The Past, The Present and The Future; Past Email Conveys Information About the Broken Hand; Surgery May Prove Necessary; Future Mobility Uncertain; Appointment with Hand Surgeon Difficult to Obtain But Help Comes From a Trusted Doctor; The Present Brought a Prompt Appointment; Incredible Up-To-Date Statistics; Laugh and the World Laughs With You Explained; Cartoons and Statistics Provided 

At this point in time I am intending to make this blog short and sweet. But with me: Who knows?”

The Past 

First: The Past. Emailed Computer Guru. Subject Line: All Bets are Off. 

Me: All bets are off is a unique expression which I do not know the meaning of. Anyway – as usual all major events in my life are announced on my blog and this one was. I broke my right hand – it has been broken for two weeks actually. I am able to type. Did not know it was broken until M.D. returned and had an X-ray. I may have to have surgery and I have no idea what this will do to my ability to write. I will find out more today hopefully. So I am not sure what this will mean. It is stupid to make plans that might not have to be implemented. I could do pod casts instead – that being one idea. But who doth know at this point in time.

He: Wow what a pain, (*you should have seen the other guy, she said)

Me: That is SO funny. It is definitely going on the blog. 

He: I’m impressed you can still type! take care for now xx  

Me: Yes! It is amazing I still can type but that may soon change. I need hand surgery as the break is near the base and has not healed correctly as I did not know the silly thing was broken. I have been referred to a plastic hand surgeon who is to call with an appointment. There is usually a wait of two months to even get an appointment but my incredibly wonderful doctor is my champion. She conversed with a colleague who agreed that surgery was probably necessary, called the surgeon who looked at the x-ray. He agreed and his office is to call me with an appointment today. It seems like a miracle to me. I am so blessed. 

So with the surgery and its recuperative period who knows whether I will have the same mobility?  Today’s chore is to wait for the call and go and get a hand brace that will totally immobilize the hand.  There is also the availability of cannabis cream as it is legal in Canada. Remember Adam Temple – a man from my Vancouver days. He was at the forefront of legalization, made him a multimillionaire. He gave me cannabis cream for my right knee, pre surgery.  It took away the pain. However, he bit the dust a few years ago. Me and men. Hahaha ????

Me: Well off to more coffee and my fans. Announced the break on Instagram and actually getting sympathy. The post has great music. Look it up. Hahaha Later, Alexis 

The topic in the first email did change, becoming more relevant and serious. 

Me: What did happen with the statistics project?  You seemed to loose steam, 

He: I’m still keeping an eye on the numbers from the now updated and secure statistics plug in.. here’s todays figures..you’ll notice the new font and they’ve moved the all time’ total, why would they do that, it was my favourite bit!  

fear not the total is still available, I’ll fire that over next time.. the last year/ this year figures are a nice touch. 

Chris sent a copy of today’s figures which shall be attached to the blog. They utterly blew me away. The year to date was the one that caused this response. 

Me:  All I can say is: WOW!!  this is only February and look at my year to date???? Well the end of February – but still. 

As you shall soon see, there have been 1,683 visitors making 5,290 views. That is not chicken feed, a slang expression. Its meaning: a  paltry sum or an insignificant sum of money.  Used in a sentence: “She’s so rich that $1000 is chicken feed to her. small change, as pennies and nickels.”  

The number of viewers is not insignificant. The number of views is the opposite of paltry, it is substantial. Studies of blog viewing behavior show that people go on once or twice, never visiting again. My statistics show that people go to the blog, visiting again and again and again. 

Needless to say, the thought of not being able to provide the ‘product’ is frightening. It is necessary to be patient and trust. Panicking about being incapacitated in the future is fruitless. 

The Present

I had returned from a visit to my favorite hair salon. You shall hear, in the future, of the visit and view photos of me in all of my glory. Got home, nervously awaiting a call. Completed the obligatory Dhuhr prayer when the phone rang. It was the surgeon’s office. I have an appointment for Friday morning of this week.  I am so thankful, I am so blessed. 

The Future 

There are so many unknowns. The surgery might interfere with Ramadan, might interfere with plans for online studies, might interfere with a return trip to Saudi Arabia, might interfere with correspondence with many afar. Peace of mind requires patience, requires a belief that Allah is Merciful and Compassionate and a basic and fundamental trust that following His guidance will get you on the the Straight Path. I am just setting out on that Path but it feels that some process is being made. 

So this is short and sweet. My hand hurts. There is hope however. The New Yorker magazine arrived today with some funny cartoons to cheer you, hopefully. The fabled statistics are also there for the viewing. One of them is a reminder NOT to have guests visit. Another a bedtime story with a happy ending. 

It snowed again, very beautiful. Thankfully it is minus ten, therefore, the snow will not melt making it icy. I am an optimist. 

An optimist is a person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future or the success of something. It is also a person who believes that this world is the best of all worlds or that good must ultimately prevail over evil. Guess I am a double optimist. 

Just remember Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone. Goggling this expression will tell you this.  “People prefer cheerfulness in others. A person who is cheerful will have company, but someone who is gloomy will often be alone. This expression was coined by American poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) in her poem “Solitude” (1883): Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone.Ella Wheeler Wilcox, a poet of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, is the author of this saying. “ 

Hopefully, the cartoons are going to make you laugh. I tried. Please cheer up.