Who Are You Calling Crafty?

The month that was…

ajsarts — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:01:17 +0000

Well I did not get clearance to go back to work because I had a major setback. I ended up having deep vein thrombosis with pulmonary embolisms in both lungs on February 27. Jeff took me to the emergency room with shortness of breath and chest pain pains. I literally was sitting in the ER and could not breathe, they were busy. I had him go up and tell them no you need to get her back there so she can at least be put on oxygen. We go back there and they kind of ignored me until this lady walked by and she’s like are you OK? I’m like no, I can’t breathe so they got me on oxygen and sat there a little while longer. They take me back for a chest x-ray and you could tell that they were like, oh you know there’s nothing wrong with her. We’re just gonna do this too pacify her. I hear the x-ray tech say, “oh shit” I knew there was something wrong. He immediately is like come on, we’re going next-door. They take me next-door to ultrasound. They do an ultrasound of my leg, which I thought was weird. I’m talking to the person who’s doing the ultrasound and telling her, “yeah I’m going to Australia April 7.” She gets really quiet and she just looks at me with that, oh no you’re not look but she didn’t say anything. I get back and Jeff sitting there finally the ER doctor came by and said, “You’re being admitted to the hospital. You have blood clots in both lungs and you have a blood clot in your leg.” I immediately had break down. I’m crying. I am on oxygen and I’m essentially having a panic attack. I can’t wrap my head around what I was just told, especially with what happened with my aunt last year. It was just too much so they asked me if I was OK with a shared room. I’m like sure. Just get me up there. They’re giving me blood thinners and painkillers. I have a roommate, they come in every four hours and I was on a no liquid no food diet because I was having surgery the next morning. They go through the next day and take me to surgery. Essentially they scope my leg and carve out the blood clot, this was a weird procedure. I don’t remember the name of it. It was like thrombose something, but I wasn’t asleep for the procedure. I had to lay on my stomach, with the blood clots it was so painful. They had to have me awake for the procedure, l was in like twilight state, that is what they called it, very weird. You could hear everything I could respond, but I just wanted to sleep.

See the photo of the clots

They removed a 6 inch clot from my leg and put two stents in my thigh area. I honestly didn’t know where the stents were until about a week postop, when I went for a check up. I was more concerned about being able to breathe because it hurts so bad to breathe. They did an ultrasound of my heart to ensure there were no blood clots in that area. After the ultrasound of the heart, they noticed my leg started bleeding. I was on a lot of blood thinners, so my leg was bleeding quite a bit. They went through and wrapped it tight. They tried to get the bleeding to stop and every few hours they were changing the bandages. I had this nurse who just like wrapped it like my leg was sprained and not like a tourniquet, and it was oozing. I actually told her it was oozing. I can feel my leg oozing and she told me it wasn’t, it was my imagination. I said it needs to be tighter. She’s like no it doesn’t, she’s arguing with me. Her boss comes in and I tell him, I can still feel my leg oozing so he did another wrap with an ace bandage. They ended up changing my wrapping every hour because she was not listening to me and with that, I was losing a lot of blood so much so, my hemoglobin was about seven and I ended up getting a pint of blood the next day.

Bleeding not stopping Ace wrap wasn’t tight enough

Me getting blood

The other problem I had with this nurse was I’m telling her I need to go to the bathroom but I can’t go with the pierwick. I know they gave me something to relax my urethra when I was here before. She told me that there was no such medicine that existed. I told her I was here not even a month ago and I was here for 13 days, I know this medicine exists, I had it. She just kind of brushed me off and it’s like it doesn’t exist. She states we have to do a catheter. She missed the catheter twice. They finally had to get someone else to come in and do the catheter because she missed twice, it was so painful. The next morning, I ended up talking to someone and I don’t want that nurse to touch me. She was awful, I’m going to refuse service. I’m not going to let her touch me. She also blew three veins in my left hand.

The awesome lump in my hand

The awesome bruising that happened

My hand is still bruised. Almost a month later, but I can make a fist, which is good. I was told by many doctors how lucky I was, I should not be sitting there. They had med students coming in to see my chart and reviewing my chart. I had zero symptoms. My leg was a little swollen, but I’ve been doing physical therapy, my leg never changed color. Yes they were warm but not anything crazy. My blood pressure was high for me but in normal range so that wasn’t an issue with them. The only symptom I had was the shortness of breath and the chest pains, but that wasn’t until the evening. I did wake up that day with my back hurting, but I’ve been sleeping on a couch for over a month. I just thought it was from the couch and I messed up my back. Still trying to process that I came very close to dying. I mean, I’ve had at least seven doctors tell me that I should not be here.

With this new development, I had to cancel my trip to Australia and New Zealand. I am very sad, but it is for the best considering I almost died. This also put a huge damper on my recovery from breaking my tibia plateau. I am still non-weight-bearing on my right leg. I felt like I had to relearn a whole bunch of stuff because I had five days where I couldn’t do anything. I go back March 30 to the vascular surgeon to see how my leg is and to see how the stents are. I go back April 7 to the orthopedic surgeon, where I hope to be released to go back to work with all of this of course there is more paperwork. So much paperwork my primary care physician is awesome and just put it through June this time. He’s like I don’t think it will be through June, but I’m putting it through June so I won’t have to see him every single time. I’m on blood thinners and Plavix. Maybe three months, maybe the rest of my life who knows. They are trying to get me in to see a hematologist to see if this is genetic or it was just all caused by the accident of falling off the ladder or a little column A and a little of column B. So that’s been life for the past month. I will say I talked to a priest,went to confession and had communion also had the anointing of the sick. It’s hard to come to terms with the fact I came very close to dying. I know people who have died from blood clots, and it’s very scary to think that I almost succumb to that, all because I wanted to paint my kitchen a different color. I am much more positive since this happened or I’d like to think so, just happy to be here. Been working on some ornaments that I’m going to send to Utah to a friend, he is gonna take them with him to Australia.

Dad left the 13th just in time to make it home for the biggest snowstorm to hit my hometown in 138 years. They got 33.5” of snow in 48 hours, my dad finally got to play in the snow. It took almost 9 hours to snow blow there house and the Dari.

Dad snow blowing after the epic snowstorm

I still get text from Work, which makes me feel relevant and I have to be no you can’t call on this. You give them the number and they have to call and they have to arrange it because there is liability when it comes to babysitters. I also finally finished the Starland map that took way too long to do now I just gotta make it pretty.

This is definitely a marathon not a sprint.

Another Update…

ajsarts — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:04:42 +0000

I left the hospital on January 27. It has been an adventure getting used to not putting weight on my leg traveling from the couch to the bathroom. I feel like I run a marathon every single time, I think now I have gotten it down to a half marathon every time I venture to the bathroom. I’m happy to be home. I also finally got a real shower, which was the best damn shower I’ve ever had in my life. It was amazing! I am also sleeping on the couch because I can’t get myself out of my bed. I do miss my bed, hopefully soon I will be able to sleep in a bed opposed to the couch because my dogs snore so loud the White Noise app works sometimes.

Wally was super happy I finally came home.

I’m slowly getting used to everything. I haven’t ventured out much. I mean it’s a whole production if I go somewhere, I have to take the wheelchair and most places aren’t very handicap accessible at least in Savannah. It is not a knock on Savannah or any of the businesses, it is what it is. I’ve also been advised not to venture out because there’s more of a chance of getting injured. I can see that I did go to Home Depot with my dad to pick up basic things instead of getting an actual cart. He just piled everything on top of me, but my leg was sticking out in the wheelchair and it was almost hit like four times by people not paying attention.

Home Depot being used as a cart.

I find out March 6 if I can go to Australia, my PT is going very well. I mean I’m nonweightbearing so there’s only so much we can do but I can touch my toes again, which is wonderful. I think I will be able to go. I hope so. I’ve been looking forward to Australia and New Zealand even if I am not as mobile, but if the doctor says nope, I won’t go.

My dad has been fixing so many things around the house. I have new kitchen faucet, new bathroom faucet, new bathtub faucet. He gutted my closet. He’s fixing my front door and is gonna tackle the eaves soon. He also swears quite a bit when he does something because he’s like how is this even possible? He will not finish my kitchen because he does not like the color my kitchen is 75% painted so it’s not terrible.

My adventures to the my deck have continued finally

So what have I been doing to occupy my time? Watching the Olympics, that is pretty much what I’ve been doing. I did a couple of logo designs and I built a couple of Lego sets. Of course doing my PT exercises every chance I get because I wanna go to Australia. I have had a couple visitors which has been nice. My house is a disaster, but it was still nice to see people. I mean when I got hurt, we were in the process of renovating a kitchen so a lot of things have just stayed where I put them on 14th of January. For example, my desk was a catch all and it’s still a catch all because no one will touch it. It will get cleaned someday.

Tristan came to visit me

I think this was a pretty good update considering how down in the dumps I was in the hospital. It’s nice to be home.

Another Weekend?

ajsarts — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 19:52:23 +0000

Yeah, I had a nice little talk with one of my nurses, Ben and he was very straightforward with me with inside knowledge. There’s a chance I might be here all weekend because they’re waiting to hear back from my insurance company. They are trying to get me into a skilled nursing facility or at home PT they are hoping for the latter. I am trying to remain strong and positive, it is so hard. Since the insurance company declined the rehab facility, they are trying to go the best course of action.

Last night was one of the worse nights I have had. I went to sleep around 9pm. I woke up around 11pm to excruciating pain. The pain was so prominent that I was sobing. My pain level was an 11 out of 10 it was off the charts. I have never felt so much pain than I did last night. I was told that it’s normal being three days postop everything from the surgery is out of my system all the drugs and everything so I’m now just on you know Percocet and the muscle relaxers but wow, so much pain. It has made them more conscious of giving me my medicine on time so it doesn’t escalate to that again.

My hotel family’s been awesome. I was told probably by Monday. My access to my email for work will be cut off as well as my teams so I can focus on getting better. I’ve mixed reactions and mixed feelings about it, but I think it might help me concentrate on me because I don’t concentrate on me. I concentrate on everyone else which makes it really hard. I’m hoping to be better sooner and I hope this helps me concentrate on me and so I can be better sooner. I am going to be honest. I really don’t see Australia right now. I just I can’t imagine being able to move. I know it’s a ways away but just wow I mean the hip pain alone is ridiculous. I really am trying to remain positive and really really want to be able to go to Australian New Zealand but if it doesn’t happen, it just wasn’t meant to be.

My dad is here and I’m glad he’s here. He’s scrubbing my house right now as we speak with Jillian‘s help I was very happy. Jillian came up to see me today with my dad. It was so good to see her. I got a hug, we chatted. I think my dad being here and asking her to help clean the house and scrub stuff so I can come home to a semi sterile environment has been really good for her and I think it will continue to be good for her. He bribed her this morning with chocolate chip pancakes from Waffle House it made my day to see her. It’s a little things, trying to remain positive and concentrate on my exercises so my hip doesn’t hurt when I stand up and being able to hobble my way around. I am forcing myself to do my physical therapy even though it’s up it’s really hard especially with that hip, but I’m trying to strengthen those muscles.

My visitor today!

Thank you to everyone who’s reached out truly means the world to me hospitals can be a very lonely place. I know this is gonna be a long road. I am hoping that I can keep it together.

Baby steps & Insurance

ajsarts — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 23:57:07 +0000

This morning I got up and was able to do 10 steps without getting too dizzy my blood pressure to drop a little but not as bad as yesterday. I did also make it to the bathroom and use the bathroom, which was amazing the little things that happen, they give me hope.

Well, I’m now able to walk to the bathroom with a walker and use an actual bathroom. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot, but it was a huge huge step. My dad made it in last night he is currently at the hotel, love my Hotel family for assisting with the room for him. I definitely miss everybody. I miss the normalcy. I miss interacting with guests. I just miss The Hotel. I mean The Hotel’s been a part of my life for four years and I go there almost every single day and not being able to do that and not being able to sit in the lobby and interact and joking with my coworkers has been tough.

My new normal is The trying to get out of bed the using the bathroom just trying to be normal or a little normal or I don’t even know what it would be at this point. I am learning a lot about the healthcare system. I mean I always knew it was bad and crappy. I’ve been pretty lucky about stuff being covered up until today. I found out this morning. That insurance will not cover me going into a rehab facility even though that is the best course of action, they deem it unnecessary. They are trying to put together a plan that will give me the best results and insurance will cover because they don’t know if insurance will cover a daily outpatient physical therapy which is what I would need if I go home.

I admit I wasn’t thinking like that. I was thinking more. Oh well insurance will cover it. Well insurance isn’t gonna cover it so now it’s like oh what do we do now? now it is very much. Let’s see what the insurance company will cover. It is sad to know that your doctors are not in charge of your care. The people who went to school for this spent years in the field doing this, I mean my physical therapist has been doing it for 49 years and he knows what the best course of action is and the doctors trust him because he’s been doing it for 49 years but the insurance company is like nope sorry. I’ve heard stories in the past about insurance companies, but this is the first time I’ve had it happen to me. I mean your doctors recommending the best course of actions so you can get the best treatment so you can recover faster and get back to a normal life but your insurance companies like no sorry you’re gonna have to go this route which adds an additional month to recovery it’s like what are we doing here? Insurance will cover me sitting in the bed in the hospital doing nothing but they won’t cover me still in the hospital on a rehab floor. Someone make this make sense to me. I mean if I get out of the hospital, I’m saving them money and I’m closer to getting back to my normal life where I’m a productive member of society. I truly don’t understand it. I know it’s money but is absolutely ridiculous.

On a brighter note, I did walk down the hall today to the next room 609 and back without getting lightheaded, huge accomplishment. I ordered a shower bench today for my bathroom, is the one that the occupational therapist recommended. I’m trying to be a little more optimistic. I will say it’s very hard.

When you forget to ask somebody to move your bag closer to you before they leave.

Surgery update

ajsarts — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:33:32 +0000

Well, I had surgery on Monday. I no longer have the rod on either side of my leg. Tried physical therapy today unfortunately with my physical therapy I almost passed out because my blood pressure dropped. I have something called postop hypertension so it causes your blood pressure to drop when you stand up right I’m gonna try physical therapy tomorrow. They’re pumping me full of fluids so I can be released from the hospital. Dad is on his way. He left around five this afternoon. my neighbors can visit me today. They brought me McDonald’s and got my big Mac, which on the shake and my french fries very happy about that. I have a Walgreens list going that Jeff said he would pick up tomorrow after school, hoping to be able to go home, but they’re not gonna release me until I don’t pass out standing up.

I’m just very lonely I mean I’ve gotten a lot of text and everything and people reached out and I greatly appreciate it. I just feel very alone right now. I think it’ll be better once my dad gets here. It’s just a very lonely isolating feeling being in the hospital, not being able to do anything. I’m also trying to space up my painkillers a little more so I’m not so dependent on them.

Well that’s really all I have to say about today and yesterday. I’m just tired. I’m tired of the pain. I’m tired of just sitting here. I’m tired of not being able to do simple basic things I don’t want to turn into a complainer.

What my leg looks like now the pump coming out still out of it

Well, yes, that is lime Jello

Surgery Tomorrow

ajsarts — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:55:40 +0000

Well, it has been five days in the hospital doing absolutely nothing. I can say I do not do well when I do nothing had some big victories. I was able to get off the side of the bed with my leg in the rod so I have strength, which is good. It’s amazing how humbling a stint in the hospital is when you can’t do anything for yourself it’s crazy everything you think of that you can do by yourself. You literally can’t do it. I mean, I can touch my toes. I’m a pretty flexible person. I can’t touch my toes right now just because of the rods so my mobility is extremely limited. My Chapstick was literally an inch too far and I could not reach. I’m not gonna call a nurse for that, they are busy with other patients. I will just go without and have papier-mâché lips. I’ll wait until they come in and check on me. I need one of those little grabby things.

Highlight of my day yesterday was Vincent and Jeff coming to visit me. Vincent stayed for about 2 1/2 hours. It was really nice to see him, I hadn’t seen him since Wednesday morning.

My dad is coming down to help just with doctors appointments and getting me up which I’m very thankful for because I didn’t know how we were gonna do it. I offered to buy the plane ticket but getting a truck driver on a plane in the winter is very difficult so he is driving primarily because of all the snow storms up north and I think he has a I’m going to fix that while I’m down there list going through his head. And thank you to my aunts, Joan and Denise for taking care of my mom and my aunt Diane, my dad’s the primary caregiver for both of them, just making sure that they’re OK so he can be down here to make sure I’m OK is extremely heartwarming and I can’t thank them enough. I know I could ask people I know that I don’t do well asking for help.

To my coworker David, who came to visit me the first day because he couldn’t believe it and he wanted to make sure I was OK. Sorry, you had to see your Mama Thompson like this. The people who have reached out to me via text via Facebook message, via Instagram, I cannot thank everyone enough for your kind words your encouragement I am completely blown away by this. I can’t even describe how humbling it is to know how many people care so thank you to everyone who has reached out the prayers, the juju, the good vibes all of it. I am so very thankful. To my coworkers for once again just letting me throw my two cents in on the chat “no this is how you do it.” The response is “oh my God you must be so bored.” I am, I am very bored.

I am excited to see how fast I can go home after my surgery sounds like Tuesday, but I would love to be able to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night. We’re gonna follow the doctors orders, however, and take one step at a time and listen to everything everyone has to say and listen to the physical therapist. I still have a goal to go to Australia in April. I may have to cut New Zealand out, but I do really wanna go to Australia. It is a bucket list item. I don’t care if I’m in a wheelchair we can pull straws to see who wheels me around.

I will say I will miss HGTV when I get out of the hospital that is all I’ve watched. There’s some wild shows on there.

A Freak Accident

ajsarts — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 22:16:42 +0000

I admit, I haven’t been blogging in about four years but right now this is really the only thing I can do right now. Wednesday, I was painting my kitchen a beautiful teal color I was on the ladder, and the ladder started to slip, and I fell off the ladder and landed on my right leg. It was very painful. I screamed and thankfully Jillian heard me and called my neighbor. She did amazing, she was able to keep calm and take care of the dogs. I probably would have laid there until Jeff got home if she would not have been home since it was like 8:30 in the morning that would’ve been a long day in pain on the floor. I can’t thank my neighbors Vivian and Randy enough she came right over when Jillian called her. Randy followed shortly after he dropped their grandson off at school. They both were wonderful I will be forever grateful to both of them for coming over so quickly. They called 911 and called work to let them know what happened and I wouldn’t be there for a while. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance. They did x-rays and two CT scans and determine that I broke my tibia plateau, which is part of the knee.

See you can see the broken tibia

I had emergency surgery that night. I have a rod on either side of my leg and it’s just stabilized.

My current hardware

It’s amazing how something so ordinary became such a life-changing experience in a matter of three seconds, I mean, I went from being completely active and independent to complete bedrest not being able to use the restroom and it’s amazing how humbling being in the hospital can be. I admit I’m trying not to feel sorry for myself but I feel like I’ve let a lot of people down. I mean the burden I just put on Jeff and the kids not to mention my coworkers, I’m overwhelmed with guilt how I could fall off a ladder.

The staff at the hospital has been wonderful. Everyone has been so nice and encouraging. Trying to be optimistic, I admit there has been a lot of tears. And the people who have reached out to me wow, thank you, it really means the world to me. It’s nice knowing I have a cheerleading section to get me through this. I also have no desire to paint any room in my house ever again. I will hire someone to do that shit I am only partially kidding on that.

I am going to try to update my progress. Hopefully it won’t turn into a huge pity party. I’m trying to be optimistic and hopeful that everything will go well.

COVID & I am going to Brazil in 12 days…

ajsarts — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:15:42 +0000

After 2 1/2 years of avoiding COVID this past week it finally happened. I and my daughter tested positive for COVID. She woke up last Monday she said she didn’t feel good and was very tired. I made her take a COVID test – negative. She sleeps the whole day. Tuesday she feels much better but she wanted to stay home just in case. I am glad she did we talked about my upcoming trip to Brazil (more to come on that in a moment). She is a little nervous. I responded, I fly all the time. Her response I am not worried about that I am worried that you will be in a foreign country. I reassured her I will be fine, I have done everything you need to do to let people of importance know I am in country. It was a great talk and is probably how I ended up catching COVID. Wednesday, I went to work I was fine and she went back to school (she tested negative for COVID). Thursday morning I woke up and felt like death, I have never been so tired in my life. I did the unthinkable thing and called out of work. I then slept for 18 hours. I took a COVID test – negative. I woke up the next day feeling much better not 100% but much better, took another COVID test – negative. I went to work, I thought my allergies were just kicking my butt. This is also the time of year (according to Facebook) that I get “The Crud” so that is exactly what I thought it was. I go to work, work 8 hours and go home – I get home and I am tired again. I take another COVID test – positive. I also make my daughter take one – also positive. So we have been home in our respective rooms staying away from Booga and Jeff. I am hopeful that it has passed them both however Booga is saying he is tired and doesn’t feel well. Which means 5 days home from school if he is positive.

I don’t think it has affected me that much, I know food isn’t as flavorful – I still have my taste but not all of it if that makes sense. I also have a cough which is just annoying. Today my runny nose has finally stopped and I cleaned the whole house (Day 4). I have my normal two days off this week and then I do a straight shot through to the 26th of August the day I leave for Brazil.

I know why are you going to Brazil? I am attending the Pan American Congress for Les Clefs d‘Or. I was formally invited to join the organization in June and my place of employment agreed to send me to Brazil. I am going to Rio de Janeiro in 12 days. Rio has been on my bucket list for a very long time and I am so excited I get to see part of the Rain Forrest. I have been practicing Portugueses and I can ask basic questions. I think I know more sayings than I give myself credit for. I will try to write when I am in Brazil so I can keep a day by day journal of my experience. I definitely don’t want to ever forget this experience. I am also trying to pack as light as humanly possible. I think I might have almost everything I need into a carry-on (thank you compression bags). I still have some creative packing to work through, I mean I have to take a formal dress. I am literally going to need to put each outfit out and see if I have enough clothes. If not looks like the big suitcase will be coming with. The nice thing with only taking a carryon. When I come back I can check it at the gate so then I can go see the Texas School Book Depository Building in Dallas on the way back home. You give me 10 hours in Dallas – damn straight I am going to the Grassy Knoll. Yes I already have my tickets for the museum. So excited!

That is pretty much everything in a nutshell recovering from COVID and getting ready for a very cool adventure to Brazil!

John, We Will Miss You…

ajsarts — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 14:04:08 +0000

After a very long, stressful weekend, (some day I will share) I decided to take a break from Social Media for the day. Tuesday morning, I received a text from a friend stating John Davis had passed. I was shocked, I spoke to John on Saturday. She sent me the article. I couldn’t believe it, in fact I am still in shock.

John was my go to florist, he was one of the funniest, nicest guys I ever met. He would answer the phone after hours and made several miracles happen for me over the years. If I needed something last minute or on a Sunday, I would call John (and give him a sob story). He was always gracious, I would say I owe you big time. He would reply with a you have owed me for years. We would always laugh about it. Saturday was no different, I had a guest who needed flowers late afternoon on a Saturday. I called John and he made it happen and they were beautiful, as always.

I received flowers from my parents for my birthday. My mom said the only florist she remembered me talking about was John. A beautiful arrangement arrived with the note in John’s handwriting from my parents. He also threw in an extra happy birthday note. I will treasure those forever.

Being a concierge you develop relationships over the years. John was one of the most cherished relationships I was lucky enough to acquired over the years. I still have two indoor plants I received from a friend and John when I went to The Alida. Last night I replanted the peace lily, this morning the lily looked amazing. I think John would be proud of me that I hadn’t killed it after all these years.

Me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for my birthday a couple years ago.

Rest easy John, I plan on buying more flowers in your honor.

A Toaster

ajsarts — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 12:05:47 +0000

Several years ago for Christmas I received a Darth Vader Toaster from my grandma, we loved it and got a huge kick out of it. Darth lived on the counter space next to the stove. Wally recently started going through the trash again so we have been putting the trash can on the counter in Darth’s place and have been moving Darth usually to a burner that was covered on the stove. I sure you understand the foreshadowing that is coming.

As I do every morning I turned the stove on for my tea and went back to get my clothes organized for work. I left my phone in the kitchen and my 7am alarm went off. I walked into the kitchen and there was a melting smoking Darth on the stove, I turned the wrong burner on. I immediately shut the stove off and threw the metal cover into the sink. The whole house was a blue haze, which definitely makes me worry about my smoke detectors. Before you say didn’t the stove burner light go on, no our stove is on the older side and there is no light telling you what burner you have on. Our stove only tells you if the stove is on.

After the initial shock, burning several fingers by getting the metal cover and a smoking, melting Darth off the stove. I texted Jeff, I almost burned the house down this morning with a picture of Darth in the sink. I lost it, I sat on the couch and cried over a toaster. I didn’t just cry, I was wailing over the whole situation. I destroyed the toaster my grandma gave me, I almost burnt my house down, I could have hurt my dogs, been homeless and hurt my new windows all for a cup of tea. Jeff responded: That’s what really happened to the melted Vader helmet, as seen in Episode VII. Which made me laugh through the tears.

Poor Darth, I killed him.

I admit I do have a history of turning the wrong burner on. When I was pregnant with Jillian I turned the burner on instead of the stove, fell asleep on the coach and had a Pyrex dish explode all over the kitchen. Nothing like molten glass everywhere to ruin your day. When we get a new stove, I want that stove dummy proof, I want lights and a voice saying are you sure you want the front burner on? To make me think before turning on the wrong burner.

I guess until this morning I didn’t realize how much that toaster meant to me. I mean who cries over a toaster? Me, I do because he sat there watched us every day and it meant after my grandma passed in June 2020, she was still there watching us every morning. This morning that ended in a smokey, melted plastic, and blue haze. I know she was watching over me because there really should have been a fire when I walked into the kitchen and there wasn’t. I feel like I let her down because I killed the toaster. On the other hand she always said if you’re going to make a mess, make a big one. I definitely did that this morning.