Getting closer to finishing the current still life piece. Will be sure to dedicate some time to it today, on this magical free day. Working over every shape, adding detail in the form of couched gold cord, mirrors with what I am affectionately calling "Ropple-Shisha" and more beads and stitches throughout. This is the icing on the cake time, when my camera focuses in on detail, and I love this step. Because this is taking a long time, I have new ideas in the wings for the upcoming work I need to make, and know unconsciously I am solving design problems and making the pieces somewhere deep in my brain so the right ideas will come tumbling out when I start. Going to be an interesting few months!
While my crew of birds, pups, and cats are patiently awaiting my ability to freely move my legs and feed them, I felt as if there was someone watching me. Outside my window is a snow covered philodendron limb that bears striking resemblance to an airedale dog. It gently bobs up and down as if it is asking to come in and get warm. Sorry, dear, the inn is full! The cats are being chased relentlessly by Teddie, who despite a few normal puppy offenses I refuse to see as anything but Perfect. Seamus has discovered the upper chamber to the kitty tower to escape her evil clutches, and Theo lounges on the table above the puppy zone, and has not been afraid of defending himself, gently, with his big, soft paw. He is a good kitty that has always been gentle with babies -- but this one is testing his patience!
Having a very bad time with my left leg and foot this morning, truly not weight bearing yet. Breathtaking jolts of pain when I try to stand on it or move my foot. The surprise of this pain caused me to fall when I stood up, and for once I found great value in having a pile of clean clothes on a table that I hadn't put away yet. Great cushioning! For the past few weeks the nerve pain in my left foot has woken me up several times a night, adding to the usual never-rested state of being. I consider whether this extreme episode is caused by pinched nerves in my back, or pinched nerves from swelling in my ankle, or swollen joints in the midfoot, or all of these things. At the end of the day it doesn't really matter what causes it. I just want it to move along. Meds in, now I wait.
Dear Dad, I now know why you spent so much time off your feet. You were probably waiting for those few moments when you felt well enough to do something - anything. I can't believe you dealt with this scourge with only Aleve. It is the hardest fight of my life not to just give up and do the same. At times it seems pointless to even try to do anything but lay still in the least pain producing position I can find. But then I follow the thought to its consequence, and know that is no answer. Pushing through constant discomfort isn't a great answer either.
Teddie just ran off with my shoe, or really HER shoe, as I only stole it back from her to wear this morning when I couldn't get my foot in my usual footwear. She gleefully dragged it to the other room, stopping to stick her head inside and literally get lost in it. Be my guest, cutie. But can you please bring it back? She tilts her head as if to say "Come get it!" and she knows I will, albeit slowly today. Sweet puppy angel, I am besotted with you. We will get through this pain stuff, one gimpy step at a time.