HaPPy DaNCe!!!

Dr. Steve said we might try some impact exercise next week.
So right now I'm quietly doing the "I might be able to run soon happy dance."

Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Art with Sis

Here are the flowers that Alika and I made for our art project today. (She passed on the journal idea.) We started out using acrylic paints on watercolor paper applied with different objects: bubble plastic, bottle caps, pen tips, a comb, fabric, screen fabric, cheese cloth, and ribbon. Once the paint was dry, we punched the flowers and attached them to skewers. The centers are beads. We also made leaves out of the painted paper.

Sis didn't like her paper at first, she thought her page was a big, mucky mess, but it sure created colorful flowers.

Here's my girl with her bouquet. Maybe she'll give it to her mom for Mother's Day.


Oh...My bed stinks. Not the sleeping part, but the NASA formulated memory foam part. The sales manager at 1-800-Mattress assured me that the smell would go away in a couple of days. So far so bad because I got the tempur-pedic pillows last Monday and I can still smell them. Must be the combination of the pillows plus mattress because I woke up this morning with a sinus headache and allergy symptoms, I'm way too sensitive to strong scents.

I sure hope the smell goes away soon, I sure did get a great night's sleep last night and I would hate to have to return the mattress and miss out on all that good slumber.

Won't you be my neighbor?

Please won't you be my neighbor : . )

This walking thing has really given me an appreciation of the neighborhood in which I've lived off and on for the past 17 years. Yeah, the real estate is pricey here, but it is amazing. There's a gazebo in front of the local library, historical homes with stories to tell, blooming gardens, a sense of community.

Starbucks in hand, I toodled thru the local farmers market. Its small, but everyone is sooo friendly. The strawberries were so tasty and the perfect compliment to homemade shortcake and whipped cream, yum!!!

My new tempur-pedic bed was delivered today, hurray!!! Its now sporting super soft hot pink jersey sheets and my Pottery Barn Kids flower applique comforter. I can't wait to try it out tonite!

Got a piece done for my grilfiend's birthday Arting with my little friend Sis tomorrow, I think we'll make some journals. A good, good weekend!

Incredible Pukey Cuteness

I bot these at Safeway. To avoid eating a pint. So far I've had two. Aren't they just too cute!!!

P.S. The Sharks won tonight! 3-2. I got to go to the game, actual playoff tickets in my hot little hand!!! It was so LOUD at the Tank!

P.P.S. PT is going well. Altho' I'm still on IR (injured reserve) and can't run, Dr. Steve said he's gonna have me race ready for Disneyworld in January, Yay!!! : .) (I hope that's a promise he can keep!!!)

The Burt's Bees lip balm is for scale. So you can see just how tiny pukey cuteness can be. The white thingy is the spoon. It comes on top, in the lid.

Ice is NICE!!!

This no running thing SUCKS!!! : .| (Excuse the %@#$&!)

I feel anxious and twitchy. A lot. All this un-expended energy running amok in my body. (Haha! I can still make a joke!)

I am allowed to walk, however, as long as I don't go very far. Believe me, my leg tells me right away if I've overdone it! (Who knew it could communicate!) I walked an entire 2 miles this morning. (The last run I did 3 weeks ago was 7.5 miles of hills, sniff!) Granted, it was beautiful and breezy, almost like a Cover Girl commercial. (Am I remembering that correctly?) Short walks, along with lots of stretching, use of ice packs, myofascial release rolling over this foam roller, and some core stabilization work on my cool new fitness ball is the extent of my exercise these days. I am obsessed with my physical therapy. It's pretty much all I can think about.

While on this walk, I scoped out some local real estate that is for sale. A 2 bedroom 1 bath condo around the corner is going for $425K. Uh huh. A 3 bedroom, 935 square foot house is going for...$620K! An itty-bitty, almost 50 year old house going for over a half a million dollars!!! Can you believe it?! My dad always told me to save my nickels and dimes, but I think its gonna take saving a few quarters and maybe some dollar bills for me to come up with a down payment for housing here in the bay area. I should be able to purchase in about 5 years if I stick to my savings plan.

As if the no running thing wasn't depressing enough.


I've been having a pity party all week, but MadRetz came to my rescue today and helped to create a distraction by agreeing to make a trek with me to Bezerkley for some retail therapy and lunch. (Quiet you, voice of buyer's remorse! I'm on track for that condo purchase!) On the way we navigated potholes, road construction, the wall of death, gas-guzzling, monstrous SUVs, and cell phone talking drivers, finally arriving at one of our favorite scrapbook stores Scrapbook Territory. It was jolly fun as usual, but honestly, just how many sheets of decorative paper and little doodads do I think I need? I could almost open my own store. (oooh, how I love art supplies!) A couple of hours later, we left the shop, happy, happy scrappers. (Again voice QUIET!) Now, to do something with all of these supplies.

All jokes aside, I find that the universe (GOD?) speaks to me. The PT and chiropractic with its physical adjustment, is also performing spiritual chiropractic. Being forced to slow down and walk, ruminate over the state of myself, I feel as if I am finding the path to the inside. As Julia Cameron says in Vein of Gold, I am "outward bound for inner voyaging." An internal adjustment is occurring along with the physical therapy, scratching at old "scabs" and allowing for healing on all levels.

I'm not sure I'm explaining this well...Will I allow the healing? Lots of emotion anger, tears, but in the end, understanding that all is for the best. I'm trying to be patient.

Top shot obviously of my cool, new fitness ball and foam roller (and my very lonely mountain bike). Bottom shot of some of the goodies I bought today, Basic Grey, yay!!!

Zero to Snore in 3 Minutes

Looks innocuous doesn't it? A little white pill.

My sinuses do not sing to the glories of spring. Even after two years of immunotherapy (read: shots every week for 104 weeks), I still need a little help with congestion and post-nasal drip, so after a trip to the allergist, I was prescribed Zyrtec-D. One of the warning labels on the bottle said "may cause drowsiness."

Aaaah well, the opposite occurred for me and I experienced three, count 'em, three sleepless nights. I'm talking NO SLEEP. NO SLEEP makes Phinner very cranky. Just ask MadRetz. We were at Disneyland the weekend I started taking the meds.

Yesterday I refilled the prescription. This time, I actually read the prescription information provided with the prescription. It says this medication contains PSEUDOEPHEDRINE.

PSEUDOEPHEDRINE is not good for Phinner. Phinner's heartbeat skips and Phinner's general practitioner said Phinner shouldn't take medications with PSEUDOEPHEDRINE (Sudafed) because it causes Phinner's heart to race. Bad for hearts that skip beats. And no wonder I wasn't sleeping. My heart was racing, I was wired!

Note to self: Always read prescription information before taking medication. Always have a discussion with the doctor about new meds.

Thinking...There is a positive side effect to this medication...Appetite supression.

I may be able to loose some weight while taking this, hummmmm...

The other recent development in my life, and no, its not love...I finally went to get my sciatic issue checked out at a local sports therapy clinic. 6 visits in a week and a half. Numerous treatments...chiropractic, cervical traction, electrical stimulation, ice, heat, stretching, and myofascial release using the most modern of torture devices. The right side of my body has been in pain ever since. Dr. Steve says "scratching at the scab" that's been over my sciatic nerve for 2 years. Yep, I can feel it.

AND no running. I.CAN'T.RUN!!! I can't run. I can't run.

You might as well tell me to stop breathing.

I had to bail on the two races I've already paid for. I've had to bail on my friend who was flying out from DC to run the half marathon with me, and the 11 other people that are on my relay team. (Remember last year, the mountain lion story and getting lost in the vineyard?) I so can't deal with not honoring commitments I've made.

I have no clear vision of the future of my running.

I am so sad.

I AM GOING TO GAIN WEIGHT!!!

Arrrrgggghhhhh!!!

Thinking...I can't think of a positive side of this right now...

Oh wait...See above under PSEUDOEPHEDRINE.


That's my tadpole. Symbol of transition. Big, big transitions, experiencing lots of them. AGAIN. Ahhh, that's life!