Oh My Aching Back

You know what doesn't go well with spring time and outdoor chores needing to be done, an indoor remodeling project, and plenty of energy and motivation to get after it? A backache, that's what. I go from icepack to magnet belt to ibuprofen. Throw in a gentle walk, two swims a week, core strengthening exercises and a hot bath and still, oh my aching back. Sitting at the computer doesn't seem to help...might even hurt. Too much computer time when my back is even slightly out of alignment causes muscle knots just below my shoulders. My dear husband knows just how to unknot them, which is lucky for me...when he's around.

With enough visits to the chiropractor and a reasonable amount of "taking it easy" (whatever that is) this too shall pass. It always does. Then it comes back again. My dear old dad suffers like this off and on too...more on than off as the years go by. Not encouraging, but good to know. I might as well buck up. I'm most likely in it for the long haul.

Okay, enough complaining. It was a great week in many ways. The pool people stopped by to tell me they weren't going to replace our pool liner yet, but that they'll be here next week if the weather straightens around. We've had rain in the forecast every day, but until yesterday all the rain came at night time -- buckets of it -- while we slept. The days were unseasonably warm and mostly sunny. It was like Camelot. Now it's cooler, down right chilly, and rain is predicted for most of next week too. So I'm not sure we'll be seeing the pool people next week either, hoping though! The contractor called this week too and he's going to get started replacing our living room floor this coming week.  Late in the week, but still, floor, doors, windows, hearth and new bathroom, yippee!

I had a busy and fabulous Mother's Day last weekend, which afforded enough distraction to not dwell on missing my own mom.  Dwell or not, I was keenly aware of missing her. She had her first Mother's Day in heaven with my brother Rob, and I'll bet that was terrific. Although I'm pretty sure heaven in itself is so spectacular our earthly holidays don't even register on the terrific scale.

I can't tell you when I last got to spend Mother's Day with my mom...but here's a picture from Christmas, a few years ago, of me with mom and her sister (my Aunt Roselyn).

We represent 3 decades: Ro, me, and Mom

On Friday Tom and I went to Cleveland to watch my niece, Rebecca in an ice show. It was super fun to watch little skaters and bigger skaters, novices and accomplished skaters, even a few Olympic contenders! The program was so delightful that if it weren't for the hard bleachers, we would hardly have noticed the 3 hours and 15 minutes go by. Next year I must remember to take a cushion. Oh yes -- I'm going again next year. Rebecca is a great little skater and it was a fabulous show!

10 going on...  Too grown up.

From Cleveland we traveled to State College and spent Saturday and Sunday with our very favorite little boys in the whole world. Grant and Max entertained us with their antics and their chatter while we played together in the yard, in the house, and read stories. The guys (Daddy and Papa) took the boys fishing and got some great pictures -- action shots and video -- of their outing. Meanwhile, Amy and I had some girl time, a chat over coffee and a quick shopping trip.

Church on Sunday was excellent. The preacher at their church is really, really good, but I might be slightly biased. (To sample a sermon click here.) Then out to lunch for Mother's Day with the Grant clan: 4 moms (including me but without my daughter-in-law), 5 dads and 4 children (should have been 5). Missing were Grant and Amy...the older of our two grandsons came down with a sore throat and fever and needed his mom to stay home with him. We missed their company, but it was a lovely dinner out. And then we headed home.

We arrived home to messages and cards from our other boys and this bouquet...

More of my Mother's Day haul...

 

 

 

It seems I've been at this most of the day, with a couple hour break to visit with two little neighbor girls. And, wonder of wonders, my back isn't killing me anymore. 

 

Was it the rest? The ibuprofen? The ice pack? The magnet belt? Who knows, who cares! I knew it was going to feel better as soon as the pain went away.