I Knew It Was Going To Be Crazy, But THIS Crazy?

"There is more to life than increasing its speed." 
                                                        ~Mahatma Gandhi


I kept telling everyone how crazy busy I was going to be once we returned back home from Florida, but I didn't expect it to go on for almost two months!  Let's have a little recap:

• Arrived back in Michigan and get everything unpacked and put away.
• Doctor appointment and x-rays on right knee (which started to bother me on our way back home) and my upper right arm and shoulder which has been bothering me since early December.
• Drive to Lake Geneva, WI to the Fly-Tribe's first art retreat, which was a bundle of fun! About 5 days total for driving, art retreat and visiting new friend in IL.
• Start going to physical therapy for rotator cuff.
• Spend hours creating and painting a special retirement gift for our son.
• Cleaning and de-cluttering house and more cleaning and de-cluttering house!
• Spend time with realtor to get the house listed, finally!
• Meet with the doctor for a shot of cortisone in my knee before leaving on our road trip.
• Drive to Virginia to help celebrate the 20 years our son spent with the military and his retirement party.  Gone almost 7 days.
• Return back home and continue going to physical therapy for my rotator cuff.
• Clean and de-clutter each time we have a showing and then disappear for an hour or so, along with Molly.
• Start moving items to the cottage.  It's just been too cold and too much rain up until now for us to live up there.
• Finally referred and go in to see an orthopedic doctor for my knee.  I'm diagnosed with patellofemoral arthritis and I'm told I have bone grinding into bone.  No wonder I have discomfort when sitting, climbing stairs and getting in and out of the truck. 
• I was invited to go with our youngest son, his wife and Corbin to the zoo.  A very good, but tiring day.
• Continuing physical therapy, but have been told my progress isn't what they would like to see.
• My primary physician orders an MRI for my rotator cuff and tells me that my orthopedic doctor will also get a copy of the report and that I'll eventually probably have rotator cuff surgery. 
• I go to get my first lubricant gel injection in my knee.  It's a series of three and hopefully this will help.
• In between everything listed above were hair appointments, pedicure, manicure, and dental appointments; along with grocery shopping, laundry and all the STUFF.

Have I tired you out yet?  Geez, no wonder I haven't had a chance to play with my watercolors or mixed media!  At least we're finally settled into the cottage and this is home for us right now.  I do have some really good news I would love to share with everyone...

Mother duck has made her nest right in a corner of our cottage.  Mr. Cottage planted flowers around her yesterday and we put the window air conditioner in, which is almost above her, but both of us have been as careful as we can be because we don't want to get her upset. 

Some of you might remember that we had a duck who laid her eggs by the cottage next to us just a couple of years ago.  We're thinking they should be hatching shortly, so I'll keep you informed of the new little additions to our lake.