Routine

Little people

My brother Robbie and his wife Tonia went to see the Iron Maiden Concert in Johannesburg during May.  I always write the name of my supplements on the lid of the tubs so that I know which is which...Robbie renamed the tub of Ferrous Forte iron tablets.

 

 

I got to babysit the little people overnight.  I confess...my goal was for them to have fun but also to tire them out so that they would sleep well on Saturday night (so that their old aunty could get some shut eye!).  I arranged a play date at iJump in Strubensvalley with my friend Bridget and her daughter Boo.

 

Bridget and Boo 

Not the best photos but great fun was had by all

and then if was off to Spur for dinner and more playing

 

As soon as we got home, it was straight into the bath and then a bit of tv.  I also read a story to the girls, gave them some icecream in bed (shhh - don't tell their mom!) and then it was lights off.  They were SO good.  I expected a few tantrums and melt downs and arguments, but nothing - good job girls!

On Sunday morning, we had breakfast at Lifestyle Garden Center with Tonia's parents, Annette and John.  Miss Katy loves her Bubby.

 

And too soon the weekend was over.  I was a bit sad and totally exhausted, but princess Ruby was delighted when they drove out the gate.

 

 

I just wanna...

Photobooth

Just a little bit of silliness on a Saturday afternoon...

Be happy

Cuteness overload

This kid is cuteness overload. 

 

 

As Elizabeth says of her sister "she's a feisty one!".  Love you Katy!

 

Biker chick

I bought a bicycle for Elizabeth last year when she turned 6...and she hated it.  It doesn't have training wheels and it was scary.  She avoided it.  And then this year ... it was suddenly all ok and she now loves riding her bike.  She even does tricks - riding side saddle or with her feet on the handlebars.

 

Well done Ella - we're SO proud of you for being brave!

Turning 9

Happy 9th Birthday my beloved princess Ruby

Love you to the moon and back, always and forever

Turning 80

My dear mom Shirley recently turned 80.  Despite having dementia, it was a good day for her.  My sister-in-law Tonia hosted a tea for her, and my mom enjoyed the eats and 2 cups of tea...she's never been a tea drinker but now loves her tea.

 

 

I pray every day that my mom will enjoy a calm gentle day, that she won't be anxious or afraid...

Foot surgery - Morton's Neuroma update

If you remember, I had surgery on my right foot to remove a Morton's Neuroma in July 2015.  Read this post if you're interested. 

It took a lot longer to heal that I expected.  The surgeon refused to give me any time frames for recovery as he said that everyone is different.  From my own experience, if you're planning on having the surgery, bank on at least 6 months of 'light duty'. 

 

My foot only started feeling 'normal' after 7 months, and now at the 9 month mark, my foot is feeling really good again, although I still need to have the occasional slow day.

 

My Fitbit Zip was very helpful in proactively managing my activity levels to ensure that I didn't overdo things during the recovery; I could deliberately stay at around 3 500 steps per day

 

I highly recommend going for specialized foot physiotherapy after surgery; it made such a difference to my healing, even though it's very painful

 

The surgery scar itself has healed beautifully without using any special oils

 

My choice of shoes has had to change - I deliberately look for wider shoes and find that shoes with lower, wider heels are more comfortable

 

I occasionally still just need to put my foot up on a pillow and rest

 

I would absolutely recommend the surgery for anyone battling with a Neuroma, especially if you've tried everything else (orthotics, cortisone injections, and so on).  I only had surgery 4 years after I first became aware of the Neuroma, and suffered increasing foot pain with even the least bit of activity, so I ended up becoming less and less active.  Now...I'm ready to start hiking again