It’s all spinning so fast. So much change, from buying a new house to getting this one ready to sell, to the open house, to waiting for an offer. I haven’t known where to put the needle down between stories to tell you one from the beginning. The needle is too light, the stories so spinny, I can’t get my clumsy, calloused, chapped hands to do anything delicate. They are blue-collar worker bee hands. They are patio laying, prickle ball raking, tile grouting, floor scrubbing, window washing, box moving, bed making, bed remaking, toilet scrubbing, dried out dishpan hands.
My Dad’s Uncle Tom, a farmer in Upstate New York, shook my Dad’s hand to greet him when he flew home to attend a funeral years ago. My Dad worked in hospital administration throughout his Air Force years and beyond. Callouses were not part of the territory. When Tom shook my Dad’s hand, he teased: “What do you do for a living? You obviously don’t work!”
I imagine Uncle Tom’s hands felt like mine do now. But I imagine it didn’t drive Uncle Tom crazy the way it does me. I’m so sensory about my hands, I can’t stand having a dog touch the back of my hand with his wet nose.
I wake up in the morning to sandpaper hands and I can’t touch anything until I apply lotion. Gobs of lotion. Sandpaper hands are to me what nails on a chalkboard are to people who really, really, really can’t stand nails on a chalkboard.
So this is what my brain has come to. I can’t tell you the big picture. My brain is locked onto details. That’s what this has all come to — details. Yesterday, I could tell you all the weird things I thought about while total strangers were scoping out my house, opening drawers and doors, cabinets and closets. (I thought about putting something weird in my closet. Like a skeleton, or a sign in the medicine cabinet that says, My, you’re nosey. Or maybe just a bunch of ping pong balls. So when they open the medicine cabinet, ping pong balls fall out and bounce all over the hardwood floors and every one at the open house knows who had “the balls” to open my medicine cabinet.)
Today, I can only tell you how my hands feel. Come back tomorrow. I have a compelling story about the knots in my right trapezius. You do NOT want to miss that!
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Aims….Bag Balm is the BOMB!! And, personally, I LIKE the smell….
I am in awe of you. Buying a house without having to sell one was like the most stressful thing I have ever done — and I’ve hitch-hiked across Africa.
Wow! You did?? Write about that!! I want to read it! Bet there are some good stories that came out of that adventure!
If there weren’t two tax incentives that end this month I would be more nervous. But people want to buy this month. The market is loosening up and homes in my price range are moving.
I’m with you. I hate the way my hands snag my clothes. That’s just plain wrong.
It’s horrid. Especially when the fabric isn’t cotton. Absolutely horrid. Ewwwww *shudder shudder*
Uncle Tom the farmer would probably tell you to put Bag Balm on your hands before you go to sleep. It worked great on my horses whenever they would get a cut (to keep it from drying out and scarring). When my feet get dried out, I put Vaseline on them and wear socks to bed. They are like soft little baby feets in the morning. I’d imagine this would work for your hands (with gloves or socks on them) if you are looking for a super ultra cheap fix.
You should put a sign in your bathroom medicine cabinet that says: “Buying my house is the prescription for your happiness!”
*thinking about Tawni’s supple feet*
Bag balm is the shizzle for cows, and after all, leather comes from cows. But Tawni, what does it smell like?
PS: I sure hope you’re selling the ads over on the right, Amy:
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Foot Cream
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http://www.Curel.com
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Heeltastic – Buy 1 Get 1
Amazing new solution to dry cracked feet. As Seen on TV with Free Bonus
http://www.HeelTasticSale.com
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Cracked Finger Relief
Most Recommended By Pharmacists Natural Crack-Fixing Creme
http://www.crackcreme.com
Yu Be Moisturizing Skin Cream.
My parents own their own boat canvas shop and they both sew. Mom also does all of the home repairs (her most recent happy purchase was a wet saw) and her hands are frequently “more manly than your father’s.”
I bought YuBe at Earth Elements in Grandview b/c our friend Kyongsun owns the shop and Steph frequently fills in for her when she needs help. Steph said this stuff was of the Gods and that it would whip my cuticles into shape. She wasn’t kidding. My mom tried it – she stole it from me.
It’s expensive ($17)…and it’s tiny…….and I’m a cheapass to the nthdegree….but you don’t need much at all and it’s totally worth it.
Plus if you go in on a Monday…you’ll see my sweetie.
Jenn. Get in your car. Meet me right now, fellow cheapass to the nthdegree. We can pool together our charm and good looks and talk someone into buying us beverages. How good are your dimples??