It is a gloomy cool day but we are headed for Keeneland to watch a few races this afternoon. I bet by the name of the horse, not the statistics so I never win, but it is fun. Steve is off running errands this morning while I slowly get myself going. It is even slower than usual the last few days as I had yet another accident with my hands. I thought it was just my right hand as last spring I sliced my middle finger open and about passed out from it, but didn't go to the hospital - found a butterfly bandage and "sucked it up". Then a month or so later I burned my index finger on that hand with melted wax from a mug that was not supposed to go in the microwave. Again, I didn't go to the hospital. So when the tea kettle lid fell off and boiling water poured over my left hand I screamed bloody murder and stuck it under cold water and then in a bag of ice. I was sitting there in a bit of a daze, and even watched a taped episode of NCIS before I gave in and Steve took me to the ER. By that time my fingers were swelling and the doc hands me a little packet of KY Jelly and tells me if I can't get my wedding rings off, they will have to cut them off. Well, that wasn't going to happen so again I yodeled, with tears rolling down my face, as I dragged my rings over the burned finger. Then I kept harping at Steve about where they were until we got home. I never take my rings off, except to clean them, so I was not a happy camper about taking them off. Who knows when I can put them back on as the biggest blister, which has yet to pop, is on my ring finger. I also ended up with tetanus shot in my right arm so that aches. But, I do have this wonderful white goo to slather the fingers in and lovely loopy pills to help with the pain so I am surviving, even if I can only type with my index finger and thumb on my left hand.

The funny (not ha-ha kind) part was that I was boiling water to make a Cup "O Soup as I had oral surgery Weds. a.m. to have the implant screw for the crown to replace the molar that had to be pulled and my mouth was hurting and I couldn't open it very far. So, when my doc called Thursday to check on me I told him what happened and he said, " Only to you Ruth!" He is so right. If it all didn't hurt so dang much it would be the ha-ha kind of funny.

The good news is that I received my paperwork from Vanderbilt for my appointment on June 19th with Dr. Boomershine. Don't ya just love his name? :-) I looked into a fibromyalgia study going on here in Lexington but my neurologist told me exactly what he thought of that idea - the study is being conducted for the drug company. So, I will be good and wait to see the specialist.

Since I couldn't type at all the first day I read a lovely children's book - Listening for Crickets by David Gifaldi. Lovely, but sad. I picked it up because of the attractive cover. I did think that it was going to be about an Asian young boy though by the coloration of the boy's face and hair. I didn't notice the big ear (only half his face is shown) until I had finished the book and re-examined the cover. I love the visual tidbits you catch after reading. Ten-year-old Jake has ears like a bat and has to go to special reading classes so he is teased in school. But that doesn't stop him from becoming a bit of a walking encyclopedia of bat facts, which he shares regularly. Things are home are even worse as his father is a sometimes violent alcoholic, who uses words as a weapon more often than his fists. Money is tight and Jake and his little sister Cassie share a bedroom. When their parents argue at night Jake makes up wonderful stories for Cassie so that they can concentrate on something besides angry voices. And then he builds them their very own Dragon's Nest, by cutting out a hiding place in the hedge between their home and the elderly Mrs. P next door, who Jake helps out with her cats. One more lost job and the dad goes over the edge and it is Mrs. P who saves the day. I love books where an elderly character takes a child under his/her wing to give them a safe haven. A must have book in every elementary school. I did cringe when I read about the reading program - dotted books and computerized tests - that Jake was involved in, but I loved his LEP teacher for her realization that Jake did well with audiobooks. Gifaldi is a 5th grade teacher and his knowledge of what occurs in an elementary classroom in dead on the money.

Tired of pecking at this keyboard so I shall end this now. Y'all keep your fingers crossed I don't fall down the bleachers at the track or something stupid like that today! I have always been accident prone, but this is ridiculous!!