Just a few random thoughts tonight that I thought I’d share with you lovely readers.

1. I have the music to the Seussical Jr. musical running through my head due to the fact that my daughter’s auditions are in two days.  If I belt out “A-mazing Mazie” or “The Thinks You Can Think,” please insert ear plugs and give me a little grace.  I can’t help it.  Those songs are just too cute! And addicting.
2. My memory card/computer/camera/virus/dog ate my photography class homework.  I was thrilled to start shooting photos today as part of my homework.  I set those f-stops and shutter speeds like a pro, but you’ll have to take my word for it.  When I got home and connected the camera to my computer, the whole shebang froze up.  iPhoto wouldn’t recognize the camera.  My computer didn’t recognize it, either, so I was unable to properly turn my camera off.  After sitting for ten minutes waiting for my images to show up, I had to do something.  So I turned the camera off.  And the photos are now streaming somewhere in itty bitty pieces through that place where deleted images go.  When I turned the camera back on, every photo on that memory card was gone. So tomorrow I’ll take some more photos and will store them on a NEW memory card.  Hopefully it won’t develop photoamnesia.
3. My dog is dreaming of chasing something really, really fast.  She’s curled up beside me. I’m glad her legs are pointed away from me because she has some serious leg twitching and jumping going on.  Oh…wait!  She just adjusted her position and is now on her side with her legs pointing straight out, and she is licking some sort of invisible treat in the air that only she can see/smell/taste.  Why does she DO that? I love this goofy dog.  I changed the heading of this blog in her honor.  Because she’s just too cute.
4. The teenager in this house grew another inch or more overnight.  When I hug her, I put my head on her shoulder rather than the other way around.  She now has a bird’s eye view of the skunk-like stripe on the top of my head that grows a bit longer every day.

   

5. Speaking of the skunk stripe, I keep forgetting to make an appointment to get those roots covered.  Who has time for hair coloring when photos are ripe for the shooting and teenagers need homework help twelve hours a day and husbands work from home and adorable dogs curl up in laps?
6. Fibromyalgia is weird.  The wind today was fierce.  Those two sentences don’t go together until I tell you that every time the gusty wind blew my hair all around my face, it made the skin on my scalp sore.  When the wind hit my arms, it made the skin sore.  Usually when stuff like that happens I just look at my skin and tell my brain that the pain is not due to anything real. Unfortunately, telling myself it shouldn’t hurt doesn’t have any effect.
7. I made my own essential oil combination for insomnia.  In grape seed carrier oil, I’ve put drops of lavender, ylang ylang, wild chamomile, peppermint, spearmint, and eucalyptus oil.  Originally my thought was to create something that would tingle and relieve my restless legs.  This combination does not tingle nor help relieve restless legs…but it does induce almost instant grogginess.  I apply it to the bottom of my feet, rub it in, and within ten minutes, I’m falling asleep.
8. Capsaicin ointment has been working to counteract my restless legs.  The only thing is, that stuff HURTS.  It makes my legs feel like they are sunburned — but somehow that sunburnt feeling overrides the restless legs feeling, and I am able to sleep.  I hope I can keep using it because I read somewhere that it builds up in your body.  I can say from experience that is true — I can’t get into a hot shower anymore without feeling the sting.  But I’d say it’s worth the momentary pain if it helps me sleep.  Only last night the burning pain in my legs (from the capsaicin, I presume) kept waking me up, so…I may need a new solution.
9. Groundhog day is in three days.  Dare I mention the fact that so far our winter has been very mild?  I’m overjoyed at the unseasonal warmth, but this is Texas, after all.  We’ve been known to have snow on the ground in April after a stretch of 80 degree days.  I’m not holding my breath, but I enjoy being able to feel my fingers and toes when I go outside on the last day of January.  Better not see your shadow, Groundhog!

   

10. My husband is a rock star. I love him with everything I’ve got.  He’s training for a marathon in six weeks.  He inspires me…but not to run a marathon.  I want to get into an exercise routine but am not certain that I’m healed enough from my surgery to begin anything beyond walking.
11. Getting up early to get my daughter off to school makes me (yawn) ready for bed.  We’ve been spoiled rotten as homeschoolers.  Now we get up before the sun and wish we could go to bed with the sun.  Those farmers had it right, I think.
12. My teenager does NOT like the new sleeping schedule. I tell her that’s okay…I didn’t like mine, either, when I was her age. (Or mine.)
13. Speaking of bedtimes, it’s mine.  Good night!