2 weeks to catch up on

Today is the first day I haven't felt the stiffness in my hips and have been able to get a few things done. Tip for anyone with stairs: if you fall down them, make sure you have a good 2 weeks to recuperate. 

Details of my fall....first let's go back a few days before to my first trip to Emergency. 

I had major pain on my left side under my ribs all day. After dinner, it was so bad I couldn't sit or lay down, I had major heart burn the day before. I spent 3+ hours standing in ER. A bunch of tests were done and some thing pointed to possibly having a kidney stone, but there wasn't a stone. I'm going for more tests. I have not been in pain since but am on 'diet' that includes Metemucil, acidophilous, plant enzymes and an avoidance of raw veggies and greasy foods.

That was Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. 

Thursday, I was home alone and fell off the 3rd step from the bottom of the cement basement. I landed on 4 hardwood stairs. I don't think I have ever instantly cried when I've hurt my self like I did then. I could not stand up to get back up the stairs. I crawled up, called Kerry, then mom to pick Emily up, and waited. I probably should have called 911. I didn't want to go back to the ER and probably complained more about that than anything. I could not walk in so a nice woman got me a wheel chair. 

I have learned that pain in the 'chest' area and not being able to walk into ER get you in much faster. 

I got a nice room, some nice machines hooked up to me, and lots of attention. X-rays said maybe a tiny bit of vertebrae chipped off but it was too hard to tell. I had pain between shoulder blades, middle back, lower back and hips, 4 stairs. And a giant purple goose egg just off my spine.  

I had morphine for the first and hopefully last time. ( I may have said I was dying from the poison shot into my shoulder and that I could feel said poison coursing through my veins to my heart.) And percocet, which isn't worth it, makes me itchy and nauseous, and didn't seem to do much for the pain. 

The doctor said to take it easy for a week, hot and cold compresses, Tylenol and Advil, and lots of attention. I go that from my friends! All kinds of goodies, the favourite being mini chewy Sweetarts and Pringles, which helped with the nausea. I lost .9 of a pound, go figure. 

Sleeping is difficult, I can't roll over without pain, but last night was the best sleep in 2 weeks!

 The couch potato-ing was only made bearable with the help of a 2 pieces of fruit! Apple and Blackberry! Love having a laptop, moving the imac was not an option!

The worst part.... I couldn't carry the weight of my camera with the 24-70mm lens on it. So all my shots are with the 50mm f/1.4. I remember why I love that lens. 

Here's a little bit of what I managed to do, some from the couch and some with slow painful movement.

We decorated the Halloween tree. Yes, we have a tree for Halloween. 

 I made an owl hat from the couch. My handstitching is improving.

And a Pikachu for my friend's daughter.

Got 25 of these put together, from the couch.

Today, I made a few cards in my craft room that some how got messy while I was on the couch! I pulled out that old tube of Liquid Applique and used it on the penguin's hat.

 I had Christmas on the brain.

 But did make a Halloween card.

I may have already shared this one, but I really like it so I'm sharing again. This is from my layout class.

 And this is this month's layout. No pictures on it, but I love it anyways.

 This is for tomorrow's stamper's group. Lots of newbies! So excited!

 I made a strawberry to hold a Hershey's kiss.

 I went to Yama's for this lovely lady's birthday!  Love the food there. 

 Hobbled around the pumpkin patch with Emily and Kerry. 

 Before the fall, I took some impromptu photos of some sisters who won't let the distance keep them apart. Miss you, Wendy! Thinking about you! And Heather, if  you are reading this, GET BACK TO WORK!

Today also marks the 1 year anniversary of when we met Amy, David, and Trevor in person! What I wouldn't give to be back in Disneyland celebrating Halloween with them this year!

Right now

I'm damaged goods. I'm past my warranty. I'm down but not out.
I have had stomach issues, which resulted in a trip to the ER. By the end of the week, I was back in ER again. I fell down the beautiful hardwood stairs. I've been a couch potato for over a week now. It's slow going. I will be back soon.

22

Sometimes I wonder why I even try.

The one without the fur coat turns 22 tomorrow. He's the least co-opertive of the 3. I could wax poetic about how 22 years ago he was born, I could go on and on about what a joy he is to be around, how proud we are, blah blah blah. But that wouldn't be me. Just like getting a portrait of him smiling with his eyes open wouldn't be him. He has "Earl syndrome", and just like Earl's parents, we have a large amount of "eyes closed" photos of Shaun. So I take what I can get. (Sally is running to get closer to the camera, keep this in mind for later.)

 This one came home just as we were finishing up. Her and Linus have a love/hate relationship, she wants to hug and cuddle him, he wants to get away. So I have to be fast when I want photos of the two of them.

 Very fast because this starts to happen...

 See the lower left corner....she's coming.....

 And BAM there she is! The biggest camera hog in this house! And probably the cutest!

Pinterest Inspired

 I limit my time I spend on Pinterest, it's a huge time waster. But it's also a great place to get inspiration. April had said she saw some neat masking tape/paint canvases. When I searched this morning, I found something like this, and so I decided to try it out and hang this in the new improved basement. I'm bothered by the fact I only have 2, I'd like 3 but I used what I had. It was super easy. Since I no longer do decorative painting, I am limited in paint colour selection, so I have been having to mix my own colours. I won't be able to make a third canvas exactly the same, so I won't even try.

 Heather pinned something similar to this and I loved it so much that before I left for work yesterday, I had to get the letters glued down so that they would be ready for painting when I got home. I loved that I used up 29 pieces of chipboard that were taking up prime real estate in my craft room.

Cheryl posted a print she had made with a quote from the Nightmare Before Christmas and I'd been wanting to do something like this for a while so it inspired me! I did this while watching Tucker screw over his own mother on the Young and the Restless.

Now to stock up on canvases because in less than 24 hours, I managed to deplete our stock pile significantly and the wrath of Emily is similar to the wrath of Kahn, only worse because I have to live with her.
Also, I have been published in September and October issues of Cricut magazine. I couldn't even remember what I'd sent in for October until I checked the copy at Chapters. Linus and Sally made their debut and so did the photoshoot of Amanda and Roxy! Very exciting!