It's a remarkable difference. My face is swollen enough to ache lightly.

Yipes. Then by all means!

Congrats, -t!

msbelle, we need to find you a new job. This saturday bullshit is just that.

Finished up the varnishing marathon: [link] (first 10 no-flash pictures are tonight)

Next up will be spindles, priming and painting white. But that has to wait until I can tape the varnish off in places. And I'll err on the side of caution, given how long it took me to get to *here*.

I mean, I'd lick the posts but they're still tacky and that might mess them up! The cats were shockingly restrained until the last run and then it was all close calls and yelling.

2010, I spent 6-8 months stripping paint. And then couldn't face sanding for 4 years. And soon, very soon, I will be done with this project.

Of course, it yields more, because I want to fix up the floors where I messed them up or they were already messed up, and now based on this experience, I i totally could refinish the steps one tread at a time.....

But tomorrow, I'll probably stain the deck furniture, since the weather will be crappy. And I've decided I'm going to build a new back-screen door rather than refinish the current; it's easier. I could pick up wood for that.

Or, you know. Nap. But for now, I'm going to go organize all my sanding and painting crap since I don't need it spread out for easy access all over the damned basement floor (also: raining heavily, if it leaks, I don't want to lose sanding pads or tools.)

It may have snowed this past week, but this insanity is CLEARLY brought to you by my brain deciding winter is over. Even I'm exhausted in theory. Just not in practice.

Here. Have some silly. [link]

That just needs some appropriate dance music.

2010, I spent 6-8 months stripping paint. And then couldn't face sanding for 4 years. And soon, very soon, I will be done with this project.

That is awesome.

ISTG, if this rain we've had all afternoon/evening doesn't melt the last of the snow, I'm going out there with my hair dryer.

Teppy, you use magnesium right? And it helps you? I'm down to Mg as my only supplement. I can't tell if it makes a difference, but I figure it's healthy anyway, right?

I do, but I also take valerian root and melatonin. And benadryl (for legit allergies; I just happen to also take it at bedtime). I think the magnesium helps, but since it's just one thing in my armory of get-me-to-sleep stuff, I wouldn't say it's the magic bullet.

It is apparently healthy in other ways, though.

t edit My doctor refilled my flexiril Rx after a long time not needing it, because I did something to tweak my back last week, and I can't get it to un-tweak with ibuprofen, heat, and/or tennis balls. I forgot how the flexiril knocks me on my ass. I was out cold last night before 11 p.m.

Anyone else use these?

ita, I'm liking Headspace: [link]

They have a Take 10 program that's free, 10 minute meditations for 10 days. The guy also has a TED talk: [link]

Had a three hour talk with my mother. Was good. I just wish we could talk like this in person. I don't know if it's because she's more readily distracted by tv shows and counting her numerous medications in person or me being terrified of her bringing up how much she gates my job (for being so low paying).

I'm full of random tonight. Wolverine - The Musical

No one told me ita was posting again! I guess that is what I get for not popping into Natter more often. It is good to see you posting. I have no good insomnia advice, but I hope you find something that works for you soon.

One method of meditation/visualization I used to use when trying to fall asleep was to imagine writing numbers in sand, counting backward from 100, with tide washing away each consecutive number. Often I wouldn't get past 90 before I was out. But if I made it to 50 without losing focus, I knew that sleep wasn't coming right then.