Tuesday ...

  I've realized why I've been waking up feeling like I'm 1,580 years old instead of 58.  I've been out of my Meloxicam (aka Mobic) for more than a month now, and all my arthritic parts are waking up.  Plus, shoveling snow a few times, and bending over working on Sunday's hot water tank project ... and adding some carpet squares to the bathroom floor to help keep the cold from creeping up through the tile.  I suppose I'm too stubborn to realize that I'm on the cusp of 59 and not 29.

  I used to think I would not change the choices I've made if given the chance to go back in time and have a do-over.  But now ... I think there would be more than a few things I'd do differently.

  But on to more creative topics.

  I redid some of my framed photos this morning, adding the beach sand where appropriate, and changing the background on my Germany river cruises box.  The black velvet seemed to make it all disappear, so I used a street map of Koln instead which makes everything pop.

  A 'scratch-off' world map that I ordered from Amazon arrived today, and I have to admit I'm so disappointed with it, I won't even provide a link for it here.  The background is far too dark and makes many of the countries' flags look as if they only have two colors, such as Germany.  The purple is nothing like the product images on Amazon, and so Alaska seems to just become ... water?

  I wish I still had the world map that I'd gotten in Florida ages ago, complete with map pins and flags.  I will probably order something like it in the near future.

Comedy Sunday ...

   If they were to ever [and I mean "ever" in a very broad sense, like "If I ever win the lottery."] it would have to be a comedy.

  Sundays are my weekday weekend trial runs.  I have the day off, work Monday, then am off on Tuesday and Wednesday.  It is the day I do housework, chores, run local errands, and get the trash out so that Tuesday and Wednesday I can really *relax* or take care of medical appointments, etc.

  Today, I got a long-needed hot water tank wrap, tried to pick up prescriptions (the pharmacy was closed), did grocery shopping, and made a pot of chili to eat while watching the Super Bowl (darn good it was).

  I also almost super-glued my fingers to a nightlight, went back to the hardware store several times for items to complete the water heater project (which in all honestly, looks like a 3-year old did it ~ my dad would deny that I sprung from his loins), and vacuumed the entire downstairs and all odd pieces of insulation from the water heater project ... and then realized there was no bag in the vacuum cleaner.

  I'm so glad tomorrow is Monday.

De-stressing...

  I've started doing easy-to-finish-in-a-night projects to de-stress when I feel overwhelmed.  Yesterday was one of those days.

  I had a choker necklace similar to this one that belonged to my Dad.  I don't know how old he was when he purchased it but I was never able to wear it because it was too small and tight.  A literal choker.  I don't remember ever seeing it on my Dad either.  

  I've held on to it for years with the intention of having it restrung and finally got the materials to do it myself.

  Last night while binge-watching zombie movies [don't ask me why they just relax me] I spent a few hours adding silver beads and spacers on a new wire to make it long enough to wear.

Not my monkey...

 ... the circus has been left behind.

  Today was the Plea and Sentencing hearing for *him* for violating the restraining order last summer and making threats against me.  I'd like to say that I felt completely vindicated, but it is enough.  It's time to move on ... 

 ... to writing the next novel and driving the karma bus in a literary sense.  It's time for me to heal.

  The issues with my toes turning black were from small blood clots formed by plaque breaking loose in a larger vein or artery.  I'd run out of my cholesterol meds and apparently, that doesn't just help lower your bad cholesterol, it helps to keep pieces of plaque from breaking off and floating around to cause problems.  Lesson learned.

  The "ha ha made ya look" butterfly sensations in my chest are apparently from stress over a long period of time which developed into atrial fibrillation.  More to learn on that in the coming weeks.

  I also made a decision to walk away from the storage unit in Wisconsin and all the memories and treasures still in it.  I'm just not up to the long drive in the foreseeable future, and can't continue to shell out the money for it.  $840 a year would be better spent earning interest in a "next trip to Germany" savings fund.  There will be little things I regret leaving behind.  Already are.  But they are just things.

  Now on to better things ... and crafts ... and writing.