Fake Magazine? Container Gardens

In anticipation of fixing up my tiny backyard, I purchased a magazine
today called "Container Gardens".  I have a few containers going now,
hope to have more soon, but the main thing that caught my eye was
this blurb on the cover: "Can't Fail Combos for Sun and Shade".

        Unfortunately, there was no such
         article in the magazine. Thinking
         I'd shoot them an email asking for
         guidance and page numbers, I found
         no contact information or letter
         section in the magazine (which is
         published by Harris Publications).
         There is no website for the publication
         either. Also, no publication month. It
          is apparently an annual magazine.


I haven't bought a magazine for a long time. They are too expensive and
in most cases a waste of time. This was was one those cases and I've
learned my lesson: check the initial pages to make sure it is a legitimate,
regular publication with an internet presence or full contact information
and a real editor and staff. Who knew due diligence was necessary before
purchasing a magazine?

Travel Bug

The recent few days of sunshine combined with news that some of my 

friends are either in the midst of, or about to take, adventurous journeys 

to Paris, Marrakesh and London, has me jonesing for travel.  I’m going 

to California in June, not quite as adventurous but I’m quite excited 

about it nonetheless.  Oh how I wish the Francesa Woodman exhibit 

would still be up at the SFMOMA. For those of you in Northern California, 

it runs through February 20 and shouldn’t be missed.

I’m getting my taxes done today and if I get a refund my plans are four-fold: 

first, purchase this exhibit related book from SFMOMA; 

Second, sock away some money for California, Third, pay off some debt 

and fourth, allow myself the purchase of one new clothing item (as opposed 

to the second hand items I usually buy (happily). Fingers crossed that HR 

Block pulls through for me.

Broken ankle: One Year Later

It's been over a year since I broke and dislocated my ankle: a trimalleolar break (three
bones) as well as a dislocation (my foot bent down and backwards).  Here's my six
month update which has links to my other ankle posts.

Now it is 14 months later and as snow has hit the town Im living in - I find myself
thinking of my fall last winter and struggling with Snow PTSD. I'm a very slow walker
on icy surfaces now.

I also:
- still have ankle pain daily, but for shorter periods of time. I would guess I pop
    painkillers (2-3 aleve usually) about four days a week.
- still have swelling. every day. Sometimes by noon. Sometimes by the end of the day.
- limp sometimes. Not a lot.  If I have been sitting at my desk for a long time I will
    limp for a minute when I get up.  Or if I take the dogs on a long walk I sometimes
    limp a little afterwards.  I usually try to disguise it as a jaunty boho walk (whatever
    that is!)
- don't wear any sort of heel. No way. fear of wobbling.
- still have visible scars on both sides of my ankle wear I had the surgery. Visible to me
   at least.  I don't think anyone else would notice unless they were sitting right beside
    me and looking straight at them.

All in all, I think I've been pretty lucky.  And if you are reading this due to your own injury,
I hope you'll be lucky too.

Dog People

My dogs spend quite a bit of time in my front yard when the weather is fair as it 

has been lately.  Living near several public places, (the historical society, the 1912 

Center, the high school), ensures a good amount of foot traffic past my house and 

both Nosey and Seamus have their regulars - friends and admirers who stop to see 

them, pet them, give them treats and throw the frisbee.  Occasionally some cold 

hearted person will walk by without even a glance at their sweet and friendly faces, 

but that doesn’t happen very often.

And then some times you get someone like today. A guy stops, pets them, talks to

 them for a minute and then - WAVES to them and says "b’bye".  Wow.  What a great 

guy!

Dog Advice on Metafilter

I’ve had a couple of promising second interviews and in hopes of starting full time work 

soon, I asked the following on Metafilter:

“Dog advice needed - How to keep my dogs happy while I'm at work?”

I’ve gotten some great responses including this one:

Other things - get a big Kong for each of them and fill it with treats in the morning. Hide 

treats around the house. Leave the TV on. Get someone to check in on them during the 

day. Hire a walker. If your house is set up that way, some folks swear by a doggie door 

so they can go in and out at leisure.

Sometimes I call home home and talk to my dogs when the answering machine picks 

up. I have no idea if they listen or not, but it makes me feel better (and kind of weird, 

but whatever.)

Read all the responses here.

Boycotting Urban Outfitters

I like Urban Outfitters but their propensity for copying
the designs of independent artists is just plain greedy.

Why not buy from the artist, instead of creating knock-
offs?  Here's their latest copy and for now, I've decided
not to shop there anymore.

Broken Ankle: Six Months Later

This week marks the six month anniversary of my ankle fracture: 

a trimalleolar fracture that resulted in surgery and metal plates and 

screws being put in my ankle.

If you came across my blog by searching for “broken ankle” because you have just 

experienced this yourself, I’d first like to send you warm and empathetic thoughts.  It 

hurts like hell, doesn’t it?  And it’s a bit traumatic.  But believe me when I say that things 

will get better.

Here’s my first post about my break, then there’s one here and here and here is the 

three month update.

Six months later I am walking pretty well.  I have a slight limp, but my guess is that if you 

do the physical therapy you won’t have a limp at six months.  I didn’t have medical 

insurance, so couldn’t get the physical therapy.  My limp is lessening though so I hope in 

another month or two it will be gone completely.

I used a cane from month four-five.  I don’t use it much now but I keep it around for certain 

things like shopping at the mall with my daughter or anything else when I am going to be 

doing lots of walking on a hard surface.  I’d say I am without it 95% of the time

I still have ankle pain every day - though it is MUCH, much less than the first two months.

My ankle still swells every day.  I’m not sure when that will end.  Some days it is bad enough 

that I put ice on it,  some days it isn’t that bad. My right ankle (the broken one) is still bigger 

than my left ankle.  (See photo above) Maybe it will always be this way.

If you have friends and family to help you, things will be easier for you.  (I couldn’t have 

made it without my 18 year old daughter - Thanks Del! And my dogs were my constant 

companions - Thanks Nosey and Seamus!) 

 If you don’t have much support I’d advise surrounding yourself with your favorite books 

or watching seasons of your favorite tv shows on Netflix.  During my non-weight bearing 

time I watched all of PBS’ Bleak House, Battlestar Gallatica and the first four seasons of 

Rescue Me.  I also read lots of Henning Mankill and Jasper Fforde.

The time I spent with Esther Summerson, WIlliam Adama, Tommy Gavin, Thursday Next and 

Kurt Wallander saved me from a slow death by boredom.

So things do get better.  Keep the faith.  The first three months are the hardest but then things 

look up considerably.  Warm wishes going out to you for an easy recuperation.

Now... if I could just find a job...