Adventures in Jewelry: Waiting for Spring

I am sitting in my room / studio, my legs propped up, my back aching, and the guys outside my window cleaning the heavily clogged gutters. It's a fine way to start a Monday, along with running out of coffee creamer on Friday from my husbands obsession with coffee at all hours of the night. I also went to the store numerous times this weekend forgetting creamer each and every time.

So, I suppose this is the universe telling me it's time to cut back on my creamer / coffee concoctions each morning? Maybe. But, I'll likely not listen.

I've been trying to figure out where the tension in my back / neck is coming from of late. Sure, I have old Army injuries that often flare up during Seattle's cold and rainy winters -- but this feels differently. Normally, I could go get a massage and feel like a million bucks after the guys in the Mall do everything short of ripping off both my arms and beating the rest of my back with them.

That just didn't help this weekend.

I could be irritated with hubby going away for a few days -- across the mountains, through heavy snow and blizzard conditions to train soldiers yet again. I could be stressed because therapy is particularly difficult this month. It could be a fear of writing a true story in three different "tones" like I am required for my Veteran's Writing Class -- hosted by my local Vet Center and put together by the wonderful folks at the "Red Badge Project" (Seriously, check this organization out).

But more likely than not -- it's the stress of waiting for my VA claim to be complete. It's a long and tedious process, and you never really know how it's going. You can call the 1800 number, getting "Peggy" but really you never really get any information. You can check your status online -- but again, you just leave the website more confused than before.

So, I listen to the rain, in its abundance here south of Seattle. I try to enjoy it. I contemplate making an appointment to see about my back and that one weak knee that just wont get better.

And -- I am grateful that I thought ahead a couple of years ago and created a portable box -- so that my studio could go anywhere with me. So, even though I sit here, uncomfortable, waiting for tylenol to work -- I can still create, and calm my weary nerves.