IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 47

I have to tell you I fell into a slump of not wanting to write or do anything or go anywhere. It seems as though my mind went completely blank. So rather than push myself I just stopped even trying. Well several of weeks have passed and my mind has kicked in and I have a story to tell you.

I was so eager to get up and get started that I spilled a full glass of orange juice that ran down the cabinet and splashed all over the floor in my small kitchen. I still do not have complete mobility of bending and walking without a walker or cane so clean up for me was quite an ordeal. I must have used a whole roll of paper towel and then had to wipe down the cabinet between the stove and the sidewall. Thank goodness for the use of a yardstick. After wiping the front of the cabinets I then used the yardstick with a dishcloth dipped in soapy water to get between the stove and cabinet. I then had to mop the floor. That itself was a chore for me, just picture the Tin Man trying to mop a floor and you will get a good laugh. If I could have taken a film of my self I would have because I know I laughed at my movements at that time. It took me several hours because I had to mop it twice because it was so sticky to walk on when it was dry. I usually have someone come in to clean the bathrooms and kitchen floor for me every two weeks and the phone rang at that moment saying she couldn’t come in that week. Oh well!

This is a new day and I called my doctor to find out if there was some kind of therapy I can get to help me walk and do my housework better than what I am doing. They happen to have had a cancellation that morning and offered it to me and I yelled yes I will, be there. The visit took a lot out of me and that only proves I do need help. It seems my right leg is a half - inch shorter than the left. That is the leg with the hip replacement. They gave me a few exercises to do at home until Medicare okay’s the program they issued for me. I will keep you posted on my progress. I feel better knowing there is something wrong with the progress of my healing and it not just me.

Another day passed and here I am again. I let both dogs in today feeling sorry for them because of the heat. We have a record heat wave going on. All week has been in the 100-degree range and more. Well I gave them fresh water which they gulped and food to help with all the water. And as I was sitting at the table watching they them plop on the floor after they ate I noticed a lot of dirt on the floor that they tracked in. Their paws usually are dirty but this was unusually dirty, it looked like poppy seeds all over the floor. I got up to get the broom and noticed that those I stepped on seemed to pop and then I got concerned. I never saw so many bugs come to life that quick in all my life. As I started to sweep them up I used my dustpan, which is white to pick them up and all of a sudden all the black seeds started to walk. As I said they looked like poppy seeds and would roll. Poor Scout and Chili got thrown out so fast that the poor dogs didn’t know what hit them.


I had to close the blind on the window that faces the porch because the dogs can see inside and if they see me they scratch the screen wanting to get in. I felt bad but not as bad as I would if I let more of all those little critters in.

I did not think they were ticks because usually you can’t pop ticks by just stepping on them. Does anyone have any idea what these critters are? I sprayed the whole carpet because they had to walk on it to get to the kitchen. My kitchen floor looks like a war zone with blood spots all over it. My DIL came in and wondered why I had a sign on the door saying don’t let the dogs in. I told her my tale of woe with what I went through with the dogs and she said without even seeing them; ”Oh they are seed ticks”, so now I know. I did not know that seed ticks were soft and would roll.

I am not a squeamish individual but I am glad to know what I am up against. I saw an article in a magazine about hotels being infested with bedbugs and without realizing it people are carrying them home and it left me feeling yucky thinking of all the motels we were in recently.

Each new day has its’ own surprises and I will keep you posted on this and other surprises that occur in my life, until then I am Immigrant Daughter