bike accident

Do you like to ride a bike?  Our new town has over 30 miles of awesome wide trails that we can access just around the corner!  I love my low crossover bike which makes it easy to get on and off .

I have an awesome aqua blue basket. 

 Of course we ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET.  

We ride about 14 miles 2 or 3 times a week

until July 14...

We had gone out for a ride with friends MB & E.  We were about 2 miles from home when I pulled in behind MB so some walkers had plenty of room.  Then the unthinkable happened.  MB moved over too and her bike slid on the wet grass next to the pavement and she fell.  I had just pulled in behind her and had no way to stop,  hitting her, I flew off my bike over her and hit the pavement.  I'm  not sure what I hit on the way over, the basket or the handle bar.  My helmet saved my forehead when I hit the pavement. I ruined my sunglasses ( saved my eyes)  broke my nose and chipped two of my front teeth.  My husband called 911 and within a few minutes they were by my side.  The young man was asking where I hurt, touching arms then my left shoulder.  OK I am tough, pain usually doesn't get me, but  I remember screaming and him saying, start an IV and giving me some amazing pain killer so they could move me to the stretcher.  I guess  if you are going to do something, do it all the way right?  I managed to  shatter my left  humorous at the very top with some splinter breaks farther down.  I had some serious tissue damage to my right hand and cracked my right elbow. 

Have you ever been totally helpless?   

It is not an easy place to be and very humbling.

I couldn't even lift a glass for a drink.

I am so thankful for an amazing husband who has done everything to include brushing my teeth.  

I HAD A COMPLETE SHOULDER REPLACEMENT.

this is normally a solid bone and was in more than 14 pieces  

my new shoulder

  I am amazed at the technology for modern medicine and the doctors who study and spend hours in surgery to fix humpty dumptys.  

So now I will put off all the alarms at the airport security and be that one everyone hates that slows down the line.  

Will  I ride again?  I hope so, it's great low impact exercise 

as long as you stay on the bike.

I have a long road of recovery, lots of physical therapy 

 they say 4-6months...

If you know someone who doesn't wear a helmet,  feel free to share my story,  I'm not sure I would have been here to share if I hadn't had one on that day.

  

linking today with

Blue Monday

Outdoor Wednesday

vintage tricycle

One of my favorite pictures of one of my sisters and I is on our tricycle.  I was pedaling and she was on the step behind me.  Last week my husband and I drove Northeast to some amish greenhouses.  We stopped at an antique store that is in an old 2 story farm house.  I found a tricycle very much like the one I had.  Mine might have been a bit larger but it still evoked so many memories.  I have a small flower bed in the back yard, trying to homey up our new place.   I put the question out on FB, refinish it or leave it rusty.  Rusty won.  I sanded it down some and put on a coat of clear varnish.  I really wanted to find handle grips but all I could find were bright pink.. okay for a new bike but not this old one.  I used black electric tape and some curly metal ribbon.  I also wanted to have a basket.  Again all plastics and just not right.  Walking through the store I found a metal basket intended for inside a kitchen sink. I attached it with white zip ties.   Works PEFECT!  

Heres my finished tricycle!   

linking with Outdoor Wednesday

Peru

In July of 2014 we visited Peru and Bolivia.My hubby and adult son are going back this June 30th to walk the Inca  Trail.  We flew into Lima.  Met by our tour guide Victor, we collected our bags and met the rest of the group we would travel with for the next 7 days.

The first evening we walked down to the sea.  It was such a beautiful evening.

The long wall by the shore is decorated with mosaic

El Beso (the kiss)   Parque del Amor" (Love Park)
Every year they have a contest  to see who can hold the pose of the kissing couple.
The year we were there the winners had held the pose for 55 minutes!
Now THAT is a KISS to remember.

We spent the first day visiting the major sights in Lima.

Many of the apartments have a  beautiful ornate balcony

Palace of archbishop and Cathedral  www.arzobispadodelima.org

built in 1535

The beautiful arched ceiling panels are wood so that they can move with earthquakes

 

I love visiting the old churches across the world.  Such beauty in the architecture!  

Linking this week with 

Blue Monday   

Mellow Yellow 

 Our World Tuesday   

Outdoor Wednesday

Slovenia

This is my last post for Slovenia  which we visited in the fall of 2013.  We had such an amazing trip and are so glad we added the extra week at the end of our cruise.  We love having a car and the option of just going down back roads.

This home owner had been very busy getting ready for winter!

Beautiful mountians 

Great place to keep the firewood dry

We were heading up a mountain road and stopped when we saw this blue stream.

I do believe this is the clearest mountain stream I have ever seen!  I did not altar the picture in any way.

We really enjoy finding these small churches in off the road villages

Linking today with
Blue Monday
Our World Tuesday
Outdoor Wednesday

Blet

Blet, Slovenia

September 2013 we visited Slovenia.  It is hard to believe it has already been well over a year ago!  It's true that time flies when you are having fun!

Waiting to be rowed out to the island

WARNING do not hang your hand over the side of the boat.  Swans bite.

The castle that was above our hotel

Our hotel on the lake

This beautiful Assumption of Mary Church  The church is still used for weddings but not weekly services.  

There are 99 steps up to the church.  Yes it is the only way up!  Tradition is that the groom carries the bride up to the church for their wedding.  I'm sure it makes searching for the perfect bride a harsh reality

 Linking this week with Blue Monday   Our World Tuesday     Outdoor Wednesday

Leopard Walking

Shadow Shot Sunday  Camera Critters  Saturdays Critters

Going through our pictures of our recent trip to Tanzania and the 8 day safari we enjoyed.  This picture just stands out as a perfect photo for Shadow Shot Sunday.  This beautiful Leopard decided to walk along the side of our jeep.  Our driver, who had done this for 7 years, said he has never seen one do this.  I just knew we were especially blessed.  

Her coat was so beautiful

This is the normal view most get to see. Can you find her? 

Split, Croatia

Part of the wall surrounding the city

1. Split, Croatia

   Split is the second-largest city of Croatia and the largest city of the region of Dalmatia. It lies on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, at one point in history the Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian. 

   
   

   

   The "gate" we entered the city through to our hotel. The wall to  the right in this picture you get a glimpse of the red door to our hotel.
   
   
   
    The St. Francis's Monastery Grounds The courtyard was surrounded with standing tombs of prominent citizens of Split as early as 1400.  As we walked and realized many of these people were buried before America was discovered!

2. 

   
   

   
   

   

    

   
   

   
   

   Some of the standing tombs.  

   It was the first I have ever seen where the tombs were standing and built into the wall.

   
   

   
   

   Sitting on some of the carved stone that were in the foundation of the ruins of a church.  The foundation was built using the ruins from the roman buildings from the 400's  The church was empty so it was just the structure but still amazing to visit if you love the history of Christianity. 

   

   
   

   

   Check out the round pillars at the foundation!

   

   
   

   Staircase and view down from the balcony Inside the ruins

   
   

   
   

   Some shots around town

   

   Love the blue sky in this picture of the outside of the  Byzantine church  built in the 800's AD

   

   
   

   

   
   

   

   Sunset on the Adriatic Sea Isn't the yellow beautiful!

   Linking with

   Mellow Yellow Monday
   

   Blue Monday
   Our World Tuesday
   Outdoor Wednesday

   
   

   
   

   
   

Perfect Shadow

It's not often that we see the chance to snap a picture of that "perfect" shadow shot.  

This week took us to Miami, Florida.  It wasn't a trip for pleasure, but one to visit a life long friend Mike.  We met Mike when we were stationed in Germany in the 1970's.  So many amazing memories.  How scared he looked when I handed him our new born daughter, well she was tiny at 6 pounds and only 18 inches long, and he was a 19 year old army guy.  Many evenings sitting around with his guitar and singing the "newest" praise songs, mostly scripture put to music.  
Hosting his brides parents when he and Kathy got married.  Making their wedding cake.  

Then through the tough times...which is the proof of a true friend, staying by their side when they make mistakes, which we all do.

This trip will proabably be the last time we get to see him this side of eternity.  He is coming to the end of a battle with cancer.  

We sat in his hospital room and visited when he was awake, which was often because of the amount of pain he is suffering with.  Talked through great times and favorite memories and regrets.  All the things we wish we had done or had not done.  Talking through options, do I keep fighting or just go home.

Our life is like a shadow.  Solid and then things change, and then it's gone...

Knowing we have a hope of eternity, because of grace, we celebrate the time we have know him on this earth.  

Sometimes when we believe in 

Christ and eternity

we are ridiculed for our beliefs.

It's just a crutch some say.

OK, even if it is

It is my belief,

it is my hope

of something better to come.

No more pain.

No more hearing of children being shot that night.

No broken relationships.

I am not perfect, 

NO one on this earth is;

BUT there is one

who IS.

He laid down his life 

for me,

for you,

if we just believe.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.  Psalm 62:5

Blessings, Debbie

Linking today with Shadow Shot
Spiritual Sunday