Thanksgiving was quiet, just my brother's family and me. My brother did all the cooking ~ he's turned out to be quite a good cook, and he really seems to enjoy it. One of the things I'm thankful for, every Thanksgiving.
Black Friday came and went, while I stayed home. Well, except for a brief trip to the grocery store for a few staples that I needed to get through until payday next week. Since I sprained my foot, I wasn't able to get out earlier for much of anything, so I really had to go out yesterday.
I've never participated in the insanity that is Black Friday. I can't even imagine getting up to go shopping at 3 am, which is when some stores opened yesterday. I don't like crowds. Actually, I get claustrophobic in crowds. I don't even do malls during the holiday season. I guess I just don't understand the logic behind lining up in the cold dark (and it's been really cold lately!) for a chance to fight over what you want to buy, and then stand in line hours to pay for it, and then fight for another hour or so getting out of the place and home. Of course, I don't actually want anything from those stores, not as Christmas presents. The folks I buy for don't need or use anythng from general stores, so there's just no reason at all to participate in the frenzied shopping experience that is Black Friday.
My nephew is getting cooking lessons, from a local place that offers a variety of lessons for kids. I haven't decided what my niece will get, yet. Her mom said she was lusting after a "hand-tied fleece" throw, but I'm not sure about making one of those. My brother is getting a variety of cooking related items ~ a salt sampler, a mini-smoker that goes right on the BBQ, etc. My sister-in-law will probably get a Legos kit she wants (my nephew and his mom are Lego fanatics). Two of my friends are getting personalized notecards (already purchased and arrived) from Silhouette Blue. My sister is getting the scarf I knit for her. Her kids will get gift cards which they can use to get something they'd like. I don't know them all that well, since they've almost always lived far away, and I see them rarely. And my brother-in-law? I still haven't figured out what to send him, and the time is growing short for that.
Well, I knew this day wasn't going to be my best when I spilled half a (tall) cup of coffee at 5:30 this morning. It was confirmed when I dropped the wand part of my mascara down the sink drain at 6 am. But it was made crystal clear when at 9:30 this morning, in front of my students, I stepped down from the stool I had been reading from only to find my left leg wasn't there ~ at least I couldn't feel it at all ~ and promptly fell down, hearing a loud "snap" as I did so. All my kids rushed up to me, trying to help. Picking up the papers and clipboard I had dropped on my plunge to the floor. Picking up the cup of coffee (with lid) I had been holding ~ didn't spill this one, though! I had to sit for a few moments before I could even consider getting up, since my foot was really painful. I hauled myself up, and sat down in a kid's chair, since my left foot wouldn't hold me up.
Of course, I told the kids to calm down, I would be alright, and just needed a few moments to recover. And then I noticed my foot swelling up. So, I asked one of the kids to go next door to get my teaching partner (who broke her foot at school last year) and when she arrived, I had to tell her I'd at the very least sprained my foot, but might have broken it. (We both laughed about this, and when the teacher on the other side of me came in a couple of minutes later, we warned her that it was going to be her turn next year.) They sent one of my kids to the office to get the wheel chair, and then wheeled me up to the office.
I ended up at the clinic that handles work injuries. I insisted on driving myself, which made my principal very nervous. I called once I'd arrived and been put in the waiting room, so that he wouldn't be worrying about me driving. So, an exam and an Xray later, the good news is I didn't break it. The bad news is I sprained it badly, with ligament damage. And the swelling isn't swelling, but a large hematoma, which the doctor said would probably "express itself as bruising". Yay for me. They wrapped it and made me wear a "shoe". They wanted to put it in a boot, but I convinced them I wouldn't be able to fit it in my car. Those boots are huge!. I am vertically challenged, so I have to have the car seat as far forward as possible, and in my Corolla, there's no way I could fit my foot in the boot in the space left between the seat and brake/gas pedals. They gave me extra-strength Tylenol and Darvocet. Haven't taken either one, and probably won't. Pain meds don't generally work for me, anyway.
This is, of course, the leg I've been having so much trouble with, with my knee. And I noticed just a little while ago that my knee is swelling up, too. At least, more than it usually does by the end of the day. No pain yet, but given this week, I'm expecting that to kick in when I try to go to sleep later. (This is the week I also received a jury duty summons and a speeding ticket).
I had lots of plans for next week, since I'm off work for the whole week. Was taking my niece and nephew down to the Natural History Museum. Was spending a day making cookies with my sister in law. Now, I have to stay off my foot, and be back at the clinic Tuesday morning. Not what I was looking forward to. At least I don't have to take sick time at work, and write lesson plans for a sub.
Maybe the rest of this week will go really well. I mean, if bad things come in threes, I've met the target, right?
Well, I lost 5 sweaters to moths, but I have 3 that can be saved by darning. My yarn seems to be fine, however, so at least that has no loss.
I still don't know how I acquired moths, but I'm putting up cedar blocks everywhere, and I've made a schedule for refreshing them that should deter any new invasions. I suspect that I might have gotten them from yarn bought on EBay, so if I buy anymore, it's going in the freezer upon arrival. I also informed my landlord, so the next time they spray they'll include something for that (he says). I still haven't found an adult moth anywhere, however, so I'm going to keep looking. I put up pictures of what they look like in both my craft room and bedroom, so I can remember what they look like. (Although I'm tempted to use them as impromptu dart boards!)
After the upheaval of the moth invasion, I can't find either my yarn winder or swift, so the sock yarn I've bought is going to sit for awhile until I can locate them. I just don't want to wind 400+ yards of fingering weight yarn by hand, and of course, my handwound balls are not beautiful or easy to use. I've just never figured out how to hand wind a center pull ball, so I'm at the mercy of my winder/swift.
