My New Job

    I love teaching dance, but when Jen said there was an opening at her school for a kindergarten paraprofessional job I thought I would go for it. I love kids and how hard could it be. Well, I was wrong. Do you know how hard it is to get 30 kindergarten children to line up properly, not tattle on each other, and not melt down? I have a lot to learn about the teaching atmosphere, and I am in over my head. I figure that I can keep trying and the main thing is to really care about the kids. I really like the teacher I am working with. I wanted to get into the school atmosphere, before I decided if I wanted to become a teacher. I wouldn't recommend having foot surgery, starting a new school semester, and starting a new job (going from working part-time to full-time with completely different hours) within 2.5 weeks.  I was a wreck the first week of my job. I was exhausted and wanted to quit school. I didn't know if I could do it. I have since gotten into my routine. I do about two to three hours of homework at night after work. I am glad work is really close to my house. I take one step at a time, but I am doing it.

Post Foot Surgery

  I was really nervous about my surgery due to the high cost of it and having trouble getting my Lovenox (blood thinner) shots. Lucky for me, I am naturally a pretty persistent person. I had to keep calling the pharmacy and my Dr.'s office.  I  decided this was the week of shots. On Wednesday, I had to get a shot in my lower eyelid because I have Cystoid macular edema ( swelling) in my eye. I have a condition  called Pars Planitis where I get constant floaters. Mine is not related to an auto immune disease. I have been tested for that. The Dr.'s don't know why I have it. Anyway, the morning of surgery I knew I would be okay after I had my funny feis judge dream.

  It was really chilly on Friday morning, the day of surgery. It snowed a few flakes without accumulating on the ground. You can't eat or drink after midnight due to the risk of getting pneumonia. Phil paid my bill and then dropped me off. My parents were taking me home. Hospital gowns have gotten better over the years. The best thing about the hospital gown is the hose that blows hot air to keep you warm. I also get to wear a sexy Ted hose on my leg and get a leg massage by this machine during surgery. I feel pampered. My spirits were high and I was telling the Dr.'s it was a spa day because I get to relax and sleep. They had to do all the work. I had to wear an allergy bracelet because sometimes I have trouble with latex. I found out something really interesting. Sometimes latex allergies can be related to food allergies. I am severely allergic to fresh pineapple. The last time I had fresh pineapple, my throat felt like it was going to close. Canned pineapple is fine. I wanted to test my theory about the bromelain (enzyme) in pineapple. I had some leftover expired bromelain pills. I tried a few pills and my tongue felt a  tingling/numbness sensation. My body cannot handle the bromelain in fresh pineapple. No more fresh pineapple or bromelain pills for me.

   This time during surgery, I didn't wake up in the operating room. My local anesthetic lasted longer. I woke up in the post operating room. I was so happy to drink water and have a snack. I was excited to get released and go to the Cheesecake factory for lunch. I love cheesecake.  Everything was fine Friday night. I had to rest, ice, compress, and elevate. (RICE)

  The day after surgery is the worst. I woke up nauseated from the pain. My day consisted of doing  the steps of RICE and homework. I've been so exhausted the last two days and dealing with feelings of nausea off and on during the day. My foot is tender and swollen. Bathing is a whole new experience, but I am glad it is my left foot. It is easier to hang it over the bathtub with a trash bag covering it. I have to keep my stitches dry. I have to do this for three weeks, which isn't too bad. I have two more days of wearing my Ted sock and taking my shots. Giving myself shots in the stomach isn't too bad. I just hate the medication, it burns after the shot. I am glad I am full weight bearing.

What is a champion?

    I have been dancing down with the kids for four years now. Two of the years, I have been out of competition due to injuries and not competing on Sundays. I am grateful that I have kept my vow to God by not competing solos on Sundays. I know Oireachtas will be my only exception to this because I do not have a choice when it comes to solo championships. I moved up my soft shoes two years ago. My hard shoes is taking a lot longer. I have gotten second in both my double jig and hornpipe over the years, but I need a first. I was disappointed about not making championships this year, but I realized there are a few things that I need to fix.

    It is all about timing. Yes, I need to perfect my timing in my hard shoes. I also realized it would have been bad timing if I made it now. I will be having foot surgery on Friday, and I am unable to dance for three weeks. I wouldn't be able to learn all new steps and perfect my timing by mid November.


   I have realized I don't need to be an "Irish Champion" to have an attitude of a champion. I am grateful for the miniscule improvements of my timing since January. I can be happy for those around me who are achieving their goals. Working hard and enjoying the journey is crucial. I know what it is like to be beaten down and come back fighting like a champ.  I will be back competing solos next year. I am praying  that I will make championships  in 2015, so I can have family come ( both sides of my family live in Utah) and cheer me on. It would mean the world to me if my Oma could see me dance. Until then, sometimes you feel like you are being eaten by a shark when life doesn't go the way you want.

Palisade Peach Pie

I love Palisade peaches. They are so big and tasty. I got this amazing peach pie recipe from Tate's bakery in New York (I believe it is in New York). I am on their once a month recipe newsletter. They are famous for their cookies. Whole Foods carries their product. I have yet to try them, but it is on my list of foods to indulge in. Their cookies also come in gluten free. I didn't make my own pie crust. I still need to attempt that task. I bought my pie crust from Trader Joe's. Boy, I sure love that place. Another task I want to attempt this fall is making my own pumpkin roll. The pie turned out great and it is yummy! Just ignore my horrible looking baking sheet.

TATE'S BAKE SHOP Recipe of the Month August 2014 Peaches are filling the farmer's markets on both the South and North Forks of Long Island, screaming summer is here! This pie is at its best while peaches are in season, so don't hesitate to try it now - next month will be apple season! Cheers, Kathleen Peach Crumb Pie Pie Pastry 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup salted butter, chilled 3 tablespoons cold water 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 egg white, lightly beaten Directions In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, two knives, or with your hands. When mixture is the size of peas, add water and lemon juice Toss gently with a fork. Divide pastry into two equal halves. For this recipe, roll out one half on a lightly floured surface, in a circle 3 inches larger than the pie pan you plan on using. Fit round into pie pan and flute edges by turning excess underneath around the edge of the rim. Brush the bottom of the unbaked pie pastry with the egg white and set aside. Wrap the remaining dough and freeze for later use. Peach Filling 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Dash of salt 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 5 cups peeled and sliced peaches 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Crumb Topping 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup chopped almonds 6 tablespoons salted butter, chilled Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  To Prepare Peach Filling In a large bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and flour. Add prepared peaches and toss. Spoon mixture into the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle lemon juice over peach mixture. To Prepare Crumb Topping In a medium-sized bowl, stir together flour, sugar, almonds, and butter. Mix all ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb evenly on top of peaches. Place pie on baking sheet to catch drips and bake for 1 hour or until the crumb topping is golden. Remove pan to wire rack to cool. Yield: One 9-inch pie

 

CSU versus CU game

My husband, Phil loves football. He gets so excited for this time of year. He is like a kid waiting for Santa Claus to bring him presents for Christmas. I knew from the get go that season tickets to the CSU Rams football games would be a yearly fall occurrence if I wanted to date/marry my husband. Phil is a really nice guy until his football demons come out. The first football game we went to while we were dating, he should have warned me about wearing earplugs. I am the loud one in our relationship, unless we are at a CSU football game. Phil has a set of lungs on him. He also loves to yell at the referees and tell them how their call stinks. I think I should start bringing a paper bag to put over my head. I get so embarrassed by his behavior. Luckily, we sit mainly by women who think my husband is funny.

   I do not love football. I have tried to, but there are way too many rules. I do like going to the games to watch people in the crowds, and eat some of the good food in the stadiums. I love the food trucks /stands where I get to pick what kind of food I get to eat. I am going through this stage where I get so excited to see a food truck. Weird I know.

   Friday is the big rival game. Phil hates CU. We cannot watch this game with my family. They are big CU fans. The game is at Invesco Field ( I know it isn't called that anymore) where the Broncos play. We have great tickets. We are centered  on the fifty yard line somewhere up in the bleachers. Can you tell how important football is to me? Phil has some major football traditions. One tradition is to eat buffalo burgers because that is the opposing teams mascot. This year he changed it up because it hasn't brought us good luck in the last two years. This year we are having buffalo tacos. I hope this makes a difference. The second tradition is that Phil has to wear his CSU Dalmatian dog tee shirt where it is peeing on the CU fire hydrant. Years ago, I cleaned out Phil's old tee-shirts and gave them to my mom to dispose of. It just happen to be that I accidentally gave this one to my mom. I didn't notice until Phil couldn't find it. He was pretty upset. You don't mess with his football traditions. I would say that a year or a year and a half later my mom found his shirt. He was delighted. These two traditions are our winning token.  Phil is more pleasant to be around when CSU wins.  To prepare for the game, I am wearing my Jamberry CSU nail wraps. GO CSU!

Foot bump/Leiden Factor 5

    I love being active. Irish dancing and running are two of my favorite activities. A few weeks ago a nice bump started forming on my foot. It felt like tendonitis, but it is hard like bone. I didn't want to deal with it because life has been going pretty well. I have been making good timing improvements in my dancing and I feel great about my accomplishments. I tend to look at life and things in a rosy way. I was not prepared for the news I received at the Dr.'s office. I will need surgery to concave this bone (which is closely related to a bone spur) if I am to fix this problem. Between my high arches and the impact of my dancing between the joints and metatarsals a Rocky Mountain has formed. It is located at the center of my left foot where the surgery scar is.

Surgery is a huge ordeal for me. I am at a higher risk than the average population for getting a blood clot. You see I have Leiden factor 5. One of my clotting proteins is mutated and it doesn't know when to shut off. It is really dangerous when the clot becomes too big and becomes loose in my blood stream. It is a genetic condition and it is found in some European ancestry. This condition does not skip a generation. I have to be on Lovenox shots to thin my blood when I have surgery. I have to usually take them for a week or longer depending on when my hematologist says I am safe. The needle is long and the solution stings when it goes in. I also get to wear the sexy, white Ted hose socks for several weeks. I am setting a fashion statement for the surgery/medical world.

  I will wait until after the Oireachtas ( The Irish dance Western Region Championships in Phoenix) to have the surgery. It is not a dangerous thing to have. It just depends on how much it is bothering me. It is a three week recovery time. I can't dance or run until the stitches come out.

Care Giving 101

  I was a caregiver for my 93 year old almost 94 year old Oma (Dutch for grandma) for 2.5 days  out in Ogden, Utah in her home. I provided care for her around the clock. She could not be left alone. I am  used to coming and going as I please back home that it was hard being tied down. I couldn't go running. On the plus side, it was great to spend time with her and appreciate her life. It was hard seeing her independence being taken away. Hospice comes in twice a week to provide care. She has to be on oxygen all the time for her COPD. My Oma is very stubborn and feisty. I wonder where I get it from.
  My first story about taking care of my Oma revolves around coffee. My Oma is  Catholic and loves her coffee. I am Mormon, and I do not drink coffee. It is against my religion's Word of Wisdom. I had to make coffee for her. I didn't know how to work the coffee pot. I put the water where the filter &coffee went. Needless to say I had a nice mess to clean up. The second try worked. The water goes in the back of the machine. Good to know in case I ever have to make coffee again. I sure hope not! Most   coffee's aromas turn my stomach in the wrong direction. I thought my Oma would have one cup of coffee. She wanted three cups of coffee. I told her that was too much. She sat me down and said "Listen lady" and explained to me that she was almost 94 years old and had drank coffee all her life. I just got chewed out by my Oma. She won this argument ,and I got her a third cup of coffee. The doctor said she is supposed to have any coffee because it can dehydrate a person. Lesson number one: Don't mess with the elderly.

My second story deals with my Oma after waking up. She looked so cute sitting up in bed, until I noticed the expression on her face. She said, " I can't find my teeth." Not expecting this turn of events, I tried not to laugh because it isn't funny and not being grossed out because I am germ phobic about some things. I found the denture by the bed and went to wash it off. It is now back where it belongs.