"Handle With Great Care", yeah, that pretty much sums up how this whole Family has been for the entire day... extremely Fragile. The day started out with Great Promise, even though I felt like crap from a recurrent ear infection from always being so run down. And which seems resistant to antibiotics so it keeps flaring up... just like the Emotions today in this Crew!!! *Le Sigh* I had Intentions and High Expectations for a Great Family Outing to Attend one of my Favorite Shows THE BIG HEAP in Cave Creek.
We even got completely ready... which took a lot of Effort on my part, to get myself and them all ready to be rolled out the door. And then it happened, as it usually does... one of them Went Off. A certain Diva Princess suddenly and without warning became a rabid Beast and began one of her epic Bipolar Meltdowns over a trifle. The strap on her shirt was apparently annoying her because it slipped down... so clothes went flying off and complete pandamonium broke loose! Yeah, that was enough to call the whole thing off since the rest began falling like Dominos after that and a Fun Family Outing just didn't quite seem in order.
I couldn't handle it, I felt completely Defeated and utterly Disappointed... Curses Foiled Again!!! Are we having Fun yet?!??! I felt like the only Sane Person in Charge of a Lunatic Asylum... well, barely... my Sanity has been in Question lately and I probably shouldn't be in Charge of anything. Especially not three Beloved peeps with considerable 'Issues'!!! The Torment isn't so much about Caring for them... but Wondering how long you CAN hold out... physically, emotionally, mentally and financially? Because when you reach Critical Mass, who exactly would you Sacrifice in a 'Sophie's Choice' sorta horrific moment and find alternate Placement for if you can no longer do it? I couldn't choose, I Love them all... and so therein is the Quonundrum!
Source: Facebook
Yea, tho' I knew all my fun loving Compadres would be there and I had really looked forward to... well... you know... pretending I have a Life too beyond Caregiving and Living The Dream instead of The Nightmare... it wasn't to be. And so I dramatically threw the towel in the ring, hoisted the White Flag, threw off my Gypsy Finery, got back in my Pajamas and spent the entire day in bed. Crying my eyes out, trying to recuperate and steady my nerves so that I could get back to Center and have some Hope that you can actually come back from extreme Caregiver Burnout? After all... Tomorrow will be a brand New Day. I'm an Incurable Optimist like that... or maybe it's Denial, I'm not sure?
And it probably helped immensely that Yesterday Morning had been a brief Respite and some much needed 'Me Time' away from the Bohemian Valhalla Crew while I Attended a Therapuetic Workshop at my Friend Pamela's Shop THE PAPER COLLAGE learning to make Beautiful Chinese Lanterns and hand-dye Seam Binding.
It really is easy and quite Calming... and I Loved the Cheerful Boho Hues and Francophile Graphics on the Napkins I Created mine out of... just my Palette of vivid Jewel Tones. And what a Fantastic way to Upcycle and Repurpose those Napkins you Adore the Visuals of and would normally be a discard item nobody usually Saves or Collects.
This could become a New Addiction and certainly could be a Fun Family Project... well, when the Crew here aren't Manic, temperamental and going Off The Rails that is?!? *LOL* I rather liked how my dyed Seam Binding turned out, as well as my Lantern, for a first attempt it proved how effortless it is to make something that looks so Special. I wasn't even in a good Head Space when I showed up for Class, since Yesterday Morning had been Prince R's Time to go Wheels Off while getting him ready for School and threaten to send me over the Edge again and almost Cancel Attendance... but Time spent doing this brought my, Peace, Joy and Zen back so that I could be Centered before returning Home to Chaos.
See... see how Happy I look when I can manage to Escape!?! And spend Quality Time with people who aren't trying to drive me Crazy?!??! *Winks*
And if Paper Lantern Creating Inspired you... there are even more Inspirational Holiday Ideas we're linking up to at the COMMON GROUND "Be Inspired" Blog Party, so come join us!!!
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian