Movement Restricted Monday

So, I am a little troubled lately by the aches and pains that seem to be increasing in my life.  I am having a lot of pain in my back, knees and hips lately.  I do have an autoimmune condition that I have dealt with for many years, i am wondering if this is something related.  If so, perhaps my new-found commitment to cut out some sloppy eating will see results in my aches and pains.  I know before when i am in an autoimmune flare, i have a lot of general soreness and fatigue that is helped by multi facted approach (rest, meditation, movement, nutrition, supplements and yes, sometimes medicine).  I also know that since i am up about 15 pounds, that could be a big factor, so that might also benefit from my diet.  That being said, i am approaching mid 50's, so i am told - get used to it by several people!

We are having some overcast skies and a little bit of relief in this hot weather.  We have chances for rain every day this week - we have our fingers crossed - so dry here!  Saturday we took 2 large chests from my guest room i am redoing - my neice decided she just couldn't find time/room to get the furniture, so we took it to my sister in law's consignment/2nd hand store.  I have also recently sold 3 golf clubs, a motorcycle seat back rest and some Harley Davidson luggage.  Here is a picture of the backpack i sold for $100!

This back rest we sold for $175!  

I ordered the 2 cubes from Ikea that will be replacing all the large, heavy and dark wood furniture that came out of the guest room.  Pictures to come - it will take a month to get the pieces delivered and another few days to put it all together!  LOL

DH and my anniversary is tomorrow.  DH let's me buy whatever i want for the house.  One year we got a windchime.  One year a tree, etc.  This year i got 2 new crepe myrtles - the fragrant white Nachez crepe myrtle.  I planted them Saturday in the late afternoon heat and it was hot digging holes for them!  The ground is so dry and hard here, i was worried i would not be able to dig deep enough!

This is what they will look like.

I also took my potted geraniums and planted them out in my raised beds.  I got these geraniums from friend so i hate to lose them, but they are sort of boring little blooms and not a great pink, just a pastel - sort of boring.  I also moved some portulaca (i had to look up how to spell that!) that was growing in a pot.  I am trying to move as many of my perennials from pots to beds so i don't have to winter so many pots in the house this winter!  The advantage is, i had a lot of pretty greens that i wintered inside to provide color and interest in my deck pots and only bought a 6 pack of petunias and a 6 pack of impatiens to spread out with the greenery (vinca, asparagus fern, airplane plant, mother-of-millions and purple heart).  Next year i am going to do the same thing - focusing on these plants that do well and buy a few pretty flowers to add pretty color.  I am looking for a couple of the cool iron planters to add some height at the corners of my deck.  I saw some beautiful ones at the nursery Saturday but they were $100+ each!  I also planted a hyacinth vine that i started from a seed - it is already way bigger than 2 clematis i bought - but clematis are sort of slow to get started - and the hyacinth vine is an annual.  But they grow really fast - so i am going to try to plant several from seeds next year really early, like late winter.  I also see that some of my lettuce has gone to seed and i am going to see if i can get a little lettuce from seed next year.

I am such a garden nerd, that i have big plans that inspire me that involve design and seeds.  LOL.  My DH thinks i am making the yard way more complicated, but i really do have a 2 year, 5 year and 10 year plan.  My plan is to get many areas of my garden/yard so that i can do as much or as little as i want from year to year (i.e. raised beds, bushes and mostly potted flowers).  But i really do enjoy creating it a lot.  I intend to get to a point where i am just maintaining...wonder if i am kidding myself?!  LOL

I know much of my plans will be evolving and from trial basis - what i learn and adjust.  For example, in out front yard it is very sunny so i have English ivy (don't worry, it is contained to a small area) and cactus and i am increasing the cactus and succulents to reduce how much i have to water out front.  Right now we are watering even the bushes and shrubs, do to this dry summer we are having.  The important thing is 1)  i enjoy it and 2)  i hope it makes the house look nice and someday 3)  increase selling time/value.

This little cactus my friends from Florida mailed me a piece and i am going to keep it going/repot it.

What is your summer plans looking like where you are?  

hump day

Well I am really enjoying these longer days and warm evenings and so are my tomatoes!

I just hope they actually produce some good tomatoes.  I learned the hard way last year not to get water on the leaves and burned up my tomatoes last summer.  We just got a few really puny ones.  But our cherry tomatoes have always produced by the bucket-full.  This year our cherry tomatoes (on our deck) aren't doing anything.  I would have figured it was the frost we got in late April, but we also bought some decorative grass from same store that is not doing anything either.

Has been pretty hot and humid until late last week.  The heat and the work computer being down all last week promted me to find something inside to work on.  I have been wanting to streamline my home and reduce clutter (have been doing this for 10 years!).  I have a nice sized home, and love our high ceilings, but we still have to much stuff to comfortably store/access/clean around...so I have been doing another round of clearing stuff out. I work in a tiny office and am lucky to have high shelves, but wanted to put extra throw pillows way up high...so I had do something with the heavy boxes of pictures/letters/cards on the higher shelves.  Plus, I am liking my idea of storing light stuff up high.  

So I decided to go through the boxes and scan the photos and keepsakes I want to retain electronically and other than a very few printed out photos, burn all the originals.  I know it would be impossible for some people to do this - burn a picture.  But DH and I have no children so pass this on to.  Most of it is just personal stuff for me.  But photos of relatives and my family I am passing on to my sister and my niece and nephew.  

I even did my school year books, all 13.  I am only going to retain my senior scrap book and yearbook until my 40 high school reunion (God willing).  It has been a long job.  I just did a little everyday.  But I am going to have a cathartic burn pile when I am finished this week!

This plus another crate I will burn in my fire pit Friday or Saturday.  This is all I have left to go, a small pile of photos/cards and 4 more year books.  

I have gone from 4 of these big heavy boxes to 2.  One for me and one for DH.  His is FULL.

I am taking another car load to my sister in laws store to sell.  The house is looking clearer and more streamlined, easier to clean around and all the rooms function in at least one way - some two.  For example in my sitting room I can do yoga, or crafts, or just sit and watch TV.  The closet in that room is my "office".  I took the door off and fashioned a "desk" out of the lowest shelf.  Above the shelf to save space a strung led string lights.  2 shelves above that are my office supplies and the unit hanging behind my paper/envelope holder.  I have a chalk/board/metal magnet holder and a cork board next to it.  I LOVE the coziness.  Anyway, I usually work in the breakfast nook in the mornings enjoying the east view and the yard/birds/watching my dogs play.  Then in the afternoon I move to my closet and can darken it and have the ceiling fan to help keep that room really cool.

Hope you are staying cool and enjoying some fresh produce!  I cooked up a big bunch of rainbow chard last night.  Tonight we are having salad.  The lettuce is going crazy and will wind down in the next couple weeks.

Whew Weee, I am Tired

We just got back from RH.  I drove, DH napped.  I listened to my library book to help pass time.  Made the drive quick.  We are in full on "moving mode" now.  Moving couple pieces furniture each trip (4 hrs one way).  RH getting full, so I did about an hour work in attic and 15 min each couple closets.  My sis and neice came and hung out.  I gave them christmas stuff, rubbermade totes, bedding, pottery, blanket rack, cedar chest.  Took load of stuff I cant fit to SIL store.  She bought a dress form from me, we bought clock motor from her (almost same amount, that is convenient).  FIL had been sick head cold, their pup in ornery bitting stage.  BIL concerned about his job driving for a large company.  They are winding down his moms estate.  Told SIL and MIL of my heavy and worry for mu DGM, my Cousin and my great aunt.  I know faith is my answer.  It is all in Gods hands.

Got back to city, took 6 bags to thrift store, sold a travel golf bag.  My back is tired.  Time to grocery shop after lightening my load and car.  Then dinner and lunches fixed.  4 suits of DH mailed.  Then to bed!  Ready fir last Monday of my last January of my last winter in this city/state!

Overwhelmed?

Today I read an anonymous prayer "I pray that I may not be overwhelmed by material things.  I pray that I may realize the higher value of spiritual things..."  I have failed to mention lately that I am bringing that last of 2 boxes of old records to shred at work this week.  I had a single last paper box full.  I divided it by 3 because I only work 3 days this week and I bring an armful in a day and they get shredded.  I can't carry the entire box at a time, because I walk 2 blocks to work!  I also brought 2 envelops to mail a vest and a purse.  I also was inspired last night to get up during a commercial while watching my favorite show and grab about 8 items that I was on the fence about out of my closet and put them in the pile. Funny this is the prayer this morning.

The weekend was pretty busy...I need a weekend of nothing but rest.  So maybe the 1st weekend of Dec I will do that.  Have a total pajama day Sat!  Part of the problems i have are cyclical...i start feeling really good, I eat too much or not enough good "whole" foods, i.e. too much processed junk/sugar and then I crash and burn.  I went to bed feeling pretty bad last night.  My tummy was really upset, some abdominal and upper acid reflux and my joints were sore, right knee was throbbing.  Also some things I don't mention in a blog telling me my Candida might be back.  I know I need to do elimination diet...but it is the week of Thanksgiving...really?!  Oh well, I will just focus on lean meat and veggies this week...try to give up sugar.  It is hard, but feeling like this is harder. 

I did a 2 hour yoga class yesterday.  it was not solid 2 hours of flow, it was focused on using props (blocks and straps...and even the wall) to reshift your practice to sharpen up your poses.  Not just push for the ultimate twist so you can say "I did it", but really think about aligning the spine and opening the shoulders and gain from the stretch.  I liked it.  I would have never followed through with it, but I signed up and paid for it last week!  I ran home from church, put 2 home made pizzas (dairy free) in the oven and told my husband to take them out...then ran to the yoga class.  I was too tired to walk.  I really prefer to walk if I can, esp in the winter on weekends, because I like the sunshine.  I can't get home early enough during the week to walk in the daylight. 

so far rest last evening helped my knee, so i am planning on hot yoga after work.  We shall see.  Hope you get some sun on your face today and don't get overwhelmed by stuff!