Friday, November 10, 2006

Reset the Sign to "0 Days Accident Free"

After posting about the elderly people on our cruise you'll find it ironic that I nearly sent myself into early retirement this week. I'd been cleaning up the house (I found food in the oddest of places--spaghetti sauce in my slippers?) and had just mopped the floor.

"Now, Lillian, be careful, the floor is very slipp--"

My feet flew up, my arms went out and down I came, full force flat on my backside. Not having done anything close to that in 20 years I laid there for a minute, mentally examining each point of pain for places where bones might be poking out.

Though I survived I'm left with purple bruises as a loving reminder of my grace and poise.

Fast forward to the next day when I was potting bulbs. Poking drainage holes in the bottom of the plastic pots, I noticed my finger was hurting. I ignored it until I put the scissors down and noticed blood mixing with the potting soil. I'd sliced the end of my finger and had packed enough soil into the open wound to start a small vegetable garden.

Rinsing, bleeding, drying, shaking, nothing worked to get the bits of soil out so I took a breath and tried scraping the pieces out. Problem was, pulling back the flap of skin and tweezing out dirt chunks is harder when you're bleeding profusely and it was at that point I noticed myself getting rather wobbly in the knees.

Lillian came upstairs to find her mother in the fetal position on the floor--eyes closed, hand wrapped in a towel and breathing deeply. She bent down and said gently, "Did you fall down again Mommy?"

No, but thanks for the concern. I'll give you a call when I'm drooling and need my diaper changed, evidently that day is right around the corner.

***

I'm hosting next weeks' Carnival of Family Life for November 13th. The deadline for submissions is midnight (Hawaii time) Sunday night the 12th. I look forward to reading your posts.

14 comments:

Bernita said...

Ouch!
It is a known fact in my household, however, that as soon as one mops the kitchen floor, the next person will spill an entire carton/jug of milk over it.

Anonymous said...

Eeek. I'm sorry.

Julie Q. said...

So much for the "long fingers are a sign of gracefulness" theory.

Love the title.

J said...

I think I would have passed out if I had had to dig in a wound on my finger for dirt. I'm queasy like that. Ugh.

I'm an ignoramus, but what is a blog carnival? I've never exactly known in time to participate. :)

d said...

Oh my! Funny how these things seem to come in bunches isn't it? I've got my fingers crossed for a pain-free undinged up November (at least!)

I wanted to come by (see who you were ha) and thank you for stopping by my disfunctional blog. I'm with you on blogger beta --no way.

I'm incredibly jealous of the research position in the National Archives --I dream of such things!

Anonymous said...

Hi, I didn't know your husband was hispanic, in alaska!!!!!!!!!!!
wow, he must be freezing.
the coconut milk is mainly used here on the carribean side, they put that stuff into everything!
looking forward to the carnival.

Sandra said...

Oh no! I am the most accident prone person ever but you may have me beat :)

Anonymous said...

"No, but thanks for the concern. I'll give you a call when I'm drooling and need my diaper changed, evidently that day is right around the corner."

Let's hope not. We don't have kids to ask. Just have to pick yourself up and keep on trucking.

Girlplustwo said...

ouch sister. hope those bruises heal quickly.

Anonymous said...

I can be pretty clumsy as well, and I've got a ton of bruises and scars to show for it.

As my dad likes to say, at least now you have "battle wounds" to show off to everyone.

M. C. Pearson said...

Oh my. I think I laughed so hard that I now have had an accident!

Two words: Gardening gloves

LOL...hope you feel better soon!

Bonnie S. Calhoun said...

Oh my word...and I thought I had problems! I guess telling you not to run with sharp objects in your hand is an exercise in futility...LOL!

Batya said...

feel better
these things happen
cut my finger last week while slicing through some veggies, soft ones yet

Liz Hinds said...

Feeling queasy just reading. I'm the mother who fainted when she had to take her baby son to hospital with a cut hand. (I got him to hospital before I fainted!)