My Creative Bible

I'm still sick and pretty much sleeping all the time but today was a big mail day for me so I couldn't wait to share. Everything I've ordered recently decided to come at the same time. Three books I requested from paperbackswap.com came today and I got two packages from Amazon which included my new My Creative Bible.  It is a KJV and has space on the sides for notations or doodling and designs for coloring that goes with the text. I love it! I had a really hard time choosing which one to get since I couldn't see them in person. There are several to choose from. There is a pretty hardcovered aqua one that I loved too and I've been really drawn to that color recently so it was a really hard decision. There is also a very pretty silken flex cover one that has a beautiful floral cover too.  I believe these all have the same pages inside. I decided to get the pink, hardback cover and it is perfect. I love the embossed designs on the cover, especially the butterflies. The page edges also have a beautiful floral design. It has a matching elastic band to keep it closed and a matching satin ribbon bookmark. Then, of course, there are different Bibles for the different versions. These are just all the KJV bibles I was looking at.  There is a pretty aqua Inspire NLT version that has pretty butterflies on the page edges. That one has different artwork but it is very similar.

I love the verse on the back from Isaiah, 

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of

our God shall stand for ever." 

Isaiah 40:8 

I just keep petting it. The cover feels so nice in my hands.  It will probably take a long time before I can write or color in it. I am just going to use colored pencils in it. I have some nice Prismacolor pencils. I read reviews from other people that got this bible that said the markers and highlighters they got showed through on the other side. They said they didn't bleed through and leave marks on the page underneath but you could definitely see it intruding on the image on the back of that page. I'd rather play it safe because I'm sure I'll have this forever now.

There are several illustrations throughout like this and some are in the really light gray text meant to be drawn over and then colored in. Other pages just have lines for note taking or for drawing your own word art. I'm not very good at word art so I'll just be coloring the images printed on the pages and using the lined sections for actual notes (unless I get inspired!) I've seen some very impressive artwork people have done in these and I wish I was so creative. Many people even draw right over the text covering both pages so the words can be read through the artwork. It might make those pages hard to read but this is a creative journaling bible and they have another bible for study. The idea is that the artwork is inspired by the passage.

I also got another Titanic book because I have an obsession.  I got A Night To Remember by Walter Lord. This book is hardback and looks brand new. I still can't believe I got such a nice book on paperbackswap.com. That site is for swapping used paperback books but you can also find hardback books. They are just valued the same as a paperback. That site works by giving you credits for books you send out to people. You pay the postage to send the book and then you get a credit which can be used to request a book you want. The sender always pays the postage. So it is more beneficial to send lighter books but the books are either sent by media mail or first class if it is light enough. They have a nice system where you can print out a label on printer paper plus an extra page with information about the transaction and you then use both those pages to wrap the book. I use their printable postage which adds a barcode to the shipping label so I can just stick it in my mailbox and avoid the long lines at the post office. I wrap my books in plastic wrap before wrapping in the paper to protect from snow and rain and also use packaging tape to protect the edges and corners.

Okay, I'm going to go try to find a place on a shelf for my new books.

D

Blargh!

Currently reading: The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares

I have been really out of it for a while.  I have been kind of sickish alternating with very allergicky but the whole time I've been super exhausted. I have been sleeping so much and I'm pretty sure if I looked in the mirror right now I'd see a sloth. I have zero energy. I've even lost my reading mojo. I started to read the next Anne's Attic Mystery book I have and those are really fast to read. I just couldn't do it. I just stared at it and probably drooled. I have no idea what is up with me but my husband is feeling sick too and he said he feels super tired too.... so maybe it is just a bug, which is kinda funny because he calls me "bug." So, I'm a bug with a bug. I wonder if a bug with a bug is still cute.

It is snowing outside but it is sort of warmish, compared to the super cold we were having. I put on my husband's coat and shoes and went out to check the mail. There is so much snow and I noticed the handle of the snow shovel sticking up in a snowbank where it was leaned against the fence and thought that was funny.  I guess it is a good thing there is another shovel around here that the guys can use to excavate this one.  

I've been taking Dayquil and that always makes me sleep more and dream crazy stuff. I usually wake up and think, "What in the world was that all about?" and then try to forget about it but sometimes I just think about stuff while sort of dreaming. Sometimes I wake up wondering about something off the wall, like, "Why don't bananas have seeds?"  Then I google it.  Turns out they used to have really big seeds so they have been bred to not have them. Good to know in case you are ever on Jeopardy.  

This last time I was thinking about The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares. I've read that book a few times but even though I bought the other books in the series I never read them. I started wondering about what happened the next summer while I was deep in REM sleep. When I got up I was thinking I should just finish reading that book I started first but I just can't. I think I read too many of them back to back and I burned myself out on them. 

It took me a while to find the second book but I did and I've already read the first chapter. This poor book has seen better days. I bought it used and it was super cheap because it has seen better days. The spine is cracked in the middle so I'm waiting for it to fall apart in my hands. I hate throwing away books but this one isn't even fit to be donated. Oh well, I will read it one last time and then.... who knows. Maybe I'll ask one of my boys to toss it for me when I'm not looking.  

P.s. Spring, if you can hear me, please hurry up and come. I'm ready for GREEN!

DJ

I'm so tired I can't sleep

I was tired a long time ago but I just can't get comfortable because my back is hurting.  I think I did too much.  My RLS (restless leg syndrome) is making me crazy too and I already took my medicine for it.  ugh.

Anyway, I am really happy though. My baby will be 20 on the 19th. I just can't believe he's so old (and I'm so much older). His birthday always sneaks up on me since it is so soon after Christmas but I always want to make sure he doesn't get cheated because of that. I just got him a bunch of clothes for Christmas so I was quizzing him out to try to figure out what to get him for his birthday. He is not very picky and doesn't care that much about details (which really drives me nuts). If he needs pants or a shirt he just says that's what he needs and doesn't care about the color or style as long as it isn't crazy. He doesn't want bright colors or designs he said. He just says what he doesn't want but never exactly what he does want. He finally said he would like a couple polo shirts like his dad wears to work because he is trying to get a job. He wants to make sure he has things he can wear at work even though he has no idea where it will be at or what they will require.

I do know that he needs a new cell phone though.  He has my old iphone 4 and the speakers are messed up so people calling can't hear him. He really likes music and likes using itunes. I talked to my husband and he just bought him an iphone 7 for his birthday. It will probably be a little bit late but my son will be so surprised. I can't wait to see his face when he gets it.

He is such a good kid and always jumps up to help me when I am in pain. So many times I've woken up and staggered out of my room in so much pain and he jumps into action to help. He grabs my medicine and gets me a glass of water and takes care of whatever else needs to be done. Our beagle puppy sees me and gets all excited and starts whining and jumping up and down in his pin. My son takes care of him and gets him settled down. I appreciate him so much and I'm so glad that he can have something like this that I know he really wants. He also things it is too much and doesn't expect more than whichever phone is free or at the most a refurbished older model iphone. I love that boy.

Okay, I'm going to try to lay down again and maybe try to read a few lines if possible.

Feeling better

Currently reading: Ghosts of the Titanic by Charles Pellegrino

I woke up at 5:30 am this morning and I could breath. My nose is completely clear and I feel pretty good. I have the usual achiness that is always there but I'm used to that. I started a roast in the crockpot and now I am taking a small brake before I do some cleaning.

I was really dreading the really super cold snap they said was coming with -40 to -50 F temps. Anytime the temperature drops like that I can't get out of bed. It was supposed to happen yesterday but it never did. I got a new Special Weather Report that said instead of the cold we are getting more snow. It did snow yesterday but I'm not sure how much. I was either reading or sleeping the whole day. Today I need to get up and do some things around the house. I have been doing little things the past few days while I've been sick but I couldn't handle much. I did vacuum yesterday and then took my canister apart and washed it and the filters that are washable.  They get caked in dust and dirt and dog hair. I thought I was going to have to take the bottom apart again because it was making a weird noise but I found the problem pretty fast and didn't have to unscrew anything.

Buddy my beagle puppy is really happy that he can still go out and play in the snow. He really likes to dig and if he doesn't get to go out and dig in the snow he starts trying to dig in my house. He's been really sweet today. He comes up and sits by me because he wants me to scratch his back. He does this super cute face where he looked shyly down his nose. I will be able to play with him a lot today since I'm feeling better.

Sick as a dog but reading

I hate being sick but I don't mind having easy days in bed with a good book. I just finished the third one so far. Now I've been bitten by the Titanic bug again. Maybe it was the recent news that they believe it was actually a fire that sank the ship instead of the ice berg. I was looking at a website I use a lot called paperbackswap.com and a book jumped out at me. It is a mystery book about the Titanic. I tried to resist because my goal this year is to focus on reading books I already have taking up my shelf space. I have so many books already and I really need to make room for the books in boxes in the garage. It was always there though and kept popping up in the corner of forum pages I was on. I finally gave in and ordered it. It's called Something's Alive on the Titanic by Robert Serling. It is on the way to me as we speak.

I also felt pulled to read a book about the Titanic that I have on my shelf but never got around to reading. It is called Ghosts of the Titanic by Charles Pellegrino. This is not a fiction book and looks really interesting. I've also requested A Night to Remember by Walter Lord.

I guess it is okay that I've just ordered 3 new (used) books, counting one I didn't mention since it is only 1/12th and I've already read 3 books and put them in my swap box. That means I only have to read and de-home 17 more books this year. I actually hope that number is a lot higher but I'm sure there will be some I'll want to keep.

-D

Meaning of blog name

Currently reading: Medals in the Attic (Annie's Attic Mysteries #2)

I just realized that not everyone will understand the meaning of my blog name so I thought I'd explain. I took medical terminology so I learned a lot about how to break down a word to learn what it means. I have Fibromyalgia and it has really changed the way I live so of course it is going to be mentioned a lot in my blog. If you break down the word Fibro/my/algia the "Fibro" means fibrous tissues like tendons (connective tissue). "My" or myo means muscles and "algia" means pain. So then Fibromyalgia is pain in muscles and connective tissues.

My blog name is a play on that. I enjoy crocheting and knitting and often use those hobbies to distract myself from my pain. Mainly I resort to crochet since I've been doing that since I was a kid and it is something I don't have to think about. It is a great therapy for me.  Thus you have Fiber (yarn) plus Algia (pain) = my life.

I do mention the things I make on this blog but I have another craft blog where I post more craft related posts. That blog is called Creative Aspirations. I know that some people don't like to read my crafty posts because they don't crochet or knit. I haven't posted there for a while because I've been more into reading lately.

This blog has the two tabs at the top to show what I'm currently reading and the books I've read for the year.

Okay, Buddy the beagle is trying to dig a hole in the kitchen floor so I better go let him outside for a while.  I hope everyone is warm!

Welcome to a new year

Currently reading: L is for Lawless by Sue Grafton

I am hopeful for this new year and ready for the blessings it can bring. Every year I choose a word and phase to focus on and this year I've chosen "Move" and "Get up and move!" I print up images to put in places around the house to remind me. This year I really want to focus on pushing myself to move more because I really need to lose weight. It is so hard to exercise when just regular movement hurts but I have to do it or I will keep gaining and not losing. I have been trying to lose weight for years and only managed to hold steady, however, a new drug I started taking causes weight gain and I found myself losing the fight. I started to gain even though I've been careful about what I eat and how much. That medicine is actually working so I am pushing myself to move more and build up muscle that I've lost. I started this week and I feel the muscle soreness plus the extra pain from the Fibromyalgia but it isn't the worst pain I've had. Getting the inflammation under control has helped the worst of the pain and I have more energy and want to clean up. I found myself wanting to do some super early spring cleaning and started yesterday on my kitchen. I'm feeling ambitious but know I have to hold myself back and take breaks so I don't over do it.

I looked back at my reading goal from last year and the books I read and I'm happy to say I did meet my goal. I did play it a bit safe since I know how frustrating it is when I can't focus to read because of bad pain or fibrofog. I set my goal at 24 books with the stipulation that half had to leave the house to make room on my shelves. I actually read 31 although a few of those were children's books or other short books. I am upping the challenge a bit this year by setting my goal at 40 with needing to be books I already have and those books have to go.  I am also choosing to read more historical fiction this year. I have only read a few and I really liked them.  I think it will be good to broaden my reading horizon. I also really want to finish reading the Sue Grafton Alphabet series. I have all but 2 of those. I also want to start over again reading the Blossom Street Series by Debbie Macomber.  That is one of my favorite series and I noticed that there were more books in the series that I never read. I've been acquiring those though Paperbackswap.com and I am anxious to reread my old favorites and see what the other books are like. I'm not big on romance so I hope the newer once don't get too far into that territory.

My little Buddy is getting big and seems to be close to full grown though he still looks like a puppy in the face. I love him so much. He is not at all like my old friend Blue that I lost who was a sweet mellow lady. Buddy is hyper and loves to play. He loves everyone and doesn't bark at everything like Blue did. He is really quite and the only times we've heard him bark or yip are rare, only one bark each time and he seems startled by his own voice. Everyone in the house stops to play with him every day and my youngest son spends the most time with him. Buddy loves him so much and looks for him every day. Yesterday my son wasn't feeling well and slept in late and Buddy actually moped about watching his door or laying by it. He was so happy when he finally came out. It is so sweet to see how much Buddy loves Riley but he loves everyone else too and squeals with joy when anyone comes in the door and loves to see new people too. He's brings us so much joy and that is good since our hearts still hurt missing our old friend Blue. I know I think of her a lot and miss her presence.