlier resident than the wacko lady a few doors away, who seems to think she is the HOA Rule Monitor. I have no doubt the old bat always has a notebook handy, in which she constantly logs alleged rule infractions committed by neighborhood residents who have better things to do than keep tabs on everybody else’s garbage can placement. While the rest of us live our lives, the HOA rules seem to BE her life. To each, her own. God bless her.
Skitter took charge of snapping TIE O’ THE DAY photos this morning. Personally, I think she’s making great strides with her selfie photography skills. She’s wearing one of her new summer-y ties, which she sneakily ordered on my Amazon account without my knowledge or permission. (Note to self: change Amazon account password.) I chose to pair my houndstooth floppy Bow Tie o’ the Day with this flowery shirt to achieve some middling clash. This bow tie goes with anything. Or nothing. Either way, it’s a key piece of my collection.
I’m wearing a diamond-point Bow Tie o’ the Day here as we erranded over the weekend. My Face Mask o’ the Day is the closest to my heart, with its own multitude o’ ties. Skitter is branching out with her own bold fashion statements by wearing her orange slices Tie o’ the Day curled and askew at the side of her neck. Skitter is so style-daring. It makes a neckwear mama proud.
I finally have a Cranky Hanky Panky medical procedure update. I have an appointment for a follow-up ERCP (scope-down-the-throat) on June 28 at University of Utah Hospital—to see if the lithotripsy I recently had successfully smashed my pancreatic boulder into bits and sent them on their way out of my body. I’m trying to be optimistic, but the fact that my Panky still stings makes me think the lithotripsy probably didn’t work. I won’t really know until they perform the ERCP.
I’m not complaining, but this current Hanky Panky round of appointments has taken waaaay too long. I’ve been trying to get this Panky problem solved since February. I know it’s because of the hospital backlog created by the pandemic, so I understand. But I can’t wait to get to the finish line on this particular Panky issue—even if that means having another surgery. I just want it finished. I know you’re probably sick of hearing about this seemingly never-ending saga. And I’m sick of writing about it. It just so happens to be what’s going on in my life, so we’re stuck with it as a tblog topic for a little while longer. Sorry.
Here’s an interesting thing to consider, though: My Panky appointment is on June 28. My PANCREATICODUODENECTOMY (I love writing that word) surgery was also on June 28, exactly three years ago, in 2018. You know I love a rich coincidence to think about. Is this date coincidence a sign telling me that I’ll find out at my ERCP appointment on this June 28th that I’m going to need another surgery? Or does it mean my ERCP will be the last procedure I will need this time around, because it will be as bigly a success as my PANCREATICODUODENECTOMY was? I could play this coincidence/meaning/connection game forever. In fact, I drive myself nuts with it. I can find meaning and connection, both literally and figuratively, in anything literal or figurative.
