PURPLE BUTTERFLY: It's Been More Than a Few Days.........

Well, It's Been More Than a Few Days........but I've been busy with Passover preparations and Seder (including out of town guests), Dr. and Physical Therapy appointments, and who knows what else? One of the things that's been bogging me down is my new addiction/obsession: Zentangles. For those of you unfamiliar with Zentangles, it's part art form, and part meditation, hence the name.

Starting back at Passover, it was a bit more daunting than usual, as my husband has developed an intolerance to eggs. And as anyone knows who has ever experienced Passover (and especially had to cook for it) EVERYTHING has eggs in it: Matzo Balls, Potato Kugel, Stuffing, Baked Goods; you name it. Except for the main course, be it poultry or meat, and the chicken soup, everything else has eggs in it, even the Gefilte Fish. I tried a couple of vegan recipes for matzoh balls, but they were a disaster. So my poor husband ate a lot of matzo (more than usual), and a lot of cheese and sliced turkey breast. And at least he was able to eat a lot of chocolate.

I mentioned doctor and physical therapy appointments. These were the result of a compressed disc affecting a nerve, starting back in mid-December. So you see this has been going on for quite a while now. I couldn't walk; the pain was excruciating. And I usually have a very high threshold of pain, but this hurt so much it really scared me. At first they had me on a medication that didn't seem to alleviate the pain much, but made me very nauseated. For 2 weeks I was unable to eat, and felt so sick that I spent most of the time in bed. I finally stopped that medication, and was given another that works specifically on nerve pain, and it helped a great deal. But not enough to get me up and around on my own. For a while there, my husband was pushing me around on my desk chair (the wheeled kind), and then I started using it like a walker. Finally one day, I realized that I was doing much better, and my husband brought home a cane, which I've used full-time until the last week or 2. Now I can get around without it most of the time; I just have to make sure I don't overdo it. I've seen a surgeon, who ordered the physical therapy, and as long as I continue to improve, or at least don't get any worse, it looks like I can avoid surgery, and/or an epidural, which has been another option I'm not anxious to pursue.

You would think that being housebound for so much of the time, I would have done a lot of fiber work. But the fact is, the first month or so I just couldn't concentrate on anything much, so I got a lot of reading done instead.

But now that I'm back in action, more or less, I have been getting some things done. I've been back at my metals/jewelry class, and done some work there. I would have been further along on my Sunrise Circles Vest, but I ran out of the yarn that I was using around the edges of each circle. I ordered more, but since I bought the original a few years ago, when it came it was a lighter color. But after I sent Mango Moon an email showing the right color, they came through and apparently dyed some up for me that is perfect. Thanks, Mango Moon. I've now got the whole back finished and sewn together, and 4 more half circles, which will probably work for the sides.

I've just begun a full circle, which will be the start of the the front.

And, of course, now we come back to the Zentangles. I've become totally addicted to doing these little mini pieces of art. Here are some samples:

Practicing different patterns: