My sister came over on Saturday and we worked in the front yard. I have 3 leafy shrubs in the front yard garden bed and I trimmed the sides with the hedge trimmer and she trimmed the tops. While she was on the stepstool trimming the tops of the shrubs I rolled down to the sidewalk and studied the branches on the silver maple. I usually check branch length over the pedestrian sidewalk and trim anything can could potentially brush across a tall person taking a walk. That was pretty easy to do because I could pull the branch down, clip it and let it go.
Before I broke my foot I put many bags of dirt in the low lying areas along the back fence. My intention was to level off the ground and eventually plant. Some weeds and strange grasses grew pretty tall and I didn't address them on Saturday because I was exhausted from working in the front yard.
I decided to tackle the back fence yesterday for a couple of hours. I gotta tell ya, necessity is the mother of invention, lol. I don't have a cart (will be buying one) and I knew crossing the back yard on one leg and a walker was going to be exhausting. I have a Scott's spreader and used it like a cart. I bungee corded the small rake, cordless string trimmer and a paper lawn waste bag to the spreader and dragged it behind me.
The grasses and weeds were alot for the string trimmer. I needed a machete
Anyway, I got on my knees and pulled out weeds and emptied 14 40 lb. bags of topsoil and spread it. I have 8 connected panels of fencing that run along the back fenceline and my goal was addressing the ground in front of 4. I ended up getting 5 done before I ran out of gas. I'm a bit sore and stiff today (arms, shoulders) and incredibly proud of what I achieved.
I did something else constructive yesterday morning. I have bathtub with a shower head on the wall and a shower curtain. As much as I love an old fashioned claw foot tub, I find myself grateful these days that I don't have one. I know that you can buy plastic cast covers that allow you to take a shower and keep your cast dry. I haven't gone that route for a couple of reasons: there's elastic at the top (say knee area) and there is no way that I am constricting blood flow on my right leg; the bruising from the tourniquet used during surgery is still healing. Also even though I have some non slip things on the bottom of the tub, ain't no way I'm going to stand on one leg and try to take a shower.
When you take a bath, you're in the tub lengthwise. Your feet usually point towards the low end of the tub and the faucet and your head points towards the high end of the tub. In order for me to take a bath I sit in the tub cross ways and rest my cast on the toilet next to the tub. Basically I'm sitting in the tub facing out with my right arm aimed towards the low end and faucet and my left arm facing the high part of the tub and tile wall. I know it's crazy.
I am grateful that I am the size that I am and that I am limber
My bathing style since surgery has been a combination of human pretzel (like a circus act) and break dancing (rolling around in tub trying to get shower head to rinse off soap).
I ordered 2 different shower heads from Home Depot before the holiday. Yesterday I installed the dual shower head and I gotta tell you. I still have to be the human pretzel as far as my position in the tub but it was wonderful being able to take a complete bath start to finish and really feel rinsed off. I recommend dual shower heads - that extra shower head on a hose is a fabulous thing. I've been bathing my body in the tub and shampooing my hair in the utility tub in the basement.
When the cast comes off and the walking boot goes on I will be able to include my right leg in the tub. I know me - I won't be comfortable standing up for a while and this extra shower head will be a Godsend.
There are times when you must speak, not because you are going to change the opposing side, but because if you do not speak, they have changed you.