Back Again

My back has been giving me grief.  So much so that the end of last year I went to a physical therapist.  She who detests such infringement on time, finances, and prefers more of a holistic approach to healing...went for some PT.  And apparently I whined about it enough that Eldest Daughter deemed yoga might shut my trap, and has been paying for some sessions.

All joking aside, my back was not letting me sleep at night, and seriously not getting any better, and I was very frustrated because I try very hard to do...well...everything right.

I was even more frustrated because during the time we were in Cancun, and for a few days upon our return, I had respite from pain!  I thought I was cured by the beach and seawater!  But alas, it was 'back' on me by the end of the week.

But then I thought to myself...self...there was another time recently that it wasn't so bad...upon the return from your recent visit to see Eldest.  I had put that to a new mattress and starting yoga however, and also starting up the biking again, and really altogether too many variables to zero in on a cause, and who cared because it didn't last.

However, I am of a scientific nature.  And I continued to hurt.  And I wanted to figure this out and find an answer.  Why did my back not hurt so much those two times?  Was there a common variable?

Why, yes.  There was.  I didn't carry my fabulous hand tooled red leather bag on either trip, that I bought in October, right before my back went south big time.  (I knew that thing was too big when I bought it.) (But, oh...it was...and is...fabulous...)

Last weekend I changed out bags.  I am still getting past the twinges and the soreness, but I am getting past it.  I don't feel worse daily and I am sleeping better. Seriously I felt the difference almost immediately.

Crazy.

In the meantime?  I have fallen in love with yoga.  Behold.

Om Nava Shivaya Yoga Mat Bag, by Audrey Loopy, out of Tahki Cotton.  (If it stretches?  I can toss it in the washer and dryer!)

The i-cord handle threads though the top and is grafted back at the bottom!

That's an i-cord bind off...my first, and it was tricky!  I need to do it again before I can claim that I know how to do it.

I think the bottom looks awesome. I might firm up this with a circle of cardboard.
Maybe. Maybe not.