Foot Random-osity

The Good: On Friday I wanted very much to get out of the "boot" that was provided after food surgery because I was afraid it would get caught under one of the pedals when I was driving. It was also clumsy and heavy, so I adapted my new sandals so I could wear them over my bandaged foot.

This involved cutting two straps from old sandals and making holes in them. Boom, instant expanders! The old buckles are the brown suede ones to the right of the shinier buckles. My new Birkenstocks are the same style as my old ones except the new pair is black and not suede. I loved my old ones but the soles were so worn that the tacks were starting to come through. The podiatrist had commented several times that these shoes are good for my feet!

The Random: Yesterday I went back to the doctor and he removed the bandages, declared the healing satisfactory, and wrapped the elastic back around my foot, but not before I took my cell phone and snapped a picture to show the smiley face he had drawn on there when he removed the bone spur last week.

I have to go back to his office again next week to be checked again. Meanwhile there is less pain every day.

The Fun: Pets are fun, but this post is not really about fun. This part is about a coincidence. Flash has been limping for a week and finally I got him to the vet today. Dr. Coston checked him out and said the the poor dog has loose ligaments so he is no longer able to walk on his toes, which is how dogs usually walk (unlike us).

Me: "I am so surprised because my doctor told me I have loose ligaments and that's how I injured my foot! But it's weird because Flash and I are not related."

I'm sure the vet already knew that Flash was adopted! Anyway, Flash now has a prescription for painkillers. Also, I guess long walks are no longer a treat for him. 

Mountain, Fountain, Pool

Beautiful Downtown Baker

Hardy County, West Virginia

The Leatherman Barn

On Saturday we drove over to Hardy County for a brief visit to Heritage Days. Frank had spent the morning helping with our community clean-up so all we had available was the afternoon. I especially wanted to see this unusual barn in Old Fields, which is north of Moorefield, WV.

The barn was completed in 1917. Recently it was restored so that it can stand for another hundred years. 

The property is still a working farm. There are other buildings for the various functions, although the old Leatherman Barn is still used for sheltering cows.

Mosaic Monday and The Barn Collective

The Home at Buena Vista Farms

In Old Fields, WV

This brick house is one of a number of buildings in the South Branch Valley that shows a Greek Revival influence. It was built in 1836 with later additions.

On East Court Street, Woodstock

Since it's Sunday, I'm sharing another charming church plus a street view. This is Woodstock Presbyterian Church in the county seat of Shenandoah County, VA. I don't know when church was built, although I read that an addition was completed in 2012 to the right of the older sanctuary.

Across the street from the church is an attractive house and a small building next to it with matching paint. On the far right is a long building with boarded-up windows.

Saturday's Sort-Of Critters

I'm starting this post with two creatures I saw today in Hardy County, West Virginia. Okay, I admit they're not real. I just thought they were cute!

For those who like real animals, we have some cows on a hill.

Five Late September Topics

Random-osity

1. Photo Friday: #downtown.

Front Royal, VA: These downtown scenes are from last October. Actually, they are the same picture cropped differently. The second one focuses on a bench in front of a pawn shop. 

2.  Heritage Weekend is starting in Hardy County, WV. These two young people were our charming guides at one of the historic sites in 2014.

Orange You Glad It's Friday

3. It's time for fall but the foliage hasn't changed much here. Here are some September flowers  that I put together with PhotoCollage.

Sharing with Today's Flowers and Floral Mosaics

4. We listed our spare lot with B. K. Haynes of Front Royal. They're calling it Rich Man's Waterfront at Po' Boys Price! Haynes has always had a way with words.

Sharing with Skywatch Friday

5. Last but not least, we have a sepia photo of my mom from around 1924.  If she were still alive, we'd be wishing her Happy Birthday tomorrow.

Love ya, Mom!

Eleanor

More Old Time Activities

Edinburg's Ole Time Festival always has photogenic subjects, so here are three more scenes. Each one even has a fence for the Good Fences linkup!

The first photo shows men making apple butter, a Shenandoah Valley tradition. Next we have a basket-maker and some Civil War re-enactors.

See more Ole Time Festival posts.

Wednesday Water Birds

Here we have a couple of nice ducks. When they headed back to the pond, they found some Canada Geese were already there. No problem, though. They get along fine with the geese.

It's World Peace Day! 

Fife and Drum Band Plays in Edinburg

Living History and Lively Music

Earlier I showed a photo of a horse-drawn cart at Edinburg's Ole Time Festival. Other transportation options included a hay wagon and a fine old taxi, suitable for Tuesday's Treasures. I'm also sharing this post with Through My Lens.

I enjoy seeing old-fashioned costumes and there were plenty at the festival, mostly from the Civil War era. This was the first time I've seen a Living Historians banner: "Teaching History by Living It."

Randoms Related to My Spurgery

Random-osity 

I'm calling it "spurgery" because it was surgery on a foot spur. If it had been on my heel I might have ignored the spur, but that split bony growth on top of my right foot was not treatable by just wearing better shoes. So this morning Dr. Vincent performed arthroplasty on my foot, finally! With any luck this will heal in a few weeks and I'll be able to take long walks again, which I have not been able to do for two months. 

1. The Good: My spouse drove me home from the Surgi-Center in Winchester and even stopped at a mural on Baker Street and got out and took it's picture for me. So thank you, Frank, and also thanks to blogger Dawn Miller for telling me where to find this pretty painting of the Shenandoah Valley.

Sharing with Monday Murals

The Random: Look at my new fashion statement! It's fastened with Velcro and protects my foot and the wrappings they put on it after the surgery. It also makes that foot look huge!

Right now the foot is elevated and cooled by an ice pack. I expect it will spend tomorrow in that same position.

The Fun: We went to the "Ole Time Festival" in Edinburg on Saturday. We didn't wander around much because I could only stand for about 10 minutes without pain, but we found a vendor that sold hiking sticks. I bought one because it should help me keep my balance when I start my hiking again. These will be short hikes but I look forward to them. We also sat down and listened to some old-time music.

Frank Tries Out a Hand-Carved Chair