Where does the time go?

I feel like it was just yesterday that I blogged and yet it's been almost a month ago. I don't know this for a certainty, but I really feel like as you get older time speeds up. The weeks are over before they begin, the month's are over in the blink of an eye, and yet.....sometimes my days just drag on. The last couple of days I've had an ache in my back, and in my leg that gives me no rest. In fact I've slept sitting up in a chair for several nights...not exactly restful. So my mood isn't the best as this has affected my stitching time. Two weekends ago I had a snow day....yes we had snow here. Not a lot but a couple of inches and enough for me to declare a snow day from work. Sara called me at 7:30 a.m. to say Michael would not be in church....which turned out fine since I was still asleep and therefore wouldn't make it to church on time.... (if Michael goes to church I take him out for breakfast....I'll use any incentive I can to get that child in the church.) I spent the day stitching and knitting. It was the best day ever. I hadn't had a day off from work for 3 weeks so I was like a kid in a candy store. I did my usual...stitched for 10 minutes, then I knit for 10 minutes, went on the Internet, started cleaning (that didn't even last 10 minutes) before I said, "Stop" at this rate I'd get nothing done. So I decided to start on the cartons Mary and Brian had stacked in a guest bedroom. I got rid of 3 more cartons (and only 3 left to go) so I'll be done with this job soon. I can't wait and to know that this is it...no more packed up cartons left to come down...oh mercy, that means next year I won't have any little surprises. I'm still getting dishes where they go, etc., but at least the cartons are gone...O.K. all but 3. I did 3 loads of wash, and between each load I set a stitching goal. So by the end of Sunday night...I had accomplished quite a bit and was really feeling proud of myself. While I didn't know it at the time, this would be my last "great day" for a few weeks. We had the Ann Arrundel Yarn Crawl two weekends ago and although we didn't see very many of the knitters it made us get the yarns out of the cartons that came in this winter and get them out on the floor. Unfortunately, we also made a new knitting corner which took away the table we use on Sundays when stitchers come in to stitch. So I'm not sure what we're going to do about this....but soon the hotel lobby will be ready and the weather hopefully will be warm enough that we can just go in there and stitch. God knows the chairs are more comfortable in there...now if the weather would just cooperate. It was still dipping back down in the 30's last week, but during the day it did get up to the 40's or 50's so we're getting that touch of spring, it just hasn't committed itself yet. We had that one day in the high 70's two weeks ago which really spoiled us. We got that false feeling of summer and we don't want to go back to winter. However, this week we did get back up to the 70's and the rest of the week looks warmer so spring is here. I was stitching like a maniac, or knitting and stitching like a maniac and then this pain appeared, which made it impossible to get rest of comfortable. I was having the most fun before the "pain" appeared, knitting and stitching, but once it appeared all stitching ended. As you know Betsy Morgan's class is right around the corner, and since I had her pre-work done I was concentrating on my Lauren Sauer class in June. I'd stitch for a while on that and then I'd flip over to other things. When Debbie Liming was down two weeks ago for her mini retreat...she pulled out the Lizzie Kate "Peep" piece and as we were studying it she said, "Wouldn't this be cute as a pin"...and of course that sent me over the edge and I went home that night and finished it. I wore it in (finished in a tin necklace from Twisted Threads) the next day to show off and commented about wanting to put grass in the basket as in a candy filled Easter Basket. So, Debbie finished hers and brought it in the next day with the grass done in turkey work...so cute. (Why didn't I think of that myself?) So of course I took mine apart and did the turkey work on mine as well (monkey see...monkey do). I love this and think it's the cutest necklace for Easter day. You will see me wearing mine on Easter in the shop. At the same time I've also been working on knitted little hats that were made to fit on eggs in an egg cup. We found the patter in a new Debbie Bliss book in the shop. So cute for Easter as well (I tend to work toward holidays). The first one I made the ears were way too long and kept curling. Then I read the directions carefully (honestly why can't I do that first), and found that if I had stitched them the way they say the ears wouldn't curl at all. So I made a second one knitting in white and it turned out perfectly. These are going to look so cute on my Easter table, and I know the kids are going to love them. And the plus was...it wasn't a scarf or hat...the two things I've become proficient in when knitting. Pat and Sara found a rabbit for me to knit so that's my next project which must be done before Easter (this may not happen). I'm so busy at night trying to go from one project to another...well I'm up half the night stitching or knitting. I also finished Just Nan's Christmas Cheer, the 2009 Christmas ornament. It actually is shown in a frame from Just Nan and that's what I'm using to finish it. I've run into a snag however, so while the stitching is done...it isn't in the frame, as it doesn't fit. So either the company mis-marked what the fabric is or...well there is no well or. But I simply adore the piece. My favorite part is probably the lettering which is a small script type, just lovely. There is a small amount of bead work which also really adds dimension to the piece. I always enjoy the Just Nan pieces because of their delicate look...and this one did not disappoint. Usually there is more over one stitching, but the only part stitched over one is the lettering. So easy stitch people! Anyway, I've put in another fabric order which I hope will be here soon so I can stitch this again in the proper frame which I just adore. Now all that stitching was done however, before the "pain" arrived. That was 1 week ago on Monday. While I work I complained (what a surprise) about my leg hurting a little, but by Monday night I was in severe pain and unable to get comfortable lying down or sitting up. That meant I could not concentrate on stitching. Damn!!!! This went on all week as I tried everything to get rid of the pain. Friday I left work early and Saturday I stayed home. After work Sara came over to check up on me, and bring me her left over pizza (there is a God!) but when she came in she saw that I was at my breaking point. I was so desperate by this point I agreed to go to the hospital. I have to say I was surprised on a Saturday night that I was in and out of there in about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. The gentlemen who saw me listened to my complaints, took one look at my back and said, "I think you have shingles." I said, "I don't think so....there is no hot spot, I can touch my back and there is no pain, I really think it's the sciatic nerve." (oh, yes, now I'm a doctor." He then went on to say he felt it was shingles as there were three little blisters what were scabbed over. Three little blisters...well I said O.K. give me meds and I'm out of here. So he prescribed a virus medication ($207) and a couple of other things to start with and off I went. I got home, ate the cold pizza (best part of my day), took the meds and I entered dream land. I woke up about 3 hours later feeling great. I thought I was home free people. Stitched for a few hours and slept again and woke up Sunday morning at the top of my game. I called in sick again (no need to stress myself) and spent the day stitching and resting, and taking meds. Went to sleep Sunday night woke up at 2:30 in severe pain once again. Regardless of the fact that I had taken all the meds for the day I popped a couple more and spent 4 hours waiting for the pain to subside. It finally did at 6:00 in the morning at which time I went back to sleep. I waited until 8:00, called my doctor and asked to see him and they said "come on over." I belong to a boutique doctor who you pay a yearly fee to, however, it does come with immediate appointments and time with your doctor when you need him. So I drove over, told him what was going on, he looked and announced, "Sally, I hate to tell you but I agree, you have shingles." I didn't know you could have them and not know it. My father had them 2 times on the top of his head and he didn't want you anywhere near him they hurt so bad. Anyway, of course the doctor noticed when viewing my charts that I hadn't been in the office since 2009, so that meant I had to go to the hospital to get all the tests, x-rays and crap you have to do to be up to date. But he gave me vicidin so I felt it was the least I could do. I then went to work I felt so good. The weather was warm, I was feeling good and I was now set to get something done for the first time in 2 weeks. I was flying high until 3:03 a.m. when my plane landed once again and I was in pain. I don't like taking meds so I take the minimum necessary, but at 3:03 a.m. I made a judgement call and I took another pill. I didn't get any relief for several hours so this morning I called the doctor and after a little discussion we decided I'd try taking 2 every 6 hours and if that doesn't do it, then tomorrow we're going to start a new medication that will be stronger. Honestly people, this sucks! So I'm home again today as I was feeling a little shaky after being on the 12 hour fast (oh my God! 12 hours without food...I'm not sure what is worse.) As soon as I got out of the hospital this morning I ran to get something to eat, took more pills and now I'm a little shaky and experienced a moment of feeling sick to my stomach (and if you've seen me you know that's a whole lot of sick). Poor Sara is trying to get stuff done for me but we're so far behind, but the doctor says it might take a month to get rid of the pain at the most (for most people) and then I should be able to function normally....so now I have that goal. Anyway, that's what's going on down here....how is it at your house?