Update the Fourth

It did, indeed, snow overnight on Monday.  The tarps Steve had laid on the ramp worked as intended, and we arrived a little early for my appointment at the surgeon's office, to find that he was running "about an hour" late.  I had a book, of course, and Steve had his phone, and we were both able to Mostly Ignore the home renovation show on the waiting room television.  Much better than the "news," though I am occasionally bemused by what people believe is essential in a living space -- and how many of them don't have offices.  What's with that?

Anyhow -- long story short -- the pins were eventually extracted.  The first was relatively painless.  The second...the bones in my toe had decided to embrace the second pin as a sister, so that was, um, exciting.  Yeah.  I swear I did try to remember to breathe, but when the surgeon had finished with the second pin, and breathing rather heavily himself, he looked at my face, and said, "A little lightheaded?  Here -- I'll just recline the chair for you, OK?"

Having the pins out is such a relief, I can't even begin to tell you.  I no longer have to worry that I'm going to snag on something or dislodge or bend the pins.  Ahhhh, freedom.  Plus, yanno, Friday I can take a shower.  Have ordered in marching band for the event.

I now have exercises for moderate-weight-bearing in the center of my foot (not the toes!) to be performed 15 minutes every hour, so that's fun.

Hopefully, the serious challenges are now behind me; I need to do my exercises, and keep off my foot when not exercising.  Next doctor's appointment is December 4 (December!), and things ought to be back to what passes for normal around here by the end of the year.

In other news, we received royalties for the German editions of our novels, which was unexpected, but welcome.  I think the total payout covers the cost of the knee scooter.

We have also heard from the Uncle with a list of personalizations for Accepting the Lance.  We'll get right on that just as soon as the books arrive.

And that's really all the news that's fit to print.

Everybody stay happy.

Books read in 2019

59. Rock Hard , Nalini Singh (e)
58. The Night Tiger, Yangsze Choo
57. Equal Rites, Terry Pratchett (Steve read to me)
56. The Spotted Dog, Kerry Greenwood (Corinna Chapman #7) (e)
55. Murder on the Ballart Train, Kerry Greenwood (re-read)
54. Flying too High, Kerry Greenwood (re-read)
53. Cocaine Blues, Kerry Greenwood (re-read)
52. The Belles, Dhonielle Clayton
51. Bank Shot, Donald E. Westlake
50. A Night in the Lonesome October, Roger Zelazny, read aloud w/ Steve (re-re-re-&c read for both)
49. A Woman of No Importance, Sonia Purnell
48. Exit Strategy, Martha Wells (e)
47. Rogue Protocol, Martha Wells (e)
46. Artificial Condition, Martha Wells (e)
45. Diary of a Witchcraft Shop, Trevor Jones & Liz Williams
44. Air Logic, Laurie J. Marks
43. Water Logic, Laurie J. Marks
42. The Art of Theft, Sherry Thomas (e)
41. GuRu, Ru Paul
40. Earth Logic, Laurie J. Marks
39. The October Man, Ben Aaronovitch (e)
38. Sapphire Flames, Ilona Andrews (e)
37. The Cat Who Blew the Whistle, Lilian Jackson Braun (read aloud with Steve)
36. Silver Silence, Nalini Singh (read aloud with Steve)
35. Faking It, Jennifer Crusie (read aloud with Steve)
34. Fire Logic, Laurie J. Marks
33. Cats in Cyberspace, Beth Hilgartner (read aloud with Steve; re-read for both)
32. Dread Nation, Justine Ireland (e)
31. Masque World, Alexei Panshin (read aloud with Steve; re-read for both)
30. The Girl in the Tower, Katherine Arden
29. The Thurb Revolution, Alexei Panshin (read aloud with Steve; re-read for both)
28. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson (re-re-re-read)
27. Star Well, Alexei Panshin (read aloud with Steve; re-read for both)
26. The Cat Who Wasn't There, Lilian Jackson Braun (read aloud with Steve)
25. The King of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner (re-read)
24. The Queen of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner (re-read)
23. The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (re-read)
22. Maiden of the Machine, Volume 1, Caitlin Like
21. The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes, Neil Gaiman
20. The Franchise Affair, Josephine Tey (read aloud with Steve)
19. City of Whispering Stone, George C. Chesbro (read aloud with Steve)
18. Allegiance of Honor, Nalini Singh (read aloud with Steve)
17. Storm Cursed, Patricia Briggs (e)
16. Who Slays the Wicked, C.S. Harris
15. The Warlock in Spite of Himself, Christopher Stasheff (re-read)
14. The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal, Lilian Jackson Braun (read aloud with Steve)
13. Wild Ride, Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (read aloud with Steve; re-read for me; first read for him)
12. Shadow of a Broken Man, George C. Chesbro (read aloud with Steve)
11. How Much for Just the Planet?, John M. Ford
10. Brat Farrar, Josephine Tey (read aloud with Steve; re-read for me; first read for him)
9.  Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik
8.  Lies Sleeping, Ben Aaronovitch
7.  The Luckiest Lady in London, Sherry Thomas
6.  Release the Virgins, Michael A. Ventrella, editor (read aloud with Steve)
5.  Becoming, Michelle Obama
4.  Agnes and the Hitman, Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (read aloud with Steve; re-read for me; first read for him)
3. the unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Ryan North, Erica Henderson
2.  Alliance Rising, CJ Cherryh & Jane S. Fancher (read out loud with Steve)
1.  A Shilling for Candles, Josephine Tey (read out loud with Steve)