criplomats

Party glasses from Amy

My week was punctuated with visits from good friends. Thursday after work, Tammy, Amy, and Pam came over loaded with fun gifts and flowers. It was a tonic to sit and laugh with them and listen to them tell stories.

Our good friend Scott from Pakistan days came on Friday afternoon, and again yesterday for a long visit. We had a great time – yakking, gossiping, and laughing. John was happy to get in a board game with him, too! It didn’t feel at all like six years had gone by!

With the fabulous Scott B.

John went to the Kennedy Center yesterday afternoon to see “The Band’s Visit,” the wonderful musical we saw in NYC before Christmas last year. He came home singing, and we turned up the volume on the soundtrack for a while. What a great show!

John’s in class at FSI this week and next, so one of the housekeepers from the building is wheeling me to therapy and back in the afternoons. I actually made some progress bending my knee on Thursday!

I’ve been watching Season 2 of “Big Little Lies,” and John and I finished “The Black Zone,” a well-made, kind of creepy French series. We watched “The Upside” last night (with Bryan Cranston) – a good story. I’m reading “The Secretary,” a book from library John picked up for me.

Gorgeous pink roses from Pam

Tulips from Scott

From Nick and Wendy

The days are pretty much the same, but I had several visitors this week to add some welcome breaks – what a treat! Caroline came by last Sunday morning for coffee and brought a delicious clafoutis; Nomi spent the afternoon with me Friday; and Rick and Claire came for lunch yesterday. So nice to see folks. And they brought pretty flowers, too! Wendy and Nick also sent a gorgeous bouquet – I love having them to look at. The woman who does my nails also made a house call for me – I feel like a new woman!

Thursday was a holiday, and it was nice to have John home all day. The fireworks were right outside our window – so pretty.

I finished “The Bookmaker’s Daughter,” a beautifully written book about growing up in Hot Springs during its gambling hay days. I also read “Becoming,” Michelle Obama’s biography a week or two ago (it made me like her – I didn’t know much about her before).

Flavia is happy I’m home in bed with her all day!

I started physical therapy this week, and will do it two times per week for the foreseeable future. Since I can’t put weight on the leg, it’s mostly about bending my knee, strength training, and reducing scar tissue. I love my therapist, and she’s only two blocks away.

I had several visitors! Angela, one of my fabulous managers, stopped by after work on Tuesday, and my long-time friend Pam came over Thursday evening. How nice to visit and laugh and get caught up on office shenanigans. Another woman came over for a consultation before going to La Paz, so I actually had a work meeting from my sofa.

I teleworked full-time this week – boy, does that make the days fly by. Even though I can’t travel, I have plenty to work on.  And John went back to work. Since I can get myself up/down now, I stayed home alone. He left water by the bed, brought my laptop/files, and left a sandwich made in the fridge, so I was all set. If I get out of bed, I make sure to have my cell phone in case of emergency. It worked just fine.

Teleworking has reduced my reading time considerably, but I did finish another book about Liberia that my friend Jim recommended, “Chasing the Devil” – a fascinating look at rural Liberia post-civil war. I also started Season 2 of “Big Little Lies” – Laura Dern is simply amazing.

Book and cat – my view in bed

Our good friend Mary flew out from Arkansas to take care of me this week while John was in a mandatory class at FSI – she was amazing! It was also so good to have a friend to visit and laugh with. She rolled me to my doctor’s office on Wednesday in my wheel chair (we did a trial run with John Monday night) – luckily the doctor’s office is only two blocks away, but it’s a long two blocks! (I tried pushing myself some – boy, it’s hard!)

I love my new doctor here, Dr. Debritz. They took out my stitches and said I’m healing nicely (he also said it looked like my surgery had been done “by the book, as expected from Harborview”). He reiterated that it is going to be a long recovery (sadly).

On the way home from the doctor’s office, Mary and I actually stopped at a little restaurant along the way and had a quick breakfast. And Thursday night, she and John rolled me a block over to Ris where we had a wonderful dinner. It felt amazing to be out in public again. I get tired easily, so we skipped dessert, but it’s nice to know I can get out a little bit.

I started teleworking half-days this week! It’s so nice to feel like I am contributing again. I also continued reading – I finished the excellent “House on Sugar Beach,” and also the fun page-turner, “The Wife Between Us.”

Mary left Friday afternoon to go back to Arkansas – we were sad to see her go! Even Flavia enjoyed having her here – Flavie actually let Mary pet her – this is amazing, since Flavie normally runs and hides if someone else is in the apartment – I told Mary she is the cat whisperer!

Today is the fourth anniversary of Mom’s death. I miss you.

Cute sea otter

The last photos I took in Alaska were of this cute sea otter – isn’t he adorable?!!!

I’ve spent the week reading and being nursed by John – he’s doing a great job taking care of me. He was able to telework this week so he could be home all day – what a godsend.

Flavie loves me being in bed all day!

I finished “Another America,” a book about the history of Liberia; “Savage Beauty,” an extensive biography of Edna St.Vincent Millay; “Baking Cakes in Kigali,” a charming book set in Rwanda; and “The Embassy,” a book about the role of the American embassy during the Liberian civil war. Now I’m on to “The House on Sugar Beach,” another non-fiction based in Liberia.

I got these gorgeous flowers from David and Alison this week – thank you!

Pretty flowers from David & Allie