mantras...

No point to this
other than it makes
me laugh.

  You know how they say that March roars in like a lion, and out like a lamb?  That's kind of what July felt like for me ... except it went out with Mercury in retrograde following right behind it so that lamb was more like a cranky old ewe who knocks you down with her headbutts.  

  Whether or not you follow astrology, there is something to be said for how it impacts me.  I'm tired, exhausted actually, and ache everywhere, but just realized part of the pain is because I was out of one of my arthritis pain medications for more than a week.

  The other part I recently discovered, are two bulging discs in my neck, with some degenerative disc issues for icing on the cake.  An appointment with a neurosurgeon is forthcoming in September.  One of my daily mantras has become My body is strong and healthy, free of pain.

  Sigh.

  At some point over the last weekend in July, frantically packing and moving, one of my new neighbors dropped by ... as in a tick dropped on my head from a tree where I park my car.  When I felt it a week ago, my first thought was that I'd hit my head, bled significantly, and didn't realize it.  Almost the same but completely different.  I pulled the "clot" out of my hair that I was expecting to see ... except it had wiggling legs. 😱 Dropped it, then had to rush and find something to pick it up again before it attached to Lucy.  It was a black-legged deer tick, well known in this area for Lyme disease, so I'm on antibiotics for 14 days before getting tested and possibly another round.

Gracie's joy is getting to sleep behind me
on the back of the sofa.

  Sigh.

  My life is peaceful and creative.  I am filled with joy.

  This afternoon, the wire closet rack and shelf gave way and ripped from the wall.  My fault for putting too much on the rack.  But another expense to upgrade and install something a little more durable. 

  I'm still learning the ins and outs of the "mini splits" air conditioning and heating units and have to remind myself that I don't have a slumlord to call to fix these issues.  For which I am extremely grateful.

This is the lampshade
I originally wanted,
but was too ... thrifty
to spend $60 on it.
Found it at an
antique shop in town.
$15!  Score!

  I am living abundantly within my financial means.

  I've self-diagnosed as ADD which has become very obvious with my method of packing and unpacking.  It may be next year before I find the electric cord to my printer.  Or the pizza cutter.  They're probably in the same box.  If I'm unpacking a box in the bedroom and find something that goes in the kitchen, I take it in there, but see something that goes in the bathroom, and in there I find something for the living room, and eventually might make my way back into the bedroom when it's time for bed and then realize that I still have that unpacked box on the bed to deal with so I can sleep.

  I will never have to [willingly] move again because I'm in my forever home.

  I keep reminding myself that there is no hurry to unpack, and in the process, I'm still doing a lot of purging, and putting together items to donate or sell.  It will come together in time ... because that's what I have now.

  Sigh.