Time to catch everyone up here - at my ortho appointment last week he gave me a shot of steroid down in the shoulder and after assessment deemed it to be frozen shoulder.  I start physical therapy this coming week 2x a week and go back to see him in a month.  The shot didn't seem to do anything for me.  I am still in a constant state of ache and discomfort.

The call back on Saffy's blood work was good - everything looks great.  It is always comforting to hear nothing seems abnormal.  I sure do love that dog and hope she outlives even Vixen in years.  This is a safe space to say that I have been monitoring shelters for siberians.  I'm not in a rush and open to waiting quite some time until I spot the dog that I just instantly know I need to meet -- as I did with Saf.  I'll even admit that the thought of a puppy when Avery gets a bit older went through my mind AND STRAIGHT OUT THE OTHER SIDE.

I had a preliminary call with a financial advisor a few weeks back.  It was long coming since I haven't worked with one since I was in NC.  I think the desire was reignited by watching way too much Dave Ramsey on youtube.  Of course, most of my money is trapped with TIAA CREF since I have been with my employer so long.  I need to read the follow up material he sent and get back with him.  The bills rolling in for my shoulder made this month a rough time to start monitoring every dollar I spend.  It also means I am watching the ups and downs of the market a little bit more.  I'm glad I recorded that milestone when I did because things are back down - but I expected that with the change of leadership.

Nothing else is new.  We have snow on its way tonight and tomorrow.  I am pretty stocked up so when Avery said she didn't want to go anywhere today we decided to stay in and avoid the cold.  I am making a batch of stuffed shells this afternoon -- one of the few things I love left over.

I finished a book today!  I drove a friend to an appointment where I had to wait outside.  With my blanket I was quite comfy.  It was actually nice to be in silence with nothing else to do... and to read.  This isn't any ordinary book, it's the lighthearted one that I took with me to the hospital when I had Avery.  So it has been in progress for 3 1/2 years.  Sure, I've read other books since then (mostly things about kids), but this one was something mindless and for me that I enjoyed before she came, so it's kind of symbolic to finish it.

Orthopedic appointment for my shoulder is scheduled for next week.  I have mixed feelings about it.  Let's just hope they give me hope. 

I still have no good news to proclaim over my shoulder.  It hurts.  It aches sitting up, it aches lying down, it aches overnight.  The pain itself feels different, so is that progress?  I don't know.  What I feel right now might also be compounded by having shoveled the driveway.  We got about 3-4 inches of surprise snow on Saturday morning and another 2 or so overnight last night.  I can't help but worry about my Jingletown friends.  If I have 6" if now they have what -- 3 or 4 feet?  Are ya'll okay over there?

Saffy had her yearly vet appointment on Friday.  The indicated she is a supermodel body-wise and looking good.  We did still do a blood panel, which I am waiting to hear back on, just to make sure everything we can't see is looking well.  As I suspected she did have a slight ear infection going on in her right ear, so she hates me now as I have to put medicine in 2x a day.

Most of the Christmas stuff is away.  Getting the box w/ the tree (which prominently indicates "2-man lift") and the other big bin safely to the basement is no small feat given my sore shoulder.  I will get the wreaths off of the windows on a slightly warmer, or at least bright and deceiving, day.  I left the new white lights up across the mantel along with the two 'birch' trees on either side of the fireplace.  I'm not ready to be light-free.

Bring on the tacky Valentine's day decor!

Thanks to the market taking a little leap up at the end of last week (fortunately it likes the certainty of a 'decided' election) I hit a pretty big milestone in my overall wealth.  I don't foresee that number staying up there, but I had to earmark the date as a first.

A little more on my shoulder - I'm now to the point of frozen shoulder.  Guess what, it's fairly common in women in menopause (40-65).  The good news is after the frozen phase comes the thawing phase.  The mediocre news is that the frozen phase can last 3 to 12 months and the thawing phase can take months and months.

I felt like I had gained a bit from my Monday acupuncture treatment yesterday, but I had also taken an anti-inflammatory yesterday morning.

So here's the question, do I just wait it out and keep trying to stretch or do I keep sinking money into chiro and acupuncture with the hopes that they will expedite thawing?  Do I bother to make an ortho appointment?  One thing for sure is I am praying nothing happens to my left shoulder or I am screwed.

I am just putting out there a happy belated birthday (technically gotcha day) to my beloved Saffy.  She joined me way back in 2009.

I marvel at what a good girl she is.  If you took away her penchant for digging and desire to bolt if given the opportunity away I couldn't come up with something else negative to say.  In years past she was my saving grace.  In recent years she's been a gentle and patient big sister.  May she have many happy and healthy years in front of her.

Avery is back to school, at least for now.  Today I head for an acupuncture appointment in my ongoing fight to solve the issue w/ my shoulder.  I have done acupuncture before, many years ago.  I was in a study of people with migraines.  I am really hoping I will see progress and can avoid calling an orthopedist, but somehow I doubt I'll get there.  Let's just say I am looking for hope.

Fortunately work is a bit more quiet around the holidays.  I have managed to get caught up on many things and feel like I can breathe for the moment.  I need to get in gear using vacation time so I don't have a bundle as we head towards the end of our year.  I wish I could come up with somewhere to vacation here in PA (in PA to avoid post-vaca quarantines).  Given my penchant for cruises I am a bit spoiled.  When I say vacation I mean I shouldn't be cooking or cleaning/doing dishes.  Any ideas?