It is a recovery week at the Covert Household. We are settling into our new routines acceptably - Deb doing all the work and Mark doing all the recovery. Although it may appear that Deb has drawn the short end of this project, Mark maintains that his role is central and essential to the process. Our neighbor Tom Babb has stopped over to mow our leaves, but he will soon tire of that process. Garth has also professed a willingness to run the mower a few times as well.
Deb Duggan baked up some chicken thighs and rice in a casserole and delivered it Friday evening, along with some biscuits, and a vegetable medley of snap peas, mushrooms and onions. We stretched that one out to two evening meals.Although Harry the dog and Sushi the cat don’t enjoy having to weave around the rolling walker, they have yet to cause any falls; time will tell, but Harry should be thankful that Deb is willing to rise at 5:00 AM to let him out in the morning. If she tires of that duty, the vet’s office might be the next stop.
Mark is napping most afternoons - this may become a regular habit - and he doesn’t report any problem with falling asleep in the evenings. So far we have avoided the oxycodone the hospital sent home and have been making do with Tylenol and Tramadol at night. On Tuesday, we will jettison the Tramadol and fly solo on the Tylenol.
Sunday evening, Deb sought to reduce the number of tomatoes lining the countertops so she broke our the 18 quart roaster, placed the tomatoes, some onions, bell peppers, and seasonings in the pot to roast down for sauce. Sometime in the middle of the night, the roaster gave up the ghost. Having fought the good fight through innumerable turkey roastings, corned beef boilings, and other assorted duties, it was a trusted standby. At one point we owned two of these workhorses, having inherited one from each of our mothers. No telling how old this one remaining unit was, but it had put in good time over at least 35 years. A trip to the Goodwill is in its future while a replacement is winging its way via Amazon.
Monday evening, Deb and Tim Duggan made a run to Paddy McGowan’s for sandwiches and rueben egg rolls for evening dinner on our patio. A great break and, considering the cooling temperatures, these may be some of the last evening get togethers. Zöe, Iris and Esmè stopped by while we were eating on their evening walk. It was good too see them and they seemed pleased to have scored some of Deb’s chocolate chip cookies (we refer to them around here as crack-they are so addictive!)
Deb has been doing plenty of yard work; Darcy came over on Monday afternoon and helped to empty and store a number of pots. Replanting, trimming and sorting for the fall are under way. As usual, the weather creeps in before we are done admiring the beauty we have created in our gardens. It is tougher this year as it is a one-woman show, getting it all done.
Tuesday, as regular readers will know, is Drinks night for Deb. Jan, a regular attendee, had tested positive for COVID some weeks ago and, although now recovered, is still staying away, but Mary, Deb and Glenda (via FaceTime) were in attendance on our rear patio. This activity also is up to review come cooler weather.
Wednesday, Ed and Meg completed a move to a new and larger apartment with a loft (designated the guitar loft) and a larger balcony on the top floor of their building in North Hollywood. They toasted one another with a bottle of champagne and will spend the next several weeks unloading boxes and getting the dog and cat adjusted to the new quarters.
Wednesday we also scheduled another COVID testing. They are free, Mark had been out in public (hospital) and we are overly cautious; there is a national upswing in diagnosis and Nebraska is no exception.
On Thursday Mark had his one week tele-health checkup with the nurses at OrthoNebraska. The afternoon leg swelling is evidently standard for this surgery. Thursday was also dressing change day, and the approximately 5” long scar looks clean, no redness and no bruising around the site. According to the nurses, everything is progressing very well and Mark is making perfect progress. Thursday evening, Lee and Howie came by with Asian food for a dinner on the patio. Weather was cool, but we turned on the patio heater and managed well.
Except for the constant battle with the walker in our small and cramped home, and the constant up and down in the night, everything is going well. Only 18 more days until the downfall of the dark prince, so the tension mounts. We have voted, as have millions more of our fellow citizens. If you haven’t done so, please, please exercise your civic duty to throw the garbage out.
Stay safe and warm, talk to your loved ones, keep masked up and washing your hands. All will turn out for the best. By the way our COVID test results are negative again - that’s four for four! Woo-Hoo!
