Week In The Life, Part 5

Yep, you know it. I was totally saving the best for last in this, my fifth and final installment, Living the Life of Riley:

 Spoiled? Who, me? What?

If you look up the term on Wikipedia, it says, "Living the Life of Riley suggests an ideal life of prosperity and contentment, possibly living on someone else's money, time or work. Rather than a negative, freeloading or gold-digging aspect, it instead implies that someone is kept or advantaged."

Uhmm... yeah, that about sums it up. When I first got my pup he came with personality to spare and my nephew Cooper thought it was the most hilarious thing that I had named him Riley, since he gets all "riled" up. I had neither idea in mind when I named him, but he has definitely turned out to be one crazy, temperamental, riled-up, loyal, loving and spoiled fluff of fur.

And I am telling you, I couldn't live without him.

As you can see, he's had a very hard and difficult life. And the run of the house. He has his lovely wicker kennel that you see in the first picture, as well as his own corner dog bed in the hallway with my old bathrobe that he decided should be his. I am not kidding when I say that I took my bathrobe off one morning and let it lay on the floor while I was putting on make-up and he pulled it over, bunched it up where you see it in the photo and made himself a cozy little spot where he could rest, and still see me through the bathroom door.

We might be a little attached.

The one of him in my chair is because he and I were sitting in it one night when he hopped on the floor and was whining. I couldn't figure out what he wanted so I got up... and he immediately jumped into my spot on the chair and got cozy. The little, uhm, we'll say "stinker" wanted my chair! And obviously, he got it. He'll take over any pillow, loves the one I put by the arm of the couch because it's right next to my desk chair (so I can still pet him while otherwise occupied), and his favorite spot is to sit on that blue pillow at the small of my back while I'm typing.

But he's not spoiled. Just loved. :)

And like any good ruler, the king of this castle gets hungry. For the record, he does have dog food that he decides to eat from time to time, but he really does prefer snacks. And I prefer to make him happy. :) So he gets Cheerios for doing such amazing tricks as sitting or laying down (and learning how to pose for photos). I read somewhere that Shredded Wheat was good as a snack because it helps clean tartar off their back teeth... so that one he gets because, you know, it's good for him. And the Dental Breath Tabs he LOVES, but they're really more to my benefit because I love that he has minty fresh breath.

The middle photo... that's a Nutrident bone that he gets after he's been brushed in the evening. And as much as he hates being brushed he reminds me incessantly if it gets past 8:00 and he hasn't had his bone. He's nothing if not consistent. And the bottom photo are of his go-to snacks from the fridge. He would literally do anything for a baby carrot, thinks cheese was God's gift directly to him, and loves a little white rice sprinkled on the floor for entertainment.

Ok, the white rice might be something for me to keep him occupied while I'm making a sandwich, but it works either way.

I might like him a little.

These are just a couple of my dog's regular habits. The first one of him is at the closet door in the kitchen where his bones are kept. His favorite way of saying he deserves the privilege of a bone is to stand by the door and hit it with his wagging tail, over... and over... and over...

Not that I ever give in to that. Much.

The second photo is of the greatest invention ever made: dog litter. (Isn't that a funky photo?) Did you all know that cats aren't the only litter-trained animals? This little beauty has made it possible for me to have a dog because he's completely self-sufficient. If I'm not getting up in the morning and he needs to, he doesn't pester me or wake me... when it's -20 degrees in Iowa and my dog's gotta go, we aren't going outside. I love dog litter.

And the last photo is courtesy of my friend, Susie. She was standing at the bathroom sink and he was whining, and I walk in to see this. Her response, "He was thirsty." My response... thanks, cuz we do this a lot now. Every day. Whenever I run the water in the bathroom. Apparently it's a doggy water fountain and I just hadn't been made aware yet.

So, for the record, I'm not the only one who spoils him.

Now, when I was looking for a breed of dog to get, I had a certain criteria. It needed to be small enough to use a litter box, had to be hypoallergenic, I didn't want any hair shed in my house, and it couldn't smell like a dog. Not that I was particular or anything.

Maltese fit the bill on all counts, and I took care of the last one with the supplies in the first photo. Riley actually hasn't had a full-on bath in almost two years (crazy, I know). But number one, it's a lot of work for me, and number two he never gets dirty because we never go outside. But every night he gets sprayed down with the Fast Bath waterless spray, has a great baby-powder smelling conditioning spray and has his teeth cleaned with dental wipes. I'm just saying, he's most likely cleaner than your kids.

The second photo goes to show... like-owner-like-dog. Riley has his very own old lady pill case for his morning and nighttime anti-depressant medications. In case you're new to the blog, Riley has developed some anxiety problems as I have gotten sicker and got a little too protective of me for awhile. And because I really love it when he doesn't bite people that dare to sit too close to me, and I really love it when he doesn't mark in the house, he's on antidepressants. A really large dose. I actually think it would make a great title for my memoir someday: My Life's So Crazy My Dog Is On Antidepressants! Kinda catchy, don't you think? :)

And the third photo is a product I would volunteer to do an infomercial for: If you have a dog... get a Pedi-Paws. It takes two seconds to file their nails and they aren't sharp. Some things are just worth the money.

This is Riley while watching me blog:

#1: "I'm bored."
#2: "Seriously? I could have finished that entry an hour ago." 
#3: "I'm so not kidding. If I don't get a carrot in the next twenty seconds I'm going to tell the raccoons where to find you."

And these are the daily faces of Riley: 

#1: "Sigh. It's not easy being King."
#2: "Are you sure you don't have another bone for me?"
#3: Yeah, there are no words for this one. That's just the
       he-loves-me look.

And this last one sums up why I love my dog. Everywhere I stand he hops up on the arm of the furniture to be at my height so I can pet him. I have been down with migraines all this week and he has laid in the dark and not barked or whined or pestered. And now that the migraine is getting better he's suddenly coming to me with toys and playing hide-and-seek... this little white fluff of fur totally gets me. No week-in-the-life would be alright without him.

Week In The Life, Part 4

In the spirit of keeping it real, this is the post I have no idea how to write. I want to be honest, but I don't want to be a complainer. The whole point of this project was to give you all a glimpse into my real life, but even I don't like to think about my reality more than I have to... and if it's not fun for me to look at, it certainly won't be that much fun for you to read about.

So in anticipation of that, I'll just let you know that tomorrow's post will be all about Riley, and that should keep you smiling through this fourth installment, Dealing with Disease:

Might as well just kick it off with a bang. That top photo is of my daily medications. As I was sitting with friends at Panera a few years back and opened my purse to take my meds, my friend Nick cracked himself up joking that I should get one of those old lady pill keepers. Imagine his surprised when that's exactly what I pulled out of my purse! :) As you can see in the second photo I have my days-of-the-week pill cases (not to be confused with days-of-the-week underwear that I had in grade school), and they are separated into Breakfast, Lunch, Supper and Night. My niece was very impressed with the night dosage when she watched me take a handful of 11 pills in one swallow.

I'm a professional, people, don't try that at home.

The bottom photo is of my nebulizer, which has gotten a lot of use this summer the few times I've had to venture outside and I've reacted to the air.

My reality is that I have to take medications to help my body sleep, eat, breathe, go to the bathroom, move my joints and fight off pain. Nothing in my body can't be touched by inflammation, and while it seems like these meds aren't helping that much considering my current situation, when I've had to go off of them for periods of time I've realized just how much they do help. It's hard for people who see me to believe, but my pain could actually be much worse.

There are medications out there that can help the disease more than the ones I'm taking, but my body has developed reactions to all of them. Many have been allergic reactions where I can't breathe and my throat starts to swell shut. Others that I've tried caused migraines three to four days a week. So for now I'll stick with the myriad of drugs I take and hope that someday there will be one that my body hasn't figured out how to reject yet.

Next up are my "living aids" as they are referred to by the doctor. The top photo shows my cane and my handy-dandy crutches. The cane I can get by with on very few occasions around my house, but mostly I'm on the crutches. Those ergonomic crutches have been an absolute God-send, and they have spring-like shock absorbers built in so when I push down with my hands they have some give. It really does make a huge difference since my shoulders, neck and upper back are just as impacted as my hips and legs.

Even if some part of me is feeling a little better or I think I can get away with the cane, it's safer for me to stick with the crutches because any joint can flare at any time. I can suddenly not be able to move or put pressure on my ankle, or my hip and knee will flare with pain... and that could change again in 10 minutes. So sometimes the crutches are as much for stability and balance when the odd pain pops up as they are for easing the pressure on my hips.

The second photo is of my grabber to get things off the floor or high places... although Tyler enjoys using it to take Riley's toys and move them from one room to another. :) It only makes sense that in my house their favorite toys are the grabber and the old canes and crutches shown in the last photo. Needless to say the little ones are quite accustomed to my limitations.

Oh... here's my favorite! My super-duper handy walk-in tub. You can read more about how I got it by clicking on this link, but basically it's my own version of heaven in my home. I hadn't been able to get in and out of a tub in a long time so having the ease of the walk-in feature, as well as all of the safety bars, has been great. Add in the hot water heater I got for my birthday and you get one happy girl soaking. Between the heat and the buoyancy of the water, it's really when my body feels best.

Since the episode where my friend Jenny about had a heart attack over my little Lifeline malfunction, looking at this contraption cracks me up. I'm supposed to wear that little button on my wrist and if I ever need help I hit it and the Lifeline people speak through the box in the top photo and ask if I need help. I cannot imagine a situation that would be bad enough for me to actually hit the button and endure the inevitable "She's fallen and she can't get up!" jokes that would ensue, but it's nice to know I have it if I need it. (Actually nicer for my mother to have her mind at ease that I have it if I need it.) :)

Here is the little exercise corner of my house. Across the room is the TV that shows my episodes of Alias to keep my mind diverted while I try to do different stretches and exercises on the therapy ball, as well as the elliptical machine. The elliptical, I'm convinced, is the only reason I'm still walking at all. It has a bit of rebound to the step so it helps my body do the motion, and keeps my hips mobile. I used to actually work out on the machine, but now it's less about exercise and more about short little bursts of keeping my hips and knees moving. I had saved up some money a few years back to buy a much cheaper model at Walmart. My friends Meg and Kelly came with a van to help me get it, and had with them extra money to take me to Scheel's and get this one instead. I still have no idea who all pitched in for it... they knew I would fight them on it and wanted me to take it without guilt. (My friends know me well.) So, if you are reading this and had something to do with it, know I say a little prayer for you every time I get on it... even when I'm swearing about having to do it. :)

When I was at the rheumatologist's office last time he asked me if I do any stretching, and I told him the things I do on the therapy ball. He seemed surprised and said, "Oh, you're able to try that?" I assume he thought the pain would be too much. After we left I told mom that if I knew he didn't think I could do it I would have stopped a long time ago! I know it's not optional, though, so I do the best I can.

And these photos are representative of the people who help me function. The top photo is of the groceries that Linda gets and delivers for me every Wednesday [she declined to stand next to them in the photo :)]. The second photo is of Ron, my self-proclaimed drug dealer. He's been delivering my prescriptions to me for about two years, and it's just been in the last few months that Riley has finally stopped trying to bite him! The photo makes it look like Riley is still giving him the evil eye, but really he was just in between lunges of trying to lick Ron to death. And the third photo is of the cleaning supplies Dawn uses every other week to clean my condo for me.

I also have a home nursing option for when I get sick so I can stay in my home instead of going to the hospital, and I have neighbors that are always willing to lend a hand... whether it's to take Riley for a walk, pick up his meds or take out my garbage, I can email Candace or Laura and they've never once batted an eye at helping me. I was never one to accept help easily but I have learned that most people have purely generous hearts. And I am so grateful.

And lastly, these photos show the difference between how I want things to seem versus how they are. I noticed that discrepancy as I was taking pictures last week... it was supposed to be of LIFE, not life as you'd like it to look. The photo of my bed made prettily makes it seem like any room, but in reality the head and feet are usually inclined and I am propped on pillows to sleep in an almost sitting position. The anti-gravity chair looks lovely, but usually it's situated with pillows to prop me up and so my bones aren't touching anything firm. Not as cute but much more comfortable.

                              ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

So, real life? I've gone out to eat once this year, and paid for it in pain after. I can count on my hands the number of times I've stepped foot outside my house since January, and most of those times were to go to the doctor or have blood work done. I don't drive anymore. I haven't been able to travel home to see my family because the two hour drive is too painful and sets me back. The last time I tried to go out with friends I got out of the car and my joints had frozen up and I couldn't move so they took me straight back home. Let me tell you, being stuck on a sidewalk doubled in pain on Main Street can humble a girl. I can't be around my friends if they have the sniffles because I'll wind up with pneumonia. Migraines are a regular occurrence. I haven't sat in a movie theater or gone to church in three years. I used to sing... it was my thing. I wasn't the greatest thing ever, but it was my way of connecting with people. I can't do that anymore. Most every gift I had, every talent I possessed, every freedom you can think of, I no longer have.

Bottom line, people, I am filled with joy. I'm exhausted, I'm in pain, I'm just getting by. But I am so incredibly blessed. I have a lovely home, an adorable pup, family and friends who care and people who love me, not despite my disease but because of who I am. I am blessed because I take nothing for granted. I love what I have instead of yearning for what I lack. I choose to be happy, and I am. It really is that simple, people. Start every day by being thankful and celebrate your life instead of devaluing it. I am so very grateful for each of you who lift me up and celebrate my life with me, and you should know I am celebrating each one of you every day.

Week In The Life, Part 3

When I decided to do this project, one of the reasons I broke it up into sections instead of what I do each day is because nothing ever changes. I get the same groceries every week, eat the same thing at each time of the day and basically follow the routine of a person with OCD, except I totally don't have OCD. My dog might, but that's a whole other story.

When I was first diagnosed with Spondylitis I was put on a medication that is pretty hard on your stomach (although I didn't know that at the time). It made me really sick, I mean really sick, but I was new to the whole illness scene and figured if I was supposed to take it I would. I called my doctor at Mayo to tell him I was having problems and the nurse said it was a common side effect and it would go away. A couple weeks later I called again. The nurse called back and said the doctor wanted me to stick with it for a few more weeks. By the time I called back I was living on supplement drinks and saltines and discovered the doctor had been on sabbatical all month and the nurse was flying solo. Nice. After a few more years of trying every nsaid out there, my stomach has never been the same. I now take 4x the normal dose of Protonix, 4x the normal dose of Zantac, eat Rolaids like candy and keep anti-nausea meds on hand at all times, everyday. And I still have the most temperamental stomach on the planet.

I've moved beyond saltines and rice (woo hoo!!!) but it's made me tend to stick with foods I know I can handle and not experiment too much. I think if I had more energy and stamina I would be a person who actually enjoyed trying to cook, but since I have neither of those I stick to microwaves and sandwiches. My mother, on the other hand, is the McGyver of the kitchen. Give her some string, chewing gum and a match and she'll somehow make a casserole.

But since she's not here, this is how my day starts... I now give you the third installment, I'm Not a Chef:

First, Riley gets his medicine in a piece of cheese and a baby carrot... because God forbid I eat before my dog. And then I put on my tea kettle and make some apple/cinnamon oatmeal. Now, I have no idea why I've always wanted a tea kettle that whistles, but I have. My old one was perfectly fine and did not need replacing except that it was such a let down when I put water on to boil and there was no whistle. So I got the cute orange tea kettle that whistles for me every morning. It takes so very little to make me happy.

And here is my lunch every day:

A chicken salad sandwich that I put in my George Foreman grill and pretend that it's a panini press. Desperate times, desperate measures.

Now, these are my two favorite snacks:

You can't beat a peanut butter chocolate chip granola bar. Because you can tell yourself it's healthy and still consume sugar and chocolate. Really, it's a win-win situation. And my favorite snack in the world is my granny smith apple slices with my own special dressing/dip. Yes, I make it myself. Because there are only three ingredients and I can't mess it up. And it contains a lot of sugar, which makes me happy. If you too would like to be happy mix these three things together: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup milk, 1 cup miracle whip, and add celery salt to taste (I use a lot). Heaven, people, pure heaven. The apples are really just a means to an end.

Now, supper has a couple of choices:

I'll either have a toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or if I'm feeling all Martha Stewart-y I'll stand at the stove and make ramen noodles. Because I'm a culinary genius with the ramen, people.

So, here's where we take a moment of silence for the sad part of my daily food story. Once upon a time, there was a girl. And she was having a long-term love affair with Diet Mt. Dew. They were soul mates. Diet Dew was always there for her, giving her a boost... making her smile. Until one day it all ended.

Yep, for some reason during my bout with pneumonia this past year, I could no longer tolerate my Diet Mt. Dew. And then I came to realize it wasn't just the pop... I could no longer eat or drink anything with artificial sweeteners. Nutrisweet started making me nauseous, and Splenda turned out to be the devil incarnate. One sip or taste and I was sick to my stomach, sometimes with an accompanying headache. So all of my low-fat foods are out of my life (my thighs have never forgiven me) and my only beverage is this:

It's ok. I survived.

And most importantly, due to the Great No-Junk Food Fiasco of 2008 that resulted in Hershey's syrup being squirted directly into my mouth, I keep these little delights on hand at all times:

And if all else fails, I have my microwave s'mores to keep me happy.

Week In The Life, Part 2

Ok, people, you all were so crazy nice yesterday. Who knew you'd think looking at pictures of stuff laying around my house would be interesting?

I, on the other hand, am nourished every day because I'm surround by stuff... stuff that was once someone else's before it was mine. I am the queen of hand-me-downs. I love being surrounded every day by things that hold the history of someone I love. I may be alone in my house every day with my pup, but I have little pieces of the spirit of others around me all the time.

And it just so happens to be in my good fortune that all their stuff matches. :)

So here is my second installment... Connections:

That yellow corduroy chair that Riley has now claimed as his favorite is in my bedroom, but was in my parents' home all the while I was growing up. It held up well through all six of us kids, don't you think? What I remember most about this chair is when my great-uncle Don would come to visit and smoke cigars while taking up residence on that throne. And then memories of my mother trying like the dickens to get the smell out of the house once he left. It is seriously the most comfortable chair on the planet... so much so that friends drag it from the bedroom to my red room when watching movies just to be comfy.

The dresser you've seen before in my post about Grandma Flo. I am fortunate enough to have my grandparents' wedding suite of bedroom furniture. How amazing is it to know that this was the first thing they ever bought together as a married couple? I can only imagine the dreams they had for their future family and am sure they never imagined that it would keep their granddaughter thinking of them every time she walks by it.

Keeping with that same history are the chairs around my dining room table. The table is just a cheap Kmart find, but the chairs belong to a table that my mom still uses off her kitchen. My great-grandfather and his friends sat in these chairs while they played rousing games of poker. I can imagine the drinks, the stories, the money lost and won. I can imagine the family that sat in these chairs at Thanksgivings and Christmases where my history was made. They are a treasure.

And so is that chair in front of my piano. The piano that I have no idea how to play as I don't read a lick of music... but it was free and I plan on learning someday. It's a player piano that was built around 1900... you can see the pedals under the chair that make it work. Maybe if I get it fixed I'll just learn to pedal instead of read music. :) But the important part of this photo is the chair... it was given to me by my namesake and a friend of the family, Sarah Lallier. In truth she had nothing to do with my name, but when my parents brought me to see her she declared, "Oh, you gave me a namesake!" and no one wanted to burst her bubble. She didn't have a lot, but she left me a piece of her home in that chair so I carry her with me now.

These two lovelies are about my sister, Janette. That couch was one of her first big purchases for her apartment and later her home. When we moved her into her first home she wanted it in her basement... my brothers eyeballed it and said there was no way it would go down the stairs and put the kibosh on the idea. Then my dad saw Janette's disappointed face and made the couch fit down the stairs. Sometimes it takes so little to make us happy. :) She's now in a new house with no use for the couch and it sits happily in my living room, and I smile at the memory.

That painting is my favorite find ever when I was visiting Janette and we went shopping at this little second hand store in her town. I saw this on the wall and loved it ... and it was only $15!!! That was such a fun day and I was so excited. It will always have a place in my home.

These are hand-me-downs that have been God-sends for me. The bed is an adjustable bed that once belonged to my mom's best friend and my confirmation sponsor, Mary Burns. She has multiple sclerosis and used that bed for many years... as I started getting worse she remembered it was sitting in her garage getting no use and had mom and dad bring it to me. I honestly don't know what I would do if I didn't have it... I find now if I try to sleep without it adjusted and elevated I have more migraines and pain. I always seem to have what I need when I need it.

And that holds true for my anti-gravity chair. I had one that was a folding chair for my patio that turned out to be the most comfortable place for me to sit, so my sister Laura found me this one that looks a lot nicer in the house than a folding patio chair. It is used daily and feels like an embrace from a loved one every time I sit in it. I really am never alone.

Now this one is fate at it's best. I needed a couch for my red room where I spend all of my time and my Aunt Mary had this couch that she had replaced and wanted to get rid of, so my parents brought it to me one Christmas. Here's where the irony comes in: see that little valance above the couch on my window? I had that hanging there for about a year before the couch came. I'm telling you, people: fate.

And the plaid chair... well that one's a hand-me-down, but more than it was given it may have been a little bit more coerced. As in, mom didn't say, "Hey Sara, there's this chair in the basement I have no use for." as much as I said, "Hey Mom, wouldn't that chair in your basement look great in my house?" And you've got to admit... it really does. :)

And last, but not least, I have my pictures. The first one of the artist painting spots on a cow was my first Gary Kelly print (my favorite artist) given to me by Len and Gail Froyen. He's the deacon at my church and they gave it to me with the inscription on the back that reads, "To Sara: from two people who see God painting a picture of grace on the canvas of your heart." Yes, the man has a way with words. The second picture is a Gary Kelly print they gave me when I got my very first apartment after college. It was lovely to have people who were so proud of me.

The lower left picture is also a Gary Kelly, but I bought that one myself. It was commissioned for the 100th anniversary of St. Stephen the Witness Catholic Student Center, where I went to church and was very involved. It portrays a modern day St. Stephen being stoned and is really stunning. And of course, I have photos all over my home, including my fridge, of people I love and think of every day.

And if all of these beautiful gifts aren't enough to keep me company and connected to everyone I love, I have been known to resort to this:

Week In The Life, Part 1

This week I'm going to do something a little different here on the blog. Ali Edwards is a blogger and scrapbooking genius who I enjoy very much. She had a challenge on her blog last week to take photos and document a "Week in Your Life." Mine wasn't that interesting day-to-day since things don't vary all that much, so I put my photos into five categories and will feature one category each day on the blog this week to give you a peek into my life. You know, because I don't tell you all enough already. In detail. About everything.

Stop rolling your eyes.

Ok, so here's the first installment... Day-to-Day Life:

Let's face it, I couldn't start off talking about my day-to-day life without photos of a computer! Not only does it keep me connected to the world with news and blogs and email, but it is obviously my main tool for telling you all stories and random thoughts. You notice in the second photo that Riley likes to proofread everything before I publish it. :)

The elephant is a Webkinz that Susie and her boys gave me for Easter... I had no idea what the fuss was all about but when I told my nephew and niece, Cooper and Avery, that I had him I had a quick introduction to the crazy world. Now we like to get on Skype so we can see and talk to each other while playing against one another in Webkinz world. I've lost many a game of checkers and bowling to the two of them. And the last photo is of my desk, where I keep random odds and ends, write down ideas, sketch out sayings or just let junk pile up.

The other computer obsession of mine is digital scrapbooking, which I have fallen way behind on since I've started blogging. I only have so much energy in a day so I'm often choosing one or the other, but here are a couple examples of what I like to do:

                                      (click to enlarge)

Now, here's a part of my day-to-day life that's not a daily thing, which has to be inconceivable for most of you with busy lives and children:

I find that when you're not out and about, things don't get dirty too often. I would say I do about two loads of laundry every other week (usually about the time I realize Dawn is coming to clean and I need to wash sheets so she can put on new bedding for me). And I run my dishwasher about once a week. Yep. I save a fortune on detergent.

I'm sure it comes as no shock to you that prayer is an important part of my life. I pray the rosary, read books that challenge my ideas and keep reminders of my faith, like my cross, in my home. I don't think I could get through day-to-day life if all this wasn't a part of it.

I also love to read and watch movies. My sister Janette often gives me movies as gifts, and I have a Blockbuster home delivery of 2 movies a month. I could probably watch two a week, but that would get a little expensive. :) And of course I have quite a few TV shows that I love, so I'm relieved the new fall season has finally started!

As far as books go... I'd read about anything but I really love any type of mystery or forensic thriller. Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson are two of my favorites to pass the time. I also got into the Harry Potter and Twilight series because of my nephew Thomas and niece Anna, and really enjoyed them all. Reading actually gets difficult for me to do sometimes, believe it or not. Holding the book a certain way or having to hold my neck in the position to read can cause a lot of pain, so like everything I try to do it in spurts. It's hard for me to discipline myself though, because I often get so involved I start and finish a book in a day. I get lost in stories pretty easily!

 

And finally, when I have some extra energy I like to paint on canvases. Not artwork or drawings... I just like the process of playing around and doing different scripting. (The first photo is of my "art closet"; my mom finds it funny how much junk I can fit into my small condo.) It's been a fun and different hobby and I'm sure my family and friends are about on overload for how many I give away...

So there you have it... my day-to-day hobbies in pictures. Those are the things I keep busy with when I'm not resting or snuggling on the couch with the pup. Check back tomorrow and I'll give you a few more sneak peeks into my little world.

:)