Keepin' it real: the good, the bad, and the lovely

August has been a tough month for us.  But finally some really good news: my husband Dennis has been offered a new job!

Dennis has been under-employed for the past 7-1/2 years.  When we moved to Colorado 9 years ago, his job fell through and he ended up unemployed for the first 18 months we lived here.  It was a very tough time.  When he finally did manage to get a permanent job 7-1/2 years ago, he started at his company in an entry-level job.  He worked the overnight shift, 7 pm to 7 am, and was grateful for it.  But of course he had high hopes of advancing.

He did get promoted eventually, and was able to get onto the day shift, too.  But he was still very under-employed.  Then, he was demoted again when his company (famously) laid off hundreds of people 2 weeks before Christmas.  That was a couple of years ago.  But at least he didn't lose his job.  He has been utterly miserable at work all these years but has never been able to find something better...until now.

Dennis' new job isn't hugely better in terms of salary; in fact, since the health benefits they offer are more expensive, it's not a raise for him at all.  (I'm afraid to look too closely at the money and discover he's actually earning less.)  But it is a big improvement in working conditions and potential for advancement.  So, it's definitely a reason for celebrating.  I'm so happy for him.

Ben and I goofing around at a baseball game a couple of weeks ago

That's the good.  The bad is that I spent most of the day yesterday in the emergency room, on oxygen and hooked up to an IV.  I have a mystery ailment that has occurred 3 times this summer; it wakes me in the night with a severe burning sensation throughout my body.  Up until yesterday we have thought it was an allergic reaction to something -- especially because it improves when I take an antihistamine.  And also because the first couple of times it happened I had eaten some of that incredibly rich All American Chocolate cake.  I mean, if that isn't full of allergans, I don't know what is.

All American Chocolate cake

But the night before last, I awoke once more with the awful burning and got up to take some Benadryl.  Then I passed out and fell, hitting my head.  And I hadn't had anything unusual to eat, much less cake.  So yesterday I decided it was probably time to talk to my physician about the situation.  She was concerned enough to have me transported by ambulance to the hospital for testing.  That was Not Fun.  The tests were inconclusive, but I did feel much better after the IV fluids, the oxygen, and a few hours of rest in the hospital bed.  I have an appointment next week for brain MRI.  I hope that somehow we can get to the bottom of this.  If you have any wisdom about my strange medical situation, I'd love to hear it.

Enough about all that!  Here's some lovely for you:

I rescued this crazy quilted pillow from an antique store, where it was on clearance.  It's trimmed with beautiful old lace, and made from colorful silks...

many of which have shattered.  Do you know why fabrics shatter like this?  It's because, in early days, some silks were treated with metallic salts when dyed, which cause them to disintegrate with age.

I don't mind.  I think it's so fun to see the fabric that was used as a base begin to show through.

I love how they used just one color -- sunny yellow -- for all the seam stitching.  It's a wonderful addition to my collection of antique hand work.