Projects

I wish my day would unfold just the way I think it's going to when I wake up in the morning and plan the day. If it did, I would have done wonders yesterday: Working outside while it's cool. Vacuuming and straightening the house. Making my grocery list and lining up coupons for Wednesday.

Then, when all that's done, working on my sewing projects.

Sewing the lace to the entedoux on the little daygown sleeve was relaxing and satisfying. It's just getting the lace gathered the right amount and doing the pinning that takes so long. And I'm unhappy with my granitos and will take them all out and replace with French knots.

I guess it's a good thing I did that before going outside instead of waiting to reward myself later.

One of my main goals today was to clean the birdbath and neaten up the flower beds in the back yard. I can't believe I've ignored that thing so long.


I usually just pour Clorox in to sit awhile and then go back and scrub it, but I was out of Clorox. That never happens. Instead I just grabbed the laundry detergent and did the best I could with that and a brush.

It does look a lot better. Not that the birds notice. If they even come to bathe and drink, they're too worried about the cats to care whether the water is clean or not. But I like it.

I then pruned and clipped and watered for awhile and then my enthusiasm took a wrong turn.

Darby.

Sullen wet-dog expression.

She made the mistake of brushing her hot, dusty body against my legs while I was holding the hose. I sweet-talked her into sitting beside me and then betrayed her. I held her collar and sprayed her all over, telling her how cool she was going to be and didn't that feel delicious. She was having none of it though and would have run away if I had not held onto her collar - bent over - for a long time.

It was when I stood up that I knew I had made a mistake. Pain. Bad pain. I saw Darby's you-got-what-you-deserved look.

I tried lying down with a heating pad and a muscle relaxant, but getting up was almost impossible. I emailed my supervisor and begged one of Mama's pain pills and went back to bed for a good 2-hour sleep.

After that, it was a little better, and I managed to work most of my hours. It's just that it takes away my motivation to get anything done. If I sit to sew the lace on my other sleeve, it will be painful getting up after sitting. I can't do any more yard work. I can't vacuum or pick up anything lower than my waist. It will just have to wait.

And I've already heard from Emily, "So you're not doing those exercises I sent you?! It's just weak muscle tone! It'll happen again and again until you do something about it!"

What exercises?

Maybe I'll go do a search and find them.

Maybe.