Musings on Montreal, Part 1B: A Few More Updates :c)

Hello all, and apologies for going so long between posts. Hope those of you here in the States had a lovely Thanksgiving. :c)

I'm doing well, other than being quite tired. As I mentioned in my reply to Halle, Jenna, and Stace's comments in my previous post, time flies when you return to work, as I did on Monday the 13th, and are still in the three-times-a-day stage of recovery. Follow along below for details - and for information on the handsome gent keeping an eye on the donuts, above. ;-p)




First things first: the picture at the top of this post. :c)

As you can see , I had company when I returned to the office. Marty Moose, accompanied by Halle and her friend K, dropped in to see me while I was in Montreal, and we wound hitting it off enough that Marty kindly accompanied me south of the Maple Curtrain to the States.

Marty is nothing if not loyal, as he then insisted on tagging along when I returned to work. (I think he also realized that Cooper, my sister's dog, had things under control at the house during the day - when he isn't sound asleep on the couch, anyway.)

While I initially hoped Marty would be helping me draft release notes and such, as you can see he has so far limited himself to guarding the Munchkins I bring in regularly for my colleagues. (Being a Canadian moose, Marty only eats Timbits, of course.) Nonetheless, it's nice having Marty hang out as a reminder of my time in Montreal. :D

Now, back to your regularly scheduled post - and details about my regular (for now) schedule.

I get up at 4:45 AM to knock off round 1 and get ready for work. I'm at the office from 7:00 AM-ish (usually a bit earlier) until 3:30 PM; then I head home and take care of rounds 2 and 3, fitting in dinner, getting ready for the next day, and working on a personal project (more on that in the future) as time permits.

I was taking baths as part of several rounds, which makes them last well over 90 minutes when you factor in pre- and post-bath cleanup of the tub. (I'm currently staying with my sister, so that's even more of a must than it would be if I were in my own home). When you factored that in, I was typically not finishing everything until 10:00 PM - less than seven hours until I rise again to start it all over. 

That's not to complain; I'm beyond grateful to be where I am, in every way. And I know that this work is essential, and will pay off down the road. That knowledge makes the hard work - and it is hard work, physically and emotionally - worth it. 

I'm doing well, but I'm usually too worn out by the end of the day to do much writing. I drop down to twice a day on December 22nd; you know I'll be thanking Santa that day. :c)

I'm still getting the twinges, but based on comments I've received from friends who had their surgery already, it seems as if I'm getting closer to the end of that road. Even with what my doctor and Dr. Brassard described as a very high pain threshold, I'll still be glad when this particular phase of the journey draws to a close. :c)

I'm doing my best to rest (I don't want to risk further incurring Stace's wrath, after all!); that being said, I cannot wait to be able to start exercising regularly again. Again, December 22nd is circled on my calendar. :c)

It was Thanksgiving week here last week, which fortunately meant a three-day work week. I needed it, if for no other reason than a break from the less-than-comfortable office chairs. I have been quite sore ever since I returned to work as a result. As the day progresses, I've found that the longest I can sit at one time decreases, until I need to stand up every 20-25 minutes.

They've been terrific in attempting to find a better alternative, but none of the suggested alternatives - a standing desk, a chair designed for someone suffering from a back ailment, and several others - were feasible. I joked with A, the head of the HR department, that we could simply purchase a recliner similar to the one in my sister's living room, which would solve the problem immediately. (She laughed and said she'll see if she can come up with an appropriate code to use for my expense report. :D)

On a related note, people have been wonderful since my return. I've been touched by the number of people who have stopped my in the hallway to welcome me back and tell me I was missed. For example, on my very first day back I walked past the cafeteria, which was renovated in my absence. The cashier spotted me, broke out into a big smile, then came over and gave me a big hug. Talk about making a girl feel welcome!!!

On a more serious note, I will add that my nephew C is still recovering, more slowly than he would like, but definitely improving. We're hoping his appetite comes back in time for Christmas. If Santa can take care of that, I will certainly cancel my request for an office recliner. :c)

And with that, I think I'll wrap this up. Apologies for this post being a bit disjointed; I wrote it over the course of a few days, and my blogging skills are a bit rusty. Oh well. :c) Take care all, and thank you all again for the comments and private messages. They are all appreciated!

***

Since we're now into the Christmas season, I thought I'd post a few holiday songs, starting with a pair from Chris Isaak, a longtime favorite in Casa de Cass. :c) First up is a lovely version of "Washington Square," from a Soundstage concert he performed for US service members about ten years ago. No doubt that explains why he becomes a bit emotional at the end, as you can see:

And here's another holiday classic (although his band apparently has it confused with another Christmas standard, as you'll see) from the same show - this time with his good friend Stevie Nicks:

If you ever get the chance, pick up his Greatest Hits CD/DVD. YOu can't beat the tracklist, which is stellar, but equally good is his DVD commentary track. He is riotously funny and charmingly self-deprecating - when he isn't making fun of drummer and best friend Kenney Dale Johnson, that is. :D Anyway, do yourself a favor and give it a spin sometime - you won't regret it!