Hits and Misses (July 23-29, 2017)

Being confined to the couch put a damper on my blogging routine this week (more on that to follow). So here's a look back at the week that was......even though it is a day late!

HITS

• This week in the Geriatric Ward has featured some really good food! Mom and I have continued to pull out some family favorites while trying out a couple of new recipes as well. On Friday evening, the Geriatrics and I enjoyed our first trip to Firebirds in Collierville. It was a great steakhouse for a reasonable price. I couldn't believe that I hadn't found this gem much sooner.
• It sounds strange, but the funeral service for Sandy Currin was so sweet and touching. It was good to see friends and former students as we remembered the life well-lived by our dear friend. When my time on Earth is done, I hope that I will have made just a portion of the impact on others that Sandy had clearly made on everyone she came in contact with. Our loss is Heaven's gain!
• It's taken almost a year, so I was incredibly happy to finally receive insurance paperwork to complete in order to get the last of my medical bills associated with last summer's automobile accident paid. This has been a headache for all concerned. I just hope it's really taken care of this time.
• The only good thing about sustaining an injury is that it gave me an excuse to spend a few long days in my pajamas. 
• On Saturday, I was greeted by a blog post in the "on this day" feature of my Facebook feed. In that post, I introduced a new idea that I had decided to make a regular feature of Livin' Life that I was calling "Hits and Misses." Even though there have been weeks that I have not published a review of the week, this feature has definitely become the most regular and a favorite of many of my readers. Now that I'm writing the 174th installment of the series (that's hard to believe!), I'm thrilled that I have this tool to look back at what was important enough to find its way into my weekly highlights.

MISSES

• Ankle injuries suck! I managed to sprain or twist my left ankle last Sunday, but I'm not completely certain how it happened. Here's the only thing I can figure out. After Sunday lunch, Mom and I headed to the grocery to do the week's shopping. While reaching into the refrigerated section, my back spasmed and I thought I was going to fall. While I was so focused on my back, I didn't notice anything else wrong. I didn't hear a pop or feel any pain in my foot. Later that evening, I noticed how tight the ankle was and that it was beginning to swell. On Monday morning, I could barely walk and quickly began to use a cane. By the middle of the week, my ankle was getting better and I began to cruise around without the cane....and that must have been my mistake. At some point on Friday or Saturday, I seem to have re-injured my ankle! So I have a grapefruit protruding from my ankle that is inflamed and very tender. I will see a podiatrist on Friday morning to make sure everything is okay, but until then I'm spending my days on the couch with my foot on lots of pillows as I ice it and try to keep the swelling down.
• Mosquitoes are crafty little creatures. They are huge in Arkansas this summer and they tend to want to feast on my left foot. Have you ever tried to kill a mosquito on a swollen foot? It's not easy.....and it can be painful as well. Oh well, that just means I wear socks a little more often hoping to keep the little blood-suckers away from me!