On A Hot Sunday Afternoon in July

On A Hot Sunday Afternoon in July

As you can see Weatherbug is reporting the type of weather that keeps us indoors.  Anyway, Ross is feeling a little under  the weather, so it's just as well.

We are watching a series we have discovered called "A Placed To Call Home".

We're finding it interesting enough.  I believe there are six seasons.  So we are spoon feeding them, a few episodes at a clip.

I have started a new type of crochet craft.  I used to enjoy doing this many years ago.   It has since gone out of style.
No one uses doilies any more, do they?

A few days ago as I was attempting to de-clutter my clothes closet, which also doubles as my craft closet, I came across a group of  vintage crochet instruction pamphlets.  I had stashed them away in a dark green Rubbermaid tub with an impossibly difficult-to-open top.   Which is why I rarely go into that tub.
The intricate designs of the lacy doilies and table clothes piqued my interest.   I saw them in a new light, as pieces of art, really.

I am the type of person who can easily get obsessive.  Which is what I did when I decided I was going to crochet the "Pineapple Merry-Go-Round Doily", featured in the photo there.

I knew I had a ball of crochet thread somewhere in the closet.  I knew this because every time I got in the closet de-clutter mood, I would come across this ball of thread and debate with myself as to whether I should toss it out or not.  I was pretty sure I always voted to keep it.

I began to furiously rummage.  After fifteen minutes of an on my hands and knees session of  opening bins,  pulling out, and pushing stuff aside, I emerged from the closet, flushed, hair standing on end, with my treasure tightly clasped in my sweaty little hands.

Now all I needed was a very thin steel crochet hook.
I knew I had a stash of them.  I acquired a least 50-75 of these hooks over the years. Back when I was into the doily thing, I made sure I had every size I needed.  I also purchased vintage ones at estate auctions.
So I reluctantly went back into the now turned upside down craft/clothes closet.

As I was hunting around I pulled out an old sewing chest, again one I purchased at an estate auction.  I was sure that's where I kept the hooks.  When I opened up the chest, though, it was empty.  That's when I remembered that I had sold all of my steel crochet hooks on eBay.  That would have been about a year ago, the last time I did a craft/clothes closet de-clutter.  Apparently, the hooks lost that keep/throw out vote.
In my heated obsessive state, I was determined, though.  I must have kept at least one, I thought.
After I checked every possible junk nook and cranny, I found one in the coffee cup/pencil holder on my desk.  I guess it was one I couldn't sell.

See how tiny and thin these hooks are?

I was all set to go.  The closet would have to wait to be re-straightened and decluttered.

I started working on this doily three days ago. The pattern is total mind control and I have immersed.
It is extremely challenging.  I refer you again to the tiny hook.
I have restarted instruction number 9 at least a dozen times.   But today, today I conquered instruction number 9.   I whizzed through 10, 11 and 12.  I'm not sure what challenges "lucky" number 13 is going to bring.  But I say bring it on!

Tomorrow is Ross' last radiation treatment.  Hopefully, he will feel okay and will be able to go.

We are both relieved that this part of his treatment is over.   I can't say it flew by, because that's not how it felt.
I would describe it as each day floating by, the days blurring one into the other.

So far I've managed to maintain an even temperament, only feeling an imminent breakdown a minimal amount of times.

So, in case you haven't guessed by now, that's what the total immersion, obsessive doily making is really all about.  I don't think about cancer when I'm attempting a triple crochet cluster shell with a picot on top.


 

A Life Curve Ball and CBD

July 17, 2019
Wednesday

As we head into the rest of the summer, Ross is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  He has eight more treatments to go.  YAY!   Aside from the tiredness, he's feeling well.

I've had a birthday and we celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary.

One of the things I have struggled with throughout my life is anxiety.  Having read a bit about the wide range of symptoms which can be attributed to anxiety, I would classify what I deal with as "manageable".  By that I mean it doesn't affect my life on a daily basis, but is more likely triggered by stress levels caused by life's curve balls.

Since we are currently in the midst of one of those curve balls, I have been wondering what I can do to manage the anxiety and stress.

Which brings me to today's topic.  The "miracle" of Cannabidiol or more commonly known as CBD,

According to an article in the Harvard Health Blog:

"CBD is commonly used to address anxiety, and for patients who suffer through the misery of insomnia, studies suggest that CBD may help with both falling asleep and staying asleep.

CBD may offer an option for treating different types of chronic pain. A study from the European Journal of Pain showed, using an animal model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis. Another study demonstrated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat. More study in humans is needed in this area to substantiate the claims of CBD proponents about pain control."

I've been toying with the idea of trying CBD for a few months.  During that time it seems as though the availability of CBD has become more widespread.
There are flag signs outside of all sorts of stores and shops advertising CBD.   It seems as though smoke shops were the first to bring CBD into their inventory.  Since I don't smoke (any kind of anything), I was hesitant to wander into one of "those" kind of stores.
Recently I noticed that our little local party store was flying the CBD flag outside of their shop.
When we entered the store, I wondered which aisle would contain the shelf holding the CBD products.
Party hats?  Balloons?  "Over the Hill" paraphernalia?
The woman behind the counter obviously noticed my furrowed brow and unsure demeanor.
"Can I help you find something?" she asked.
She was a friendly sort, introduced herself as "Patty" and was quite willing to tout the benefits of CBD.  Which, by the way, the various products were locked in a small cabinet on top of the counter.
Before I go further, I must tell you that I have been quite skeptical about the miraculous efficacy of CBD.
So, Patty had quite a job ahead of her to convince me.
But, Patty told us of a personal experience she had which led me and Ross to walk out the door with $100 worth of CBD products.

Apparently, Patty also has anxiety issues.   She also had been leery of CBD.  Her partner, Fran, though, was a proponent and advocate and swore by it.   But Fran could not get Patty to try it.
One day, Patty's father was rushed to the hospital.   Patty has extreme anxiety when faced with illness, hospitals and especially elevators.  All of which is what she would have to immediately be able to cope with.
In the middle of her panic, as she cried to Fran, that she would not be able to handle any of it, Fran said to Patty, "Open your mouth!"
She put a drop of oil under Patty's tongue and according to Patty, she immediately  started to calm down.

I thought, okay if it can work for Patty, it should work for me.

I bought the Gummy Bears.  Since Ross talked about pain in his neck, she pointed out the the cream would work well.  We got that too.
Patty told me to take on every morning, like a vitamin.   She said, "You don't have to wait for tomorrow morning, take one when you get home."
Which I did.
Here is what I experienced.   I immediately felt a strange sensation in my limbs.  Arms and legs.  I also began to get nauseous.   I  became jittery and irritable.  Perhaps the jittery and irritable feelings happened because I was upset about the other sensations.  I don't know.
I finally had to take an Ativan (tranquilizer) to settle down.
Since that first time, I was willing to try again, but with a lower dose.  I cut the gummy into quarters.  A quarter of the gummy did not seem to have any effect, good or bad on me.
I have not tried again.
Ross has yet to try the cream.

Now, every evening I take about a 1-1/4 mile walk around the neighborhood.  I listen to a book while I walk.  Currently I am listening to "Commonwealth" by Anne Patchett.
After my walk I settle in for some TV viewing and knitting.  I am working on a scrappy afghan.

Walking, listening to a book and knitting seem to be the "miracle" remedies I need to quiet the anxiety and stress of this latest life curve ball.

Have you tried any of the CBD products?  Have they worked for you?