This & That July 2023

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Since my last 'This and That' post in April, there have been a few developments at the Cottage.  

The biggest news is my knee surgery - finally!  I've been suffering with knee pain for about two years. A year and a half ago saw an orthopedic surgeon who recommended physical therapy. 

 

The result? My pain got worse!

From there, I had an MRI and we tried 3 different injections, each of which only lasted a few months at best.  

And then I was informed my doctor had left the area.  

Seriously?  

I went to a new surgeon who looked at my MRI and took some new x-rays.  His response?  "You have tears in the meniscus.  Let's fix them!" 

Hallelujah!  

Surgery was July 3rd and it went well. He did find additional damage that was make the meniscus move 'funny'.  Because of that extra repair, movement of the knee joint is going to be limited for 6 weeks and I'm OK with that.  I'm just looking forward to being able to walk/move without pain!  

In the meantime I have the best private duty nurse - aka my husband - who is keeping me iced and doing everything else around here.

He really is the best! 🧡

I'm finding dresses are the most comfortable thing to wear during this recover.  Fortunately, I had a couple already that I really like.  This one is 'wash and wear' and it has POCKETS!

Here it is drying after after being washed in the washing machine.

I also have the same dress in a different pattern. There are several options.  Be sure to check it out!

Another dress (that I wore the day of surgery) is this short-sleeve one.  They call it a beach dress, but it's so much more.  If I hadn't been going to the hospital for surgery, I would have worn a pearl necklace and bracelet!  

Even without jewelry, I received several compliments on it in both pre- and post- op.  You can see the bottom edge of it in my knee surgery photo.  Another 'wash and wear' and super comfortable.  In case you're wondering, yes, it also has pockets!  

Since I knew this surgery might slow me down a bit, I got a few projects done ahead of time.  The Painted Rocks for the Kindness Rocks Project were a lot of fun.

I just love the new look of that dated Mail Sorter.

Firecrackers from upcycled materials were a hit! 

And my Upcycled Wine Bottle Torch is one of my personal favorites.

There was also a little yard sale/thrift store shopping and if you missed my Only Yard Sale Guide You'll Ever Need post, you should check it out.  It's chock-full of tips to make your yard sale adventures a huge success.

I found this fabulous rolling pin and a couple of vintage valentines.

Speaking of rolling pins, this metal one caught my eye.  I didn't even notice the blue handles until a few days later...blue is my color!

Isn't that dresser scarf pretty?  It will definitely be upcycled!

Doilies!  A dollar each.  They need a good washing, but I see future projects...

I'm not even sure what to call this, but it spoke to me so I took it home for. $2.50.  It's about 22-24" long.

Last, but not least, this adorable terracotta pig almost jumped off the shelf at me.  You see, I collect pigs and he was only a $1.49.

There are also some projects finished for future post.  

Be sure to stop back for:

A Christmas in July project, it involves lace!

A great summer recipe that won't heat up the kitchen.

 

And the 'Do It Over' Designers hop on July 22nd.  We are 'doing over' glass this time and it's going to be fabulous!

The weather has been cloudy, rainy, and humid around here.  Not exactly how I like my Summer.  I'd like a few sunny, dry days especially as my knee heals  How about you?

Before I go, if you're wondering about that Heron at the beginning of my post, he was doing some 'fishing' at the pond one day when we were there.  He was kind enough to stay still for a few minutes so I could snap his photo!

Happy Summer, Everyone!  I hope you'll stop back soon!