Let's chat about our necklines . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oh to have that neckline again!

The smooth and wrinkle-free throat of youth.

How we took such things for granted back then. Aging happened to 

our grandmothers, our aunties, even our mothers, but did we ever really

 think it would be our swan-like necks, lined and creased, reflected in the mirror?

During our formative years we girls were bombarded by the media, 

the magazines, and told we were not as perfect as we should be, could be.

Many of us struggled through our teens wondering if we would ever

 make the grade when it came to looks, shape, clear skin.

Lotions and potions were purchased, lined up on the vanity or dresser, 

tried for a while then tossed aside when a newer supposedly better

 one came along. The drug store became a regular stomping ground, we 

spent time and spending money on the less expensive brands until, guess

 what, we earned salaries and were able to graduate to the high priced

 cosmetic counters.

In fancy department stores we were ambushed by slick salespeople the

 moment we stepped inside the doors - thank you Mr. Selfridge - each wanting

 to spray us, dab us, sit us down on a high stool at their counter and make us

 into their version of a women with the perfect skin, the lined and shadowed eye,

 the sexy lip.

We often succumbed as we'd been brainwashed by those magazines

and television ads. We weren't yet 'perfect' and we required a make over!

The few times I agreed to sit on that stool I came away feeling ridiculous and

 looking like someone I was not. I couldn't wait to get home and wash it all off. 

I admit I purchased a few of those high priced lotions and potions with

 the fancy names and over the top packaging. Whether they made much

 difference in the big scheme of things and the aging game, who truly knows.

I still have a wrinkled neck like most women in their seventies!

So, I still enjoy quietly browsing around a drugstore, nobody bothers me

 trying to sell me high priced creams and cosmetics. I sometimes try a new

 affordable product, but then leave with enough cash leftover for a nice

 bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine!

I do buy some excellent products from one company with a department

 store counter. They are very good, not high priced, their salespeople

 are well-trained, helpful and never pushy. I am even using

them on my throat where I now have a fading scar from my recent 

thyroid surgery, and am very satisfied with the healing.

 Although I'll never have a smooth neckline again, I'm thankful for what

 I do have and I'm just going to make the most of it! 

Dining in Summer, and my recuperation!

We don't use the dining room much for dining in Summer - eating outside in the

gazebo is much better, as long as the thunderstorms stay away around early evening.

Yesterday, being home alone for Independence Day, which felt a little odd, I decided

 that now I'm feeling a lot better I need to get myself moving. I decided on some cleaning

 and changing things around a bit for Summer so the cottage looks a little cooler on

these hot, humid days.

If you love glass display domes as I obviously do, you have to keep them spiffy clean.

After a while they become cloudy, both inside and out, and look really awful.

Washing them is like bathing a new baby, they are round and slippery and you

 need lots of fluffy towels to wrap them in when drying off! 

I dug out the lovely heavy linen antique cloth I bought in Carcassonne some 

years back, layering the thick French linen bolster cover over it. 

Both pieces are very old and stitched by hand but still in perfect condition,

These hide the warm wood tone of the pine farm table making the room look much cooler.

On the sideboard cabinet I removed one of my big santos dolls to another room,

along with the huge antique dark leather books, and added some of my hydrangeas

 from the garden.

I baked brownies yesterday for my next door neighbors. They invited me to 

join them for a drink whilst, as night fell, we watched a little firework display

 in our cul-de-sac . . . . . . . . fortunately the thunderstorms forecast earlier 

 never arrived. 

I must thank all of you who have continued to wish me well during my 

recovery from surgery. I'm already three weeks out and doing very well.

Last Friday my surgeon 'unglued' me by removing the Dermabond from my throat.

 I now feel free again, moving my neck almost like normal.

With instructions to 'exercise' my neck a lot, treat my incision lovingly with oils and

 creams, and especially remember sunscreen when I go outdoors, I can say that I am

already seeing good progress regarding my scar. A new medication now

 required for life, and hopefully no further problems with my thyroid - well of course

 not as I no longer have one! 

Modern medicine certainly is amazing - and kudos to all the wonderful surgeons, 

physicians, nursing staff, and hospital employees who work so hard so return us to 

good health - you are the best.

Thankful. . . . . .

It was much more involved than expected! 

My surgery lasted 3.5 hours but I was able

to come home at 5 PM yesterday.

 My thyroid had fooled us all somewhat.

Am glued back together and being very lazy.

There are lots of things I'm not permitted to

do for a couple of weeks.

A lot of medicines required for a while.

Throat sore and voice raspy, but no intense pain.

My lovely pre-op flowers, freshly cut from my dear friend Mary Ann's

beautiful garden which I visited a couple of days before my surgery.

They're just perfect for me.

Thanks for all your good wishes - they certainly helped me through this.

Run rabbit, run. . . . . . . . .

The old love affair with sweet little bunnies continues. . . . .the enjoyment of

 watching them hippity hopping through the garden, but despising them for all the

 nibbling of the fresh green, crisp plants popping up everywhere during this

 rampant growing season. Is this a 'Peter Rabbit Syndrome' perchance?

Yesterday, in the cool of the early morning, I was outside armed with my trowel,

 hoisting bags of soil, potting up the plants I purchased on Sunday. 

Who in their right mind goes to the garden center on Sunday afternoon in

 broiling 97F (36C) temperatures?

I thought I was going to die out there - racing through the place grabbing plants

 willynilly, not knowing who was wilting most, them or me. 

Knowing I'll not be doing much in the garden for a couple of weeks - no heavy

 lifting after this surgery - I had to get this done. Late for me to be potting but

 just couldn't leave on the Ireland trip and expect neighbors to do so much watering.

Hopefully I'll be able to lift a camera in the coming weeks - then I'll show you

more of the garden - if the rabbits haven't eaten it!

Off he went eventually, but in no hurry - in fact he stared me down for 

about 10 minutes before deciding to move on. Wasn't until I looked at my pix on

 the computer that I noticed my stone rabbit in this shot as the little white bobtail

 hopped away under the car. . . . . .headed to have a nibble at my

neighbors' plants I'm sure!

Many, many thanks to all of you who have wished me well for my 

surgery tomorrow, I so appreciate your kind and loving words and 

thoughts.

I'll be back here soon - hopefully enjoying being a bit lazy for a while 

as I recuperate - and catching up with everyone again.

. . . . . . and there's my wonderful husband spending this morning mowing
 the grass (so I can recuperate happily looking at a manicured lawn) before

 the temperature soars back into the 90's tomorrow.

Feeling a bit ruffled . . . . . . .

This is my 'lone robin' who has lived in the garden for so long.

An extra long birdbath shower yesterday required lots of fluffing and

preening on the warm brick steps afterward.

Meanwhile, my feathers were ruffled somewhat as I spent the afternoon

at the hospital and surgeon's office preparing for my surgery next week!

Have you ever had a tiny camera shoved up your nose and down 

your throat after being doused with drops and sprays? Not nice but the way to

check your vocal cord nerves.

Then paperwork covering my entire medical history again, and an EKG - heart

looks good. Mostly I check out pretty good for an old gal, BUT after four years of

watching and checking, that darned thyroid now needs to be removed.

I'll be the guest of a local hospital, hopefully just for the day on Wednesday,

and, fingers crossed, the surgery goes well thanks to my wonderful

surgeon Sweeney Todd/Doctor F.

Apparently my throat will be glued back together and the doc will make

what will eventually just become another wrinkle in the old neck!

Anyone out there had a total thyroidectomy?

Needless to say I'll be taking it easy for a couple of weeks, and will have time

 to catch up with everyone and share more of the trip to beautiful Ireland.

Then I'll tell you where our travels will take us next.