Laugh for the day

I was laying on my bed planning my day when I noticed SuzyQ messing around on the table under the window.  She was whipping her tail back and forth, moving around, looking up and then down, then crouched down, even flattening her ears.  Then she pawed the glass.  She kept doing that.  I noticed there were birds flying around close to the window.  So I got up and quietly moved to the window and looked out.  On the sill there were 5 or 6 little barn swallows teasing Q.  It was so funny.  I looked at the other windows to see if they were there, too.  They weren't.  They were interacting with SuzyQ and driving her crazy.  :)

Monday morning

We had a show in Holland, MI, on Saturday.  It's nearly 80 miles one way.  Road trips usually set my nerves off and I have quite a bit of pain the following day.  I didn't this time.  I had an acupuncture appt last Tuesday.  I'm wondering if that's the way to go-have acupuncture a few days before a road trip.  Or I'm getting better and won't suffer quite so much.  I have minor discomfort, but it's so easy to ignore since I've had so much pain in the past. 

Hear me ROAR!

I am woman, hear me ROAR!

I'm feeling more like I should.  Just got done weaving for a little over an hour and got a lot done.  I'm feeling powerful, not worn out.  I'm getting BETTER!!!  Woohoo!

Steamy Sunday

We had a good visit with our kids this last week-Helen (DD) and Derek (DS-i-l).  It did cause a flare up of fibromyalgia, though.  It was worth it.  I'm sitting here feeling like someone dropped a piano on my left foot and it's starting to migrate up my leg.  Getting up at 5am yesterday and doing the market probably didn't help any.  Oh, well, stuff happens and it will pass.  :P

Rainy day

It's raining and a little stormy this morning.  Lucy is hiding and Q must be sleeping somewhere. 

Yesterday was one of the best days I've had in a long time.  Even though I was tired from the market on Saturday.  We went to church, then we both left at noon.  Terry for Ohio and me for Elkhart to meet my family at Cracker Barrel.  I felt energetic and happy.  I was even walking very well with no limp or pain.  We had a good meal and visit with each other.  Mom seemed to be having a really good day, too.  Mike got a couple of little plastic wands that flashed colored lights when you tapped them on something.  He got only one first, for Jacob-our little 4 year old great (or is it grand) nephew.  Mom liked it so well that he got one for her, too.  It was really good to see Mom enjoying herself. 

Now today is a different story.  I feel like I've been drug through a knothole backwards.  My eyes feel sort of achey or something-not quite gritty, but something like that.  They were red when I got up.  My hips and legs ache; pretty much everything is stiff and achey. 

I was feeling a little woozy Saturday morning, so didn't take my hctz (blood pressure/diuretic pill).  I didn't yesterday, either.  Took my bp this morning-99/73.  I'll keep watch of it and not take my pill until it starts to go up again.  Taking hctz when my bp is so low will dehydrate me and make me feel bad.

What to pray for:

I have prayed for good health for many, many years.  This last winter I was so miserable that I didn't care if I lived or died.  I was in pain, I had bronchitis/sinus infections nearly all the time, and attached to inhaled steroids and a nebulizer in order to breathe.  Actually, dying seemed preferable.  I haven't felt well for quite a few years and was tired of suffering.  BUT.....

Terry is always worried for me; he stresses if I so much as cough too hard.  I minimize how bad I feel since I know how bad he feels for me.  I finally prayed for health FOR Terry, not for myself.  I live only for him-not for me.  I was finally guided in how to get well and am well on the way.  I have always loved Terry more than my life, but I had to recognize that I live for him and say it before I will finally get well.

Thanks be to God.

This is sooo COOL!

James L Shirley has compiled a shopping guide of common grocery items which are gluten free.  It is a FREE download!

Here;
http://www.GlutenFreeShoppingGuide.com/download.html

WHAT IS IT!?

This device sitting on the trailer got lots of attention over the weekend.  People thought it was: a part for skylab, a booster rocket for the space shuttle, a still, lots of other things. 

This was my first view of it.   Terry had told me what it was before he came home.  It sure looked like a rocket when he backed in.

It's a giant silencer (acoustic silencer) for a giant gas pump at a pumping station in Michigan.  I had never thought of a silencer for giant motors, but it seems they should be necessary. After all, we have mufflers on our vehicles to keep the noise down, why not industrial motors?

here's the website where they are built:

http://www.universalaet.com/en/index.php

Kalamazoo farmers market, May 28, 2011

Thanks to all the people who came out on Saturday to shop at the market.  It's always a good time and it was a nice day, anytime it's not pouring down rain or snow and you can't see your breath, it's a good day at the market.

my booth

across the aisle

My neighbor, Bear foot farm, great produce and meats, naturally raised

Great day!

It was easy to get out of bed today!  It may be a small thing, but I'm happy at that small thing. 

It's hot today, again.  It seems we go from winter to summer with about 5 minutes of spring.  I'm glad we have power so our a/c-s work.  There are still people w/o power in Battle Creek and some other places.  Some in Three Rivers just got their power back after the tornado on Sunday.  I hope they get it back today.

Wednesday

Feeling beat up today.  I had an acupuncture treatment yesterday in Kalamazoo.  Yesterday was a good day-very little pain.  It seems whenever I travel anywhere beyond a certain mile limit-don't know what that is yet-I feel really beat up the next day.  The further I travel, the more beat up and in pain I feel.  I have to take Mom to the dentist tomorrow.  Friday may not be a good day.  I hope tomorrow is a good day.  We need to get to South Bend and back.

Nelson's herb farm

I took Mom to Nelson's Herb Farm outside of Edwardsburg this afternoon.  The farm was as nice as expected and Mrs Nelson was, too.  I got to pet their two horses-one a beautiful black with a bit of white down her face and on one hoof and a light gray/whitish with small black dots (could have been an apaloosa without the blanket of color on her hind quarters).  We wandered through the gardens with water features and checked out the store-it was too heavy with essential oils for me to stay very long.  There were lots of wonderful herb plants and many other decorative perennials, shrubs, roses, etc.

We went to Lunker's for a meal.  I had never been there before.  It was good and there were fish tanks everywhere. 

We really had a good time.  It was nice to get out and do something different.  I still have some pain, especially in my legs, but the distraction of getting out and doing something helps a lot.  It's nice to feel like going somewhere and doing something.  The gluten free diet is working quite well for me.

Well, it's late, and I need to get to bed. 

Finally

I was starting to get a little impatient about the gabapentin working last night.  I was still very stiff and hurting quite a bit.  This morning I woke up with much less stiffness and only a little pain-compared to what I usually have.  I was even able to do my yoga with much less discomfort and pain.  I don't think it's going to be such an issue today.  I can do my work with only minor pain.  Woohoo!!

New rug still on the loom

The rug I'm working on now.  I have more than three feet done.  The bit of masking tape on the left is to mark the length, the bits on the right are to mark the pattern.  The pattern is so subtle it's hard to see.   I'm using a purple temple (stretcher) to help keep the width tension correct.  This one is 22 inches wide and going to be 5 or so feet long.  I've made one 3'x5' and one 22 inches by approximately 34 inches in the same pattern.  

Things are looking up

Yesterday I didn't take any pain killers.  I believe now that was a mistake.  At least until the pain gets less.  I took a Tramadol this morning and I'm feeling much better.  Still have quite a bit of stiffness and soreness.  It seems the fms has gotten worse since I realized I had it.  Geesh! 

Confirmation

Thursday I went to see my NP Karen.  She confirmed that I did indeed have Fibromyalgia.  She prescribed Gabapentin and Tramadol.  They both have generics, so it only cost me $14 and change for both.  That made my day.  Lyrica is much more expensive.  We're starting conservatively and see how that works.  I'm still going to see Dr Dave (acupuncturist) and Linde (massage therapist).  Maybe with all those people helping me, I should be able to manage the pain quite well.   I'm feeling much less pain this Sat compared to last Sat.  The gluten free diet is so far keeping me from getting bronchitis. 

Who did it!?

FM did it.  I feel beaten and battered today.  We went to Lansing yesterday for my uncle Ward's funeral.  My left knee wouldn't stay straight; it kept slightly buckling, so I took my cane since we would be walking over uneven ground to the gravesite.  I really didn't want to make a spectacle of myself and fall down and not be able to get up.   It would take a couple of big guys to help me up since I weigh so much.  I would prefer everyone to remember the 3 volley weapons salute or the 'taps' played at the funeral instead of me falling down. 

Getting together with many of my cousins and my last aunt (Betty) felt lovely.  When I get better I think we need to have a reunion just for fun.

Opening day at the market

We are normally under the shelter on the right that is fenced off with orange mesh.  It has been deterimed that it is unsafe, so we have been pulled back into the parking lot.  If we want protection from the elements, we have to bring our own.

My booth.  A canopy and two tarps.  Looks  a little patched up-much more than normal.

Another view.

We had a good day in spite of the conditions of the shelter.  It was warm and didn't rain until after we all left.

Oh, my aching.......

Yeah, I'm sore and stiff today.  Oh, well.  Got lots of things to do.  Just gulp a couple of tylenol and keep moving-slowly-but moving forward.

Checked the new large totes to see if I can get the tall birdhouses in them.  Whew!  I can.  We forgot to make sure of that when we got the new totes.  I'm keeping two of the large totes we got last week, returning the other two, and buying 4 of the longer, shorter totes. 

Acupuncture today.  I think the acupuncture and massage done frequently will help a lot with the soreness and stiffness.  Monday and Tuesday were pretty good days.  Although last night I was pretty sore.  I need to jot down a few questions for Karen (NP) when I go to see her next Thursday.

More rugs retagged but not packed.

Another rug I tagged today. 

I went to get birdhouses today.  Not too many.  I need to keep things controlled and easy to do.  Inventory control of the birdhouses went quite awry last year.  This year needs to be different.  I'm coding them in the inventory number so I can tell how much I paid for and which style of each one I sell. 

Good day today

This is one of the rugs I've been retagging and packing into new totes.

I woke up today with much less pain.  I've been feeling a new vitality just this week.  I may be on the way to better health.  I sure hope and pray so.  Acupuncture and massage may be doing what they are intended to do.  I have to remember to take my magnesium, also. 

I need to see if I can get some birdhouses to sell this weekend today.  I think Helen will be coming this weekend, so have to do some cleaning.  I hope we can make her room more allergen free. 

DRAT and Double Drat!!!

We got some new totes for my rugs and birdhouses.  After careful measurements, we decided on two different sizes.  The large ones aren't long enough!  We had the choice to get some the same capacity and a bit cheaper, but slightly different measurements, and I though they would be too long.  The ones we got aren't long enough.  Grrr!

Achey, breaky me, and other things

As usual, I'm achey and sore this morning.  I have a lot to do.  I have to retag all my rugs and repack them into the new totes.  I had to raise my prices a little to reflect the increasing costs of materials as well as gas. 

Much of the market shelter has been condemned and is under reconstruction.  So we'll have to set up in temporary spaces.  How temporary is yet to be seen.

May 2, 2011

Well, the troops finally found Bin Laden and killed him.  I really can't get into the cheering, etc, although I am glad he is gone and not inciting any more terrorism against the US.  I'm just not jumping up and down and rejoicing by some person's death.  I wonder how many repercussions we're going to feel from it.  I hope this will minimize terrorism to some extent since they know they will by hunted down and killed.

Farmers market!!

Kalamazoo farmers market will be open soon.  I have to really gear up and get ready.  Soap to make, rugs to make, rugs to retag, new display to make, new signs to make and laminate, new totes to get and repack, birdhouses to pick up, new inventory control to put in place.  Lots of things to do. 

Plants and things

Last night we tore apart the garden on the north side of the garage.  I should say Terry tore it apart and I helped for a little bit.  We put the dug up lilacs, iris, lily of the valley, and wild ginger out by the road for people to take.  I hope they do.  Then Terry won't have to do something with them.

I got my microwaveable heating pad yesterday.  It is great.  I have it on my back right now.  Yoga this morning.  I'm still achey and sore.  I know what it is that is making my muscles sore, which really does help my mind. 

The dr I saw yesterday helped put a new thought on why I keep getting sick.  The fibromyalgia makes my muscles so sore which upsets me which lowers my immunity so I get sick, then my muscles get more sore when I get sick-it goes round and round.  Now that I know the sore muscles aren't because I'm so out of shape that I get sore muscles when I work, I can stop that stressor.  So then I won't get sick so often?  Fingers and toes crossed.  :)