Trying very hard to find the right balance (but I could really use your help)

{Vintage photo via cessnal152towser’s Flickr stream.}

Last night I could not sleep. I tossed and turned (thankfully my husband is a fairly sound sleeper and didn’t hear my stirrings), repeatedly got out of bed only to lay back down moments later. Such an occurrence is by no means entirely uncommon for me, but there are times when something is weighing heavily enough one one’s mind to the point of robbing them of slumber, that it is best to seek advice from those near and dear you. I sincerely value each of your opinions and friendships, and want to talk bluntly to you all about something that has been eating away at me for quite some time now, in the hopes that you could help me out with it.

A recent conversation with a very dear friend (and fellow blogger/photographer) of mine in which I spoke candidly about certain elements relating to my health helped to give me the courage I needed to turn to my readers for their impute on this matter. (Once the flood gates have opened, as they say...)

I’ll spare you the details (trust me, you want to be spared), but in short I am not in a good state of health. I have not been since I was 18 years old (I’m 25.5 now), as that was the age at which I developed almost all of the chronic illnesses that I now have (more recently however, one cropped up about three years ago). I’m not, truly thankfully, dying or facing a massive medical crisis at this moment, so please do not think that I was leading this post in that direction.

One of the by-products of some of my conditions (I have about a dozen different major, chronic illnesses and a small number of lesser, but still chronic, problems) is that they greatly impede on the amount of time I’m able to spend on the computer each day.

On what I’d dub a “fantastic day”, I’m able to devote about 1.5 hours to being at my computer (many days this number is smaller, very occasionally it’s slightly higher). Due largely to one of my conditions in particular, I’m forced to break my computer usage time up into approximately two to ten minute intervals throughout the day. While I wish I could spend hours on my laptop daily, doing so is not possible at this point in my life and I have come to terms with this. I’m grateful for the time that I do have on the computer and try to use it as wisely as I can.

However, it is virtually impossible for me to stay on top of everything I need (let alone “want”) to get done online, because my computer time is so greatly limited. Between emails, writing blog posts, administering and maintaining a website (that I founded in 2004) for people who share one of my conditions, devoting time to my photography, doing research, and a trove of other online activities (which, believe me, I’ve already greatly scaled back over the last few years), I continually feel as though I’m falling further and further behind on almost everything I need to do online and on my desktop (e.g. writing blog posts).

Over the past couple of days I took an earnest stab at trying to catch up on the wonderful comments that have been left for me during the last two weeks here on Chronically Vintage, however I wasn’t able to visit all of your blogs. This bothers me so, so much (I honestly get stomach pains just thinking that I’ve not been able to come visit all those who took the time out of their day to visit my site and share their awesome thoughts with me), yet sometimes in life one has to admit defeat. In this case, I’ve been whopped by the sheer volume of comments I’ve received lately.

As I say that, please know that from the bottom of my soul, I am massively appreciative of each of those comments. I cannot stress enough how much I treasure your visits and the wonderful words you leave beneath my humble posts.

And so in lies the predicament. As many of you know, staying up-to-date with your comments (by which I mean visiting and commenting on the sites of those who stop by your blog) can just about become a full time job – or at the very least, take upwards of several hours a day. I have to be perfectly honest, it is beyond my physical ability at this point in time to spend multiple hours a day on the computer (on any activity, be it writing posts, visiting blogs or otherwise), and so I’m left racked with guilt now because I haven’t been able to catch up with all of your comments.

Up until this point, about 98% of the time I have managed to catch-up sooner or later on your comments, but this time I simply cannot. I’m truly sorry. I fully understand (and am not upset in the least) if some of my readers opt to no longer comment if I’m not able to comment on their sites. Please know that I will always give it my “fighting best” when it comes to staying abreast with your comments, but that sometimes doing so isn’t possible for me.

I need your advice. I will always permit comments on my posts, and I love hearing from you all, but I do not know how to approach the fact that sometimes I’m simply not able to keep up with your comments. What do you suggest I do?

As my readers, will some of you be hurt if, from time to time, I’m not able to comment as frequently on your posts as you may on mine? How to I determine what a good balance of time spent on replying to comments is? Perhaps is there something I can do to make up for not being able visit you on certain days?

Am I, as I know my very level headed husband would likely say, worrying about this perceived issue too much? Please, I implore you, tell me how you would handle this situation if you were in my shoes? (Yes, I do see the irony in asking for comments.)

With every fiber of my being, thank you for reading this post and for your impute, sweet friends.

How to be vintage chic even on days when you call in sick

The truth of the matter is that there rarely anything even remotely glamorous about being ill or injured, but the title for this post sprung into my mind and struck me as sounding like something one might have spotted on the cover of a 1940s or 50s ladies magazine (minus the word "vintage" and assuming the gal held a job outside of the home to call in sick to).

Before I go further though, I sincerely want to thank everyone for your incredibly caring comments regarding my husband’s injured foot and my own health. Darling hubby is doing a little better (the swelling is going down a bit, which tends to be a good sign), and was absolutely touched when I shared your sweet words with him. It means so much to me to have such wonderful online friends, thank you deeply everyone.

I know firsthand that at times when you’re under the weather comfort is key. You want to feel as though you’re swathed in pieces that, even if they can’t actually heal you quicker, won’t make you feel any worse. Soft, gentle fabrics, beautiful fresh cut blooms to bring life and colour to a bedside table, snugly blankets to nestle into on the sofa or a lounge chair in the backyard if the weather permits, and a stack of your favourite vintage films are all great ways to help take your mind off of the situation at hand.

With that thought in mind, I’ve handpicked a selection of lovely, often functional vintage (and handcrafted) items (please note all prices are in US dollars) that I think would each be a wonderful way to inject a dose of uplifting energy, while providing their own special sort of comfort, to any sickroom, be it temporary or long-term, home or hospital based.


♥ ♥ ♥



{Ethereally light as a fairy’s wing, this delicate, pale carnation pink bed jacket would be the perfect thing to slip over chilly shoulders during the warmer months when you don't want the full on weight of a robe. $59.00 from etsy seller Posies for Lulu.}



{For times when you want a little more coverage and warmth than a bed jacket affords, a plush, quilted vintage robe, such as this lovely aqua-mint hued number, is the perfect solution. $22.00 from etsy seller Vintage Eye Fashion.}



{Before electric heating pads and blankets became commonplace, hot water bottles were one of the few ways to help keep the chills at bay. These simple rubber devices are still readily available and are handy to have on hand; after all, you never know when you might encounter a power outage while you’re feeling unwell. This hand knit cover with its pretty star motif, ensures that your hot water bottle looks lovely and feels more comfortable against your skin. $32.00 from etsy seller Strikk. }



{There’s both something a little Hollywood starlet and immensely practical about having a charming little bell on hand to ring when you’re ill and need to beckon someone to your side. Vintage brass bell with handle, $5.00 from etsy seller Spicy Vintage.}



{Help pass the time while you’re feeling icky by reading some old school pulp fiction such as this pocketbook novel entitled Doctor on Approval. $4.00 from etsy seller Vintage Vice’s Paper Emporium.}



{Whether it’s a cold, allergies, hay fever, the flu or another type of ailment, many illnesses bring with them the need for tissues, lots and lots and lots of tissues! A beautiful, floral print vintage tissue box cover is just the thing to make the boring, obligatory box of Kleenex a little more pleasant, no matter how many times you reach for it. $2.95 from etsy seller Girlythings73.}



{Very handy for meals, reading, writing letters, doing your nails, or in this modern era of ours, using the laptop, a tray such as this two part, tilted one is extremely useful to own for anytime you need (or want) to relax in bed yet still stay productive. $48.00 from etsy seller Extra Virgin Home.}



{While there are certainly many lovely modern and vintage bed trays on the market, you may want to spruce up or further adorn your tray with some wonderfully lovely linens such as this set which includes two napkins and an actual bed tray cover. $35.00 from etsy seller Teremok.}



{Enjoy your meals (I’m thinking homemade chicken noodle soup, soda crackers, Jell-o and ginger ale) off of these pastel hued compartmentalized trays in bed, in front of the TV or any place you fancy! $10.00 (for four trays) from etsy seller Willow Street Vintage.}



{Distract yourself from how you’re feeling by playing a few rounds of a really neat looking board game from 1961 called Ben Casey M.D., which was based on a popular TV medical drama of the time. $14.00 from etsy seller Ragtime Design.}



{Who doesn’t need an extra hug or two when they’re in pain? I certainly do, and when darling hubby (who’s a marvelous hugger!) isn’t home, I know I can always rely on a precious teddy bear to give me a snuggle :) This adorable vintage patchwork bear would be an awesome cuddle partner for anyone and would also look lovely on display around your house. $7.50 from etsy seller Saltsman Soap.}



{If someone near and dear to you is feeling sick or is in the hospital, send them a beautiful vintage get well card. Unused cards such as this illustrated one depicting a young lass picking flowers, are still available, often at very reasonable prices, through sources like etsy and eBay, garage sales, second hand shops and estate sales. $4.50 from etsy seller Vintage Vice’s Paper Emporium.}


I hope that these items transmit a sense of comfort and care. Being sick or injured is absolutely no fun, and we all need a little extra TLC when coping with any sort of ailment.

What kinds of things do you want/love/need to around you when you’re feeling ill? Topping my list are good books, mashed potatoes (my mom is the same way, I must get this from her), TV shows and movies that make me laugh, my treasured childhood teddy bear, plenty of squishy pillows, and my online friends and their awesome blogs to keep my thoughts focused on all things vintage.


*PS*


While searching for vintage bed jackets I chanced upon a free pattern for a 1956 Coats and Clark brand crochet version that was too pretty not to share with you all. And for anyone who might be looking for a modern day iteration of this once common nighttime wardrobe staple, the online shop Serene Comfort has a number of cozy looking bed jackets at reasonable prices.

A bit out of commission this weekend

Hi my lovely readers, how are you each this weekend? I’m afraid that things are a little rocky here at the moment. My husband injured his left foot on Thursday evening and we spent most of Friday waiting to see at doctor at the ER. Thankfully it’s nothing immensely serious (a broken toe), but still the poor dear has certainly had better days.


{In a scene reminiscent of our trip to the hospital on Friday, a nurse examines a patient's foot in this Life magazine photo from 1959.}

One of my medical conditions is quite aggravated at the moment as well, so I’m afraid that there won’t be an edition of the Pretty Link Roundup this weekend. I’ll post an even larger number of links when I put together the next one to help make up for it. Likewise, I’m afraid I may be a little behind on posts in general and replying to wonderful comments (and visiting your stellar blogs) for a few days.

I’m not sure yet if there’s be a Monday Muses this week either, but regardless I will post an update on how we’ll both doing in a day or two. Thank you very much everyone for your comments on my posts this week, I really love knowing how much you sweet dears enjoyed the Five For Friday post.

I truly hope that you’re all doing well, I miss you each and hope to be back in the loop really soon!

Big hugs & joyful weekend wishes to everyone!