My visit to the orthopedic surgeon last week was sobering.  He tells me shots will not help and I should let him know when I am ready for joint replacement surgery, i.e. let him know when I just can’t take the pain anymore.

My heart is an issue as I have an ascending aortic aneurism which will also eventually require surgery. The good news is that my blood pressure was 106/42 when I saw my GP Friday. It was much higher a few weeks ago. My chemicals are steady, however, he put me back on the statin.  He says as I’ve had a stroke, I need it. Yuck. And, I am to continue eating iron rich foods to deal with anemia.  Steak today, I think.

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I finished reading Azar Nafisi’s Republic of Imagination,  an excellent book I highly recommend. An Iranian-American and professor of English Literature, she writes from the perspective of one who sees the shortcomings of political extremes in American education. Nafisi taught American literature in Teheran, no small challenge. If you have not read Reading Lolita in Teheran do so.

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Scary high winds here today.  Knocked out electricity in several neighborhoods. We have been fortunate, knock on wood.  David and I will do more yard work later this week when the wind subsides. Otherwise the weather is bright and sunny and the bulbs continue to push up.

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Working on my family tree this week I found more Scots and Irish ancestors on dad’s side.  Actually, they are mostly Welsh, but that’s cool and just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day and a visit to our local pub for a great meal.

 Village sign dating from the Middle Ages and found in Caston, Norfolk, England.  My Welsh grandparents lived here before they migrated to America during the Great Puritan Migration 1620-1650.