My Other Palette

I ventured out today by myself.  First time in over six weeks.  The boot came off two days ago.  I'm taking it slow and cautious.  As instructed I am swapping the boot from the now healed broken foot to the other bad foot in an effort to alleviate some of the pain by immobilizing it.  We'll see.  Not very optimistic about it.  Doc is pretty certain it's nerve pain and arthritis.  MRI and x-rays show no reason for the kind of pain I'm having in that foot. 

I Can Do This!

I've be forced to re-evaluate my activities - which is the last thing I wanted to do once getting out of that boot.  You should see the to-do notebook list I've compiled.  I'm reducing the 7-9 outdoor art shows (which has been my regular routine the past four years) to only 1 in 2012.  Only one.  O-N-E.  It's an easy one day event nearby with lots of help.  Physically I just cannot take on what I have in the past.  Because of the orthopaedic issues, I also had to give up keeping my angel/granbaby girl full time.  That was spiritually excruciating.  I mourned.  I grieved.  I finally came to accept it (sorta-kinda-in a way).  Then, she got to stay with me Friday ... the day after the boot came off.  I never realized how tired I was each day and how much energy it took the last two and a half years.  Maybe it's because I've had a low activity level the last five weeks recuperating (along with the fruit salad mix of other issues).  I know I'm not 100% yet ... and may see-saw between good days and bad days.  I'm hoping for more good than bad.  I will pace myself.  Save up the energy for get-togethers and pressing activities.  My glass is half-full!  My heart is even fuller!  I ♥ my family and look forward to regaining a familiar pace!

Anywho!  I ventured out today and had lunch with my sister and then made a ever so slow walking tour stop by the garden center at Lowes.  The seed-starting trays had arrived.  I bought a couple to go with the ones I already had.  As well as another two long, narrow planters for shallow things (i.e. chives, green onions, lettuces, etc.) to grow on my back porch.  I also acquired two very large pots to grow a couple of potato varieties in.  Tomorrow I will get the seeds I've been gathering in their respective containers and place them in my little greenhouse off the dining room.  I'm hoping all the seeds will germinate into healthy, strong transplants for my spring garden. This will be the first time I've tried to plant a garden without buying transplants.

 

There is so much to be done.  Inside and outside.  My studio is a complete wreck.  I can't even begin to think about returning to painting before that declared disaster site is cleaned up.  Before that happens, the overflow from the pantry must be dealt with ... thanks to my canning projects that require the more sturdy shelving location.  The guest room is also a declared disaster because of the orthopaedic apparati (is that even a word?!) occupying the room ... most of which can be put in the garage, which in and of itself has it's own micro-chaos.  Not as bad as it was before my husband took advantage of my clumsiness on crutches and took over the much needed task of, shall I say 'attempting to organize' MY garage?  A very valiant attempt at that!  Add the dining room table where all my business records are scattered ... not to mention the back porch where gardening chaos reigns because I had the metal shelving on the porch relocated to the greenhouse for my seed starting.  Did I just come full circle?! 

I'm pacing myself.  This will take awhile!   I'm extending grace to myself. I'm venting using y'all as a therapeutic release!  And, BTW,