Design Inspirations — Stay-cation, Day 2
I am on Stay-cation, Day 2. Hermit that I am, I’ve got all my supplies and am chillin’ and resting my back… but my mind is working overtime!!
As I told one of my Twitter buddies, Design*Sponge , I’m in a design rut. I have been looking on-line for the latest trends. The “latest” seems to be minimalist and muted. I like color!
I thought what I would do is photograph my favorite individual pieces already in my home and figure out what I want to do with our home design going forward. Remember now, darling DannyO has my camera so these pictures are being taken with my cell phone 🙂
A "broadleaf" ceramic vase that was my Grammy's
"Primitive" cabinet in our dining room
Originally a gas light, this was in my Grandma Amelia's music room.
A happy teapot DannyO gave me
A colorful old wool blanket ~~ felted from years of washing
A breadbox I painted a few years ago ~~ another happy piece 🙂
Beautiful purple textured fabric I bought... well... because I loved it!
Beautiful toile fabric I bought on e-bay many years ago... because I loved it 🙂
A lamp I bought a Big Lots. I love the design on the shade.
One of my designs ~~ happy and colorful
What I appreciate about the minimalist look is that it conveys a serene feeling. However, I like a happy feeling. To me, happy means, color… color, not clutter. I think the first thing I need to do is to edit some of my collections. I don’t have to have every piece out all the time. Darling DannyO doesn’t realize that he is going to have some work to do when he gets home ~~ I need help to paint. Room-by-room, we will lighten (by editing) and brighten (by painting). I will use some of my extensive fabric collection to add pops of color.
See, a stay-cation clears the mind 🙂 AND creates work!
February Stay-Cation
DannyO and his brothers left early this morning for their annual golf trip to South Carolina. This is the first time in 14 years that I haven’t had a child or a dog to take care of while he is gone. (Crabby Max doesn’t count). I have decided (as I laid in bed this morning) to take a stay-cation. Because it is cold and snowy outside, I am not leaving the house unless I have to (church, rehearsals, voice lesson). I am drinking as much coffee as I want to, reading, surfing the “Net,” napping. I also want to work on some design projects and do some in-depth Bible study.
If it was July, I’d go rummage through some antique stores but it is cold outside. I am really into staying warm…
I am going to, because I don’t have anywhere to go, really, take some of the meds I have to hopefully help my back (the meds are of the “take and don’t drive” variety.).
DannyO took the camera so I will have to document my week with my cell phone camera.
Coffee, Book, laptop 🙂
So Many Ideas…
I am depressed. I am not sure whether or not it is a cause or effect. I am in pain ~~ lots of it. It is February ~~ cold and dreary. I still miss Tess. I find myself with no energy and sleeping a lot. I don’t need a pill (at least I don’t think I do). I need to figure out how to behave my way through this. In spite of my physical/mental condition, actually perhaps because of it, my brain is brimming with ideas.
I am giving myself until Monday to come up with a plan. I think what will work is making set times during the day I create, sing, write. I must accept the pain and not fight it so much. Fighting it doesn’t make it go away. Lists usually work so I am going to make mine. Here are a few of my ideas…
A purse I am designing ~~ felted wool with a vintage pink accent fabric
A fun summer design ~~ seed beads.
Bent wire earrings ~~ delicate 🙂
I Will Not Weep
While I have suspected this fact for a few months, I have been afraid to even put this into words. I told DannyO this morning, “My TN pain is back.” How do I know it is back?? It feels like I have a stick poking through my eye, right under my bone on my eyelid. The right side of my tongue is numb. I have a metal taste in my mouth. The pain was there when I went to sleep, was still there at 2:30, 5:00, 5:30. I took a pain pill at 5:30 a.m. and was able to sleep. I am going to take another pill in an hour and see if I can’t knock this out. I’ve got places to go and people to see! I am trying not to be discouraged. I will see how long it lasts and make an appointment with Dr. Bowles if it is necessary.
Today is going to be a “make it to the next thing” day. I have my list and will work on it slowly. I will not weep, I will not weep, I will not weep.
Happy Valentine’s Day Darling DannyO
Dan and I met at Buck and Mary Devlin’s wedding in November of 1979. I sang and he was a groomsman. As he tells the story, he was pushing John Rose in a wheelchair into the fire hall, which we were decorating, and I was “dancing on the table.” Really I wasn’t! I was hanging a paper bell from the ceiling. My first memory of meeting him is not what he necessarily said, but that he was confident, had a beautiful smile, long blond hair, and wore a great cowboy hat! We spent the rest of the evening at the Devlin’s farm, swapping stories. AJ told the best ever about the “Persian Cow!” Dan and I talked and talked.
We spent most of the wedding reception dancing together. I made a beautiful green dress that had a deep scoop in the back. It was about a size 2!! He told me my dress was on “backwards!” My Mom and Dad saw us together and Mom told me that Daddy said to her, “I don’t think I’m ready for this!” He could see the sparks flying.
I was singing with my family at the time and Dan fit right in. He started to run sound and provided the muscle needed to move all of the heavy sound equipment. Mom and Dad embraced him into our family of girls. Heather loved him and he teased her unmercifully! He taught me how to drive a standard ~~ with his new Ford F150 ~~ now THAT’s Love!!
Because of circumstances, we were unable to really date until March of 1980. We were married in May. I wouldn’t recommend that for most people, but it worked for us. He loved the Lord ~~ he was a young, growing Christian. He had a good job. We loved each other.
I tell people that DannyO is truly one of the good guys. Our love has passed the test of time… the good, bad and ugly times. We have one another’s back. He is my friend. He makes me laugh. He buys me chocolate. He tolerates my NASCAR obsession. He encourages my singing. He takes art classes with me. He makes a great cup of coffee. He loves me through the valleys that my physical problems cause. I can’t imagine life without him. I love him.
Happy Valentine’s Day, darling DannyO!
1980
MS and Menopause
I have not had a full night’s sleep since Tess died on the 23rd of January. I am 51 years old and in the throes of menopause. Hot flashes occur at least once each hour. Anyone who has had them understands. Sweat forms on my forehead, above my lip, behind my knees, down my back. I throw off my pajamas. About 10 minutes later, I am freezing. I search for my clothes (usually out of reach). I put them back on. Attempt to fall asleep. One hour later, repeat the exercise in futility.
Last week I had some MS tremors. The tremors morphed into back spasms. Between the back spasms and hot flashes… well, you get the picture 😦
This morning it all caught up with me. I slept fitfully until 9:00 a.m. I staggered to the coffee pot and made a pot of coffee. At about 10:30 a.m. the fatigue hit me. I climbed back into bed. An hour later I got up, put supper in the crockpot, baked brownies and made some jello. I also spent some time organizing my cupboards (I use the Flylady plan). Once the brownies were baked, I sampled them and crawled back into bed. An hour later I got up, did my Pilates and took a shower. I am working on prepping my art seminar piece and have contemporary choir rehearsal tonight. I cannot take any more meds for the spasms until I get home tonight.
I can’t wait to crawl back into bed tonight… Welcome to my life!
I really should get an “A” for effort!
Her Kind Eyes
I am having a rough week physically. I spent yesterday in and out of bed. Today I forced myself to go to my little bookkeeping job, to go to the post office and to stop in at my Mom and Dad’s. The muscle spams are constant and my fatigue is overwhelming. Tess always seemed to sense when I was having a bad day. She would stick very close to me, following me around the house. She’d look at me with her kind eyes ~~ eyes that saw everything. She would nudge her muzzle against my leg, imploring me to scratch her chin. I think she was certain that made it all better. I know I couldn’t pet her without smiling. 🙂 I’m going through the motions today. I miss my darling Tessapoo.
Chippy, Tess, Webster (what was I thinking!)
Melodyejoy's Weblog 
