clothesline

I've been lurking on Etsy again:

["Out to Dry" by Erin Lang Norris of yellow canoe]

The yellow canoe shop has long been an Etsy favorite of mine. That particular piece of art cheers me up lately. I just click the above link and my heart does feel lighter. I'm sure someone will purchase "Out to Dry" before I can justify $44, but at least I have the photo on my desktop.

Speaking of clotheslines, I've also been admiring this flickr photo; and this one, too (by our friend Allison). Both are beautiful photographs reminding me of an item on my to-do list: hang a clothesline in the backyard.

I imagine it would be therapeutic to dry laundry out back. I'll have to hang my trusty wasp catcher, first, though. I call our backyard "wasp country" which is accurate. Bright orange wasps even tap on the living room windows, taunting me. They know. I conjure sci-fi scenarios - mutated wasps able to melt through glass. I get cold chills.... Since I'm obviously scared silly of hornets, working with a clothesline poses a challenge. But with the blue glass catcher to distract (and kill!) errant wasps, I should be good to go. Hopefully our clothes will pick up a gardenia scent; we noticed this floral perfume in the air as we ran to the drugstore last night to restock on Pepto and Imodium AD.

Did I mention Johnny contracted food poisoning on Saturday? He's doing a little better, but he's had a very rough time of it. I hate to see him so sick. I surely don't enjoy illness, but for me, it is much worse to watch Johnny suffer. That may sound mushy, yet it's true. There's not much I can do for food poisoning other than pray and hand him glasses of water and Gatorade, but whatever I can do, I'll do it. Well, of course I researched natural remedies, too. One is charcoal capsules which we actually have on hand, but J. hasn't tried 'em yet, mostly because he's doing better where charcoal would help. It sounds gross, I know, but activated charcoal absorbs all kinds of digestive toxins - a good, natural first aid item (not to replace the ER when needed, though). And since food poisoning is caused by bad bacteria, I've been rubbing Thieves oil on Johnny's feet and tummy. You might laugh, but he isn't puking today; he's keeping liquids and Saltines down. Thieves is another staple in our home. It smells amazing, too.

My adventures in yeast die-off mimic food poisoning to a certain degree, so J. and I have been quite the pathetic pair. We've napped a lot, snuggled, watched TV, read, moped, talked/complained, and prayed. I've always said that when contemplating a spouse, be sure to picture illness - either one of you or both - and just sit with that for awhile. If you don't think you can swing it, I'd say hold off on engagement or move on. Love & marriage require caring for each other, and ignoring your own discomfort to do so.

I should say here that as I've observed Johnny handle food poisoning, I've come to a startling conclusion. I am a WIMP, a whiny-baby, and Johnny is a real, live saint. Part of my wimpishness comes from battling a candida overgrowth since July '07 - that's a long time to try a girl's patience. Yet food poisoning is horrific - you know it is - and last night as we drove home, Johnny (weak, exhausted, and nauseous) said, "God has been so merciful to me." I said, "Yes... But I'm desperate to hear exactly how." Johnny then proceeded to list specific details (ones you might overlook during food poisoning), and I was humbled to the core. I married such a great, faithful man. When my faith is snuffed out, his inspires me, encourages me, teaches me.

It is my great honor care for Johnny. I'd have it no other way.