This is not fun...

I woke up last Saturday morning with a horrible pain in the small of my back. I spent the day sitting on the heating pad trying to get some relief. Sunday I had a little relief but the back still hurt. Same thing Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. Had a lot of trouble shelving books on the bottom shelves. Even more trouble getting up and down but the pain was tolerable - until today. Normally independent, I learned to ask students to pick things up for me. Had a lot of difficulty shelving books. Really doesn't help to have an over abundance of books to shelve and no offers to help.

Anyway, the pain got so severe this afternoon I placed a call to the doctor. Her advice: no bending, lifting, stretching or twisting. Also, apply ice to the area at least once an hour.

Ice - not heat... I should have known better

No bending, lifting, stretching or twisting - that is my job: pick up book off rack, turn (aka twist) toward shelves, bend over to shelve on bottom shelves, turn toward rack and repeat. I'm glad tomorrow is Friday. If I make it through the day at work tomorrow I will have the weekend to recuperate. I would take the day off tomorrow but the work will still be there next week - only worse.

I haven't worked out at all this week. I missed Zumba, aqua fit and working out on the treadmill, recumbent bikes and cybex machines. At least I knew the right thing to do on this count.

Lasagne Dinner

Worked out at the Y most of the afternoon then came home in time to pop the lasagne in the oven. Dinner tonight was two pieces of lasagne, salad (with non fat dressing), delicious asparagus, garlic bread, and milk. For desert, strawberry cheesecake. Guess this all cancelled out the exercise.

Parent teacher conferences this week. Don't know if I'll be eating right but I have a delicious salad for lunch tomorrow. Will cut up some turkey and cheese for some added protein.

Casserole Swap

I'm part of this really awesome cooking forum on-line. It all started with a search for a recipe. Then, I started visiting the various forum sites. Last month, I participated in the ABC "B" Swap which I posted some pictures of. I didn't have my camera home when my B swap package arrived but there was some really cool stuff in it, including: a souvenier hockey stick (my swap partner is from British Columbia, a "bag" for my toiletries when traveling or going to the gym, an awesome butterfly magnet and butterfly windchimes, a bubble/bobble fishy pen (really cool)... all in all some really nifty fun stuff.

This month, I'm participating in three swaps (I think I'm addicted!) The swap themes are:

1) Spring/Easter

2) Casserole Dishes

3) Garden/Spring

Today I went to the post office and mailed the box of goodies to my Spring/Easter partner and the first of two boxes to my casserole dish partner. Later, when I got home the postman visted and left me a box of goodies from my casserole partner. It is really strange because she included some extras in my box. The extras were all items I have looked at recently at the store but have been too "cheap" to buy them. What's really strange is I was planning on shopping this weekend and would probably have picked them up because I thought it over ....... My swap partner is a stranger who has only met me in this forum and e-mailed back & forth a couple of times but it seems like she really knows me.

Just in case she is reading this, I won't tell what is on the cutting table and sewing machine in my craft room but will post pictures here after I finish them and she receives them. But, for now, here is a pictures of the goodies she sent me.

I will post pictures later this month after I receive my spring swap package and garden package. If all goes well, my garden swap package should go out in the mail tomorrow or early next week. I just need to buy tape to seal the box.

Back on Track

Well, I think I'm back on track - trying to shake away the winter blues. Spent most of Saturday with a friend and a whole host of strangers at the Women's Expo. Then off we went to the mall and a yummy lunch an Panera Bread. Next stop was Barnes & Nobles where I found John Lescroart has released a new and Linda Fairstein's new book will be released this week. As much as I would like to buy the books, curl up and read them now, I'm hoping the books will be released in paperback in time for vacation this summer. They would be perfect reads on the plane and while lounging in the South Pacific.

Today was spent with Jill & Jessica at the Y. We started on the treadmill (Jessica on Eliptical machine). After walk ~ 1/2 hour on the treadmill we moved to the stationary bikes. Next step was various Cybex machines - the abs should hurt tomorrow! Jessica left for work and Jill and I finished our land exercises then went downstairs to tread water for 50 minutes, sat in the hottub and sauna. Lunch/dinner at Subway and wandered around Wal-Mart. Tomorrow is Zumba and I'm looking forward to it!

Hopefully will bring packages for swap partners to the post office. One box contains a beautiful casserole dish, the other box is full of spring gifts. Tomorrow, partners should be posted for the garden swap and I've already done most of the shopping for this swap. Soon a new swap will be posted - right up my alley - bookmark/magnet swap - and the cool thing is, I already have started shopping for this one too! The "B" swap was so much fun, I think I'm addicted!

March.....

Well, March has arrived and hopefully spring will arrive soon, too. As I write this post, the sun is trying to peek through the clouds, shine through the window and on my face. (sorry Tresa, I think there should have been another comma in that sentence). Anyway, in honor of the coming of spring, I have signed up for not one, not two, but three (3) swaps on recipezaar.com. I may be crazy to sign up for three swaps in one month after just completing my first swap in February. Oh well, it is fun, almost like celebrating Christmas in March, buying gifts (and receiving) for three different soon to be friends on Zaar. I should probably go take a shower so I can go shopping to find my treasures. The swaps are garden, Easter/Spring, and casserole dish. The hardest one is also the easiest. I need to find a pretty and functional casserole dish to send to my partner. Actually, I can't purchase the dish until I have been assigned and zmailed a partner to find what her (his?) preference is: round, square, big, small, indifferent.....