They Gave me the Boot

First, an update on Zip.
He got the report from his 24-hour heart monitor and it was fine.  His heart is only skipping a beat occasionally.  He's quit smoking and has cut way back on the caffeine.  I just wish more restaurants offered decaf iced tea!  The doc says he is good to do whatever he feels he can handle.  Mostly playing the guitar and fishing!

This past month has been soooo hot.  Ever since I was pregnant with Brad I have had problems with fluid retention and varicose veins in my legs.  It's worse in the summer heat and because of it I wear generic low cost support hose.  This year has been particularly bad because the heat has made me so sluggish and unwilling to do anything that amounts to the tiniest bit of exercise.  Through that high 90's stuff I sat in the house in front of the fans trying just to breathe.  Also my legs were so swollen that I could only get my most stretched out support hose on, which totally defeated the purpose. 

My legs have paid the price.  They became so infused with fluid I began getting blisters.  When the blisters began to seep, I was freaking out over the chance of infection.  Sooooo....I bit the bullet and went to the doctor, knowing that I would not like what I would be told.  He made an appointment for me to go the wound clinic in Chambersburg right away.  Yikes!!!

The looked at my legs and were very positive about the outcome.  They have the cure!  But first....they had to SCRAPE the affected area.  With a SCALPEL!  Discomfort is a gross understatement.  Excruciating is more like it!  But then a soothing gel was applied and several layers of nice tight leg wraps that felt wonderful.  This treatment is called the unnaboot (pronounced uni-boot).

 
I go twice a week for a rewrap.
The swelling is way down and the seepage has stopped.  I think I'm on the way to recovery.  They told me I can go about all my normal activities, but must take time out periodically to put my feet up and sleep with my legs elevated.  I actually feel so much better that I've been using the treadmill and spending extra time walking around in the grocery story.  At least I may end up with two thinner body parts!  Ha-ha!!!

As part of my recovery, Willa, Diane and I went out to eat last evening.
Our pick for this month was the Cafe d'Italia on the square in Chambersburg.

We've eaten here before and enjoyed it.
Our appetizer was baked brie on fingers of Italian bread with a topping of fruit chutney.

Diane chose the special of the day, chicken and spinach ravioli topped with cream sauce and more spinach and chicken breast.

Eggplant parm is Willa's favorite.

For me, chicken salcicci with chicken breast, spicy sausage, spinach and onion in an oil and white wine sauce with lots of garlic.  Yum!!!

It was a huge portion so half of mine went home for Zip and I to share for lunch.

The desserts:  a frozen pistachio pudding with swirls of chocolate and nuts on top and in the back is limoncello.

They have an open kitchen so that you can see the food being prepared.
It's one of Chambersburg's nicer places to enjoy a meal.

Several weeks ago Lauren from Rugs and Pugs visited our town.  She showed a picture on her blog of our lovely fountain in the center of town.  You can see the fountain from the outdoor dining area of the Cafe d'Italia.

There are two other fountains in town which most people don't know about unless you have grown up here.  One is at the Chambersburg power and light plant near the firehouse on south Second Street.

But my favorite is the fountain at the intersection of King Street and Glenn Street in the lovely early 1900's residential area in the west end of town.  It's a little treasure!

I want to thank Sharon from Moosecraft for the wonderful book I won in her give-away.  It's the Rughooker's Bible written by Gene Shephard.  I don't know why I haven't already purchased this book because it's so full of useful information.  Even though I try to be a primitive hooker, I'm still interested in being able to do shading.  This book has so many wonderful pictures and instructions
for things I've been wanting to learn that I've decided my next project will have to be designed around some of these techniques.

Thank you, thank you, Sharon!  I love it!!!

The weather has been a bit cooler the past few days.  The sky is clear and blue and the breezes are mild.  Perfect weather!
I hope it's as pleasant where you are.