A Bit of This and That Before Rhinebeck 2015

In many ways, I have been up to a lot. 
In many ways, not so much.

Most of August, and all of September, I was battling a new pain issue, but related to old shit (old shit: four herniations, two in neck, one in shoulder area, one in lumbar, all dating back to the Epic Rear-Ender of 1999). Between "spondylitic changes" (subtext: arthritis) and osseophyte formation (subtext: bone spurs) at the site of the old herniations, this new variation in my pantheon of pain issues pretty much sidelined me.

Whereas June was a productive month, with me producing three Piquant shawls and finishing off a cardigan and finishing off a shrug (the latter I started Labor Day weekend 2014), August and September have been a challenge as the new pain is directly impacting my ability to bend the elbow as well as throw my yarn over my hook.  For at least two weeks in September, I was sporting a neck brace. Good times.

With crocheting (temporarily, I hope) curtailed, I tried to distract myself with other things, such as organizing my button stash, destashing orphaned or remnant skeins of yarn, and trying to get myself organized for my sewing project (which has been languishing for several years). 

I also came across this great documentary "Unravel," about how clothing donated from the west, goes on to be broken down and recycled in the east.   It's interesting to see what the folks on the receiving end speculate about how our nearly perfect cast-offs end up there. 

Earlier this month, I had to go in for (what was intended to be) a fine needle biopsy of my thyroid (a follow up to the one done in 2012). Afterwards, I treated myself to lunch, yarn shopping and a trip to a favorite butcher. The yarn I procured was some Ella Rae merino in a chunky weight.

I bought four skeins (why? why do I do this to myself?), which comes to a total yardage of 448 yards (if I remember correctly) and is not sufficient for a sweater, and I'm not into hats or scarves, though at the moment, I am trying to burn through my stash by making Piquant shawls (truly a great pattern and a great use for these orphaned skeins).

So what to do? It was truly a gorgeous color combination, and you know how it is, once you touch it, the connection starts, and you start to bond with the yarn, and well, these sales are incredibly easy. Tough to fight the compulsion. Anywho, this is the balled up gorgeousness.

So, about ten days ago, I started to feel as if the new pain situation was diminishing, and I was able to start hooking again, and like a fiend, I hooked up two loop through (wristlet style) bags, using up some macrame cord which was in the house, just to burn it up and get the cord used up and out of the house.

I also was feeling well enough to start yet another Piquante, and now I'm worried and in pain again. I hate being this way. I suspect as I get older, this will become a much more common theme for me. So I'm on high alert, and hoping to explore some other ways to manage this ongoing problem with my pain.

Yesterday, since I *had* to get out of the house early for a dental appointment, I did manage to continue eastward to Stamford for the Art is You Trunk Show at the Sheraton.  Even though while I was there, I really steeled myself against impulse buying. I'm aware of how fortunate I am to say, I do not really need anything. And I'm trying to curtail impulse buying and am forever in "Clutter Abatement Mode." Be that as it may, I did manage two judicious purchases, a vintage brooch, and a peacock feather stencil.

While there, I met up with a friend from the blog-o-sphere, who I am also friends with on Facebook, and sadly, no photographic portrait of that special moment of meeting Rice and her husband (the ever gorgeous) Earl.  It was great to meet her and "talk shop" (creatively), even if it was for a short while. Perhaps next year (now that I know about these retreats), I'll consider taking a workshop (or even try to convince the husband to join me--but you know how well those types of "convince-ments" end up). All in all a lovely day.

Today, I am hell bent on hanging up new drapery hardware, as two weeks ago I had the windows in my condo replaced (and as a consequence/coincidence, we got rid of the stank ass, old filthy mini blinds which were here when we bought the place 12 years ago). My bedroom window has been without coverings for two weeks, and it's impeding certain personal activities, so today is the day I'm dealing with drywall anchors and trying like hell to get everything involved to just co-operate. The pain in my neck/shoulders/elbow, of course, are now getting aggravated, what with all the activity involving my arms being above my head. 

The Maharajah now is involved (subtext: doing what he thinks he needs to do, but not listening to me), which is leading me to be MORE stressed out (aneurysm inducing levels). So rather than have a koniption fit, I'm in my spare room trying to calm down, and "center my DIY chi." I'm trying to do this, of course, by looking at photographs of pugs (hey, it was either this or GIN, and I figured if I tried the latter, then there's no hope at all of finishing anything today). 

I  have pre-emptively hosed the bathtub down with scrubbing bubbles, so if I do manage to get the hardware hung in the next hour, a hot soak will be my reward, motivation and dopamine willing!!