Something to Lift My Spirits…

You remember I mentioned I fell a couple weeks ago and hurt my left hand.  Well it has been two weeks and it still hurts… but only when I use it. 

I gave it plenty of time to get over itself… you know – thinking it was a sprain and all.  But when I saw the guy who works on my knee on Monday he did mention that if a particular bone gets broken in the wrist you can have some major problems due to interrupted blood supply to the bone.

Trying to not be a hypochondriac about it – I pondered it for 24 hours… then I called and made an appointment with the Orthopedic Hand Doctor.

Whom I saw today… and yes if you break the scaphoid bone – which doesn’t always show up in x-rays right away – you can (but not always) have some big problems… he mentioned surgery, screws/pins, bone grafts and casts (most of which would be worse case scenarios).  Needless to say he got my full attention.  When he offered me a new splint (I had quit wearing the thing the hospital gave me) and told me to wear it 24/7 and only remove it for showers… I was happy to slip right into it!  He said that 2 weeks out if it still hurts where it still hurts… he assumes it’s a break in the scaphoid until he can prove otherwise.

They are scheduling an MRI… you know – to obtain proof.

I hate the internet… because you can find out all kinds of stuff there you really don’t want to know… but you looked up anyway.

So I’m here with my fingers crossed hoping that it’s only soft tissue damage… or at least if I did break it that it’s in a good place as opposed to a bad place.

And I have a new sense of appreciation for all that my left hand really does for me on a daily basis.  I always called it stupid because it’s not nearly as smart as my right hand.  Oh don’t go looking at me sideways… try to brush your teeth with your left hand… go ahead – you will see I’m right.  Although my left hand is not as smart as my right hand it was always still a willing participant in all activities the right hand was up to.  These past two weeks… not so much… and my right hand is missing the help.

Anyway… so I was not having a very happy day.  And when I am not happy I tend to putter around.  This afternoon on my way over to pick up my CSA Share I stopped into a used furniture store along the way.

I saw this on the floor… I recognized it as a case for a Singer 301.  I have a 301 and a case but my case isn’t nearly as nice as this one was.

And the tag says… “case $32”… and I’m trying to decide if I want to spend $32 dollars on a case.

But when I tried to move it with my foot – it didn’t move.  So I opened it.  And decided that Yes Indeed I would spend $32 on the ‘case’… especially since the machine came along for the ride.

It’s got all it’s parts, book, cord and is smooth and shiny - doesn’t look to have been used all that much.  The serial number dates it to 1956.

When I took it up front to pay for it – she said they didn’t take credit cards and I didn’t think I had cash and was looking around in my purse for the check book when she says to me… “Oh, You can mail me the check”.  The dumb look on my face prompted her to repeat herself… “Just put the check in the mail”…

Seriously… I love living here.  I did come up with the check book – paid for my ‘case’ and she even carried it to my car for me. 

I’m feeling better…

My Other Stash...

It was almost exactly 2 years ago that I blogged about another Excess of mine.  I was finishing up the packing at the house in MA... and was down to packing the shed that contained the rest of my vintage sewing machines - I had already packed the ones I used and those stored in the basement.  I remember how cold it was and those machines just seemed heavier when they were cold.

I recently brought out my Tiffany... and put her back to work.  It's so relaxing sewing on a treadle - I've missed her and have enjoyed using her these past couple weeks.

Earlier this week I swapped a couple emails with another blogger Lori in South Dakota - who also has an affection for vintage sewing machines.

Those emails got me to thinking about my machines.  I had only unpacked a couple treadle cabinets when we moved in - this one is for a Davis 'Manhattan' 3/4 size machine. 

When we moved - I removed all the machine heads from the cabinets and packed those in a separate box from the cabinets...

 

Yes this cabinet needs a little TLC... but for now let's go look for the little Manhattan head shall we.  The basement has a room that is about 10 x 11 feet.  There is an oil tank in that room... and sewing machines in boxes.  And in the rest of the basement there is pretty much more sewing machines in boxes.  Here are some of the stacks.  See the box below with the numbers on it?  Just a rough count give or take a few - 123...

Oh then there are the treadles and other cabinets in boxes.  They are over in this other area.  It was much easier to stack the cabinets in the PODS if everything was in a box.  I didn't even try and count what's over here.  But hey - Look - it's not all machine stuff... I see a box of office supplies and a box that belongs to The Engineer with woodworking templates and jigs.  Oh I feel so much better now... see they aren't all mine!

Here is what we are looking for...

OK now I'm down to 122 boxes in the basement... give or take.