A Muse on Pajamas and Finishing Up Housecleaning for Christmas

Image Courtesy of [photostock]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Whether your favorite mode of dressing around the house is pajamas or nightgowns, I think it would be safe to say most of us are fans of lounge-wear.  However, I have been musing on whether that is the most appropriate wear when we really want to get things done around the house.  Be assured, I am not going to fuss about people wearing pajamas to do housework.  If I did that, I would be giving myself a D in the appropriate costume for cleaning my house.

Are you wondering what brought this on?  It was the news on television. I was listening to two women commentators talk about wearing pajamas -- big news--right?   The anchor said she would be wearing them there if she could, and all of a sudden, I realized that I would not want to wear pajamas all the time.

Today, I had on my pj's until 2:00 PM.  I did not feel like cleaning, and I needed a boost.  What was my boost?  Getting dressed was just the thing to get me going.  I feel more in control of my household and my energy level.
I know it sounds merely psychological.  But, there is nothing wrong with a psychological boost when you need it.  

All I need now are some bright lights and some Christmas music;  and, I am ready to go.  Deck the halls with boughs of holly.  FA, la, la, la, la, la, la...

P.S.  Merry Christmas.  I thought your kids and grandkids might enjoy these songs too.  I did.  

I almost forgot to tell you, I look forward to putting on my pajamas tonight after a warm shower.  That is one of the ultimate comforts -- warm, soft pajamas on a cold night.

Finding Shoes for Our Arthritic Knees

One of the things I like about blogging is that it can be fun work.  Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day in my part of the USA, and I had  on a new pair of shoes, which I want to show you.  The special thing about these shoes is the research I did before I bought them.  I have bought many pairs of comfortable shoes, hoping that I would finally have the pair that made my feet or knees feel better.  However, I never did any research to find out what an expert doctor might actually say was best:  I thought I knew.

Last fall, I bought a pair of shoes from a popular shopping channel.  The commentators oohed an ahed over the height of the heel, the arch, and the way the shoes fit.  I bought it, started wearing it, and I almost always had to take them off, because my knees start hurting or hurting worse than before.  The shoe was everything the announcers on that show said, but it isn't what I read about on Web MD.  What was comfortable in the past does not always work for me now.  If the shoe is too soft, too stable, or too high, my knees feel horrible.

The shoes I found on sale at a local store were made by one of my favorite shoe brands.  I tested them for CUTENESS, for heel height, for length, for width, for arch support, and for flexibility.  This shoe style got an "A+."  I guess there really is nothing like trying on a shoe before you buy it;   because I tried on a similar shoe in another brand, and it didn't make the cut.  It would have for someone else's foot, but not for mine.  The whole size was a tad too short and the half size larger was too big.  

This past Saturday I gave my new shoes the test.  I took a walk in them, as I shot pictures around my neighborhood.  I got to become a short, plus-size model as my husband and I played photo-shoot.  It was fun figuring out poses and checking out the photographs later.  Don't you just love digital cameras?  Oh right!  I was talking about shoes.  They worked better than any I have except my flip-flops.  And they looked really cute with my casual-comfy outfit:  last years leggings from Walmart and a three or four year old hooded shirt from dressbarn. Don't you love it when buying your special colors means you can put a new "old" outfit together?  

My affiliate link for this shoe is
in the right side bar

Guest photographer:  my husband.

Next post, I will show you the whole outfit.

Weekend - Monday Potpourri

So how are things going with you?  Well, I hope.  Are you pacing yourself and resting without guilt?  That is important, because the guilt negates the resting--it leaves the body in a chemically ready to go state, at least that is what I think.  When you rest, you need to turn the mind off from the I need to do this and this needs to happen state.  It's a matter of self-preservation.

I'm in semi-rest mode after a mega weekend.  Our sweet 17 year old kitty died, I sang a solo Sunday morning, made Christmas cookies, worked in the yard, and sang in our Christmas musical all in one weekend.  And we had a fellowship after church Sunday night.  That was absolutely Mega-Weekend for me.  And I am still feeling badly about our cat, but she was sick and it was her time to go.  I am so glad she didn't suffer a long time.  I had almost decided not to put up our big Christmas tree, but in honor of our sweet kitty, who loved to lie under the tree, it is going up tonight.  Last night, my husband and I rearranged the living room, which is not an easy job in our very oddly shaped room.

Please ignore the spastic looking hand.
A model, I am not.
What counts is we were having fun!

The other part of this potpourri of things going on is a revelation I had yesterday afternoon.  So many people tend to save their pretty clothes for "going out", including me.  But yesterday, I wore black leggings, which looked absolutely smashing with a long decorated sweatshirt;  however, I got hot because I was working.  So I put on makeup, pretty ear rings, and a "hot" tunic top.  When my husband got home, I surprised him--he wasn't expecting dressy looking Debby.  Moving furniture was so much fun last night:  I think I ended up more tired, because we were dancing to the Christmas music -- absolutely worth it.

How can I dance with a bum knee?  It is called I got a cortisone shot in my right knee last week and now it feels good.  Oh, why did I wait so long?  Two months of bad pain is over.

Lastly, here is an easy cookie recipe:  Press one 16.5 ounce chocolate chip cookie roll in a greased 9 X 13 pan.  Beat 3 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 9 oz. cream cheese together.  Pour over cookie dough.  Break another 16.5 oz. roll of cookie dough into small pieces and place on top of cream cheese mixture.  Bake at 350 degree f.  for 30 minutes.  After cooling, store in refrigerator.  Yummy.  And easy.

Dressing Comfortably with Style

Most women and men take at least a passing interest in their clothes, especially if they are working in a job that requires a certain kind of style.  But how many of you, especially when you are ill, take the time or energy to look stylish.  I'm not talking runway fashion, but clothes that match and enhance the way you look.  When you have little energy, dressing well is not always your number one concern.  However, I think caring about how you dress or at least pretending you do can enhance your mood.

Image Courtesy of [ photostock]
 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

When I go in the bathroom and look in the mirror, I feel better about myself when my hair is well-groomed, my skin is moisturized, and I have on nice looking clothes.  I know you probably get too tired when you go shopping, so have you thought about measuring yourself and shopping online?  There are wonderful places to buy clothes for a variety of prices online.  They are not all expensive.  And if you are losing weight and you can find the energy, you could consider going to a consignment shop.  There are many places to shop in towns and online to buy affordable clothing.

Something I look for every time I shop is comfortable clothing.  Adrienne Dellwo asked her readers for input on what kinds of clothes work best for them, as well as what did not work.  She has many of her own tips as well.  Some of my favorites are:  wide waistbands, hip hugger panties that follow the natural curve of the leg, and bras without wire.  I like soft clothes and cotton clothes, things that do not irritate my skin or put too much pressure on my waist and torso.  If clothes start feeling scratchy or are too tight, I have to change.  My shoes also have to be comfortable with a good arch support.  If they are uncomfortable, they come off--that is just the way it is.  How many of you feel the same way about your clothes?

Image Courtesy of [Danilo Rizutti] /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image Courtesy of
[Ambro] / FreeDigitalPhoto.net

There are several pluses with having comfortable clothes.  They are usually easy to wash:  just throw them in the washing machine and dryer.  Another neat thing is comfortable clothes can be pretty and help us feel attractive.  I like that.  I am ready to go for the day when I am dressed, even better with makeup, which hasn't happened much lately.  Unless I am having a bad flareup and my day is spent in the recliner and bed, I like to dress.  Then, I would much prefer to have comfortable nightclothes or lounge wear that looks good on me and I can go to the door without being embarrassed.  Also, I still like to look good for my husband.  By the way men, your wife might not say it, but she likes to see you in something that looks good on you too.  Being well-groomed shows we care about ourselves and those we live with.

Image Courtesy of [imagery majestic] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Adrienne Dellwo has written about several sensory issues we deal with.  I have read articles by others on sensory issues as well.  For future articles, I would like to cover some of these.  If you have a sensory issue that seems odd to you, it may not be odd at all in the world of people with Fibromyalgia.  Please consider sharing some of your sensory issues in the comment area at the end of this blogpost.

Special Notes:

On the left sidebar is my favorite bra.  This year I got to the point I could not bear wearing a wire in a bra, and I have been wearing them for years.  Also I hate having my bra straps falling down:  my shoulders are not wide enough to keep most bra straps from falling.