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A day in the life...my rant for the day.

So this morning before work, I do this everyday, I have to decide what pair of shoes I am going to suffer through for the day. It all hurts, so it's just a matter of deciding what pair hurts just the tiniest bit less than all the others.

Today I picked a pair of canvas deck type shoes...then the process begins. After two attempts and roughly 15 min. I managed to bandage, and swaddle my feet enough to ward off the pain for at least 8 hours of my 11 hour work day.

I have bunions in/on both feet and Rheumatoid Arthritis in my feet and everywhere else, I deal with the pain because the last thing I need is to become addicted to a pain med, or become so tolerant that they won't work when I need them the most, 20 years (if I am lucky) down the road when I can't walk.

I use to complain about missing high heels...nowadays I just miss being able to walk without looking like a bull in a china shop, tripping over my own two feet, which happens fairly often. I don't remember what it felt like to walk pain free...screw heels. Not to mention the times I have fallen, because I can't pick up my feet.

I've had to give up my favorite summer footwear...flip flops...can't wear them, my toes so crooked flip flops rub my toes raw with the effort to walk in them. Heck most sandals are not doable because my toes rub against each other. It's awful. I honestly don't like people to look at my feet.

Most people, I am sure, take walking for granted, I know I used to. I would happily put up with all the other pain...knees that don't work, ankles that sometimes swell, finger and hands that are not as agile as they used to be...awful. Losing the ability to walk...crushing.

Red Potatoes & Sausage

So I made this dish last night for dinner. In a word...delicious, in a few more words...hardy, rustic and fast.

You take 1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed clean, and cut into large chunks. Put them into a pan of cold, salted water.  Cook them until tender, drain and smash them, do not mash them. You want to retain large chunks of potato.

Toss into the hot potatoes 1 half a med. sweet onion minced, 1/2 cup diced cocktail dill pickles and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley ( I used Italian).

Dress the hot potatoes, onion and pickles with a blend of 3 Tlb. of pickle juice, 1 Tlb. olive oil 1/4 tsp salt. 1/4 tsp pepper and 2 tsp of mustard. Now the recipe I used called for Dijon mustard...not a fan. Next time I am going to try spicy brown mustard or stone ground mustard. I also added a 1/2 tsp of sugar.  Whisk those all together and pour over hot potato mix and toss lightly.

The hubby grilled the sausages last night. We used Fred Meyer (Kroger) Italian sausage that were mild in flavor.

Heap some yummy taters on to your plate and top with a cut up sausage. Maybe add a little butter to the top of the potatoes.

The rest is pretty self explanatory.  Simply satisfying.

The Ghost of Christmas Present

Dear Son,

I am not a stop over, quick stop, lay over, pit stop, inconvenience or detour. I am your mother, mom, the person who gave you life. All I wanted was an hour or so of your oh so precious time on Christmas eve. I didn't think I was asking to much. You decided that I was, told me that you had to work, and would be to tired...Hey kid your not the only person who had to work Christmas Eve, battle traffic to get home, get the dogs walked and deal. 

What I got was a 6:30 a.m. txt Christmas Day asking me if I wanted to do coffee. I was out walking my dogs, didn't see that txt until an hour later when I got home, I did see it coming, just wasn't there to get it. I also had plans, not to stress myself out with your grumpy attitude on Christmas day.  I declined your generous offer and wished you well, and Merry Christmas, asked if you liked your gifts...deafening silence. 

Silence speaks volumes. 

I still hope you had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year, didn't hear from you on New Years either. 

Love
Mom