I have been bad at blogging the Elisabeth's Figs (Finding Joy in Gratitude) this year. I am feeling grateful, but also not very organized. On the positive side, I haven't been able to make any terrible jokes about the tortured acronym yet.
I am grateful for our friends. We have a funny friend group, most of you know this. On Monday morning when I woke up feeling queasy I texted our WhatsApp to ask if anyone else was feeling unwell, because I had only been with that group in the past few days, for our Valentine's Day Guys Cook dinner party. Everyone said they were fine. Collette asked what was going on with me and when I hadn't answered in ten minutes said if I was dead she had dibs on my shoes. Margot and Janet asked if I needed anything. I said I thought it was just a stomach bug and I would be fine and Collette said
Eve had tried to Facetime me while they were loading me in the ambulance. Matt answered and told her I had the stomach bug and talked to her for a few minutes - we knew she would freak out if she knew the truth, so he wasn't going to tell her anything before we knew what was going on, with which I was in total agreement. When we were back in the waiting room waiting for the CT, so hour 10, I said "okay, but once we know that I'm okay or I'm dying you have to tell everyone this happened so they worry about me and Collette feels bad for what she said" - kidding, you know, mostly. I mean, I would have preferred to be languishing pale-ly and attractively or perhaps have been lightly stabbed, rather than being there with something diarrhea-related, but you get what you get. This was pretty much the first time I could sit upright and put a coherent sentence together, so although he rolled his eyes, Matt was relieved.
(Collette came over with soup and flowers the next day. Not because she felt guilty but because she likes to pretend to be a hardass while actually being warm and squishy.)
I have been reading Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning - am still on the part where he is in the concentration camp. I had already said that there was nothing like our ER episode to make you appreciate your dumb, normal little life, but I was aware that one night of excruciating pain was not that huge a deal compared to what some people are dealing with. Reading about all of the daily pains and humiliations that occurred in the camps, on top of the whole fact of the whole terrifying, dehumanizing phenomenon hammered that home even more.
I was exhausted and achy for two or three days, and only doing gentle stretches. I looked up some 'yoga for fibromyalgia' etc. videos, and came upon the suggestion to try lying on my back with my legs up on the wall - something I had seen but never tried. I figured it was worth a shot.
First of all, HOW does one get that close to the wall? I feel like I would need handle grips installed in the floor. There is only so much scooching you can do, you know? I got as close as I could, and put on some spa music and covered myself with a blanket and used Eve's corgi Oodie for a pillow. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply and it felt pretty good. Then I heard some tippy-tappy paws and felt a little whump beside my head.
It was quite relaxing until the alarm I had set to make sure I did at least ten minutes went off and scared the hell out of me.
I thought cool, not life-changing but feels good.
The next day I got up and rearranged the entirety of the kitchen.
I always forget to take Before pictures which is really unfortunate because the contrast is significant but also fortunate because if you saw the Before pictures any respect you presently hold for me would be in grave danger of disappearing. I have come to the conclusion that traditional kitchen cabinet design is useless. There's no point in putting anything behind the first row (if you have ADHD) because it might as well be gone forever. I don't feel like I am using the space efficiently, especially in the spice cupboard, but at least I can find Mexican Chili Powder or Cumin without having to pull out literally everything. Also, everything has to be in a jar, not in a package, or I will forever be buying packages of onion powder and paprika while I already have fifteen packages of onion powder and paprika already.
I am grateful for being pain-free for now, having a pretty deep bench in terms of support (because my husband is in Korea and Japan and California for the next two weeks), weird spring-cleaning energy in February, and the amusement I am feeling at thinking about Matt coming home and cursing my name when he can't find a single thing in the kitchen
19 comments:
ARE WE PLANT TWINS?!?! I think our pots are slightly different but other than that they may be identical!
When you come visit you can check out how many duplicate spices I have hiding in second rows and in bags in a container. They are most definitely all expired. I am a fun host.
By they way, when you originally posted about not telling Eve you were headed to the ER, I got all indignant because I hated it when my parents did that. And then I thought about it for five seconds and realized, ohhhhhhhhhhhh. Yeah, good choice, parents. Not saying Eve is like this, but I have a high tendency to panic. So. I get it now.
I've been looking for something a little more serious on the reading front, and Man's Search for Meaning sounds like it would fit the bill.
I don't have experience with putting my legs on the wall, but I do know that taking 10 minutes to lie down with a sleeping dog close to your head is the ultimate relaxation experience.
When I don't take before pictures it's usually because the starting point is so terrible that if I took any longer to think about how bad it was then I would never get around to doing the project. Bravo on the kitchen reorg!
Just like Engie tells people never to apologize about CBBC, the same is true for FIGs (or FJIGs). Also, one of my FIGs is reading your hilarious (now that I know you're okay, of course) retelling of your medical experience.
I do not think the before photos would faze me. Have you ever noticed that almost all photos taken inside my house are closeups of objects or people without much background visible? There's a reason for that.
Glad you're back home and well enough to reorganize.
I love legs up the wall, it's so great for someone like me with varicose veins. Don't worry about being too close to the wall. The benefits are there even if your bum isn't super close and your legs are at an angle. The point is just to have the legs elevated, not to be a perfect L shape. That said, if you DO want to get closer for any reason, here's how: sit sideways at the wall so your right (or left, whatever) hip is touching the wall, then lie down and kind of bring your legs up. Most people are still a few inches at least away from the wall because physiology.
Ooooh cupboard organization! I love that.
DOG YOGA FOR THE WIN. At that point you didn't even need relaxing music, especially if your pup snores. Why is it that pet snoring is so sweet, but spouse snoring is the worst thing ever?
Don't be too mollified by Collette's offerings. She gave you a plant, and that is a part-time job. Now you have One More Thing To Think About. She really is a villain.
I'm glad you're feeling better! Did you ever figure out exactly what was wrong?
Haha... I always hesitate to take Before pictures, because I'm afraid someone will call the Department of Health of have my house condemned. Or, have me committed. I'm about to clean up my bedroom (including the closet) and there will NOT be any before photos! Nice job with the kitchen though.
Dogs are perfect yoga partners. Hannah LOVES it when I do yoga on the floor and it's one of the few times she cuddles. GO LUCY. You are perfect.
I have my spices in a corner cabinet, with lazy Susan’s so I can turn it and see them. I try to keep them alphabetized, which kinda works. My other cabinets are a disaster and I periodically have to go in there and see what the hell I have.
That is hilarious. She will be so happy to hear it.
It's true, IT'S TRUE about the before pics, but the difference would be so satisfying.
Whoo-hoo, a reciprocal FIG feedback loop!
I had not noticed. It's good to be reminded that most people aren't judging my messy house because they also think their own house is messy.
That is a very helpful tip!
Even if you're all lying, I appreciate the cupboard-catastrophe solidarity.
It is so blissful with her huffing and snoring beside my head.
Lazy Susans are probably the best solution - I think my mom had one too, plus a narrow pull-out cupboard beside the stove.
Your friends are hilarious... and they bring you nice plants. I'm glad you're feeling better... please stay healthy. It makes me nervous that Matt is so faraway!
Viktor Frankl was an AMAZING person, but Man's Search for Meaning is not an easy read, because of the subject matter.
Sooo glad you are feeling better.
The main Joy in Gratitude I can Find (JGIF?) is that this month is almost over. And it was warmer today. yay!
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