Wednesday, Back in the saddle

 We had a lovely time at our daughters. Hubs took the boys to the fair, and to the Falls, and to a local park. Daughter, and her mother-in-law and I worked on this huge project. Once again, I hit my limit.  I hate that I can't do the things I love to do anymore. It is so frustrating. But I also need to be grateful that I can do anything, as I have had relatives with this kind of RA that were dead in their 50s. I am blessed.

Daughter inherited a Duncan Fife table and chairs (4th generation).  So, we spent the weekend sanding and sanding, and sanding.   Of course, my joints rebelled after the first day and then slowly refused to co-operate until I was useless.  But I did get two coats of stain on these chairs before I could no longer hold anything. 

Drat and double drat!  I used to be able to rip a sofa on day one and completely recover it on day two.  But I realized that was over several years ago when daughter brought me a Danish platform sofa and it took me a week to strip it and then two weeks to recover it.  My hands were just too weak for the work.  Now I realize my hands are too weak to strip and do any kind of furniture refinishing. 

My right hand and arm swelled like a sausage and the skin was tight and I could not make a fist anymore.  I also became very tired by Monday as my body went into a flare. (Not good) I slept a lot and just did not allow myself to even pick up a paint brush although I wanted to start putting coats of shellac on the chairs.  Luckily  Jethelyn's mother-in-law is an artist, and this kind of work is right up her alley.  She said she would do a couple of chairs a day while the boys are in school.

Isn't this table beautiful? We had to use a stripper on this and then sand it.  But daughter did most of the table, I just sanded, chairs for hours.  It will be a beautiful set when done.  Alas I met my limit the second day into the project, and I was very annoyed. 

Horrible night sweats ins sued along with exhaustion and pain all night long.  I am much better now because I made myself stop, but my mouth has cold sores and some on my lips, from the fever that I ran. Lovely, so aggravating.

Home to start sewing again.  Thank goodness I can.  IF I had not stopped, I probably would be in the throes of a horribly painful carpel tunnel episode, and you all know how I love those. Anyway, Kim faces her limitations with no dignity.

It was nice to come home to a clean house and a shop that was clean, and I knew where I stood there. (Thanks Lil Sis)

Today I must get a wedding dress done and another dress and 6 pairs of hunting pants hemmed, and a mother of the bride ripped for a fitting this week.  Then I need to see what other wedding dresses need to go out before Hub's surgery.  I think there are at least 8 dresses.

Homecoming is on the 6th and 15th here as we have two high schools one in Lewiston and one in Clarkston, so I have to gear up for that.  They have to get in early as I will be leaving.  No last-minute dresses I am afraid. I have sent the word out that people need to get in here asap.

Kelsa is here today, and we have already had a tea party and Pop pop is now taking her for a walk in her stroller and she will go down for a nap.

We are having Kielbasa, fried cabbage and green beans for dinner.  No carbs for hubs who has already lost 7 lbs.  I am proud of him as he really does love to eat.  So do I but I love to eat crap!

My sister-in-law is in surgery as I type, and I have been in a constant litany of prayer for her recovery.  I am waiting anxiously for a report.

Anything exciting happen while I was gone, as in good exciting? I have read about some of the not so good things, and I am shocked and saddened about the stabbings in Cananda.  These things make one almost lose faith.  But we must all remain strong as in who else will bear the world's problems if not us? Also, Ephemera has a very sick kitty, and that is so hard. Slugs is in the mist of long-distance move which is wearing on her cheerful personality. Robyn posted while I was gone and her husband is not doing well, and I don't know how she keeps going having to do it all, poor darling.

By the way butter on sale for $2.50 a pound no limit and although this is not the price, I had hoped for it is the best I have seen in a year, so I am going to buy 20 lbs. But that is it for groceries here.  The garden is producing enough to feed us daily along with whatever protein I pull from the freezer. That is, it on the weekly money savings grocery front and I will take it!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim