Late today! It's been a SERIOUSLY off week here, due to pain stemming from several different things (more on that on Monday), my second set of SI joint injections yesterday, and a head cold that has just sent everything plummeting south. YUCK! We're supposed to have gross, rainy weather this weekend, so I'm hoping that we can all just stay in and watch movies and relax, I think I need that!
Some interesting things I found on the internet this week!
*28 Maps That Will Completely Change The Way You View Europe*
I love maps. I love demographic information. I especially love maps with detailed demographic information! Did you know that Scandinavia has the highest concentration of metal bands? (I actually did know this before I saw this map.) How does Europe do when it comes to recycling? Who has the longest school holiday? This is seriously need-to-know stuff here, people!!!
You never know when this kind of info will come in handy, so give it a look. Maybe you'll be able to win at Trivia Night, or save the game for your team in a boys-versus-girls game of Trivial Pursuit in High School by knowing of the industrial nature of Manchester, England (yes, I'm STILL proud of that!).
*Pathological Consumption Has Become So Normalised That We Scarcely Notice It*
(My computer is angry at the anglicized spelling of 'normalized' above.)
'...of the materials flowing through the consumer economy, only 1% remain in use six months after sale.'
If that doesn't horrify you, check your pulse, because I'm not sure you're actually alive. Where are we putting all of this stuff? Landfills, I know, but...ugh. The thought of all of that...stuff...being made just to be thrown away absolutely guts me. WHY? In order to feel good for a few seconds? There's no need for that, for any of it. Articles like these absolutely force me to examine and re-examine my levels of consumption over and over and over, which is definitely a good thing. It's uncomfortable and not an easy thing to do, but growth is rarely easy, and neither is change. I'll continue my path of self-examination, of making changes and buying used and making do with what I have to the best of my abilities. I realize that not everyone can do this- people with more serious medical challenges need more convenience items, for example- so that makes it all the more imperative that people like me who CAN do these things, take on that burden. And it's a burden that I definitely feel is necessary and worthy.
*Stories About Teachers Who Deeply Regret Bullying Their Students*
I love teachers. They have an incredibly difficult job, especially in today's climate of constant budget cuts that come with increased demands for testing results and fears of violence at school, and yet the vast majority of them still show up and continue to be amazing. I'm honestly not sure I could be what all those students needed me to be, and I'm so grateful to the teachers who are out there in the trenches every day.
But I think everyone has suffered a bad teacher a time or two in their lives, because there are people who just aren't great at their jobs in every profession. Whether it was the teacher who genuinely disliked kids (hello, sixth grade teacher!), the one who was great at their subject matter but awful at conveying information about it ('sup, high school chemistry teacher!), or the teacher who desperately needed a comprehensive anger management course (*stares at several staff members of my grade school, including that sixth grade teacher*), they exist, and here's a compendium of some horror stories.
I've heard some similar stories from some parent friends, and I can attest to the validity of one- my son's grade school did not allow him to keep his inhaler with him. Which makes ZERO sense. NONE. My son's asthma only flares up when he's sick, so he only needs the inhaler at that time and has time to get to the nurse, but what about the kid who has a sudden asthma attack? Is that kid supposed to just sit around and turn blue until an adult gives them permission to go to the nurse's office, and then wait for the nurse to rummage around and find that particular inhaler? (The answer is yes. You'd think that they'd be aware of the liability that poses, but apparently not, because I've had multiple friends encounter this situation in their kids' schools as well.)
*Man Discovers Family of Mice Living In His Garden, Builds Them A Miniature Village*
Today in 'People Who Have Too Much Time On Their Hands'...
I love animals. Pets, wildlife, it doesn't matter, they're awesome. But mice? They're cute, but they can stay outside, and I'm not building them houses so they can stick around longer and eventually show up in my basement (or alive in my cat's mouth, thank you SO much, Reba...). Now, if we had a family of otters living out back, I'd be all about building them slides and knitting them little hats and booties and other ridiculous things. But these are some seriously cute pictures. ;)
And lastly...
*Shot and Forgotten*
When I was younger, probably ten or eleven, I realized the premise behind this article and was horrified at the unfairness of it all. Imagine you're out and about in some public space and someone comes in with a gun and starts shooting. People around you die, but you live. You end up needing five surgeries, you spend almost four weeks in the hospital, and now you're paralyzed from the chest down. Who pays for all those medical bills?
You.
You pay for them. All by yourself.
Welcome to America.
It doesn't matter that the medical bills from a situation like that could easily mount to seven figures, or that your home is now completely unsuitable for you (I live in a split-level house. The bathrooms are on the top and lower levels. If I needed a wheelchair and couldn't walk and we weren't able to afford a lift to get me upstairs, too bad, so sad, doesn't matter), or if you can't afford a wheelchair-accessible van with hand controls so you can drive, or if the medical bills just keep coming due to pressure sores from being wheelchair bound or more surgeries to repair the damage, or even if you can't afford a wheelchair (which are ridiculously expensive). You're responsible for the damage done to you by other people and all the life fallout it causes. Can't afford it? Try GoFundMe, or maybe try just suffering, which are the only solutions I've seen a few people offer. The other favorite is, "Well, the churches should be taking care of these things!" No one ever seems to have a good answer for, "How does a church afford to take care of a paralyzed gunshot victim, a kid with leukemia, three cases of autism, four elderly people with dementia, an old man's COPD, a child's cerebral palsy, two cases of Type 1 diabetes and multiple cases of Type 2, a woman with breast cancer, a severely premature baby..." Even just one of those things could easily wipe out the charity of a church, and if you've got several, well...
We've got to get a better system of caring for each other, because this 'every man for himself in the face of monstrous medical bills' is causing too far much suffering. Along those lines:
*Caring For Children With Severe Disabilities Financially Devastates Tennessee Families*
This is another heartbreaking article I just read this afternoon, and it fits right in with the first. I'm lucky that both of my kids are healthy, but for families who were affected by illness and disability, the results are utterly devastating, and it makes me want to scream. These families are struggling enough, and the way things are set up here just makes life harder for them. I will never, ever understand why some people are so dead-set on keeping the system that causes so much pain in place.
And that's it for today! *coughcoughcoughcoughcough* I'm pretty worn out and hoping for a nice, quiet weekend here. It's going to take until next week, at least, until I'm able to be productive again, but I have a stack of library books to keep me entertained, along with the endless fun of the internet. ;) Have a great weekend, everyone!
Friday, November 30, 2018
Monday, November 26, 2018
Weekly recap: 11/26/2018
Hoo boy, did we get walloped with a blizzard overnight! This storm seemed to come out of nowhere; all of sudden on Saturday, my weather app went from nothing to storm watch to storm warning, finally switching to blizzard warning Sunday afternoon. The snow started just after 6 pm and it's still going as I type this at 6:30 am. Shoveling later on is going to be painful...
I hope you all had a lovely week- a lovely holiday week, if you're in the US. I'm going to do a semi-modified recap, since it wasn't a normal week here. Let's get started on that, shall we?
MONDAY
Not a bad day for pain; I had a sharp grinding sensation mid-afternoon, but yoga seemed to help with that.
Early in the morning, I stripped my daughter's bed and started the laundry. I emptied the dishwasher and refilled it, took out the trash and recycling, and then it was errand time. We drove to Menard's, where it took us a little bit to find a dryer vent cleaning kit (now to figure out how to use it!), then went across the street to the Dollar Store, where we bought blank stickers (for my son for school), a cup for my daughter, Kosher salt, and a basket to organize things in in the bathroom. Back home, I switched the laundry, tossed my daughter in the bathtub, and then sat there and went through some folders of old papers and craft patterns I'd grabbed off my craft shelf. In there was a Thanksgiving menu my son had made in Boy Scouts when he was about 6.
I switched the laundry and looked through more craft books with my daughter, weeding out a ton that I no longer find useful, so those will go to the thrift store. We picked up my son and then headed to the library, where my daughter played and I read Piano For Dummies. My husband joined us off the train, and after dinner, I put the leftovers away, cleaned up the kitchen, and brought the laundry upstairs. I took the garbage and recycling to the road (I just realized I'm going to have to do that tonight too! That's going to be interesting, with all the snow...), did my PT exercises, and watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before bed.
I hope you all had a lovely week- a lovely holiday week, if you're in the US. I'm going to do a semi-modified recap, since it wasn't a normal week here. Let's get started on that, shall we?
MONDAY
Not a bad day for pain; I had a sharp grinding sensation mid-afternoon, but yoga seemed to help with that.
Early in the morning, I stripped my daughter's bed and started the laundry. I emptied the dishwasher and refilled it, took out the trash and recycling, and then it was errand time. We drove to Menard's, where it took us a little bit to find a dryer vent cleaning kit (now to figure out how to use it!), then went across the street to the Dollar Store, where we bought blank stickers (for my son for school), a cup for my daughter, Kosher salt, and a basket to organize things in in the bathroom. Back home, I switched the laundry, tossed my daughter in the bathtub, and then sat there and went through some folders of old papers and craft patterns I'd grabbed off my craft shelf. In there was a Thanksgiving menu my son had made in Boy Scouts when he was about 6.
I don't even think he liked green beans at the time.
I did find some knitting and sewing patterns and such that may be of use, so that was nice.
After the bath, I brought my son's laundry downstairs (PEEEEYEW!), threw that in the wash, then restarted the dryer. I did my basement chores of scooping the litterbox and refilling the Air Washer, then tossed some pinto beans into the Instant Pot. I switched the laundry when the dryer was done, then put my daughter's bed back together, just in time for naptime! While she slept, I restarted the dryer and did dinner prep (rice bowls with taco-spiced zucchini/onion/garlic/peppers, pinto beans, chopped tomatoes, and steamed sweet potatoes), then cleaned up the kitchen and did a 26 minute yoga video and a 10 minute ab/core video.
After the bath, I brought my son's laundry downstairs (PEEEEYEW!), threw that in the wash, then restarted the dryer. I did my basement chores of scooping the litterbox and refilling the Air Washer, then tossed some pinto beans into the Instant Pot. I switched the laundry when the dryer was done, then put my daughter's bed back together, just in time for naptime! While she slept, I restarted the dryer and did dinner prep (rice bowls with taco-spiced zucchini/onion/garlic/peppers, pinto beans, chopped tomatoes, and steamed sweet potatoes), then cleaned up the kitchen and did a 26 minute yoga video and a 10 minute ab/core video.
Yoga with the cat, who thinks she's helping. This is not the closest she got!
I switched the laundry and looked through more craft books with my daughter, weeding out a ton that I no longer find useful, so those will go to the thrift store. We picked up my son and then headed to the library, where my daughter played and I read Piano For Dummies. My husband joined us off the train, and after dinner, I put the leftovers away, cleaned up the kitchen, and brought the laundry upstairs. I took the garbage and recycling to the road (I just realized I'm going to have to do that tonight too! That's going to be interesting, with all the snow...), did my PT exercises, and watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before bed.
TUESDAY
Not a bad day pain-wise.
We drove my husband to the train early in the morning. At home, I stripped our bed and threw the bedding in the washer. I folded and put away two loads of my son's laundry (if I don't do it, it just sits there and gets mixed with the dirty stuff, and then I end up needing to rewash clean stuff). I made a batch of homemade Febreeze and sprayed down my son's room (stinky teenagers! I did leave the door closed most of the day, so the cats wouldn't be bothered by the spray). I switched the laundry, swept the living room and kitchen, and then it was time to take my daughter to school.
After dropping her off, I stopped by my doctor's office for bloodwork (my doctor had put the order in last week and there was no appointment needed, they do it on a walk-in basis), then ran to Aldi and grabbed the last few things we needed for Thanksgiving and a few extras, since I wasn't grocery shopping this week. Then I ran to Mariano's, where I picked up last week's Free Friday Download (a bottle of seasoning for grilling, although I'll use it for other stuff) and a marked-down loaf of olive focaccia bread, which I enjoyed for breakfast throughout the week.
And then it was back to school to pick my daughter up! We ran to Costco afterwards (yikes, the crowds!!!), where we bought an enormous sack of carrots (which I'll probably share with my mother), dishwasher soap, garlic, and Parmesan. At home, we put everything away, I switched the laundry, and started a batch of chickpeas in the Instant Pot. During naptime, I did a 40 minute yin yoga video, dozed on the couch for about 15 minutes, then did a faster-paced 26 minute ashtanga-inspired worked (almost too fast!). I started a batch of taco-spiced lentils in the Instant Pot, then put those and the chickpeas away when the lentils were done. I restarted the dryer, made a batch of pizza dough, cleaned up the kitchen, and realized that the answer to the question, "Why the heck am I so tired???" was that because of the bloodwork, I hadn't had any coffee yet today! I sat down in my chair with a lovely mug of coffee then. :)
And then it was back to school to pick my daughter up! We ran to Costco afterwards (yikes, the crowds!!!), where we bought an enormous sack of carrots (which I'll probably share with my mother), dishwasher soap, garlic, and Parmesan. At home, we put everything away, I switched the laundry, and started a batch of chickpeas in the Instant Pot. During naptime, I did a 40 minute yin yoga video, dozed on the couch for about 15 minutes, then did a faster-paced 26 minute ashtanga-inspired worked (almost too fast!). I started a batch of taco-spiced lentils in the Instant Pot, then put those and the chickpeas away when the lentils were done. I restarted the dryer, made a batch of pizza dough, cleaned up the kitchen, and realized that the answer to the question, "Why the heck am I so tired???" was that because of the bloodwork, I hadn't had any coffee yet today! I sat down in my chair with a lovely mug of coffee then. :)
I made and cooked the pizza, then picked up my husband. After eating dinner, I ran to Kohl's. My mother and aunt had given me their Kohl's cash, $70 worth!!! I have a Kohl's right down the road; they don't have one anywhere near them, so I end up inheriting the Kohl's cash they're not able to use- my mother had mailed it to me. After about an hour and a half of browsing and trying things on, I ended up with two really nice pair of sweatpants/workout pants (I needed soft pants; wearing jeans isn't terribly comfortable for me anymore), a pair of yoga pants, a bra that actually fits, a pair of short, and a necklace. And I still had about $1.83 left! The cashier was impressed. :)
Husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed.
WEDNESDAY
Our cooking day, as my daughter called it. I had some nasty pain in the morning while sitting, which isn't normal, across my lower back and right hip. I had some tingling in my left foot while standing but not sitting, and the pain in my SI joint increased throughout the day.
The entire morning was dedicated to cooking the things I'd be bringing with to Thanksgiving dinner. Since I'm vegetarian, I need to have a main dish to bring with me, and this year I decided to forego the Tofurky (which I actually do enjoy very much) and went with a lentil shepherd's pie- I added some mushrooms to the lentils, which gives it a lovely flavor. I also prepared a layered taco dip, with taco-flavored hummus, taco-spiced lentils, salsa, Greek yogurt, cheese, and tomatoes. It was delicious and we're still eating it! And I made a batch of cheese potatoes- I think every family has some version of this. It's so unhealthy, yet so delicious, and holiday time is the only time I ever eat it, so I can't feel *too* terrible about myself for that, right???
I ran the dishwasher, switched the laundry, cleaned the kitchen, restarted the laundry, swept the floor, and did a 33 minute yoga video. I emptied and refilled the dishwasher, and then it was time to pick my husband up, early. He and my daughter played and I ended up dozing off in the chair for a bit. ;) I showered early and iced my back a good portion of the evening. I picked up my son, cast on a hat for my daughter, and watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before bed.
THURSDAY
Thanksgiving! We loaded up the car and drove to my mom's about an hour away, annoying my husband by playing Christmas music the whole time. Hurray for the holidays! :D
THURSDAY
Thanksgiving! We loaded up the car and drove to my mom's about an hour away, annoying my husband by playing Christmas music the whole time. Hurray for the holidays! :D
Thanksgiving is my mom's big day; she always hosts and goes all out.
This wasn't even all of the food!
Needless to say, we all ate ourselves silly. I knit my daughter's hat while I was there and mostly finished it; I had thought it would've taken longer, but it was quick (it'll be part of a set for her for Christmas, so I'll make a separate post about it). We stopped by my dad's afterwards to visit with him and his wife. I drove home- I was the only one awake in the car!- and the pain was so bad for me at that point that I had tears in my eyes when we got home. Driving doesn't necessarily make me hurt, but if I'm already hurting, it definitely makes it worse. We watched two episodes of Supernatural before going to bed.
FRIDAY
A lazy kind of day where the pain wasn't too bad, probably because I wasn't doing much! The only place I went was in the morning, when my daughter and I ran to Walgreens. I cleaned my daughter's room, finished her hat, and cast on a pair of leg warmers. I also took a REALLY awesome nap during the afternoon, which felt really, really good.
SATURDAY
We ran to Menard's in the morning. My husband needed a few things (and brought home a few extra things!), and I stealthilly grabbed a toy that my daughter had been eyeing when we were there on Monday, a toy beauty kit. It's something she'll actually play with, so I don't mind bring that into the house (it's the cluttery stuff that I *know* she won't play with that I'm against!). We had another lazy day around the house, where I knit like crazy. We put up our Christmas tree later on in the day.
SATURDAY
We ran to Menard's in the morning. My husband needed a few things (and brought home a few extra things!), and I stealthilly grabbed a toy that my daughter had been eyeing when we were there on Monday, a toy beauty kit. It's something she'll actually play with, so I don't mind bring that into the house (it's the cluttery stuff that I *know* she won't play with that I'm against!). We had another lazy day around the house, where I knit like crazy. We put up our Christmas tree later on in the day.
Love these two so much!!!
Finished product!
We ended up moving the tree on top of a (packed full and very heavy) Rubbermaid container and duct-taping it down like we have in past years. It's high up enough that way so that the cats are discouraged from messing with it, and you can see it better from the window like that. :) Afterwards, I helped my son out with piano a little.
SUNDAY
I spent the morning knitting one and a half mittens. :)
I spent the morning knitting one and a half mittens. :)
The highlight of this day was visiting my husband's co-worker for his son's second birthday party. It wasn't easy getting to their place in the heart of the city, but we *finally* made it and had a lovely time. Their apartment has a gorgeous view- I wish I had a better camera to do it justice. I wouldn't want to live on the 12th floor of anything (fear of heights!), but the view is seriously nice.
Blurry, but trust me, it was gorgeous!!!
The snow was just starting as we got home. Half an hour later, the car was COVERED, and it was full-on blizzard conditions before we went to bed. My son's school announced it was closed by just after 9 pm, and it was absolutely the right call. No need to have kids out there on the road, especially those new teenage drivers.
This morning, the view from where I sit looks like this:
I'm not sure what our totals were, but we were predicted to get around a foot and it looks pretty deep out there. I'm going to eat some breakfast and take my daughter on our traditional snow walk- every time it snows big, we go for a walk around the block. We've done this since she learned to walk and we look forward to it every time! And then I'll get to shoveling. My husband indeed had work today, so I'll have to dig the car out in time to be able to pick him up. I'm not looking forward to this; I'm already getting warning signals down my right leg, so we'll see how this goes...
This week is back to the grind! I've got a lot of work to do to get the house back in shape from our long weekend, and Thursday I have my second set of SI injections. We'll see how that goes, if I get any more relief. I'm starting to wonder if it wouldn't hurt if I had a full workup from a rheumatologist, in order to rule a few things out. If I get a chance to ask my pain doc about this, I will, but we'll see. Saturday, our town turns on the holiday lights in the park in the center of town, so we're looking forward to attending that. :)
How was your week?
How was your week?
Friday, November 23, 2018
See you on Monday!
Friday Thoughts will be back next week; this week I'm spending time with my family.
Enjoy your weekend, friends! :)
Enjoy your weekend, friends! :)
Monday, November 19, 2018
Weekly recap: 11/19/2018
It's getting to be holiday season, friends! American Thanksgiving is this week; I have everything I need to prepare and take to my mother's on Thursday. This has always been my favorite holiday; the food and family togetherness (and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!) brings back warm childhood memories of helping my mom prepare a meal for twenty or more people every year. I still like to show up early and help her put on the finishing touches, and my daughter might like to be put to work this year! She enjoys helping in the kitchen whenever possible.
This week was a busy one; I feel like I barely had any productive downtime whatsoever. My daughter only has a month left of the fall session of preschool, and then she'll be off until February, so that'll be a nice break in all the rushing. I'm very much looking forward to that!
Let's get started on recapping my week, shall we?
MONDAY
This was about the busiest day of all this week!
I started off the day with a lot of right hip pain (I'm finding it seriously helpful to document my pain here. When a doctor asks how I've been doing, it's really nice to be able to say, "Well, this day was good, but these days were bad," so I'm going to keep this up). After doing my basement chores of scooping the litterbox and refilling the Air Washer, I took out the trash and recycling, then swept and mopped the living room floor. My daughter and I ran to the Dollar Store for bleach and a spray bottle, and then at home, I ran the empty dishwasher with a cup of bleach in the top rack. We'd been growing some...mold? fungus? Something gross, and I wanted to kill whatever it was off before wiping it all down.
While that ran, I took out the bathroom trash and cleaned off half of the kitchen table (the other half is covered in a pile of my husband's stuff; I'm not touching that!). I tidied up a little of my kitchen pantry shelves; a bunch of my husband's stuff has been piled up in front of them for ages, making them difficult for me to get to and put stuff away in. I carried the bread machine, extra bleach, and the giant stock pot downstairs to the laundry room where I store it, and I brought back up a giant overstuffed basket of clean laundry on the way back.
My daughter and I folded those two loads of laundry (she loves to help!), and then I put them away in their proper places. I grabbed the other load of dirty laundry and took that down to the laundry room, where I got it going in the washer. By this time, my back hurt pretty badly. :(
The dishwasher had stopped by then, so I sprayed the doors and bottom with a bleach/water solution and wiped away the whatever-it-was until it looked sparkly clean. I switched the laundry, took out more recycling, and during naptime, I did a gentle yoga video. Afterwards, I restarted the dryer (I REALLY need to get that dryer vent cleaning kit- the store is in a place that makes it difficult to get to during anything other than early morning hours, and I haven't had the time to get there lately) and got my PT exercises out of the way for the day. When my daughter woke up, I gave her a bath and clipped her nails, but while she was playing in the tub, I took advantage of the time and wiped down all the flat surfaces in the bathroom and scrubbed the toilet. I cleaned her entire room AGAIN (it took about 40 minutes), and then it was time to pick up my husband.
After dinner (leftovers), I cleaned up the kitchen, took the garbage and recycling to the curb, and made a batch of Rice Krispie treats. I folded and put away another two loads of laundry, ran the dishwasher, and then watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before bed.
TUESDAY
Oof.
Not a good day for pain. I had a deep bone ache on my right side that persisted throughout the day.
In the morning, I unloaded the dishwasher, gave my husband a ride to the train, and dropped my daughter off at school. Immediately after doing that, I stopped by the Dollar Store to pick up the dish soap that I'd forgotten the day before, ran home to plop some beans into the Instant Pot, and read my library book until it was time to pick my daughter up again.
After I scarfed down lunch, I prepared a black bean/chickpea/pinto bean and sweet potato chili in the Instant Pot, and then it was time to head off to a check-up with my spine doctor. To be honest, it was kind of a pointless appointment, as there's really nothing they can do for me. "Just keep doing what you're doing," was what I got, and then we drove the half hour back home. I helped my daughter clean up her toys and she and I farted around a bit around the house until it was time to pick up my husband.
I dozed a little in my chair after dinner, and did my PT exercises that evening before watching two episodes of Supernatural with my husband and going to bed.
WEDNESDAY
My day started when my daughter's bedside Frozen table started singing at 4 am and I had to get up and move the stuff that was pressing the button that makes it sing. GOOD MORNING!!!
Not a great day for pain here, either. I had a lot of pain all across my lower back that was a little sharper at bedtime.
I made out the grocery list and did my basement chores, cleaned up the kitchen, started the dishwasher, brought in the trash and recycling cans, took the recycling out, swept and mopped the kitchen floor and the living room, sprayed down the kitchen counters, used the Dust Buster on the stairs and the shelves where we keep our shoes, and then it was time to drop my daughter off at school. After that, I drove to Aldi, where I picked up the extra things I needed for Thanksgiving. I drove home, put the groceries away in the house and in the garage freezer, and then it was time to pick my daughter up from school.
We stopped by two other grocery stores, and I think I'm all stocked up on frozen veggies for a while. (I think. That's a little bit of the problem of having the freezer in the far back of your dark, unheated, unattached, horrifically messy garage; when it gets cold out, it's difficult to inventory). At home, I put all the other groceries away, emptied and refilled the dishwasher, and during naptime, I did a yoga video.
I ended up dozing in my chair for a little bit, as I was completely exhausted (those 4 am wake-ups aren't all that fun!), and then I made a batch of dough for Double Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies (I used enough oil for one batch and then tossed in some defrosted pumpkin from the freezer; this worked out quite nicely!). I made a cheesecake in the Instant Pot, then I cleaned the kitchen and ran the dishwasher again. I put the leftover soup and chili on the stove to warm, and then it was time to pick my husband up.
After dinner, I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, wiped out the bathtub and bathroom sink, baked the cookies (the dough has to be refrigerated before cooking), scrubbed out the kitchen sink, and did my PT exercises.
This week was a busy one; I feel like I barely had any productive downtime whatsoever. My daughter only has a month left of the fall session of preschool, and then she'll be off until February, so that'll be a nice break in all the rushing. I'm very much looking forward to that!
Let's get started on recapping my week, shall we?
MONDAY
This was about the busiest day of all this week!
I started off the day with a lot of right hip pain (I'm finding it seriously helpful to document my pain here. When a doctor asks how I've been doing, it's really nice to be able to say, "Well, this day was good, but these days were bad," so I'm going to keep this up). After doing my basement chores of scooping the litterbox and refilling the Air Washer, I took out the trash and recycling, then swept and mopped the living room floor. My daughter and I ran to the Dollar Store for bleach and a spray bottle, and then at home, I ran the empty dishwasher with a cup of bleach in the top rack. We'd been growing some...mold? fungus? Something gross, and I wanted to kill whatever it was off before wiping it all down.
While that ran, I took out the bathroom trash and cleaned off half of the kitchen table (the other half is covered in a pile of my husband's stuff; I'm not touching that!). I tidied up a little of my kitchen pantry shelves; a bunch of my husband's stuff has been piled up in front of them for ages, making them difficult for me to get to and put stuff away in. I carried the bread machine, extra bleach, and the giant stock pot downstairs to the laundry room where I store it, and I brought back up a giant overstuffed basket of clean laundry on the way back.
My daughter and I folded those two loads of laundry (she loves to help!), and then I put them away in their proper places. I grabbed the other load of dirty laundry and took that down to the laundry room, where I got it going in the washer. By this time, my back hurt pretty badly. :(
Along with helping to fold laundry, my daughter also loves to decorate our cats.
The dishwasher had stopped by then, so I sprayed the doors and bottom with a bleach/water solution and wiped away the whatever-it-was until it looked sparkly clean. I switched the laundry, took out more recycling, and during naptime, I did a gentle yoga video. Afterwards, I restarted the dryer (I REALLY need to get that dryer vent cleaning kit- the store is in a place that makes it difficult to get to during anything other than early morning hours, and I haven't had the time to get there lately) and got my PT exercises out of the way for the day. When my daughter woke up, I gave her a bath and clipped her nails, but while she was playing in the tub, I took advantage of the time and wiped down all the flat surfaces in the bathroom and scrubbed the toilet. I cleaned her entire room AGAIN (it took about 40 minutes), and then it was time to pick up my husband.
After dinner (leftovers), I cleaned up the kitchen, took the garbage and recycling to the curb, and made a batch of Rice Krispie treats. I folded and put away another two loads of laundry, ran the dishwasher, and then watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before bed.
TUESDAY
Oof.
Not a good day for pain. I had a deep bone ache on my right side that persisted throughout the day.
In the morning, I unloaded the dishwasher, gave my husband a ride to the train, and dropped my daughter off at school. Immediately after doing that, I stopped by the Dollar Store to pick up the dish soap that I'd forgotten the day before, ran home to plop some beans into the Instant Pot, and read my library book until it was time to pick my daughter up again.
After I scarfed down lunch, I prepared a black bean/chickpea/pinto bean and sweet potato chili in the Instant Pot, and then it was time to head off to a check-up with my spine doctor. To be honest, it was kind of a pointless appointment, as there's really nothing they can do for me. "Just keep doing what you're doing," was what I got, and then we drove the half hour back home. I helped my daughter clean up her toys and she and I farted around a bit around the house until it was time to pick up my husband.
I dozed a little in my chair after dinner, and did my PT exercises that evening before watching two episodes of Supernatural with my husband and going to bed.
WEDNESDAY
My day started when my daughter's bedside Frozen table started singing at 4 am and I had to get up and move the stuff that was pressing the button that makes it sing. GOOD MORNING!!!
Not a great day for pain here, either. I had a lot of pain all across my lower back that was a little sharper at bedtime.
I made out the grocery list and did my basement chores, cleaned up the kitchen, started the dishwasher, brought in the trash and recycling cans, took the recycling out, swept and mopped the kitchen floor and the living room, sprayed down the kitchen counters, used the Dust Buster on the stairs and the shelves where we keep our shoes, and then it was time to drop my daughter off at school. After that, I drove to Aldi, where I picked up the extra things I needed for Thanksgiving. I drove home, put the groceries away in the house and in the garage freezer, and then it was time to pick my daughter up from school.
We stopped by two other grocery stores, and I think I'm all stocked up on frozen veggies for a while. (I think. That's a little bit of the problem of having the freezer in the far back of your dark, unheated, unattached, horrifically messy garage; when it gets cold out, it's difficult to inventory). At home, I put all the other groceries away, emptied and refilled the dishwasher, and during naptime, I did a yoga video.
I ended up dozing in my chair for a little bit, as I was completely exhausted (those 4 am wake-ups aren't all that fun!), and then I made a batch of dough for Double Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies (I used enough oil for one batch and then tossed in some defrosted pumpkin from the freezer; this worked out quite nicely!). I made a cheesecake in the Instant Pot, then I cleaned the kitchen and ran the dishwasher again. I put the leftover soup and chili on the stove to warm, and then it was time to pick my husband up.
After dinner, I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, wiped out the bathtub and bathroom sink, baked the cookies (the dough has to be refrigerated before cooking), scrubbed out the kitchen sink, and did my PT exercises.
I exercised; the cat watched PBS's Nature: Squirrels. No joke, she watched the entire show.
And my husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed. The cat wasn't as interested in that. ;)
THURSDAY
A pretty decent day as far as pain levels go!
I cleaned my daughter's room, started a load of laundry, cleaned off my kitchen island, vacuumed the rug under the kitchen table (somehow my mom got the vacuum to clean a lot better. I have no idea how, but I very much appreciate it!), and managed to braid my daughter's hair. I'm not great at doing hair, but I'm trying to get better and so far, it's turning out okay. She said the girls at school liked it. :)
I switched the laundry and drove her to school, and then I had to drive to the bank to cash a check that had been sitting on the kitchen island for a bit. After that, I drove to the library, where I picked up a book from interlibrary loan, and by that time, I only had about 35 minutes before it would be time to pick my daughter up again, so I settled into a comfortable chair to read and watch the snow fall.
She enjoyed watching the snow falling too. "Snow TV," we call it. :)
During naptime, I started dinner prep on One Pot Spicy Thai Noodles. I didn't have mushrooms, but I added some red peppers and baked tofu, and I tossed some sesame oil and extra soy sauce in the seasoning. I kind of had to prepare this in parts, working on it here and there throughout the afternoon. It's super delicious and really good cold the next day, too. Highly recommended! :)
Seriously, zucchini take like FOREVER to cook. Why is that???
In between cooking, I ran the dishwasher, did a yoga video, folded a load of laundry, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, cleaned up the kitchen, and did a 10 minute abs/core workout that always makes my abs hurt the next day (which obviously means I need to do it more often!). When it was time, we picked up my husband. I read a little of my library book, then put dinner away and cleaned up the post-dinner mess. I picked up my son at school from the field trip he'd been on, and my husband and I watched an episode of Supernatural before bed.
FRIDAY
My pain level was okay in the morning, but increased throughout the day.
I did my basement chores, loaded and ran the dishwasher, swept the living room, and then dropped my daughter off at school (Friday isn't a normal schoolday for her, but this was a makeup day from a few weeks ago). I got gas, then came home and did two short yoga videos, about 26 minutes total. I'm trying to do at least around 30 minutes on the days I can fit it in, and I'd like to add some cardio into my schedule....
I picked my daughter up from school, and at home, I registered her for the spring session of preschool and then spent some time reading about cast iron skillets in preparation for being able to use mine. I've never owned one before, so this is all new to me. I unloaded the dishwasher, organized my kitchen island, and made a Christmas gift for my mom (she doesn't read my blog, so it'll still be a surprise). And then it was off to the doctor- AGAIN!
This was just a regular yearly checkup with my family doctor. I need to schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist for an ongoing issue I've been having with my eyes, and I have to stop by the walk-in clinic for bloodwork (which I'll do on Tuesday of this week). I got my flu shot, and when we talked about my SI joint dysfunction, my doc said, "Yikes, that's really painful, and really hard to treat." Never good to hear, is it?
At home, my daughter had received some swag from the lovely folks at Nature Cat in recognition of her Nature Cat Halloween costume.
Adorbs!
I'd known about this for a few weeks after they contacted me via Instagram, but I hadn't told her, so she was delighted by the surprise, and stuffed Nature Cat has gone on several adventures with her so far. Huge thanks to the people at Spiffy Pictures for the swag and the great show!
I tried to schedule my ophthalmologist appointment, but the website wouldn't let me (HUGE exercise in frustration! I hate talking on the phone, but the website almost never seems to function), I heated an Aldi flatbread pizza, and then it was time to pick up my husband. We raced home to scarf down dinner, and then it was off to the library, where we attended a program by The Frog Lady (what she calls herself!), all about amphibians and reptiles. SUPER cool and interesting, even if snakes freak me out like no other creature. For real, I was having hot flashes during the show.
PUT THAT THING BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM OR SO HELP ME.... /Monsters Inc
This guy was cool, though. I liked him.
At home, my husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed.
SATURDAY
Pain was moderate throughout the day.
The day started off snowy. It was a heavy, wet, slushy snow, and it fell most of the morning. It didn't cover anything for too long, but it was really pretty to watch. My daughter had gymnastics, so we did that. When we got home, she wanted to play outside, so my husband took her out and I cleaned all the things that needed to be cleaned around the house, straightening things, picking up random things that cluttered flat surfaces, cleaning up my daughter's room, using the Dust Buster on the stairs and in corners, just all those fun random things that eventually have to be done.
During naptime, I did a 40-minute yin yoga video. I really enjoy the yin yoga style, as it's slow and great for deep stretches (which I need. Apparently SI joint dysfunction is responsible for tight hamstrings, which is nice to know, because I always blamed myself for just being crappy at stretching. It's nice to know that it's not actually my fault!). My cat likes it as well. During the long pose holds, she assumes I'm furniture and hops up on me, which had me laughing. :)
Afterwards, I finished a library book and started another, and I threw together a batch of breakfast sandwiches for dinner. I did my PT exercises and swept the living room floor, and my husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed.
During naptime, I did a 40-minute yin yoga video. I really enjoy the yin yoga style, as it's slow and great for deep stretches (which I need. Apparently SI joint dysfunction is responsible for tight hamstrings, which is nice to know, because I always blamed myself for just being crappy at stretching. It's nice to know that it's not actually my fault!). My cat likes it as well. During the long pose holds, she assumes I'm furniture and hops up on me, which had me laughing. :)
Afterwards, I finished a library book and started another, and I threw together a batch of breakfast sandwiches for dinner. I did my PT exercises and swept the living room floor, and my husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed.
SUNDAY
Another day, another new hairstyle for my daughter.
She really liked this one. :)
My right hip bothered me all throughout the day. Hmph.
We went for lunch and a visit at my mother-in-law's, where I chatted and knitted my scrap yarn blanket. When we arrived home, I'd wanted to do a yoga video, but my husband took a nap, and I didn't want to close the door and lock the sleeping cat in, because the cat would throw a fit- you know cats and closed doors- so instead I ran the dishwasher and settled down to work on this post. ;)
My sister-in-law and her son came over to hang out, and we talked over the screeching of our kiddos as they played. We had takeout from a local restaurant (mine wasn't very good!), and I picked up my son from his friend's house. He asked me for help with his Music Theory homework and I said of course. The assignment was to begin transposing a Christmas carol (changing it from one key to another), and I figured that would be no problem for him, but...I discovered why he's doing so poorly in the class. He apparently has some MAJOR gaps in his technical knowledge, gaps that I didn't think he had.
So, when my son was in sixth grade in Tennessee, he signed up for band- it was the first year that it was offered, and he was really excited. He played my old flute and he loved it, like LOVED it. This kid lived for band class, and his teacher loved him right back. Band was his thing. Seventh grade was the same, he adored it. We moved halfway through the year, and that's when the downfall happened. Up here, band starts in fourth grade, and the programs are much more intense. He was in class with kids who had been playing for years already, when he had just started the year before. To say that this killed his confidence is downplaying it. Band actively began to make him miserable, and it broke my heart to see him so unhappy over something he had loved so much. He finished out band in eighth grade and switched over to choir for high school.
So, when my son was in sixth grade in Tennessee, he signed up for band- it was the first year that it was offered, and he was really excited. He played my old flute and he loved it, like LOVED it. This kid lived for band class, and his teacher loved him right back. Band was his thing. Seventh grade was the same, he adored it. We moved halfway through the year, and that's when the downfall happened. Up here, band starts in fourth grade, and the programs are much more intense. He was in class with kids who had been playing for years already, when he had just started the year before. To say that this killed his confidence is downplaying it. Band actively began to make him miserable, and it broke my heart to see him so unhappy over something he had loved so much. He finished out band in eighth grade and switched over to choir for high school.
Nowadays, choir is absolutely his life. He loves it, loves singing, loves music, loves the friends he's made there. He's super involved in the entire choir program and was really looking forward to taking Music Theory this year (it's all I heard about this summer). But he's struggled in the class from the beginning. I thought it was just because it was a difficult class, but after sitting down with him tonight, I realize that he's missing a TON of musical foundation knowledge. So much so that it's obvious why he's doing so poorly, and I'm ashamed that I missed it. Once I explained the basics of transposing- how and why- he got it, and he was able to write out the notes without my help. But we're going to fix this. I'm going to head off to the library sometime on Monday to grab a few basic piano theory books and start cramming his head full of that. He's in this class with kids who have been intensely studying music since they were nine (the class is for juniors and seniors), so he's got quite a bit of catching up to do, but I think I can help him get to a more level playing field. It's going to take a LOT of work, and so after I helped him, I sat down to start reading through the copy of Piano for Dummies that I bought him last year for Christmas. I highlighted some pertinent information that I thought might help him, and I'm going to go through the highlighted parts with him at a later date. We can do this. :)
I also did my PT exercises before bed.
I also did my PT exercises before bed.
And there's my week! Despite this being a holiday week in the US, it's actually looking to be not as busy as this one was for me, so that's nice. We'll get our Christmas tree up at some point (which means me crawling into the crawlspace, EW), after Thanksgiving, of course! I'll do a post about our tree when that happens. We've got some seriously great- and weird- ornaments on it.
To all my American readers, I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving, and for those of you outside the US, may you have a fantastic Thursday! ;) How did you do this week?
To all my American readers, I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving, and for those of you outside the US, may you have a fantastic Thursday! ;) How did you do this week?
Sunday, November 18, 2018
A new twist on Gift In A Jar!
My mom likes to travel. Not internationally, just around. When we lived out of state, she got over her fear of driving long distances by herself and learned to navigate the open road, and we visited a ton of cool nearby stuff with her- places in Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee, all thanks to my mom and her newfound sense of adventure.
Even though we live in the same state again, about an hour apart, my mom still likes to travel, and so we've kept up the tradition, visiting nearby locations and exploring what's fun. And this year, I'm giving her a Christmas gift that speaks to those trips.
In 2017, we traveled to Traverse City, Michigan, a place I'd always wanted to see. It's a beautiful, charming town and I loved it there. If you haven't had the pleasure of strolling its gorgeous downtown and relaxing on the shores of Lake Michigan, consider making it a goal to get there, because it's absolutely worth the trip. My daughter still had some sand and a bunch of rocks in her sand bucket when we left, and so I took that sand and saved it in a pickle jar. It now sits on top of my bookshelf, a cheerful reminder of the fun we had on that trip, and it makes me smile every time I see it.
This past summer, we visited Door County, Wisconsin, and of course we had a wonderful time. Already thinking of the future, I saved a little bit of sand and some rocks while we were there. They've been waiting for me in a little red bucket, until I had time and materials, and today, as I was cleaning out a few things from my kitchen island, I found the perfect jar.
Even though we live in the same state again, about an hour apart, my mom still likes to travel, and so we've kept up the tradition, visiting nearby locations and exploring what's fun. And this year, I'm giving her a Christmas gift that speaks to those trips.
In 2017, we traveled to Traverse City, Michigan, a place I'd always wanted to see. It's a beautiful, charming town and I loved it there. If you haven't had the pleasure of strolling its gorgeous downtown and relaxing on the shores of Lake Michigan, consider making it a goal to get there, because it's absolutely worth the trip. My daughter still had some sand and a bunch of rocks in her sand bucket when we left, and so I took that sand and saved it in a pickle jar. It now sits on top of my bookshelf, a cheerful reminder of the fun we had on that trip, and it makes me smile every time I see it.
This past summer, we visited Door County, Wisconsin, and of course we had a wonderful time. Already thinking of the future, I saved a little bit of sand and some rocks while we were there. They've been waiting for me in a little red bucket, until I had time and materials, and today, as I was cleaning out a few things from my kitchen island, I found the perfect jar.
It's a small jar, but that will work perfectly for my mom. Once I get a detail brush, I'll paint DOOR COUNTY 2018 on the lid. And voilà , a perfect Christmas gift that will evoke memories of a wonderful family vacation for years to come.
My mom will love it, and I'm so excited to give it to her this year. :)
My mom will love it, and I'm so excited to give it to her this year. :)
Friday, November 16, 2018
Friday thoughts: 11/16/2018
Woohoo! Unexpected snow yesterday made me happy. Nothing huge, not even enough to cover the ground, but it was gorgeous coming down. There's just something about falling snow that makes me feel so elated, yet peaceful at the same time.
I've got a bunch of links this week, so let's get this show on the road!
*What Experts Want You To Know About Being In An Active Shooter Situation*
This is where we are now in the US.
I'm not getting political, this is just reality. And the reality is, I have a friend who survived a mass shooting. I have a friend whose child survived a school shooting. I used to post on a parenting messageboard with a lovely woman whose child did NOT survive a school shooting (these are two different shootings here). I have a friend who was supposed to be at that Vegas concert but who ended up skipping it and was so grateful that she did. My son's high school, which is also my daughter's preschool, had two separate threats of violence just this week. This is just the reality of life these days, because we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas, to quote the Simpsons. I'm just one single person, but I'm connected to multiple people who have experienced a mass shooting or were slated to have been at one- there is something very, very wrong with that.
So here's a good article that may help if you find yourself in such a terrible situation. The first two, I already do. I had a political science teacher who was once a building inspector, and post-9/11, she gave us a speech about always being aware of your surroundings and being aware of the fastest way to get out wherever you're at. And my doing that is partly her advice, partly my anxiety- these days, I've added 'find a hiding place' to that list (which also makes the article), because...you never know.
*'Pure joy': refugees fleeing conflict delighted by first snow in Canada*
This is beautiful!
Two children, born in Eritrea, experiencing their first snow in Canada. They're absolutely delighted with it, dancing and jumping and twirling around (I'm with you, kids; I love the snow!). How wonderful for them that they can play outside and have these experiences, and that they can grow up free from whatever strife it was that they were fleeing. May this joy they're feeling dancing in their first snowfall remain with them, always. Welcome home, kids. <3
*6 Reasons Congressional Orientation Is Basically College Orientation All Over Again*
Again, not a political post; this is an old article.
I never knew this!!! I mean, it makes sense when you think about it; of course, the new congresspeople have to start learning the ropes and setting up offices and figuring everything out, but I had no clue they had such an organized orientation to go through- how cool is that? And in elections that are too close to call when orientation starts- BOTH candidates have to go to orientation! I don't know, I just find this really neat. My congressman-elect is going through this now (someone in a local Facebook group shared this link so we'd all understand the process, which is how I found it), as is the congresswoman-elect from the next district over.
They really should teach these things in school; if nothing else, it's a cool bit of information that might have some kids go, "Huh. What else is cool about this? What's next that I can learn?"And that would be wonderful. :)
*Researches In Switzerland Are Playing Led Zepplin To Cheese*
You read that right. And I typed it correctly.
They're checking to see whether different sound waves affect the taste of cheese.
The cheese- Emmental, apparently- won't be ready to taste until March 14, 2019, and I'm insanely curious to know what the results will be. We've all seen those science fair experiments on things like "Does Playing Music to Plants Stimulate Plant Growth?" that some kid inevitably did every year (I think I did mine on feeding soda and coffee to plants. Side note: I hated the yearly science fair. Not because I disliked science, but because my anxiety made presenting the project to the judges a terrible experience. Also there were the 30 page papers my private school started making us write in the fifth grade. No, I'm not kidding or exaggerating. We had to have a table of contents, a bibliography, a Roman-numeralled outline, the whole works. While it taught me well how to organize a paper, it was more than a little stressful for a ten year-old back in 1990. And typing all that out on an electric typewriter? Again, not a fun time for a ten year-old, nor do I really think it was a developmentally appropriate activity), and they always used houseplants- maybe the next great study will come on blasting Nirvana or the Beatles at edible crops. Maybe my salad will one day have rocked out to the Rolling Stones or the Brandenberg Concertos before it arrives on my plate, if we learn that cheese enjoys a good polka or epic rap battle. ;)
And that's it for today. I have one other link...but it's so applicable to me, and so in-depth, that I think I want to write an entire post about it, so that'll be coming soonish, whenever I get a chance. And I still have a recipe to put up. I need more free time! :D
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend in store. What caught your eye online this week?
I've got a bunch of links this week, so let's get this show on the road!
*What Experts Want You To Know About Being In An Active Shooter Situation*
This is where we are now in the US.
I'm not getting political, this is just reality. And the reality is, I have a friend who survived a mass shooting. I have a friend whose child survived a school shooting. I used to post on a parenting messageboard with a lovely woman whose child did NOT survive a school shooting (these are two different shootings here). I have a friend who was supposed to be at that Vegas concert but who ended up skipping it and was so grateful that she did. My son's high school, which is also my daughter's preschool, had two separate threats of violence just this week. This is just the reality of life these days, because we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas, to quote the Simpsons. I'm just one single person, but I'm connected to multiple people who have experienced a mass shooting or were slated to have been at one- there is something very, very wrong with that.
So here's a good article that may help if you find yourself in such a terrible situation. The first two, I already do. I had a political science teacher who was once a building inspector, and post-9/11, she gave us a speech about always being aware of your surroundings and being aware of the fastest way to get out wherever you're at. And my doing that is partly her advice, partly my anxiety- these days, I've added 'find a hiding place' to that list (which also makes the article), because...you never know.
*'Pure joy': refugees fleeing conflict delighted by first snow in Canada*
This is beautiful!
Two children, born in Eritrea, experiencing their first snow in Canada. They're absolutely delighted with it, dancing and jumping and twirling around (I'm with you, kids; I love the snow!). How wonderful for them that they can play outside and have these experiences, and that they can grow up free from whatever strife it was that they were fleeing. May this joy they're feeling dancing in their first snowfall remain with them, always. Welcome home, kids. <3
*6 Reasons Congressional Orientation Is Basically College Orientation All Over Again*
Again, not a political post; this is an old article.
I never knew this!!! I mean, it makes sense when you think about it; of course, the new congresspeople have to start learning the ropes and setting up offices and figuring everything out, but I had no clue they had such an organized orientation to go through- how cool is that? And in elections that are too close to call when orientation starts- BOTH candidates have to go to orientation! I don't know, I just find this really neat. My congressman-elect is going through this now (someone in a local Facebook group shared this link so we'd all understand the process, which is how I found it), as is the congresswoman-elect from the next district over.
They really should teach these things in school; if nothing else, it's a cool bit of information that might have some kids go, "Huh. What else is cool about this? What's next that I can learn?"And that would be wonderful. :)
*Researches In Switzerland Are Playing Led Zepplin To Cheese*
You read that right. And I typed it correctly.
They're checking to see whether different sound waves affect the taste of cheese.
The cheese- Emmental, apparently- won't be ready to taste until March 14, 2019, and I'm insanely curious to know what the results will be. We've all seen those science fair experiments on things like "Does Playing Music to Plants Stimulate Plant Growth?" that some kid inevitably did every year (I think I did mine on feeding soda and coffee to plants. Side note: I hated the yearly science fair. Not because I disliked science, but because my anxiety made presenting the project to the judges a terrible experience. Also there were the 30 page papers my private school started making us write in the fifth grade. No, I'm not kidding or exaggerating. We had to have a table of contents, a bibliography, a Roman-numeralled outline, the whole works. While it taught me well how to organize a paper, it was more than a little stressful for a ten year-old back in 1990. And typing all that out on an electric typewriter? Again, not a fun time for a ten year-old, nor do I really think it was a developmentally appropriate activity), and they always used houseplants- maybe the next great study will come on blasting Nirvana or the Beatles at edible crops. Maybe my salad will one day have rocked out to the Rolling Stones or the Brandenberg Concertos before it arrives on my plate, if we learn that cheese enjoys a good polka or epic rap battle. ;)
And that's it for today. I have one other link...but it's so applicable to me, and so in-depth, that I think I want to write an entire post about it, so that'll be coming soonish, whenever I get a chance. And I still have a recipe to put up. I need more free time! :D
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend in store. What caught your eye online this week?
Monday, November 12, 2018
Weekly recap: 11/12/2018
Monday morning and time to start another week! Hopefully I'll make it through typing all of this- you'll see why in a little bit. Ouch!
It's been what felt like a quiet week around here, mostly due to my procedure in the middle of the week; that broke the week up in a weird way. Hopefully more will get done this upcoming week! The cold weather has arrived here with a vengeance, and I'm really thankful for the heated throw my mother gave to me. It's been really nice snuggling under it (and the cats love it too!).
Let's get started recapping the week. :)
MONDAY
I started off doing my basement chores (scooping the litterbox and refilling our Air Washer), then attempted to schedule flu shots for the kids and me. Our medical practice is seriously strange when it comes to this; they want everyone to get their flu shots, obviously, but there are never any appointments for this! I spent ages on hold, only to have the nurse sigh in exasperation over the system and let me know that someone would call me back when they figured everything out (which I was trying to avoid in the first place). Alrighty then!
I emptied the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen, and took out the trash and recycling, and then it was time to take my daughter to her dentist check-up. Everything looks good; we need to floss her molars, and we'll be back in six months. Hurray! Back at home, I unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen again, then prepared a cauliflower/tofu/green bean/carrot/potato curry dish with rice for dinner. I did two yoga videos, and afterwards the doctor's office called me back. I scheduled a check-up with my regular doctor for me (where I'll get my flu shot), scheduled my daughter's flu shot for right afterwards, and then they said they'd call me back- again- to schedule my son's. Told you it's a weird system.
I picked up my son from his Monday a capella group practice and read my Kindle book before picking up my husband from the train. I ended up dozing on the chair before putting my daughter to bed, did my PT exercises, then watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before going to bed. :)
TUESDAY
NOT a great pain day.
Over the past two years especially, I've developed a deep dislike for pants, especially jeans (and if you remember where the pain comes from with sacroiliac joint dysfunction, you probably understand why!). And dressing for the pain helps. Some days that means sweatpants; in warmer weather, long skirts are nice. Other days, I can pull off something a little cuter:
The pillow on the floor in the above picture? It was slated to be thrown out, and then the cat started sleeping on it, so I felt bad and just left it there for him to nap on. I had to move the mirror onto it to get a better picture, but it's back in place now (on top of the box of replacement ceiling fan, which has been slated to be replaced for...two years now? Not my job, so not my problem!) and the cat has resumed napping on the old pillow. :D
I had already voted by mail a few weeks ago, so there was no need to run out and do that. I started a load of laundry, ran the dishwasher, tidied the kitchen, and then my daughter and I ran errands. We stopped by the grocery store to pick up a bag of cheese (their prices beat Aldi this week and this was the last day of the sale), and then we stopped by the thrift store and their election day sale, where I purchased some books- mostly for the kids, but a few for me- and a long gray cardigan and a dark green sweater dress. I don't often buy clothes for myself, so this felt pretty nice!
At home, I switched the laundry and started a second load, which included those thrift store clothes. During naptime, I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher and prepared dinner, a delicious lentil loaf and oven roasted garlic Brussels sprouts. The sprouts I'd bought last week were so large as to be ridiculous:
And then it was time to take the kids for flu shots. My son was fine; my daughter, who has usually been pretty stoic about it, burst into tears and wailed. Poor kid. :( But it's much better than getting the flu, or giving the flu to someone else. My son has asthma, so we do what we can to minimize risk to him, along with risk to my parents, who are getting older and my father's already immunocompromised, so it's important.
We picked my husband up, and then I had to drop my son and his friend (and the bread!) off at World Language Night. At home, I had just enough time to shower and put dinner away before needing to pick my son and his friend up again. I was in enough pain that I skipped my PT exercises for the night, and my husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed.
THURSDAY
THE DAY!!!!
My husband had the day off, so we took my daughter to school and stopped by the library afterwards, where I picked up some light reading.
It's been what felt like a quiet week around here, mostly due to my procedure in the middle of the week; that broke the week up in a weird way. Hopefully more will get done this upcoming week! The cold weather has arrived here with a vengeance, and I'm really thankful for the heated throw my mother gave to me. It's been really nice snuggling under it (and the cats love it too!).
Let's get started recapping the week. :)
MONDAY
I started off doing my basement chores (scooping the litterbox and refilling our Air Washer), then attempted to schedule flu shots for the kids and me. Our medical practice is seriously strange when it comes to this; they want everyone to get their flu shots, obviously, but there are never any appointments for this! I spent ages on hold, only to have the nurse sigh in exasperation over the system and let me know that someone would call me back when they figured everything out (which I was trying to avoid in the first place). Alrighty then!
I emptied the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen, and took out the trash and recycling, and then it was time to take my daughter to her dentist check-up. Everything looks good; we need to floss her molars, and we'll be back in six months. Hurray! Back at home, I unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen again, then prepared a cauliflower/tofu/green bean/carrot/potato curry dish with rice for dinner. I did two yoga videos, and afterwards the doctor's office called me back. I scheduled a check-up with my regular doctor for me (where I'll get my flu shot), scheduled my daughter's flu shot for right afterwards, and then they said they'd call me back- again- to schedule my son's. Told you it's a weird system.
I picked up my son from his Monday a capella group practice and read my Kindle book before picking up my husband from the train. I ended up dozing on the chair before putting my daughter to bed, did my PT exercises, then watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before going to bed. :)
TUESDAY
NOT a great pain day.
Over the past two years especially, I've developed a deep dislike for pants, especially jeans (and if you remember where the pain comes from with sacroiliac joint dysfunction, you probably understand why!). And dressing for the pain helps. Some days that means sweatpants; in warmer weather, long skirts are nice. Other days, I can pull off something a little cuter:
Basic? Yup. Comfortable? Also yup.
I had already voted by mail a few weeks ago, so there was no need to run out and do that. I started a load of laundry, ran the dishwasher, tidied the kitchen, and then my daughter and I ran errands. We stopped by the grocery store to pick up a bag of cheese (their prices beat Aldi this week and this was the last day of the sale), and then we stopped by the thrift store and their election day sale, where I purchased some books- mostly for the kids, but a few for me- and a long gray cardigan and a dark green sweater dress. I don't often buy clothes for myself, so this felt pretty nice!
At home, I switched the laundry and started a second load, which included those thrift store clothes. During naptime, I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher and prepared dinner, a delicious lentil loaf and oven roasted garlic Brussels sprouts. The sprouts I'd bought last week were so large as to be ridiculous:
Quarter for reference. Isn't that nuts???
I switched the laundry, then grabbed the blankets off the couch and chair and threw those in the wash. We picked my son up from school, I switched the laundry again, roasted the sprouts (I waited to do this until closer to dinnertime so they'd be crispy!), rescheduled flu shots for my son and daughter for the next day (FINALLY!!!!), picked my husband up from the train, ran the dishwasher again, and finished a book from my Goodreads list. I put the blankets back on the couch, did my PT exercises, and watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before going to bed.
WEDNESDAY
I scooped the litterbox, then got all the ingredients for French bread into the bread machine for my son, who needed to take something to his school's World Language Night dinner. I then spent the rest of my free time deleting a bunch of unnecessary pictures from my phone- you know the kind. Blurry shots, things I'd taken a picture of as a reminder but no longer needed, etc. At just before 9, I left to drop my daughter off at school, then drove to Aldi. I didn't need much (but I *did* find a drawer knife holder, which frees up some much needed counter space!) and I got through the store quickly enough that I was able to run to a second grocery store. I didn't need much at all at either and I was able to get home with just enough time to put the groceries away, including out in the garage freezer, and then I had to pic my daughter up. At home, I got the bread rising on the stove top, and during naptime, I made a vegetarian cabbage roll soup at my daughter's request. I cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, and baked the bread.
And then it was time to take the kids for flu shots. My son was fine; my daughter, who has usually been pretty stoic about it, burst into tears and wailed. Poor kid. :( But it's much better than getting the flu, or giving the flu to someone else. My son has asthma, so we do what we can to minimize risk to him, along with risk to my parents, who are getting older and my father's already immunocompromised, so it's important.
We picked my husband up, and then I had to drop my son and his friend (and the bread!) off at World Language Night. At home, I had just enough time to shower and put dinner away before needing to pick my son and his friend up again. I was in enough pain that I skipped my PT exercises for the night, and my husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed.
THURSDAY
THE DAY!!!!
My husband had the day off, so we took my daughter to school and stopped by the library afterwards, where I picked up some light reading.
Light. Heh. Already finished one of them!
I started reading but dozed off in the chair until it was time to pick my daughter up. I visited with my mom for a bit until it was time to leave, and then it was off to get my SI joint injections.
To say I was nervous was an understatement. Painwise, I was around a 3-4 level, depending on what I was doing. My entire right side hurt with a burning and deep aching pain, which traveled down my right leg to my foot, and that was when I was just sitting there- so, a pretty normal day for me. They took me back and I changed into the peekaboo gown,but got to keep my sweatpants on, and then they started the IV. My veins are tiny and they roll, so it took two tries, because the first...didn't work out so well.
Ouch.
Once it was my turn, I walked back to the surgery room, where I had to climb onto this kind of narrow table and lay on my belly, and the nurse yanked my pants down. AWKWARD. Over the table was a moving x-ray device; they would use this to locate my SI joint and inject the meds (which contain a steroid) directly into the joint. Fortunately, they knocked me out first! I woke up in a different area- a totally jarring feeling!- and was able to go home soon afterwards with instructions to take it easy for the rest of the day. The office said they'd call the next day to check on me and schedule the second series of injections.
At home, still woozy from the anesthesia, I napped on the chair for a bit, then read my library book and relaxed.That evening, I cleaned the kitchen (because THAT never ends!), tidied the living room, and watched two episodes of Supernatural with my husband before bed.
FRIDAY
There was a definite reduction in all-over pain when I woke up this morning, and it was our first snow of the season!
So pretty!
Due to a busted pipe at the school, neither kid had school today (it would've been a make-up day for my daughter, but nope!). We attempted to go to a church yard sale, but I learned later that the newspaper had misprinted the start time, and no one was there when we got there. HUGE disappointment, but oh well. We stopped by Mariano's to pick up the past two weeks of Free Friday Downloads (yogurt and dried potatoes), dropped my son off at his friend's, and then came home so my daughter and I could play outside. BRRRR. I don't mind the cold all that much, but this was a windy, bitter cold, and fortunately she was okay with not spending a ton of time outside. But while we were out there, I talked with my pain doctor's office and scheduled the second series of injections for the end of November.
I was bitterly cold when we came inside and I snuggled under the heated blanket until I'd warmed up sufficiently. I closed about half of the storm windows- the other half were too difficult for me to get down, and I ended up kind of wrenching something in the upper part of my back's right side, because hey, what's a day without back pain, right??? I ran the dishwasher, made guacamole, cooked the topping for bruschetta (since I had leftover bread slices from the bread for my son's World Languages dinner!), put an eggplant in the Instant Pot, and unloaded the dishwasher.
When the eggplant had cooked and cooled, I made baba ganoush, cleaned the kitchen, and took a phone call where I had to reschedule my next appointment with my spine doc (fortunately, this actually works out really well and makes next Friday WAY less complicated for me). Afterwards, my daughter and I went to the library and picked up my husband. I baked the bruschetta at home and did my PT exercises (slowly and carefully!). My husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed.
SATURDAY
My daughter had gymnastics, so I read my library book while she did that, finishing it later on that day. We went out for ice cream as a family, and then I got ready for the evening in my new thrift store sweater dress. I emptied and refilled the dishwasher and tidied the kitchen and living room. My mom showed up, and she and I went for dinner at a local restaurant, then picked up my son and his friend to attend a performance of the musical All Shook Up at their high school. The school's Fine Arts department is superb and every performance we go to there is fabulous. We had a great time and didn't get home until after 10 pm, when I came home to clean up the dinner dishes my husband left strewn all over the kitchen!
SUNDAY
SUNDAY
My mom had spent the night, so we got up, got ready, and grabbed coffee at a local coffee shop. And afterwards, we went to a... It's kind of a combination craft show/Scandinavian festival/housewalk kind of festival at a local...it's not exactly a campground, but it's a campground/park that's home to all these little privately owned cabins, which was originally owned and populated by the local Scandinavian community. They hold this event every year where you can visit many of the tiny cabins, which are filled with vendors selling Christmas and Scandinavian themed wares. I picked up a copy of Eventyr For De Minste for a dollar, which made me really happy!
My daughter was getting hangry (she does that!), so we stopped for lunch at Olive Garden, then came home. I was exhausted; the campground is located in a really hilly area and the ground is intensely uneven. I wasn't in severe pain, but standing long amounts of time is still difficult for me, and my hips were just tired, so I read my library book while my daughter and husband played and watched Frozen. I cleaned up some of the kitchen that evening- I'm going to have to bleach the dishwasher and we're out of bleach, so that'll be on Monday's list of Things to Do, so I couldn't run it- and did my PT exercises, slowly and carefully. My husband and I watched two episodes of Supernatural before bed. :)
And that was my week! Not a fantastic one in terms of getting things accomplished, I feel. We'll see what this week brings. I've got two doctor appointments- spine doc on Tuesday, regular doc for a checkup on Friday- and we're going to an amphibian show at the library on Friday night. I've got a LOT of cleaning to do, though, and my left hand is really sore from that IV that didn't take, so it's going to be interesting. Hopefully it'll feel better in the next day or two; I have a lot of stuff that I want to get done that I haven't had a chance to do at all lately!!!
How was your week?
How was your week?
Friday, November 9, 2018
Friday thoughts 11/9/2018
Good morning! As I write this, our first snow is falling. It's actually coming down pretty good right now. I don't know how long it'll last, but it's sure gorgeous! I love snow (I don't always love cold!), and my daughter let out a big gasp and said, "SNOW!!!" when she woke up this morning. We're pretty excited. :)
I had my right SI joint injection yesterday. I'll write more about it on Monday, but so far, it seems like there's definitely a reduction in pain, so let's hope this trend continues!
And now, Friday thoughts.
*U.S. Marine families battle mice, mold, and powerful private landlords*
This is a long article, but one you should definitely read. When I read through it the first time, I found myself nodding along, because my ex-husband was in the military, we lived in government housing, and that place was pretty awful.
Not all military housing is awful. The new housing built up the hill from us was gorgeous- nice sized kitchen, stylish layout, looked great from the outside, carpet. In comparison, our condo-style place had hard tile floor like you see in Walmart, all through the house, and underneath it was asbestos. When it got hot (we had no air conditioning), the floor would sweat. I once slipped and slid a good two feet while holding my newborn; I thought for sure I was going to fall and squish him (I also fell down the slippery, super-waxed stairs when he was eight weeks old, but fortunately I wasn't holding him, and now I'm wondering if that's how my back problems started, because it's not uncommon for SI joint dysfunction to start with a fall). We had rats out front, and the entire downstairs was absolutely overrun by mice. They'd run all over my counter, the utensil drawers were full of poop, they'd run into the living room when I was on the computer. We'd call the housing office and they'd come and...put down traps. That was it. It got to the point where I didn't want to cook because I was so afraid of making my family sick with some sort of mouse-borne illness, because mice were crawling over all our stuff. At one point, we had the housing people come out for a problem under our sink, and they ended up yanking up a board underneath and there was a dead mouse in a trap under there- this was right after we'd moved in and before we'd put down any traps, so, uh....yeah.
This is a disgrace beyond words. Military families sacrifice a LOT. You miss most of everything back home, you miss time and special events with the family you make, you're constantly moving and don't have the ability to put down real roots, and all of that comes with the possibility that the military member may eventually be killed in the line of duty. It's not an easy life, and forcing these families to live in such conditions is despicable (and it's not as easy as, "Oh, they can just move!" Where we lived, rents started at more than what we made each month, and the housing allowance that members were afforded wouldn't even come close to paying for it. We definitely looked but financially, it absolutely wouldn't have worked). It's one of the reasons when I hear people scream, "Support the troops!!!!", I always think, "What exactly are you doing to support the troops?" Because I don't think the families in this article feel all that supported. I'm hoping that this article gains some traction and shines a light on this serious situation for people who can actually make a difference, because truly supporting our troops is making sure that they all have a safe, healthy place for them and their families to live.
I'm also curious if this happens in other countries. If you're not in the US and you know what your country's military housing is like, I would LOVE to hear what you know about it.
*An Australian Man Has Died 8 Years After Eating A Garden Slug On a Dare*
Uh....So....Don't do this, kids.
The headline basically says it all. A guy ate a slug on a dare from his friends (WHY? WHY DID THIS SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA???). A few days later, he started feeling ill. They thought no way could it be from the slug...but it was. Turns out the slug had been infected with a rat lungworm, and before long, the guy was quadriplegic, eating and breathing through tubes, suffering from seizures, and basically living a miserable life for nine years, until he finally passed away.
It's a terrible, tragic story, and a frightening one at that, because I don't know about you, but there have been a few occasions where I've found slugs on produce (the article specifically states to wash and check your produce thoroughly, and if this isn't incentive...). I'll definitely be upping my produce-inspecting game, but yikes. What a devastating consequence for what was supposed to be a harmless prank. Who knew that slugs could actually be so deadly???
*A Slave Mother's Love in 56 Carefully Stitched Words*
A hand-stitched cloth sack was discovered in Tennessee, with this message:
Just thinking about that makes me want to scream and never stop. What was WRONG with people that they did that to others??? How could they have done that? Where was their humanity, and how could they not recognize the humanity in these families that they callously ripped apart? The very idea of owning a human being turns my stomach, and even the smallest thought of what people like Rose and Ashley suffered is enough to bring tears to my eyes. And unfortunately, I'm seeing too much of this mindset in people I actually personally know these days, people I grew up with, who are all too quick to deny the humanity of others, who race to 'other' people and claim that since those people are different than them in some way, they're not worthy, they're not deserving of love, fair treatment, compassion, or kindness. It's horrifying to me.
I'm glad this hand-stitched bag survived, to remind us of the horrors suffered by far too many. (Are you aware of the term 'historical trauma'? Go forth and learn, my friend!). We need to be reminded of this, of the damage that 'othering' our neighbors does- at least, I can think of some people who do. And I'm sure you can as well. May the descendants of Rose, Ashley, and Ruth find comfort in their family's story being told, and may they know peace and the care and love of the community around them. And may we all be quick to offer love, compassion, and understanding to everyone, and not just those who look, think, and believe like we do.
In a little bit, we're off to a church yard sale in a nearby town! Hopefully it'll yield a few treasures. My kids are out of school today, due to a burst pipe at their school, which puts the school musical in jeopardy for this weekend- I'm sure they'll reschedule if they have to cancel, but what a bummer for the kids who have worked so hard to be ready THIS week, you know? (My son was part of the scenery crew. His work is long done, so he was happy to be missing a day of school!) Crossing my fingers that the repairs are quick and the show can go on, because I'm really looking forward to seeing it!
I hope you have a fantastic, relaxing weekend! :)
I had my right SI joint injection yesterday. I'll write more about it on Monday, but so far, it seems like there's definitely a reduction in pain, so let's hope this trend continues!
And now, Friday thoughts.
*U.S. Marine families battle mice, mold, and powerful private landlords*
This is a long article, but one you should definitely read. When I read through it the first time, I found myself nodding along, because my ex-husband was in the military, we lived in government housing, and that place was pretty awful.
Not all military housing is awful. The new housing built up the hill from us was gorgeous- nice sized kitchen, stylish layout, looked great from the outside, carpet. In comparison, our condo-style place had hard tile floor like you see in Walmart, all through the house, and underneath it was asbestos. When it got hot (we had no air conditioning), the floor would sweat. I once slipped and slid a good two feet while holding my newborn; I thought for sure I was going to fall and squish him (I also fell down the slippery, super-waxed stairs when he was eight weeks old, but fortunately I wasn't holding him, and now I'm wondering if that's how my back problems started, because it's not uncommon for SI joint dysfunction to start with a fall). We had rats out front, and the entire downstairs was absolutely overrun by mice. They'd run all over my counter, the utensil drawers were full of poop, they'd run into the living room when I was on the computer. We'd call the housing office and they'd come and...put down traps. That was it. It got to the point where I didn't want to cook because I was so afraid of making my family sick with some sort of mouse-borne illness, because mice were crawling over all our stuff. At one point, we had the housing people come out for a problem under our sink, and they ended up yanking up a board underneath and there was a dead mouse in a trap under there- this was right after we'd moved in and before we'd put down any traps, so, uh....yeah.
This is a disgrace beyond words. Military families sacrifice a LOT. You miss most of everything back home, you miss time and special events with the family you make, you're constantly moving and don't have the ability to put down real roots, and all of that comes with the possibility that the military member may eventually be killed in the line of duty. It's not an easy life, and forcing these families to live in such conditions is despicable (and it's not as easy as, "Oh, they can just move!" Where we lived, rents started at more than what we made each month, and the housing allowance that members were afforded wouldn't even come close to paying for it. We definitely looked but financially, it absolutely wouldn't have worked). It's one of the reasons when I hear people scream, "Support the troops!!!!", I always think, "What exactly are you doing to support the troops?" Because I don't think the families in this article feel all that supported. I'm hoping that this article gains some traction and shines a light on this serious situation for people who can actually make a difference, because truly supporting our troops is making sure that they all have a safe, healthy place for them and their families to live.
I'm also curious if this happens in other countries. If you're not in the US and you know what your country's military housing is like, I would LOVE to hear what you know about it.
*An Australian Man Has Died 8 Years After Eating A Garden Slug On a Dare*
Uh....So....Don't do this, kids.
The headline basically says it all. A guy ate a slug on a dare from his friends (WHY? WHY DID THIS SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA???). A few days later, he started feeling ill. They thought no way could it be from the slug...but it was. Turns out the slug had been infected with a rat lungworm, and before long, the guy was quadriplegic, eating and breathing through tubes, suffering from seizures, and basically living a miserable life for nine years, until he finally passed away.
It's a terrible, tragic story, and a frightening one at that, because I don't know about you, but there have been a few occasions where I've found slugs on produce (the article specifically states to wash and check your produce thoroughly, and if this isn't incentive...). I'll definitely be upping my produce-inspecting game, but yikes. What a devastating consequence for what was supposed to be a harmless prank. Who knew that slugs could actually be so deadly???
*A Slave Mother's Love in 56 Carefully Stitched Words*
A hand-stitched cloth sack was discovered in Tennessee, with this message:
She was sold at age 9 in South Carolina
it held a tattered dress 3 handfulls of
pecans a braid of Roses hair. Told her
It be filled with my LOVE always
she never saw her again
Ashley is my grandmother
Ruth Middleton
1921
And luckily, it fell into the right hands, people who began to investigate where it came from, who stitched those words, and who Rose and Ashley were. And they were indeed real people, a mother who was a slave, and whose nine year-old daughter was indeed sold and whom she never saw again.Just thinking about that makes me want to scream and never stop. What was WRONG with people that they did that to others??? How could they have done that? Where was their humanity, and how could they not recognize the humanity in these families that they callously ripped apart? The very idea of owning a human being turns my stomach, and even the smallest thought of what people like Rose and Ashley suffered is enough to bring tears to my eyes. And unfortunately, I'm seeing too much of this mindset in people I actually personally know these days, people I grew up with, who are all too quick to deny the humanity of others, who race to 'other' people and claim that since those people are different than them in some way, they're not worthy, they're not deserving of love, fair treatment, compassion, or kindness. It's horrifying to me.
I'm glad this hand-stitched bag survived, to remind us of the horrors suffered by far too many. (Are you aware of the term 'historical trauma'? Go forth and learn, my friend!). We need to be reminded of this, of the damage that 'othering' our neighbors does- at least, I can think of some people who do. And I'm sure you can as well. May the descendants of Rose, Ashley, and Ruth find comfort in their family's story being told, and may they know peace and the care and love of the community around them. And may we all be quick to offer love, compassion, and understanding to everyone, and not just those who look, think, and believe like we do.
In a little bit, we're off to a church yard sale in a nearby town! Hopefully it'll yield a few treasures. My kids are out of school today, due to a burst pipe at their school, which puts the school musical in jeopardy for this weekend- I'm sure they'll reschedule if they have to cancel, but what a bummer for the kids who have worked so hard to be ready THIS week, you know? (My son was part of the scenery crew. His work is long done, so he was happy to be missing a day of school!) Crossing my fingers that the repairs are quick and the show can go on, because I'm really looking forward to seeing it!
I hope you have a fantastic, relaxing weekend! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)