Nature Walk and More

I did something Sunday that I haven't done in years, in fact it's been so long the last time I remember doing it was for my college art show which was back in 2004. You will laugh when I tell you that what I did was paint my fingernails. Yup, I sat outside with my 'duck' mask on (it's really stylish) in the breeze and painted my nails. Mind you the polish still stunk but it was tolerable enough. As a side note the reason I didn't paint them is my old lungs would literally bleed from the smell. When I was all done I looked down and thought how odd the whole thing looked. Like someone else's fingers are attached to my hands.

I should also mention that my nails have never looked better or been stronger. The last years I have had the worst nails, breaking, peeling, and just not healthy. I couldn't get them to grow long if I tried, now I don't even try. I guess this is one of those 'good' side effects of transplant. Seriously I no longer have bumps in my nails and I can't bend them, if that wasn't cool enough they seem to grow faster than I can keep track of. Oh, and the shape of my nails have changed. People with lung issues typically have clubbing, wide nails, mine have narrowed, it is just crazy to look down at my hands. Some days I am mesmerized by them and I am sure by now my husband, niece and mom are tired of me saying 'look at my nails'. Although Josie was most exited yesterday when I sent here a photo of my nails, not only has she never recalled seeing them painted but they were so long. How cool is it to text my 12 year old niece to discuss my nails, really does life get any better than that?

Sunday was such a nice day, once the sun came out. I got to spend some time with the littlest niece and nephew at Quarry Hill, we had a great time walking around and collecting various nature items, like tickle sticks - I never knew they existed but then again anything with a fuzzy end qualifies as a tickle stick. I also found that when walking with children the things they want to collect end up being the things adults carry and nothing in the child's hand...amazing. But what fun kids and so very smart. I had a great time, I think they did too.

Checking out the spring.

See what I mean!

Minnesota Winter...Really!

What a way to start a new year with temps that are way beyond beautiful. Today we went to Quarry Hill for some outdoor recreation time, we were actually muddy, well the shoes were and it was fabulous. I am sure somewhere along the line the weather will pay us back, like a mid-July cold snap or something, and I will do my best to not complain when winter actually does arrive apparently later this week.

I was given the okay this week to do two things I haven't done in months, drive and work. Guess which one I am most excited about? I am not going to say, but I will say I am a little nervous about driving, that is a big responsibility and lucky for me neither of our cars is automatic so my legs need to be more ready than anything and I think they are. I wish there would have been some way to track my progress with my legs and muscles along the way. The first time I tried to walk stairs with rehab in the hospital was about ten days after my transplant and I thought I would walk right up, I was wrong and instead I nearly fell flat on my face. Fast forward ten weeks and I walk up from the basement 16 steps without too much thought. I can now get off the floor without too much effort and I can stand on one foot and put on my socks. These simple things we all take for granted are very monumental when at one point they couldn't be done.

Work is a different story. I made a promise to myself that when I go back to work I will take the stairs, I work on the third floor and haven't taken the stairs in years. But I look forward to the challenge. I however am not looking forward to packing my lunch. It's at times like lunch time I wish we had a cafeteria.

We shall see what this week brings. I'll let you know how my first drive goes, probably fall on the first day of snow. I almost forgot my baby got new tires on last winter and she's waiting for me to get back out and give a good burn...or just a leisurely drive.