Forced Inactivity (and having the time to smell the lilacs!)

Although the steel band around my chest is slowly becoming more elastic, I continue to frustrate myself by getting breathless relatively easily. Asthma attacks suck. :)


I have accomplished several things which I am able to do with minimal exertion, and many of which would not have been done until they absolutely had to be. For example, cleaning out my dresser drawers. So why have I been hanging on to that camisole with the padded shoulders for the past 20 years? Do I really want to look like a football player again? Really, once was truly enough! White and light-colored pantyhose? ANY pantyhose? Why? Knee-high stockings? Come on! And slips. Half-slips, full-slips, every single one had elastic which had stretched out and died over a decade ago. What makes me keep these things? I pulled a chair up to the dresser and methodically went through each drawer, and I was merciless. As a result, my drawers are neat and organized and ready for the next twenty years.


Also, the drawers in the kitchen. Jack brought each one over to the kitchen table and I straightened and tossed and now can actually find a twist-tie or a rubber band without rummaging through cracked drinking straws and pieces of knotted kitchen twine.


The Christmas tablecloths and napkins are ironed, folded in white tissue paper, and stored. And I folded the ironing board and put it away for the summer. It gets too hot here to iron in the summer.


All of the recipes which I have printed out (or torn from magazines) in the past several months and stuck into a folder are now in their own plastic sleeves, and arranged in massive 3-ring binders.


I have also repotted all of my tomato and pepper seedlings, giving them more room to stretch their little roots before I (hopefully) get them in the ground in 3 or 4 weeks.


And I am actually enjoying just sitting and typing without having a to-do list hanging over my head. I have moved the laptop out to the screened-in porch and I see the beautiful colors of spring, and can watch the frogs and toads splashing around in the pond.


I opened the door to let Spooky out yesterday morning and was enveloped by lilac-scented air. The very warm weather which we had experienced during the first part of the week did its magic and pushed our 2 lilac bushes into flower. I took a huge breath, and had a coughing fit. :) I am now practicing moderation in taking lungfuls of this scented air.


Is there anything more graceful that the way cut lilacs just happen to fall into place? No arranging skills needed here!




Since it required minimum effort, I took my camera outside.


Primroses in front, both pink and white bleeding-heart, and far behind is the crimson-bronze of the Japanese maples.




Don't these little guys look happy? Like they're singing, or something.


I love spring!


Hopefully I will be able to return to posting recipes in the next day or two.