Wednesday WIPs: On the Ball

 

I knew I was finally getting on the other side of this when I woke up caring about what my house looked like. The first thing I did was blow up my exercise ball anticipating that I would soon be needing it for some rehab. I like to sit and knit on it. When I was teaching, I always had one in my classroom. After missing the entire second week of school one year, I learned my lesson and took all this back stuff very seriously. I started and ended my day with a good stretch out and sat on it when I had the rare opportunity to sit. 

There were so many things that needed catching up on. The floors were a disaster. Vacuuming with my little cordless wasn't a problem but mopping would be so I did the washrag shuffle. The rest of the day was spent recuperating but at least I had accomplished something.

The poor Mister had to create his own 72nd birthday celebration yesterday. I sent him to the store for a cake and this is what he came home with. I was expecting something a little more festive tbh.  His old work buddies are taking him out to lunch today so there's that. We do what we can at our age. 

TNT: Nothing to See Here

 

There's no way I could bend over a project knitting, stitching or otherwise so I've got nothing to show off this week. I did make a trip across town with The Mister to pick up an online order of groceries yesterday and make a brief run into PetSmart to get Pup's food. It was too much, too soon and I paid the price for it yesterday afternoon.

I have added these to my collection of back pain remedies. I should mention that this particular episode isn't worse than the others, it's just the first time I've ever had to go without an anti-inflammatory.  I can't take Motrin or any NSAID with another medication the doctor put me on in January. I swore I wouldn't go down the interaction rabbit hole I saw my parent's go down as they aged but here we are. To say I'm furious with this old body after living my life in a way not to get to this point is an understatement. If I'd have known, I would have enjoyed myself more. 

This Little Piggy

 

It's always a good sign when my little pig friend comes out to rub those sore spots away. I couldn't think of it on Friday or Saturday but yesterday it hurt so good. Him and I have been through a lot together. When I had my first episode many years ago after a fall that sent me to the ER, massage was suggested and this guy would do it all.

Another good sign is that I was hungry. I hadn't eaten much over the weekend. I was too overwhelmed with misery to think about food but yesterday I sent The Mister out to get me a veggie sandwich from Subway or as he calls it "a lettuce sandwich" since I only have veggies on it. No sauce. I know it was too many carbs for one sitting but I ate it all. I'll be more careful tomorrow. Right now I'm going to enjoy a full belly.

Lucky Me

 

I've had the good luck of having all of The Mister's hip and knee replacement doo dads to use while I am hobbling around with my bad back. I took his cane out for a brief stroll yesterday.

This is not my first rodeo with this bad back thing. I do it from time to time for no apparent reason but it's my first time with all the toys. The pincer thing is really handy when it comes to feeding the critters. The walker gets me from points A to Z. I'm at the phase now where I have to walk and do several sets of dead bugs, bridges and windshield wipers a day. Those of you with back issues know exactly what I'm talking about and if you don't consider yourself lucky.

In between all that PT I've been spending time on a heating pad watching old movies and trying to do some knitting but not getting very far since I can't get comfortable. I'm losing patience with being down and out. I'm not going to make a good very, very old person. Doing nothing is absolute torture and Pup and The Mister are getting the worst of it I'm afraid. 

I do have to thank Lucy in Kentucky for brightening my day by sending me this year's Derby pins. She also enclosed this Taylor Swift book knowing what a big, old Swiftie I am. I've got a bad case of wedding fever at the moment wondering what that wedding gown is going to look like. You know I'm going to have to make a copy for Taylor Barbie. Thanks, Lucy!

High Flight

 

And while with silent lifting mind I've trod

The untrespassed sanctity of space

Put out my hand 

and touched the face of God. 

-John Gillespie Magee Jr.

Whew....Now that's a happy ending. Best three of hours of TV ever. 

Friday Fluff: What a Pain

 

I was really excited about The Mister going off to play golf yesterday. I had plans. Big plans for a day all to myself and then...somehow I managed to do something extremely painful to my back that kept me on the couch all day in misery. I watched old movies and spent some time with my handspun projects. I retired another marker on the Pi Shawl. I only have this far to go now. 50 stitches to be exact. 

It was a cold morning so I enjoyed pulling the Garter Squish over my lap while I worked on it. I changed colors I hope for the last time. I'll have to see how it plays out with the rest of it. I'm looking for a balance.

Neck pain, migraine and now back spasms. I've really had a week with this old body. It's a good thing I didn't have anything important to do. One of the movies I watched had Bette Davis crocheting her way through a murder trial. It made me think of the orphan handspun Grannies I had sitting by the Ladybug. I added two more to the pile. Crocheting with wonky handspun is a challenge. I have no plan for any of them. It's just nice to pick up a hook now and again to remind myself how bad I am at it. 
 

Spring Cleaning

 

Yesterday was a blissfully calm day. I even got to do some puttering in the upstairs craft room. I cleaned out and organized my yarn closet which is a chore that I always look forward to. So many projects to be. I know I'm in fantasy land while I'm in there but I don't care. It's a place I like to visit and where I feel most at home. 

Imagine my surprise when I found this. Back in winter I wanted a pink hat. I thought one ball of Brava chunky would do it but it didn't. Following the pattern, I made a hat that was too small. I only had that little ball left and didn't want to order another whole skein for the few inches I needed. Much to my surprise I found two more balls of Brava in the exact color in the closet. If I had looked around I could have saved the hat. I can just knit another one with those two balls but that will have to wait until next winter. As cold as it is right now, I don't want to be working on winter things.

And how about a Betty brag? She's making bubbles regularly now. This is just a small bit of starter I made for bread this morning with some discard and she rose up quick as can be. As happy as I am with the bubbles, I miss Betty White. This Brown/White hybrid is too sour for my taste. I'm going to have to work on transitioning her even further before I bake again.