The crazies have set in

-
My first cross stitch...Image by Cassey via FlickrI've found out this week that confinement ("cabin fever") leads to some strong psychological distortions. First, let me explain my confinement. I can't drive, but I have this whole big house and the back yard to spend my time. However, I have spent 90 percent of it between the bed and the sofa next to the bed. I've read a dozen books and watched a dozen movies, and stared at the ceiling a lot. There you go.

But here is the mind-grinder that is plaguing me since yesterday: the floor between the bed and the sofa-by-the-bed really needs to be vacuumed. I can not vacuum. This is a magnifying cycle: the more devastated I am to not vacuum, the more the floor seems to need vacuuming, the more devastated I am to not vacuum, the more the floor seems to need vacuuming.

That is just an example. There is also the desperate need for mopping in the bathroom. Do you know the last time I mopped the bathroom? No, me either. Decades ago. But now that I CAN NOT mop the bathroom, and I don't have a whole lot to occupy my mind otherwise, I would almost be willing to compromise my own recovery to just mop that bathroom once. To just scrub some soapy bleachy water in all those corners. Could I tie something to my feet to do it? No, too much of a slipping risk. Could I flood the bathroom with soapy bleachy water so Nick has to mop it up if he wants to go in there? Only if I want him to kick me out on the street.

Yes, there is the theory that Nick could do these things, but he is also at work all day and not here staring at the floor like I am. It is not throbbing at the top of his priority list like it is on mine.

I clearly need more distractions. Yesterday I ordered some cross-stitch and embroidery supplies.
Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Comments

  1. WolvyJune 8, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    You're able to do internet things, so buy a roomba! Or go on craigslist and see if you can find someone to do a couple of hours of housework and such so you don't become the...what's that story, the one about the yellow wallpaper? So you don't become THAT lady.

    Also! BuyOlympia.com has some really great embroidery stencils. One day when I have some time to relax I'll be stitching up some tea towels with lucha libre guys on them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. KenzieJune 8, 2011 at 9:26 PM

    I have some links for you then!

    http://www.needlecrafter.com/
    http://yarntree.com/java/xstitchcal.htm
    http://inaminuteago.com/stitchindex.html
    http://www.goldenkite.com/news.php
    http://www.heavenandearthdesigns.com/
    http://www.xs-collectibles.com/free/index.aspx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anna Lee BeyerJune 10, 2011 at 2:32 AM

    kenz -- these links are gold! thank you!

    wolvy -- i ordered some sublime stitching patterns like the ones on buyolympia. :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's not you, it's us. I don't think we're a good match.

-
Image
Just not a good match. Nearly ten years ago, a doctor told me diabetes would kill me, it was just a matter of how soon. I couldn't see the benefit of his ugly, callous prediction. I couldn't see the benefit of being locked into a medical relationship with someone who saw me as a hopeless expiration date. I decided even with long waits and insurance hurdles, it would always be worth it to find doctors who are supportive and try to understand me as a person. Today, I broke up with my obstetrician. I'm not convinced he's not a good doctor, but he's not a good fit for me.  He has been seeing me for two months to help me prepare for another baby, but I don't think he knows anything about me. Our appointments last less than 5 minutes, he gives me vaguely shaming advice to lose weight, "start" exercising, stop being diabetic. He has never asked me whether I exercise, what I eat, what I do to control my diabetes. He has made assumptions about my life...
Read more

Day 5 of social isolation; Day 3 of no contact outside of household

-
Which day am I counting from? Day 5 since the world changed (for us) or Day 3 since our last possible exposure to the virus? Once we get into double-digit days it won't make much difference, will it. I thought I would use this blog for something, just a quick list of what's going on with us. 1. I'm ordering a dough hook so we can make bread. We have a subscription to ATK's Young Chef's Club  (not sponsored). When I signed up a few months ago, I thought it would be a good way to extend Lizzie's feeding and sensory therapy. Now... 2. Lizzie's therapy is suspended until this virus passes. She has come so far in the last 6 months with preschool and extra therapy. She will keep growing. I just wish... 3. She could be with her friends, teachers, and therapists. She asks about them every day. At least... 4. Mamie was able to Zoom with her teacher and class yesterday. I know her school is going to develop the best remote learning set up we could ask for. A...
Read more

I spend 24 hours alone and this is what happened

-
Image
I just booked a hotel room for two nights in November. The hotel is about 5 minutes from my house. I will go for one night of utter solitude and then hand it off to Nick to take a night away from home. If it is in your means and you have also not been alone in 7 months, I recommend a 24 hour retreat. I can make this recommendation from my vast experience having done it for the first time 4 days ago. Here's a sampling of what I did during my 24-hour retreat: Wrote uninterrupted for several hours. Watched a documentary about Abraham Lincoln. Watched MTV's Ghosted, because I'm both high brow and low brow. Watched CNN because I am pretty middle brow too, if we're honest. Ordered a steak dinner and ate it in courses over the entire evening. Ate 6 Reese's cups (which are banned in our house due to allergy). Set an alarm for 10 a.m., the latest I could possibly sleep. (Woke up at 8 a.m. anyway.) Made every decision considering only what I wanted and not the wants and needs...
Read more