For those of you who read my eNewsletter, this is going to be a repeat of that post – but, with photos!

I did a “Stupid Tammy Trick” today, and can only laugh about it (else I’ll cry myself to sleep).  My lovely husband bought me a grand shelf for my sewing room for Christmas; its five shelves are 18″ deep and the entire shelving unit stands 72″ tall. WOW, I need that!  My husband was being the driver and helping a pastor and his wife with some medical tests this morning, so I decided that I would clear out the space in my sewing room where the shelf needed to go.  After I cleared up the area, I decided I was capable of putting the shelf together — with the help of my daughters. 

Well, I was leaning down, trying to make sure the first shelf was level, when I lost my balance.  I started to fall and stood up, grabbing my oldest daughter’s hand.  She, in turn, could tell that she couldn’t save me (and didn’t want to go down with me) so she LET GO!  It was almost as if the world were turning in slow motion, as I began my backward’s descent to the ground.  I landed on a couple of shelves (and have a backside bruise to prove it) and like a nut, I tried to catch myself with my right hand. 

This is one of those “don’t try this at home” incidents, because I heard something in my arm POP and then I was on the floor, girls screaming and me afraid to move because I had shelves under me and a very sore arm!  Luckily, after a few minutes there and a few on my bed with the fan on me, I was able to function.  After giving all of us time to calm down, I went in and we tackled that shelf again – and we did it!  We got it all put together, moved into my sewing room and then anchored to the wall.  I called my doctor-friend and we decided I probably just pulled some tendons and she told me not to pick anything up for a few days.  Otherwise, I don’t think I broke anything.  My arm and tailbone sure are sore – but, hey!  I have a beautiful new shelving unit in my sewing room that was worth the troubles!

Now, let’s compare this to the day I set my sewing room up nearly two years ago:

I sure do have a lot more STUFF – but, at least it’s organized!  And my arm is better, just a bit sore when I pick up something or turn it the wrong way.  I’m having lunch with my doctor-friend today, and she’ll palpate it and see if I need to do anything more.

We have a beautiful, huge 36′ x 12′ deck on the back of our house — built with our own loving hands, on Memorial Day 2008:

And a few flower pots with pretty plants, waiting to grow and share their beauty:

And this morning, I woke up to this:

And this …

And this …

I totally forgot that the treated lumber had formaldehyde in it – one of the three major things that I’m allergic to.  Oh hell.  And my new derm won’t be back in town until tomorrow.

These hands are on so much fire that when I drop them into a bowl of ice, the ice literally sizzles.

Ow.  Double Ow.