Sunday, August 1, 2010

Courting Exhaustion

I took it easy today and only sealed the grout in the bathroom and cleaned the grout lines in another section in preparation for grouting. I have not been sleeping well, waking up in pain several times a night and am getting a little squirrely.



It sort of dawned on me that I have been crawling around on my hands and knees, twisting from side to side with boxes of screws and buckets of stuffs for the last couple of months, starting with screwing in the backer board over the sub-floor. Perhaps that has something to do with my condition.

It will be over soon. Only half of the main room is left to grout. I may need to find some kind of a standing method to buff the grout haze off of the tile and avoid doing it by hand while crawling around on my knees. The other day I was having visions of Cinderella.



My grout is drying much lighter than the color on the box. It blends perfect when wet. Maybe I shouldn't seal it until after it gets a bit dirty.



I'm patient. Three years ago I germinated seed of the Clematis stans that hailed from Mr. Chuck B. in San Francisco. This year they are blooming. I can see how, as this grows more shrub like, the bloom could become quite showy.



Summer moves along and hundreds of butterflies dance through the mountain top gardens.



In shadier locales, teeny tiny astilbes bloom. Miniature anything up here is risky.



The lush is now four to six feet tall.

12 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Take care of yourself Cinderfella. I think the cabin looks very cozy from that shot.

Lola said...

Do take care. I understand about the sleep deprivation. It can make one cranky.
Your gardens are as always beautiful. I do get homesick.

Siria said...

I'm with Lisa and Lola ~ take care of yourself and get better! After all the lifting and bending you have done to build your cabin and the stone walls, not to mention all the gardening, it's a wonder you didn't have back problems sooner. Use a cup of white vinegar in a bucket of water to clean your floors (you'll have to change out the dirty water often). And I recommend you seal your grout as soon as possible. You don't want them to get dirty in an uneven fashion. I LOVE the shot of the cozy cabin! It is beautiful!

Gail said...

Christopher, If I may be so bold! Lie on that wonderful tile floor in a nice yoga neutral position for 20 minutes to let those twisty motions leave your body. The cabin looks wonderful. gail

Christopher C. NC said...

Lisa I am moving pretty slow and deliberate.

Lola hope all goes well with you. I was remembering you telling me you sleep in the barca lounger a lot and thinking my that would be nice for me right now.

Siria with my past history of chronic lower back pain, the fact that I went 3 years without locking up and no chiropractor is a miracle. I was thinking of the vinegar cleaning method and will probably do that before I seal the rest of the grout.

Gail I am tempted to go down to the cabin and do that right now. I know those floors are clean. I have been vacuuming like a mad man between each process and every little section done.

chuck b. said...

I'm so glad you could keep the Clematis stans going! I guess I am not so patient, I had to give it up. It looks very nice!

chuck b. said...

I love Gail's suggestion. And that butterfly.

Anonymous said...

Agree with everyone about the back!My next door neighbor, now 80, is incapacitated from gardening by her back, although vigorous otherwise. I remember when she was my age and was doing all kinds of lifting, bending, etc. We need to preserve our aging bodies by treating them well whenever possible.

bev

Anonymous said...

Drugs have their place. Try over the counter Naproxen Sodium (cheapest version). 2 tablets twice a day whether you think you need them or not for 5 days.

Robin

Lola said...

Naprosyn & Flexaril was taken for my back when it was really giving me fits. But there is no feeling of pain. But still care has to be taken.
Script is needed for both. So Naproxen is next best. I truly hope you feel better soon.

Christopher C. NC said...

Robin I started alternating between ibuprofen and tylenol from the get go. Week two I went and bought some naproxen sodium and take it twice a day. I kind of do my stretching exercises and last night I got two new pillows that I put between my knees and that lets me sleep on my right side without pain.

Ten minutes after I wake up the pain dissipates down to a hint and I am good to go for the day. At the end of the day the pain is a louder hint. Only being able to sleep on my left side was what was killing me. I want to sleep on my back.

Lola I hope this clears up sooon so there is no need for script meds or those kind doctors.

Wondering Woman said...

A small price to pay for a masterpiece.