A Rather Productive Saturday for Once!

It seems I am continuing trying to find something that will combat all the pain I have.  I have tried the conventional route and also the alternative route over the last 8 1/2 years with no success so far. The pain levels the last few weeks though have reached such a level I am finding hard to cope with.  I am unable to 'put it out of mind'  or 'ignore' it for even a few minutes anymore.  I keep doing research and the other day with the help of my husband we ordered some Grass Fed Whey Powder, some Alpha-lipoic acid and Taurine.  Together with the 'Restore' and Biotin that was also recommended to me to take, some Phyte-inflam  and my regular Vitamin D3 and Magnesium I have a right arsenal of things to take each day.  Fortunately most only have to be taken once a day.  

I have also started to juice again, and whether it is that or the above, the last couple of days I have felt much more inspired to get things done and far less lethargic and tired.    Of course it far too early to know whether they are really helping or if it is just some placebo effect...but who cares, if I feel more like doing things then that is good.  The pain levels are exactly the same though.

This morning I finally felt like tackling a task I have been putting off for ages.  My kitchen cupboards!  I had done two the other day and got rid of a load of items.

I forgot to take a 'before' photo but you can get the general idea of the state of these cupboards by the bottom shelf, and the cupboards below!

Yes hanging head in shame, this is the mess they had got in.

The thing with pain is that it effects your whole way of being...it permeates every part of you, especially when there is no respite, and as such chores such as this get continually put off as you 'just don't feel like it'. 

Some time later, and a couple of bin bags full of WAY OUT OF DATE items...

My baking supplies cupboard - much easier and accessible.

I also plan to make a spreadsheet of the ingredients and supplies I have so at a glance I can see what I need and what I don't need!

This cupboard - I did try to see if the breadmaker would fit in here, but sadly it doesn't.  I thought it might be a good idea to take it off the work surface as it isn't used a lot and it could be taken out when I make bread.

Before I started this job, I made a cake, so I could keep busy while it was baking.

I have since taken this cake up to my elderly friends as Lemon cake is her favourite.  They were having a slice with their afternoon tea as I left.

I also made a rather misshapen loaf of bread, but it didn't detract from the taste, it is delicious!

Once this was done,  I was still 'in the mood for tidying' so I tackled another job that has been long on my 'list of things to do'.  

The Caviary (Guinea Pig Shed) had become a utter disaster area as it had been used to dump all sorts of paraphernalia over the last couple of years...

It had been depressing me for some time, and I had made an attempt to do it the other week, but just didn't have the energy to tackle it.  Fortunately today, I was able to.

Later on....

I now have my little sitting area and grooming area back.  

I used to love coming into the shed and sit listening to the piggies eat, and make their little contented noises.  Now I can do that again.

Three out of the five cages are used for storage.  The top on the right has medications, washes, and other supplies.  The bottom right has bowls and drink bottles  (when I was breeding and showing cavies I needed a lot of these, and am not ready to just get rid of them all yet, although I did have a big clear out a few years ago, so just have a few left now.  The bottom left has towels, for washing (I used to run a 'Guinea Pig Boutique and Boarding' Service) and newspapers for cleaning out.

The bale of hay is tucked away in the blue checked bag in the corner.  Pellets in the green bin and the blue cabinet has my flute music in it...at present I have no where else to store it!  A carry box sits on top.

Up until yesterday only one of the cages was in use...  Sylvester lives in there on his own at present, although I do plan to get him another companion at some stage after he lost his friend Rocky a couple of weeks ago.

But...as someone who has had guinea pigs since she was seven years old, it was inevitable that I would get some more...  I had planned on just getting one as a friend for Sylvester, but two rescue boars were looking for a new home, so what was a girl to do?

My son, the sailor, helped me get these two - he paid their donation adoption fee. He said they can be part of my 'big' birthday present.   They are still awaiting names, he suggested Tom and Jerry, but I don't know, those names just don't seem right to me.

Black and white crested.  He has slight roaning on his rump.

Red and black crested.  This guy is a bit friendlier than his 'brother'.

Plus the wild Sylvester, who despite my attempts still doesn't want to be especially tame.  I have found this pretty typical of self blacks in my limited experience with them.

I would dearly love to get another Abyssinian which is the breed of guinea pig I used to show...so hoping that might be the 'friend' for Sylvester that I eventually get.  Abyssinian Cavies have such wonderful characters..