finally, rain

We finally got some rain today. We've only had .10" of rain this year so these little showers are just wonderful. The desert smells so good after a rain.
I've started taking Methotrexate again. It's a chemo drug and it has made me soooooooo exhausted. Luckily, I'm not nauseous. It's supposed to help control inflammation from Lupus. I've been having lots of Lupus flares with vasculitis, fluid in my right knee and thickening of all my joints as well as a rash. Of course, pain is still my constant companion despite tons of pain meds.

I have so many things I'm looking forward to. My daughter and I are going to Santa Fe in Aug. for a get-away for just the 2 of us. I'm taking my mother-in-law to Albuquerque the first week of Aug then up to Espanola to see her grandson. the big CaboWabo football dance is Aug. 8 so I'm dieting again. I'd like to be down to 200 pounds by then.....a loss of 19 pounds. That's do-able isn't it?

Garden beginnings

I've been working so hard on making a garden at my house. Granted, I live in the desert so it's a challenge from the get-go. I took a quilt rack and turned it into a "trellis". Then I put a windchime on it that my stepson and grandson helped me make from silver spoons and a cut glass bowl. Added a little heart-shaped bird house, a leaded crystal pendant and a cracked CD to catch the sun. To give the illusion of an actual flower garden, I attached flower shaped plates to rebar painted green/glitter and planted them. Now, if only the real flowers would take off!

I lost my glasses. So frustrating!!!! So, anyway, I went to Walmart and bought some generic glasses that'll do until I decide to give in and buy some new bifocals.

so here's another switchplate. I still have a few plain switchplates to decorate.

I'm in a funky mood today. Sometimes it feels like I've lost the "nice" me. Today's one of those days.

This is a switchplate I decoupaged to look like tapestry. I love decoupaging!

I am feeling much better today. I've tapered my prednisone some more and so my emotions are getting back into normal range.
Today my grandson, Miles, came to stay with us for the weekend. He's grown so much in the 2 weeks since I've seen him.

recovering

I've been fighting Lupus related pleurisy. Unfortunately, prednisone is the only thing that will give me physical relief with this condition. Prednisone also results in hyper-emotionality. I'm so tired of feeling angry and tearful.
Aaaaarrrrrgh.
I start tapering down on the dosage tomorrow so I should start to feel human again. Hopefully.

I'm looking for ideas of things to make using wine bottles. So far, I'm sold on filling them with dishwashing liquid, making another one for olive oil & herbs, and trying to make a hummingbird feeder.
Any ideas?

This picture is of a vase I made from - yes, I am serious - black licorice. It's just too funky.

bad flare

Aaaaarrrrrrrgh!
What a crummy way to end a wonderful weekend!
I'm in a terrible amount of pain that rolls over me like waves. I am pretty certain I have pleurisy and absolutely certain I'm in a bad flare. What bad timing.
My sweet husband and I were going to leave tomorrow for a romantic week in the mountains at a cabin. Instead, in the morning, we're going to the rheumatologist.

Isaac and I were lucky people today. I stoically made it through an invitation only appearance by Barak Obama. He's my hero and civic inspiration. We volunteered at a Memorial Day veterans' meeting with him and Gov. Richardson (NM). Mr. Obama is just as dynamic in person...although about 2" shorter than I had assumed. I had pictured him well over 6'. But I was so ready to leave after the 6 hours of volunteering to direct the media to their appropriate places.

I came home and medicated myself with prednisone, vicodin and fentanyl. Very little relief, unfortunately. Thankfully, I have a doting husband who bought me comfort food and watched a funny movie with me to raise my spirits.

Here's a picture of one of my latest projects. It's a collection of 12"x12" panels with paint drizzled into a heart. It's a Father's Day Gift from me and my stepdaughter, Jacq.

Busy Weekend

Today has been too busy. I'm exhausted! And way to full of mexican food. Also got a good reminder that it's just not worth drinking a couple of beers with my meds. Sick to my stomach is not how I like to end a day. Isaac got up early and went to get his mom a breakfast burrito. He'd had a dream she had died and needed to spend some good time with her. I went shopping and found a pair of sandals so I could look glammin' at the parties we were to go to.
We went to Alamogordo to Isaac's cousin's graduation party. I love his Aunt Fita. She's warm, friendly and very cuddly. The trip to Alamo was wonderful......oh yeah! we got a new car. A Dodge Caliber 2007. We got about 2x's the gas mileage and it was a terrific drive.
Next we went to friends' house and visited until it was time for the next party. A fellow football coach's birthday party. More mexican food, more alcohol. I left early and came home to relax and feel better.

Here's a picture of some handmade paper beads I made into necklaces. They are so fun and easy to make. I love the look of lots of them worn together.