Jilly asked to see this device my Aries made for stretching out the lumbar area of the spine. A friend had one on loan from a chiropractor and he measured it carefully before making this one. The materials are almost all salvalged from what we had on hand, cut to fit and painted. My contribution were the cushioned parts.
How it works: you straddle the area between the two cushions, lean forward on the black cushion and hook your knees around the round yellow one. You grasp the two extensions below the black cushion and pull your self forward. The whole top portion tips forward and you end up with your upper body hanging down and your lower body resting on the black cushion with your knees preventing you from sliding off. This way the weight of the upper body gently stretches out the lumbar spine. Naturally this works better for most men because they usually have more weight in their upper body.
This is the work of two people with Mars in Scorpio, both of whom do a lot of careful work with their hands. We both consider ourselves “jack of all trades and master of none” types – very good for our rural, frugal lifestyle.
oh, my, it looks like a torture device. Is it comfortable? Don't you love Scorpio Mars? I never realized that this must be the source of my desire to learn how to make everything myself so I can make better quality for less money. Self-sufficiency in canning, quilting, knitting (of course), soapmaking and now I'm interested in making furniture. hee. You know how grounded I've felt since Saturn entered Virgo? Well, that came all unstuck on the 17th when my Gemini housemate was attacked and knocked down as she was entering our backyard gate. She cracked her ankle in half and had to have pins put in. So she's recuperating at her sister's in the country and I am home alone coping with a massive case of the nerves.Yes, I have a full-blown attack of what the Buddhists call "monkey mind." This is where your mind just chatters and chatters at you and you worry, worry, worry all the time. So now I am worried about 1) any little noise at night. 2) any time the dogs bark at night. 3) my job and the lack of work we have. just my group. feeling vulnerable here. 4) my son has admitted to feeling depressed since his father's death and feels we don't care about him and his family. 5) My grandson (the double Virgo) has some kind of growth on his leg that requires a visit to the pediatric surgeon. (!!!!) 6) the other grandson (the Taurus with Scorpio asc.) is seeing a therapist to prepare him for kindergarten. He has been diagnosed as a "spirited child." (!!!!) 7) Money and paying off the credit cards.
Insomnia caused by 1) and 2). so what happened on the 17th?In the meantime, I'm going to aggressively attack the 
by doing an hour of yoga anytime I can't sleep. sigh. neith, so sorry to hear about the problems that have cropped up in YOUR life too.cyberhugs to us both.
that is so awesome! thanks for uploading the picture…I'd be way too bottom heavy for that hahaha.Yay for salvalging stuff. Do you ever read the "there i fixed it" blog? Pictures of the scary side of putting stuff together.Jilly
{{{{{Casey!!!}}}}I was thinking about you when I was using some of your wonderful soap and wondering how you were doing. Not well I gather . . .
So she's recuperating at her sister's in the country and I am home alone coping with a massive case of the nerves.OMG! Don't blame you at all for ending up with "monkey mind". Very familiar with that myself though it has been less fierce lately. Yes, we can really use a break. Having Uranus hovering in the neighborhood of your Sun is not very relaxing. Saturn at least will be moving rather quickly and not be sitting opposite your Sun for too long [about a week]. Yoga sounds ideal. Time will help too. At least that's what I keep reminding myself. heeThis is one of those times I wished we lived close enough to go out for coffee and commiserate. Take care and remember to treat yourself with kindness and your favorite music.
Hey Jilly!that is so awesome! thanks for uploading the picture…I'd be way too bottom heavy for that hahaha.Yeah, me too. Too bad it doesn't work the other way . . .
Hooray for Jacks of all trades!
Ooh, that's necessary! I want one of those. I had one at the gym. There is nothing like strengthening your lower back. It was more like doing reverse sit ups, the one at the gym. It is called back extension.