Trudy: The hardware was actually not a big deal. I had the screws on the left foot removed after a couple years because they were bothering me, but the pins in the right foot, I've never even felt. And they don't set off alarms!

Are you having both feet done at once? I didn't, so I could still be somewhat ambulatory, but if I'd had anyone to help me out, doing them both at once and getting it over with would have been better.

Did you get the operations done because your feet were in a lot of pain, Zen? Or was it mostly cosmetic reasons? (And wearing through your shoes way too fast?)

David, powells just laid people off. So that may be why no one is going that route...

Did you get the operations done because your feet were in a lot of pain, Zen? Or was it mostly cosmetic reasons? (And wearing through your shoes way too fast?)

Yes, to all three. My feet had never hurt, even when I was wearing high heels all the time, until I got into my 40s and I guess they'd just had enough. I'd wanted to do it for cosmetic reasons, because it was so hard to find shoes that didn't hurt, and, well, my feet looked weird. When I started getting shooting pains in my toes and instep, I was all, "Yay! Now the insurance will pay for it!"

My BFF in Charlottesville had foot surgery that sounds similar to what you're discussing. I went up and stayed with her for a week while she recuperated, as she needed someone else to walk the dog, drive her places, etc. She recovered pretty quickly and was back to tossing people around the aikido dojo within a month or so, I believe.

I don't have pain, except when I try to wear high heels, so I guess I'm not quite ready for surgery then.

I had a toe on each foot straightened and bone spurs removed. In my case, the stress on the hammertoes got to the point that they spasmed whenever I took weight off my feet. I lost the genetic lottery and got my father's feet, which kept him out of WWII.

The most painful thing post-surgery was driving, particularly a stick shift, and getting to my third floor office on a building without elevators. I found that was easier if I gave up entirely on dignity. I was back at work in five days, but that's because I'm insane. I rolled around in my desk chair a lot.

My surgeries involved breaking and setting many bones. I was off work for six weeks. I told my boss's boss I could come back sooner, and she shrugged and said, "Why? You can get short-term disability; take it," so I did.

Freaky San Francisco weather today: [link]

Vegetable roasting question:

I have sucessfully roasted brussel sprouts, but now I have some cauliflower and tiny potatoes. How long should they be roasted and at the same temperature?