WARNING: Incline, Laughter, Amazing Locals, Corporate America, and You

Random blog - ready?

...

True story.  You're going to laugh.  It's funny now - it was not funny then.

In my broken ankleness, I have this knee scooter thing.  You put your knee on it and wheel around pushing with your other leg.  It's not too bad - why didn't I have one of these sooner. (Side note: it was cheaper for me to just order one online than it was to do a rental with insurance.  Amazon: $170.  DME Purchase: $900 or $75 a month.)  Anywho - it's difficult to get around still, have to focus on where I'm going, take the turns, can't move too fast.

The cool part is, in the apartment building, I can scoot off fast and then take the turns with both legs up.  That's fun.

(Looking down from Mt. Helena - see the green arrow - that's where we are...)

(Looking up from downtown, Last Chance Gulch Street)


What is NOT fun - not fun at all - (but funny) is going down a slope.  Uphill or slope, not difficult, just push, push, push.... whew... what a workout.  Going downhill you have to use the hand brakes and your foot to 'skid' to a stop.

A few days ago, I decided to go out by myself.  I had not done this yet, but was determined.

Exiting the apartment - difficult because I go down a hall, turn right, turn right again - open one of the double doors to the loading dock of the apartments, have to lift the scooter up the one step to the outside, put my weight on the doors, lift, get on the scooter.  Up the loading area - up the sidewalk - think "UP" - we live close to the bottom of Mount Helena - it's a bit of an incline.

So I push off, up the sidewalk, up the sidewalk - thinking how thankful I am for Ben, the personal trainer, for strengthening my core and legs for this broken ankle adventure.  Dexter, the best dog in the world, is following me and watching me carefully.  We make it to the back sidewalk of the apartment, walking/scooting - he does his business - and after 10 minutes or so I decide to walk back.

Rolling down the sidewalk, brake - brake - foot skid - brake - brake - food skid.  Brake, brake - foot skid... too fast, too fast, too fast!

Soon I find myself out of control, the handlebars are agitating erratically and I realize...

"@#%^... I'm going down."

And I did.  I fell hard - on the cement wall of the loading dock and the ground.  Immediately I attempt to right myself and Dexter is doing his best to inspect me and ascertain my condition.

Looking around - knowing SOMEONE saw this - I wheeled back into the building, apartment, couch... and assessed my condition.

Skinned knee and palm... HU-MIL-I-ATED.

I laid my head back with a racing mind, "Who does this?"  "Did anyone see me?"  "Did I mess up my knee more?"  "These brakes stink!"  "AHHH!"

I am clumsy.  In fact, I'm the president of falling and injuring - but I sure have the best intentions in getting to the places I want to go.

This entire story - play it in your mind again - and now that a week has passed - this is really funny.  It's movie, ironic funny.

The short story - downhill is more than a knee scooter, broken ankle Simone can handle.

...

How's everyone?  May is right around the corner and there are so many plans for June, August and September.

These Montana friends have been out of this world awesome.  (Out of this world!!)  I consider myself blessed - loved - and thankful.  (Very thankful.)

...

I'm really blessed that my employer is allowing me to work from home.  My department does not typically allow the long-term work from home experience but my new boss (and former boss) made this happen.

When I started working for this company our bestest friends said, "You're not going to like it.  Corporate America is not your speed."

I think, in any other circumstance, they would have likely been right.  But, crazy enough, I get this company.   It gets me.

...

That is all.

I wish you stories that make you laugh - make you thankful - and make you challenged.

And, hey, there is crazy light and love coming all the way from Montana - close to the bottom of Mt. Helena.... which is more steep than I realized.

- Simone

Week One of Broken and Blessed - and grumpy

I have had a pity party for one this week.

It's ridiculous really.

There are people who have known pain and hunger all their life - and one week of a broken ankle and I'm an odd version of ridiculousness.

If you don't know - early in the 21st Century (it sounds good outlining it like this) - I broke my other (left) ankle many years ago.  I didn't realize it was broken at the time - I was trying to be a tough woman - so I didn't recognize the injury.

Over 8 days later an orthopedic surgeon advised me as follows: "Your ankle was broken and now it is obliterated after walking on it for so long..."  He sent me to a specialist in Dallas - the coolest doctor who had just rebuilt Emitt Smith's ankle - and then he rebuilt my ankle.

...

I am frustrated with this current injury.  I've had weeks of working out with a personal trainer - I've worked on walking around this beautiful Montana area and I've made it a point to adventure - DagNabIt - this just ticks me off.

I know I'm clumsy, and if you know, you know I'm clumsy - but I just don't have time for this.

This past Wednesday the doctor was looking at my ankle and then turned his attention to my knee.  "We'll look at the ankle now  - but next week, we'll have to look at this knee."  I must admit to sighing at him.

A funny part of this story is his request that I explain what happened when I fell...

"I fell - and then I jumped up...."

I told him - just as I've told so many doctors and teachers before...

You have 3 brothers - and frankly - if you fall - you'd best jump up and say, "I'm fine!"  ... there's no other option.

So pity party for one - I'm disliking this downtime - a lot - but I realize how blessed I am.

And, I am blessed.  I realize this.

Much love from the Montana State.

Which is currently broken - but loving you muchly.

- Simone

So many topics - SQUIRREL

Having one of those days where my mind is jumping around from topic to topic - so I thought I'd blog.

...

Anyone see the news about this "free-range" parenting concept?  Otherwise known as, raised before 1985?  In the same vein of thinking, I ran across this Time Magazine article:    http://time.com/3720541/how-to-parent-like-a-german/

We all know - or if you don't know - I'm partial to my Germans.  I say my Germans because in 2007 this beautiful 15 year old girl named Melanie, a German exchange student, came to live with a single mom in West Texas.   There are so many great stories - I'll need to start writing them down - but Melanie became/is my family.  Her parents and grandparents are my family.  My daughter spent 6 weeks with Wolfgang, Karin and Melanie and, later, I spent 10 days in Germany with them.

I fell in love with Germany.  I completely love the Stoelck family as my own - and the article hit on topics I saw with Melanie - and what I observed with parents in Germany.  I don't understand the helicopter parenting  - I think it raises extremely dependent children and that worries me for future generations.  My parents, although not a model for great parenting, let us run and explore and walk home from school - we survived and are all amazingly independent people.

I made a lot of mistakes as a parent.  (Oh, so many)  But - I hope I instilled a sense of independence and understanding of the limitless power of a "can do" spirit.

...

It snowed here yesterday.  I missed it because I was in a drugged stupor and the blinds in the apartment were closed all day.  My neighbors, co-workers, and friends continue to pour support upon JT and I: yesterday lunch was delivered, then fresh bread from a local bakery, early grey chocolate cake and a foot-scooter device that lets me scoot around with my foot up instead of balancing around and hopping with two-sticks.

It is very hard for me to accept help.  I'm learning.

...

I'm forming a blog about man-bashing - I'm tired of it.

...

In June, our best couple friends will be here with their kids.  In August, our two middle kids will be here.  In September, we'll be headed back to Texas for a Simpson Family Reunion near Waco.  I've got to get healed up so I can join in all this fun.

...

That's it.  More later - love to you from a broken, but blessed, Montana.

- Simone

Accepting Blessings - With A Little Help From My Friends

So - yesterday I fell.  This is not unusual.  I fall.

The doctor saw a fracture in my heel bone and informed me that I broke off the tip of the ankle bone.

This is not the point of this writing...

...

In Texas, should this occur, I would have Athena, Kim, Diane, Rebecca, Becky, the kids, and so many other friends and family close that, should I need something, I know they'd be there.

Falling and breaking something in Montana - what I've found - is a pretty amazing group of friends here.  ... I am so blessed.

Tonight, Jami, a friend I met through work, showed up with roasted chicken, flowers, soup and more... My department pitching in to take care of me while I'm down and out.

I've had so many offers from local Montana friends -  various forms of support - it humbles me.  It makes me less homesick and more appreciative of these great people who have crossed my path and planted themselves in my heart.

I am not very good of asking for help or accepting it - but - really - this day is a reminder that part of living a balanced life is being receptive to and accepting blessings.

...

I have lots of blog topics floating through my mind... lucky for me, I'm going to have the downtime to make those blogs happen.

Love to you.  In my drugged stupor - just crazy good love.

- Simone