Top Ten Things...

...to do when you are laid up flat on your (bad) back in bed for nearly 4 days!

What started as a tweak picking up my toddler daughter one day turned into fully fledged agony the next day. I am sure the garden gnomes looking in our windows would have been doubled over with tears in their eyes from laughing so hard watching me try to get off the couch for that 20 minutes. But the tears in my eyes weren't from laughing. I was unable to stand or even crawl to get to a phone and was panicking that no one would get to pick up my son from school.

So working hubby became house hubby for ensuing days and I had an enforced stay in bed.

So what are the top 10 things to do when you are confined to bed in a relatively immobile position?

1 Stare at the ceiling

Novelty of this wore off after about 2 minutes. Not on the "highly recommended" list...

2 Watch the daily soapies

I can honestly say that I didn't succumb to Days or Dr Phil or the mid avo cooking shows. I did watch "Days of our Lives" for about 1/2 hour just to confirm that the 18 year old actresses are still dressing and made up like 35 year olds. Oh, and that nothing has happened in the last 10 years since I have watched an episode. And I watched "Bold and the Beautiful" just long enough to see if Ridge is still engaged to, married to or divorcing Brooke. Yep! Oh, and look at that! He's dying his hair now.

3 Read a book start to finish

Since having kids, reading has gone onto the luxury list (and, I have to be honest, has pretty much become stolen moments on the loo when the kids haven't noticed that I've disappeared for 5 minutes) I borrowed "The Kite Runner" (by Khaled Hosseini) a year ago from a friend and have managed to avoid reading it up until now. When I do get a chance to read, I stick to lightweight stuff or thrillers and I knew that this was going to be on the heavy side.

But I read it. A whole book in a couple of days. Can't remember the last time that I had that luxury.

Brilliant, brilliant book. But sad. Consider yourself warned.

4 Resist the temptation of telemarketing

Steam mops, steamer ovens, mineral 6 in 1 makeup (with the host unfortunately a New Zealander who seemed to be selling "Sex in 1"), the latest ultimate abdominal exerciser, funeral plans, the best chammy in the world.

My husband should consider himself blessed that he left me within reach of a phone but not within reach of my credit card or else I would be awaiting the delivery of a few (useless, shove-in-the-corner-to-gather-dust-until-I-sell-on-ebay) things right about now!

5 Crochet myself a hat

I have had this pattern kicking around for a while and really don't know what to think. The cover picture on the pattern made me think of an elegant cloche, vintage type of hat but in reality it is just an elegant type of beanie. Jury is still out on whether I like it or not. But I'll probably wear it- wherever I would wear a beanie.



Brianna Mewborn Flip-Top Beanie (OK so it is called a beanie...maybe I should have know that it would be a beanie) as modelled by 5 year old dear son. My boys like it so maybe they can wear it if I don't.

6 Direct the household

I couldn't relax even though there was nothing I could do to help around the house. Hubby works long hours and I am primary carer so he needed (wanted is probably more accurate) a lot of advice, probably because I was there to give it. He copes just fine when I am not around. But why did I feel guilty that I was incapacitated and had to delegate everything.

PS Hubby didn't make me feel guilty. Just a typical mum's mentality I think.

7 Finish that skirt

I started crocheting this skirt for myself at Easter. Had a few setbacks when I started and lost a bit of momentum so it has been my here and there project. But I finally finished it. Yay!


Violet Beauregard skirt from Debbie Stoller's The Happy Hooker (Stitch'n'Bitch)
Note to self- chenille is a pain-in-the-you-know-where to crochet with, especially if you have call to undo it...


Detail of hem


Detail of flowers on ties


8 Rest

Hard to do. Don't like doing nothing.

9 Continue caffeine intake

I am sure that the worse thing that I could do when I am suffering is add caffeine withdrawal to my list of woes so luckily hubby kept me plied with coffee.

10 Fill in 20 minutes by deciding to have a wee

2 positions of comfort are standing straight or lying flat; nothing in between. So getting out of bed, walking to the toilet, sitting, standing back up (that one there was the real challenge; thanking the bathroom goddess for those towel rails within reach), getting back to bed and getting back into bed...I made damn sure my bladder was full before I went!

And then I made a vow to remember to appreciate my good health once I had it back
(even as I succumbed to a head cold and was in agony every time I sneezed)

But the worse thing? Even though I am more mobile now my back doesn't like me sitting so I am not sure when I will get back to the sewing machine.