Earthquake

There was a "relatively" small earthquake here about an hour ago. USGS says 3.5, local GS says 4.0. Honestly, it felt more like 4 than 3.5. A strong jolt, NS direction, with a vertical component.

I do suffer of PTSD from earthquakes. The first one I experienced I was a few days shy of my 16th birthday. It was a big one, over 7 on Richter - the reports even after so many years put it anywhere between 7.2 and 7.5 or even higher. It was also a very long one, lasting almost a minute. I still remember, it was at 9:22 pm, and there was a Bulgarian movie on TV. I forgot the name of the movie. I had never before experienced such a thing as an earthquake. For a 16 year old it is quite a trauma. Our building didn't have any major damages, only broken windows and some cracked plaster, but in the city there were over 40 collapsed buildings and almost 1600 people died that night and the following nights, crushed under the tons of debris, before rescuers could reach them. Many died of exposure (it was a cold March), of hunger and mostly of thirst.

Then there were a good number of earthquakes after that, 6.8 6.5 6.2 5.8 6.4 and so on.

I did live through quite a number of things in my life. One of those curses "may you live in interesting times".

Practically it started with that earthquake. Then there were the following ones. Floods. An anti-communist revolution to which I was an active participant - talk about gunshots and wounded and dead people. A serious car crash that left me in a 5 days 3rd degree coma. Divorce and abandonment when I was barely able to keep myself alive through severe thyrotoxicosis with a heart rate of over 130 at rest, and two thyroid storms with sinus tachycardia of over 200 bpm. Then many tornado outbreaks. A breast cancer journey.

I do have PTSD. the slightest earth jolt brings me to an unbelievable state of anxiety. When I was still in my homeland I would pray for hours before going to sleep, afraid an earthquake would happen in the night and I would wake up buried under tons of debris, slowly suffocating. Oh yes, I also have PTSD about elevators - when I was around 8 years old I was in one that fell.

So anyway. May you NOT live in interesting times.

When it doesn't rain, it pours.

Long winter. Well, it WAS very sunny and clear sky on February 2nd, so we will have apparently to wait for the 6 weeks of winter before spring ever shows up.

There was a "winter storm" two weeks ago. Then another one this last week. Then another one coming Monday.

My seeds are waiting to be planted. I should and will start on them next week. Just need to finish the jewelry I'm working on so the table in the kitchen will be free to receive the planters. And there will be A LOT of planters. Towards the end of the next week I will also plant outside the seeds that are supposed to grow wild, and not "babied".

I wish the Wild Wolf was less sleepy. There is so much to work on and most of it I can't do it myself. I told him today - if this is the case, then I guess we will never be able to have a house with some land and a garden. Those require work. Lots of work. Not laying around on couches reading books when there's stuff to be done.

Anyway. Got the cervical spine xray report today. Not only I have two intervertebral disks that are trying to play a disappearing act on me but two vertebrae (not the ones with the missing disks) are slipped forward. Only a grade 1 slippage but still, it's not nice as the spinal canal is narrowed. The  Spine and Pain Management dr. at the last visit said that I should think about a nerve blocking shot. That it might at least get rid of the pain between and down my shoulderblades.

Anyway. I know that this means sometimes in the future I will have to have spinal fusion and that I am not supposed to be in any kind of activity that involves jumping or fast head movements.

I made a lot of dragon's eye pendants - I'll post some photos later. Now to work on Goddess pendants.

Rather pissed at the Atkins diet, my endocrinologist, and life in general. who in the world heard of GAINING weight while on Atkins diet? I did a lot of research and didn't find a thing. And I keep telling her that probably for my body's metabolism, I am hypothyroid now. She keeps insisting I am still hyperthyroid because my TSH is still too low even if my FreeT3 and FreeT4 are normal. I really really need to convince her to check my pituitary. I am sure that that is the culprit, and if they find that they will finally give me the thyroid hormone pills. I shouldn't have done the thyroid radiation. Grrr.

Anyway. I'll be back on a sunny day. Which might not happen before the end of next week.

Meanwhile, have some fun. Isn't this the most adorable thing?

Kuan Yin

A lady ordered last evening on Etsy a Kuan Yin spirit doll. So, even if I was going to do nothing else but websites today, I will have to work on the doll first. I am pretty happy with what I have in the house, except for silk for her kimono. I need to go to Hancock's tomorrow and look for a thin silk with small prints. Hopefully black. I was thinking initially to get white, but then I thought - the lady reads Tarot at fairs, and that is why she wants the spirit doll for, and if I make her dress white, then it will get dirty very fast. I will have to get her veil white anyway, but I will find a way to make it "pinnable" so it can be removed and washed. I found a beautiful old ear-ring that I will use for her tiara, and another one that will work beautifully on her chest above the kimono sash. Still pondering if I should make her feet seen under the kimono or not. These dolls only have the head and the hands (if they have hands) made out of polymer clay, the rest is fabric and all kinds of findings and special gemstones. I had to make hands for Kuan Yin, for her holding the lotus flower and the jug. I will put the hands on special wire so they can be semi-poseable. when I go to Hancock's tomorrow I need to get in the Michaels store as well, they are closing and they have a whole bunch of sales. I will get definitely some more polymer clay and wooden bases for dolls (I really ran out of those, this is the last one I have).

Here's what is done of the Kuan Yin spirit doll for now. She will have mistletoe inside her clothing as well, to help with finding wisdom and good advice.

The lotus, of course, is also made of polymer clay. I'm quite satisfied how it came up.

Otherwise, I'm a little pissed. I got stuck again at the 180 lbs mark, even with the Atkins diet. I do not intend to do that today, but next week I intend to have at least 3 days of very light eating, and eating only the protein part with very little carbs, way below the 20g allowed in induction. Wednesday I should be done with two weeks, but I think I will try the third week as well, or at least a few more days of induction before going to OWL.

I have a lot more to write, hopefully tomorrow. Today I am a little harassed with everything I need to finish.