Me and the fur kids are camped out on the couch again today…
Long story short, my palindromic rheumatism (which flares up every few years) caused the big ol’ Bakers Cyst behind my knee to rupture, and I’ve been limping around since Friday night. Short story gross– there’s a bloody/cyst-y mess the size of a piece of bacon trapped in the tissue around my calf. I’m off to see an orthopaedic surgeon tomorrow, to make sure it’s okay to just let it heal on its own, but in the meantime, here I am. On the couch again.
I’ve been watching way too much Undercover Boss (pass the tissues, please), and reading lots of oldie-but-goodie shelter mags. This morning I got lost in a sweet little book I bought at a flea market last week. It was stacked on top of a shelf full of other previously-loved books, and I was drawn to it like a magnet the minute I saw the words “pop-up” on it’s spine. The sticker on it’s cover read $1.25, but the vendor was having a 50% off sale at the time, so I was able to take it home for just 63 cents. Score!
Every single pop-up is in perfect condition, and the whole book is only 4 pages long. Absolutely fascinating!
I feel like I’m extra drawn to pop-up books because of a blurry-edged memory I’ve got stored somewhere at the back of my brain. I can’t see the title or the pictures anymore, but I do have the faintest flash of turning a paper dial on the outside edge of a page, and seeing something move as a result. Pure magic!
I was enchanted to the edge of my seat back then, and I found myself feeling that exact same way again when I discovered Jack and the Beanstalk the other day. It’s crazy how memories can race across time and pop-up pages to reignite those kinds of feelings again!
Have you come across something that’s thrilled and transported you like that lately? If so, I know someone who’s stuck on a couch that would love to read about your experience if you feel like sharing it.
I grew up in South Africa but now live in New Zealand. The other day we stopped at a South African shop (which sells food / products from SA) and they had cans of body spray that I used to use as a teenager. I picked one up and sniffed the nozzle and was instantly transported to my teenage bedroom. It was bizarre, like time travel. I wasn’t REMINDED of being a teen, for a split second I WAS teenage me again, filled with the same thoughts and emotions as I had then. I’ve had scent bring back powerful memories before, but never been completely transported that way.
Hope you are on the mend soon!!
LOVE that, Jen! I can TOTALLY relate and am so glad you were able to experience that! #ChillBumps 😀
Oh, yes . . . my “magic” book was all about how to tell time and had a clock face with hands you could move. It was so wondrous and kept me fascinated for hours!
Didn’t known you had the cute little doggy –what’s it’s name?
Hope you’re feeling much better soon!
Val (ScrapHappyOne)
Just a couple of weeks ago I found an old rusted, dented and obviously much played with metal toy car. Just having the weight of it in my hands instantly reminded me of my childhood visits to my Nana and Papa’s farm. I have two uncles and their childhood bedroom was often where i stayed. The room was full of many metal cars and trucks that my younger brother and spent hours playing with. When I found this car (a girly version btw) I was so happy to see the $20 tag on it. Worth every cent. xoxo p.s. a photo of it is on my blog, about 3 posts ago (July 19th)
oh and feel better soooon!! 🙂
Sorry about your leg. Sounds painful. Scents spark memories for me.
Hope you feel better soon Layla.
Thank you, Jan! 😀
I came across some old paper dolls with the little cardboard stand & a fabulous assortment of clothes & accessories—heaven! Feel better soon!
Carol Ann, you just conjured up a memory about paper dolls I used to play with at my Grandma’s house and now I’m determined to find them! (eBay here I come!) Thank you for your comment today! 😀
I was just lost in memories yesterday morning of playing with paper dolls at MY grandma’s house! She would get those BIG clothes pattern books that they had at the store, the ones you looked through in the sewing section and then pick out your pattern to buy. The store let her have them when the new pattern books came out. She’d bring them home and when us kids would visit we’d spend HOURS cutting out the people. I loved doing that.
She had a big two story Victorian house and we’d always beg her to “take us on a tour”. The second and third stories weren’t used much once my mom and her brothers had grown and moved on. So, it was a big treat for us to climb that beautiful staircase and roam from room to room.
Great memories. 🙂 Feel better soon!!
Every once in a while I run across a can, or jar of buttons and I am reminded of when we were sick (as children) – mumps, measles, chicken pox, colds, etc, etc. my mother would give us the old mayonnaise jar filled with buttons and some string to play with. I had hours and hours of fun doing just that
Oh, Helen…I can just imagine how pretty those strands of buttons looked. Thank you for sharing your sweet story with me. 🙂
you poor thing – that sounds very painful…i hope you are feeling better real soon. in the meantime, have the husband & fur children wait on you hand & foot…and eat lots of ice cream! best of luck with this!
Thank you, Marissa! I will take your advice…especially about the ice cream! 😀
Hope you feel better soon!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Sandra! 🙂
Transport question u asked…
My answer:
Your website! Not kidding!
Keep us updated on your leg thingy.
{{}}
Thank you, Corrie! That was so sweet of you to say!!! 😀
Ouch, that sounds painful Layla 🙁 Hope the news is good and its okay to heal on its own.
I bought my son 2nd hand book that I loved when I was kid called The Marvelous Mud Washing Machine – we thought it was the bees knees when we were kids (imagine getting as dirty as you liked then jumping in a cool machine like a car wash to get clean!!)
I recently blogged about it here http://krispynoodles.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/alexs-pick-of-week-marvelous-mud.html
Feel better soon 🙂
Ooh! Thank you for posting this! I love finding out about great childrens books and I’m going to check out your post right NOW! 😀
Just seeing ur pop up book gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. Hope ur feeling better soon.
Awww, thank you Debbie! I’m so glad you liked seeing the book, too. 🙂
Sorry you are hurt..:(
I kept your mantel redo sometime back, didn’t mark WHO it belonged to and for my copy cat challenge at DebbieDoos this week, I used your photo for inspiration to do my mantel like yours.
I am sorry I didn’t know who to get permission from so I am hoping it is ok for me to use your photo. It is such a beautiful mantel and, altho mine isn’t nearly as pretty, I am happy. I had everything to do the mantel like yours….just had to buy a chalk pen.
Thanks so much…..come over and see it all. 🙂
xo bj
Thank you, BJ! I just visited your blog and I am absolutely tickled that you used our Spring mantel as your inspiration! Thank you and what a wonderful job you did. So fun! 😀
First of all, I love your blog!!! I read this post tonight and said out loud OMG, Layla has Palindromic Rheumatism! (My husband says “who’s Layla?!’, I had to explain that you are my decorating hero!!) Anyway, I have had PR and RA for years and have never heard of anyone else who has PR!! I explain it to people by saying it’s like I have a bug running in my body and he decides to stop and party in a joint for a day or two…I will pray for a fast recovery, I know exactly what that pain feels like and it’s no fun. Thanks for all your decorating inspiration 🙂
OMGoodness! I have never met anyone else who has PR either!! I got diagnosed in 2005, but it’s been with me as long as I can remember. My flare-ups last for several weeks/month unless I get a cortisone shot or take steroids. Have you had to do that to get them to go away? So nice to meet you here today, and thank you for your kind comment! 😀
I am on Enbrel to keep the everyday arthritis pain at a manageable level, but for the PR, I just take aleve and complain a lot!! I am fortunate to have my flair ups only last from 24-48hrs, but wow, they can be so painful, so I can’t imagine having them last weeks/months. I was diagnosed at age 22, so I’m going on about 16 years with the little “bug” having a few too many parties!! Get better soon!!!!
Hope you feel better soon! Your post is so funny because I recently came across a book at the childrens library that totally transportd me back in time! ‘The Golden Egg”! Loved it when I was young! I sat there and read it and smiled the whole time! Love those moments that take us back.
I recently came across some pictures of myself as a very young child (probably 3ish) watering my grandma’s garden in an apron that I would wear a lot to play in and apparently wore over to her house that day. It reminded my of many hours arranging my play kitchen (some crates my mom stacked, painted, put shelves in and topped with linoleum for countertops), serving many tea parties, and playing mom with my baby dolls. Simpler times when ordinary household chores seemed so grown up and exciting. It was kind of nice to remember how fun that all was and how much I looked forward to doing all that when I grew up. I’m all grown up and a stay at home mom with young babies and it’s kind of made the daily grind a little more enjoyable to think of how fun it was to pretend to be grown up and doing these things. Funny how just a picture of that little striped apron brings back so many memories and emotions.
i recently bought arabian knights off ebay just 2 decorate with since the cover is so pretty but have found the mini stories interesting and looks great in my “global cottage” feel of a living room. wierd combo i know i just love flea markets and worldmarket.com
I know exactly the way u feel, i have cysts in both wrists from ligaments not healing. my long story short it makes it extremly annoying 2 deal with since im a hair stylist and painter.
I am off to the ortho tomorrow too…..I have torn my achilles tendon and am having to have surgery! (OUCH!!!!). I had my meniscus (sp?) and Baker’s cyst fixed in my knee in February. Both injuries from the same fall down our stairs! My children had pop up books when they were little, which we still have….but they have definitely seen better days. Good luck on your appt. Lori Lucas
I’ve been reading a lot about Mr. Rogers lately and finding out that so much thought and work went into creating his television show. He certainly helped mold me during childhood, and I like finding out the psychology behind how and why. He was really an incredible force in the television industry, as well! Hope you feel better soon, Layla.
Football games on the tv do that for me…I’m instantly back in the 60’s, at my grandparents home for Sunday dinner….a roast in the oven and the old black and white tv blaring whatever game was on!
Oh, the smell of cut grass. I lived on a farm, and when my dad would cut the grass, we would all go outside to help rake it up. We would make a huge pile of it, and then take turns jumping in (think like jumping in a pile of leaves in the fall – we did that, too). We always had to comb all the grass out of our hair, then go straight inside to take a bath, but it was so much FUN!
I hope you’re feeling better soon. PR sounds terrible 🙁
So sorry to read about your cyst. That’s gotta be rough on a person who is always ready to get her project on. Get well soon!
Get Well Girl!
As a little girl, I must have read BOARDING SCHOOL by Regina Llewelyn Woody a dozen times. A couple of years ago I came across a copy, which I’ve added to my collection. It immediately transported me back to a place where I felt such peace.
Same as Nancy Drew…..oh the glory days!
Love Nancy Drew! In fact, I just bought two for my Nook!
My daughter loved the book “Corduroy”and I took my old teddy bear and made green coveralls for him. I gave my granddaughter the same book and took her Moms old teddy bear and made green coveralls for him. Get well soon , it sure does sound painful.
I bought a children’s book in a thrift store a few years ago because I remembered reading it as a child (Old Black Witch). My youngest daughter loves it now, and I still read it to her and she is twelve. One of the best memories I have is reading it to her kindergarten class at Halloween. So popular that it was requested again later in the year. Great illustrations!
So sorry about your flare-up. I was thinking about breakfast when I started reading and decided that bacon was out for today! Ha!
When I was about 3 or 4, we went to visit friends in Manistee, MI. They had a garden with raspberries growing in it. I don’t know if I tried them before, but I think I was probably stuffing my little mouth with them! 40 years later, every time I pop the first raspberry in my mouth I think of Manistee! And my mom says raspberries always make her think of her kid days in Seattle. Must be a family trait!
I am so sorry to hear that you not 100%. I am sure you will be back to your old self soon. : )
My grandparents, who lived in Barcelona, Spain, had a 5th floor walk up and the roof of the building. My wonderful little Yaya (great grandmother) grew geraniums on that roof. Lots.of.geraniums. They are one of my favorite flowers and I plant them on my deck. I love to smell them and be transported back to my childhood in Spain with my sweet Yayas. Oh how I miss them.
My maternal grandparents lived next door to a lemon tree. During summer visits, we were allowed (by the neighbor) to pick lemons for lemonade. Grandma had an old metal “squeezer” that she used. When she passed, I asked about the lemon press, but someone else in the family and already spoken for it. Imagine my delight when I found an identical squeezer at a huge flea market! It took me back immediately to Grandma’s kitchen and lemonade, and of course it came home with me. I think it’s time my grandson and I made some lemonade!
Oh! And, get better soon!
I can totally relate to your story Layla! A few months ago I smelled the exact type of soap my great grandmother used to have at her home to clean. And immediately I was there again, in her house, playing, being that little girl again. I could see her house again, where she used to sit and sleep… It was strange. It can sometimes be a simple song, a smell or a taste that takes you right back to your youth. I love that when that happens.
And I’m sorry to hear about your knee/leg… Get well soon! Think positive thoughts, that will help. 🙂
Inge x
My Grandmother Rachel used Ivory dishwashing soap. Everytime I smell it I can immediately hear her wavery whistle as she washed up the lunch dishes in her big, old Victorian kitchen. It’s such a wonderful memory! Thanks for reminding me of it!
Virginia
Marigolds! Each and every time I pinch a has-been marigold I am transported to my grandfather’s garden and I’m about 2 years old, I think, because all of life is wonder; curves of soft grass under my hands, sunshine and warmth…this is a fleeting moment, but SO powerful!
When I was raising my two boys, I started collecting childrens’ literature. I have tons of books up in my attic. My memories of childhood stories are “Mike Mulligan’s Steamshovel” and “Caps for Sale”. I think I need to go up to the attic soon 😀
Layla, so sorry about the ‘layup’ (no pun intended…). Sometimes these things are a blessing, so we can re-fuel. Enjoy your downtime and let Kevin and the furkids pamper you <3
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers! Hope you feel better very soon and your leg heals quickly.
As for things that transport me – I’d say any song from the 90s instantly takes me right back to high school! Music is the one thing that can definitely transport me back to a specific time period.
Layla, I only recently discovered your wonderful blog- LOVE IT!@!@!
I wanted to wish you “get well” wishes and it looks like you have the two perfect nurses laying on the couch with you!@!@!
Take care-
Kathy
Layla, I am sorry to hear you are not feeling well! I hope you get good news and relief soon!
I am often transfered back in time to childhood memories. For example when I smell a cabage patch kid or a strawberry shortcake doll. Most often its books though that send me back. I am a reading teacher now, go figure! My most favorite book was There’s Monster at the End of this Book. It has Grover in it! Too funny! What a fun post! Thanks for sharing and asking!
Dawn, my daughters all loved that book too! Luckily I saved 2 copies of it. There is another one with Elmo in it too…not as cute as the Grover one!
Layla, please feel better soon! SO sorry to hear what you are going through. You are usually bouncing all over everywhere…you will be again very soon!
Hoping you feel better soon! As for me, every time I see The Pokey Little Puppy or Madeline books, I’m back at my Aunt’s flat as a 9 year old, sitting in her windowsill and watching the people and traffic go by while I re-read these favorites over and over again. Those were my happiest days, when I spent 2 weeks with my favorite Aunt every summer, and got pampered and spoiled by her, another Aunt, and my Granny. I miss them terribly, and am choking up now thinking of them. They meant more to me than my immediate family, because I was able to get away from the fighting and sadness that was my “real” life. Thanks for causing me to think back fondly of them! R&R is good for the soul as well as the body! Heal quick!
When I work in my flower/veggie garden I’m transported back to my Nana’s garden in Australia. Nana & Grandpa (new immigrants from Europe) worked hard and hardly complained, gratitude was abundant. Along with a beautifully tended and admired garden, they had ducks & chickens. Nana made everything from scratch – whole wheat bread, homemade noodles, jams, pastries and the most delicious meals. I have cherished memories of my maternal grandparents and a happy childhood.
Hopefully you can enjoy the Olympics while you’re staying put. All the best Layla!
I’m so sorry for your pain. I hope you will feel better as soon as possible. I’m so glad you have company on the couch.
I have a 7 year old (2nd grade) who is a voracious reader. Probably at a 6th grade level, so she is reading all of my most favorite children’s books and series. I’ve been postponing her reading the Harry Potter series because it can be a little intense. I’ll give in. It’s just a matter of time. It will be so much fun to share that book and it’s total coolness with her.
So sorry you are in such pain. I hope your recovery goes fast but at the same time you allow yourself that couch time……
Thanks for letting me know about the email on the sidebar. I signed up immediately.
Funny that you asked this question right now..
Yesterday was my 65th Birthday and my oldest, dearest friend ( truly, we are better than sisters ) wrote and framed for me a beautiful message. I blogged about it yesterday. It is beautifully written, and made me cry. If you have time to look you will need to scroll down the page to where it begins, Dear CeCe…. The site is nyourdreams.blogspot.com
Again, wishing you a quick recovery!
I recently came across a book I had when I was in first grade (1968) … Happiness is a Warm Puppy with Snoopy on the cover. I opened the cover and saw my name printed in my sweet little 6 year old handwriting and I remembered how that was the first book I really loved.
My favorite childhood book… The Pokey Little Puppy! Probably why I am a dog lover til this day!
Super big bummer on the grody cyst explosion. Sit back and enjoy the quiet cuddles with the fur babies. Pinterest and pogo help me through long days.
Wishing you a speedy recovery and a good report from the DR. Hope Kev is “waiting on you hand & foot” My prayers are with you.
I read the “Little House on the Prarie” series to my daughter- my very favorite books as a little girl- We were both so enthralled with them. My husband found us both sobbing when Laura’s dog, Jack. died!. He thought we were crazy, but it was wonderful to share that with my daughter. She’s now a grown woman but still remembers that really special time.
aww hope you feel better soon Layla! glad you have some good books to read!
Undercover Boss always reminded us of Jesus. He wore our uniform & walked among us so he could bear our burdens. =)
Unfortunately, fast food burgers & fries remind me of outings with my mom when my sister & I were growing up- we rarely did all day shopping trips and rarely ate out, so it was always a huuuuge deal to us. Unfortunate because I eat way too much fast food, and it’s probably an emotional thing tied with those fun memories. Ha, my self-analysis for the day!
Praying you heal quickly and completely and have no more pain. Chocolate and a good book are always a help. 😉
My Mom had a pop up Night Before Christmas book she used to set out near the fireplace at Christmas. There was this little dial you would turn and the “visions of sugar plums would dance in their heads”. Then you could pull a flap and Santa would go up the chimney. SCORE!
I adored that book and even memorized it. To this day, I set out a similar one on my mantel at Christmas and my children are drawn to the book. (Hope you feel better really soon!)
Layla,
I’ve had one of those cysts, and they’re AWFUL! Get better soon.
Children’s books are powerful that way. When my girls (who are about your age, I think), were small, I had a book called The Wild Baby, by Jack Prelutsky. I read it onto tape for them as a lark, and they listened to it often. We all memorized bits and pieces:
“Mama loved her Baby Ben,
her small and precious child,
but he always disobeyed her;
he was reckless, loud, and wild.”
It’s out of print now, and when I went looking for it, the price is now over $100!! Yikes. Wish I’d have held onto my copy. But ebay provided a copy of the first book I ever learned to read independently – Johnny-Go-Round. Also rhyme-y!
Get better!
Sorry you are not feeling well, feel better soon, I know what you are going thru