Picture of the Day

I thought this picture would be an appropriate one for the day, although it was taken in December of 1989.

The Good, the Bad, the Not Really There Yet

Today was a difficult day. Some of it was due to... stuff that happens. Like the battery dying in our car, so that the Dancer and I missed her first summer jazz class and our first Mom/Daughter summer ballet class. The Musician not being careful enough with bleach, so my only wear-out-shirt now has bleach spots. But some of it was related to my old enemy, bipolar. It's a difficult line to walk. I'm not the kind of person to just go off her medication. It's not really any fun in the long run. Heck, since I tend to cycle rather quickly, it's not very fun in the short run, either. But the medication does not exactly make you normal. Some of the parts of you that were good can get lost on the medication, and you miss them. I'm going to have a chat with my psychiatrist and see if a change might help. At this point, I'm willing to try a little medication roulette if I can get back some of my energy and enthusiasm for life.

Oh the Pain

I'm having a so-so day after spending a good bit of yesterday groggy, slightly dizzy, not feeling well. I think it is a reaction to whatever pain medication the dentist used on me when I had a small cavity taken care of on Wednesday. I don't do well with pain medication. I'm allergic to codeine. Oxycodone makes me start to lose my grip on reality. I forget what meds they gave me right after I had my tonsils removed and some other work done (in my 30's!) That stuff didn't make me sick, I don't think. I was kind of out of it for the first bit after the surgery. Feeling pain isn't that hot either, unfortunately. As someone who's delivered two children, one by c-section, I can say this.

I worked up a muslin today for a pair of capris I am making. A muslin is a test garment, so called because it is generally made out of inexpensive fabric, like muslin. When you're making something that's a little more fitted, like a pair of pants or a fitted dress, it's good to make a muslin first so you don't destroy your good fabric if the pattern isn't just right. Fortunately, I've gotten pretty good at tinkering with pants patterns to get the fit pretty close. Wearing clothes that were made just for you can be pretty addicting. I've spoiled my kids into getting used to it as well.

Speaking of pain, my daughters are psyched up about High School Musical 2 tonight. At least one of them is going over to a friend's to watch it.

I've Become a Cat

At least temporarily, with this cold. I get bouts of energy for fifteen minutes or so, then decide it's time for another short nap. Meanwhile, nothing much is catching my interest. I'm glad the weather is pleasant, not too hot, and sunny to keep my spirits up.

The above pic is a little old, from last year, but it seemed suitable. I was sleeping on the recliner overnight for some reason, I think because I was sick (!), and one of our cats decided to take up residence near my head. A cat we used to have, named Hobbes, would progressively push mine or DH's head off the pillow as we slept, and we'd wake up with a paw in our faces.

My Desk

I got tagged by Kate, so here is a picture of my "desk". It's right next to the big comfy recliner I like to sit in when I am on the computer. The laptop itself goes on a plastic stool by the chair, as the heat vents are on the bottom of the laptop, so if you put the laptop on a desk it can't "breathe." Don't know who the genius was who thought that one up.

So what's on my table? A mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream, great for those chilly days when one has a sore throat. My phone, plugged into its charger. Nail clippers, nail polish and my nail buffer for those manicure moments. Scissors and thread, since I like to sit in the recliner and do my hand sewing. A SmartMedia card for our digital camera and a back-up memory stick for my CLIÉ. Pens and pencils, including a drawing pencil and colored pencils, since I like to make sketches of the vintage fashions I am so interested in. Pictures that have been scanned, and print-outs, since my chair is close to the printer/scanner. Homeschool-mom-stuff, particularly the purple card holder, the crayons, the glue stick and the note cards. I make flash cards for the girls to drill them in their German vocabulary. My medication and a pill cutter, since the one medication I take knocks me out if I take more than a quarter pill at a time. And lastly, my buddies Holly Hobbie and Belle. Ta da!

So, let's see. I am going to tag my daughter The Young Explorer, since goodness only knows that she needs to post something on that blog of hers, and the Die-Hard Equestrian, since she likes taking photos.