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.

The year is almost over

Maybe everyone will stop dying once the calendar changes to 2017. I know if I were famous I'd be to scared to sleep.

We had a good Christmas here although I didn't take ANY pictures. The boys are grown now so Christmas isn't so exciting. We were pretty laid back. We ended up celebrating on Christmas eve since my husband's brother and his wife were going to come over then. My sister in law ended up not showing but my brother in law did. I had my schedule turned up-side-down again since I had a few days where I was sleeping all day. I started cooking in the evening and stayed up all night. I made a couple of pies and a bunch of cookies and planned out when to start cooking the other stuff.  I figured I'd get stuff started and take a nap while someone else took over. Problem was no one did. When I finally laid down I was dog tired and then I couldn't sleep because I was worried I wouldn't hear the timer go off. I finally got a few hours of sleep and then got up and enjoyed the company and a movie. Buddy was a ball of energy and loved the attention he got.

You know, it is really hard to pick out gifts for my boys now that they are grown. They are 19 and 21 but have birthday's coming up soon..... which of course means I'll have to go through this again. My oldest is working now and if he needs something he just gets it. He is currently manning the gas station but it is part of a retail store so on his break he buys stuff he needs. My youngest doesn't have a job right now but he has money in his account still so that pretty much applies to him too. They are into computer stuff and I just don't know enough about that stuff. It was so much easier when they were little and I could buy something with flashing lights and buttons that make noise.

We had a small Christmas this year because my husband's job is kinda rocky right now so we didn't want to go too crazy and then him lose his job. I've always told my boys Christmas isn't about being greedy.  It is about the joy of giving not receiving. Even when they were little we would give them money to buy a small gift for the other people in the family. You don't have to spend a lot to find a meaningful gift. I mainly got them things they needed so they could spend their money on what they wanted.

Well, the doctors always tell me I have to make sure and get enough sleep because the Fibromyalgia flares up if I don't. I ended up sleeping most of Christmas day and the next day. I'm still trying to get my schedule turned around so I can be awake during the day. I was in a lot of pain but then I read that we are expecting a big storm here this week. They said we are going to be getting a lot of snow and wind and usually that causes power lines to go down. I'm pretty sure that is what is causing me to hurt. It started snowing during the night. I'll probably feel better once that is over and passed us.

Crazy beagle puppy moments

I thought I would share a few funny moments I've had with my beagle puppy Buddy recently. He's about 8 months old now. The first thing was actually not so funny at first but I find it interesting now. I've been sitting at the kitchen table working on a cross stitch. My eyes are not the best and the fabric I'm stitching on is black so I need a bright lamp to see with. That means I have to stay there at the table.  I have Buddy in his fence area close to the kitchen table so I can talk to him while I'm working. Well I started noticing that when I let him out he goes right to the table and takes something I had. The first time I looked over and saw he had something black and went to investigate and about fainted when I realized it was my cross stitch I'd spend days working on. He didn't hurt it though; he just wanted to check it out I think. I mean, if I had it it must be something really great right? The next time I actually saw him run up to the table, poke his head up there (he stands up like a weasel) and take my reading glasses. The next time he got my pattern for the cross stitch.  He just lifts it off and after it lands on the floor he stares at it like he's trying to figure out what it says. Another time when I was filing my nails I caught him watching me and later he ran and grabbed the nail file and was holding it in his paws like he was working on his nails. He always grabs something I was previously using or holding and wants to squirrel it away so he can investigate it without me taking it away. Also, whenever I feed my fish he stands up like a weasel and watches the biggest one for a while.  He can stand up like that for a lot longer than I would have thought. It always looks so funny to see him do that and I'm hoping to get a picture of him doing it sometime.

This weekend we got about 3 inches of snow here.  Buddy is new to snow and is still getting used to it.  The first time it snowed he was scared to go outside because he didn't understand what that stuff was. We had to go outside with him before he would go out to go potty. It wasn't a lot of snow so after a while he would grab his ball and run a lap around the yard and come back inside. Before there was snow he would run a lot of laps around the yard until he was dizzy. Now it is cold so he runs one lap, comes inside to warm his feet and then goes for another lap. Well today he grabbed his ball and ran outside and when he dropped it expecting it to bounce it just disappeared. He kept staring at that spot like he was waiting for it to pop back out but it didn't so he looked at me for help.  I just used my foot to move the snow to show the red ball and he started pawing at it.  He played with it a little while before he dropped it again and once again it disappeared lol  It was so funny. Maybe you had to be there. There are so so many times I wish I could get a picture but before I can get the camera he moves.  

He sure does make me smile.