Working with Restrictions......

So with the decrease in function right now I have hired a sweet girl to help around the house.  She is 16 years old and goes to school in the evenings, she says.  She is trying to finish 6th grade.  I admire her continuing to go.  Her school is from 6-8PM each day.  She seems to be mixed in her feelings about it...  I have no idea how she is doing as our language barrier is profound.  She is coming to help two days a week.....cleaning and doing ironing.  It is really quite nice to have someone around the house during the day and she is cheerful.

Being laid up with the cast for immobilizing my knee is becoming tedious.  The pain is much improved but the immobility is tiresome.  I only have until the 19th to get this off and I will be so happy.....don't know what restrictions will continue but at least I will be more mobile.

I have three quilts that I am working on and must complete before the end of the year.  One is a T shirt quilt for Tarek, my daughter in law, Sophie's brother.....then a sofa quilt for Justin and Sophie and a quilt for our daughter, Amanda.  Currently I can't stand long enough to work on them and feel the pressure of wanting to get this goal met by the end of the year.

Our garden is producing so much Spinach that not only am I freezing lots of it, I am also happily able to share lots with others here.  Today I'm going to try an Okra curry because we have the huge Okra here and I don't want to let them spoil.  I have given those away until now but have enough at one time to be able to make something for Bryan and me.  The peppers are growing and look great.  The only sad part is that the Papaya tree is a male.......who knew.....and so does not produce fruit.  The gardener has planted some of the seeds from the ones I carried in from Thailand.  Should be great!!!

I am missing the English classes for the drivers.  Thankfully there are other women here that are standing in the gap and continuing the classes.  I will end up missing 4 in total and that is sad......

We have a new couple from Texas, Mary and John, that have moved in a few houses from us.  Both are very sweet and reaching out in my time of decreased mobility.  She brought dinner last night and is going to tonight too.  Last night was fish and coleslaw and delightful.  She has also sent muffins, brownies, 'almost Red Lobster' biscuits.....very sweet.  She is returning to the USA for a few weeks and is offering to bring back some spices that we are missing.  I'm so thankful for her.

We had several days when Ms Kitty did not have enough dry food.  I made her fresh chicken..... then cooked it....offered her sardines.....bacon......she turned up her nose to it all.  Finally we got the dry food from Luanda but she is fussy about it and taking her time adjusting.......so last night after dinner she got up on the table and stole a muffin from Mary......didn't eat but took a few tastes.....but it is like she is back to her roots on the streets of Bakersfield......and rummaging for any food she can find.  We will bite the bullet and bring her back cat food from Costco when we have home leave.  It will be expensive but hopefully then she will settle....altho she might be all settled before we go home and have adjusted to this cat food.  We will see.

I have the new 'system' for training Ms Kitty to use the toilet.  I am delaying until she adjusts to the new food and until I can give up one bathroom for her to use the toilet exclusively......until she is trained.  Shouldn't take too long.....I hope.

So what am I learning this week?  I am thoroughly enjoying the helper here in the house.  She needs training but this is new for her and she is so cheerful......I enjoy reading and having time here as I wait for the cast to come off.....and will be very happy to be out and about again in a little more than a week......so life is quite good!!!!