Back From Never-Ever Again Land

I am finally back from Never-Ever Again Land.  It was not a fun nor adventurous trip.  Thanks to all of you who took the time to comment or email about my allergic reaction.  To catch you up on the nightmare, all day Saturday I tried massive doses of Benadryl to little or no effect.  My husband is currently suffering from intense low back pain and I was trying to make it to Monday to go to our regular doctor. Sunday morning my hand was humongous - I could not put my fingers together or curl them, and the redness had spread to my elbow.  I knew the emergency room was the only answer. I managed to get my husband up and going - arm rapidly swelling and my face was getting worse also.  When we arrived, they quickly took me back (did I really look that bad?)  Not one of my three doctors was on call so the on-call doctor came to treat me.  I was kept in the ER for 6 hours while the on-call doc and the infectious disease doc duked it out as to whether I had developed an infection or the reaction had caused my skin to severely blister.  By then the redness was to my armpit, my arm burning hot, and a very alarming purple spot appeared in the midst of the blisters on the back of my hand.  To make this short, they kept me overnight, gave me massive doses of antibiotics by IV, and refused to give me anything for the allergy but ice packs.  My doctor's PA liberated me after 26 brutal hours.  As you can see my hand is back to normal except for the dark spot (which has reduced 200%) and the stretched skin.  I was told no harsh soaps, no lotions, and no exposure to any chemicals including paint.  What the heck do they think I do all day!?!

Thanks for listening to my pity party whining.  What appalled me upon arriving home was the condition of my house.  No, my husband did not do anything nor the animals.  I had left it that way.  Now I'll confess I quit being Martha several years ago, and it was a freeing moment.  BUT (a big "but") there were still snow pictures hanging around the house (in the South we have to use prints of snowy landscapes to get that wintery feel).  Was it really April?  I immediately blamed all of you in Blogland for seducing me into this world of ever-increasing circles of DIY.  Somehow along the way I had gotten so caught up in blogging and painting and distressing and reading that I forgot I actually live here in this house and am responsible for the health and welfare of one husband, two cats, and two dogs.  What was I thinking!

Today is the first day I am allowed to use cleaning supplies (and other "harsh" chemicals) so I decided to tackle the mantel in the den since we sit and look at it every day.  To clarify, this is just the brick back wall of our living room fireplace with a mantel on it.  At some time in our house's past, our den was a carport and this wall was outside.

 

First I ate my favorite lunch:  smoked turkey and Muenster cheese wrapped around baby spinach with fresh strawberries.

 ( I know I am addicted to blogging - I just took a picture of my lunch!)

Here is the before picture showing my collections of head pottery and a collage i created of Willie at the dog park.  It was my late winter display - Easter occurred in another room this year.

The mantel all cleaned off except the mirrors that reside there. Though I think I will remove the left one because in my car is a beautiful mirror babe with chippy pale green paint and a girlish figure.  A new dealer moved into the mall yesterday and the rest of us were grabbing as she unloaded. This mirror just spoke to me - you know how it is!

Isn't she glorious!  I added books as risers under a white vase, a cast iron white cat and bird eying each other, a spring landscape, a blue vase, and an architectural  piece. Rather reserved for me, but I will keep it like this for a while.

The cat was originally strictly Halloween, but I have since incorporated her into spring and summer with all my birds.

I have had this landscape print and the architectural piece for years - they are easy to fit into any vignette.












I  know this post was not very instructional or exciting, but it just feels great to be back .  In my down time, I have visited many of you and you have inspired many ideas, but first I have to clean this house!  

See y'all!


  />