Walking into the local outpatient surgery center for me is like walking into Cheers. Everybody knows my name.

Well maybe not my name, but they all recognize me from previous surgeries. Each nurse knows the story and they act as if they’ve passed around my medical chart (book) over lunch.

But it’s over and thank you for the positive thoughts. It went fine. The orthopedic doctor cleaned out the ankle joint, removed some bone that had grown over and created spurs, flushed the area to clear out debride and all that medical technical stuff. The hope is that this will reduce pain and improve movement.

For now it’s just a throbbing bulky wrapped area that is propped up with ice laying over the top of it. My new address for the next week will be the brown leather recliner.

I’ve been drifting in and out all evening. Thankfully, the doctor sent me home with a whole handful of medicines so I should be pretty comfortable. Follow-up to remove the staples and this soft cast wrapping is in one week. Then I can shower! (Thank goodness for all the good smelling Bath & Body Works products.)

That may very well be my least favorite part of the after-math of surgery. Did I ever tell you that after the car accident I was bed-bound in the hospital (due to the pelvic fracture and other injuries) for over 2 months. That meant using the restroom in the bed too. It wasn’t until I was in rehab that I was able to shower, and I’m pretty sure I sat in that hot shower for over an hour!

Since I have a lot of free time next week, I’m going to write about some of our Christmas traditions and previous funny gift stories. That will keep my spirits high and my mind busy.

Thanks to a very wonderful lady who truly uses the talents God gave her, we have several frozen meals for next week. That will save my husband from making a lot of Hamburger Helper and Mac-N-Cheese. Even though she just welcomed her second grandchild into the world, she was still thinking of someone else. Thank you!

I have to say thanks to Kate @ My So-Called Blog. She was gracious enough to create the neatest mini-quilt for a friend of mine who is due soon!!

I love homemade gifts, but I am not at all the type of person who can sew. I can’t draw either.

Kate on the other had has mad skills! Look at those details! She even personalized this hanging for me. I’ve tried to encourage her to create her own Etsy shop. Go check out her site and see what else she can do.

Whew, it’s over. I’m officially 30 and there is nothing I can do about it. The festivities (which included many, many lunches & dinners) have ended and once you blow out the candles all you have left is the smoke.

Thanks for all the well wishes and sympathy. Much appreciated. Now I find myself sitting before a desk full of paperwork that needs to be done, but remembering it’s a Monday and that I’m usually not motivated until mid-week for that type of work.

So instead I want to talk about reality TV ~ my unhealthy obsession. Even 30 year olds watch it!

Who will admit to watching Big Brother? I do! I was happy to see Jen go last Thursday, but I’m sad Dick and Danielle didn’t get nominated last night. If ever a two whiney butts needed to go, it’s them! They are good players though.

As for The Real World, I haven’t really gotten into it this season. Maybe I’m over all the drinking and sleeping around?

The Hills totally has my heart. I’m Team LC all the way!!!!! I read that Spencer is using Heidi for fame (no, really?).

All kinds of drama happened over the weekend with the stars. See what happens when I turn 30?

You can go check it out for yourself at TMZ, but here is a recap - Owen Wilson may or may not have committed suicide. Either way he’s in the hospital. As is/was Hulk Hogan’s son, Nick.

Fast cars and fast lifestyles lead to crashes of some sort.

I took one year of Spanish in high school. How I passed that I am still unsure. This is probably the only phrase I learned (and remember). My Spanish teacher hated me with a spirited passion. I couldn’t seem to grasp the language and since I didn’t understand it I just made up my own Spanish.

I’d add “El” to the beginning of a word and “O” to the end. So the word “desk” became “eldesko.” I’m fairly certain that she cussed me out in Spanish on more than one occassion. I thought I was being creative, besides my Spanish made more sense.

That’s alright because now I have blog bling! I don’t know that I’ve ever received a blogger award in the long short 7 months since I’ve joined this cult world.

Many thanks to Jodi & Jail Diet for the “Rocking Blogger Award“! They just love handing out the bling. Go pay them a visit. I think you’re both pretty special too. By the way, does this come with a check?

And thanks to Shelly for the “Thinking Blogger Award” - which wait…maybe I have received before?? I’m not good at keeping track of stuff. She was fond of my “This Was My Date” post this week.

Since I have got to be the last person on this Earth Blog to receive such honors, I do not feel the need to bestow it upon anyone else!