The days are getting hotter – there have been a few when I’ve felt on the verge of spontaneous combustion… so of course, what better time to sign up for a virtual marathon or two? 😆
I’ve been working on a couple of races from The Conqueror site. I’ve chosen some smallish ones – a Trek to Petra, and the Flower Route through the Netherlands. The initial plan was to increase my walking, both in distance and frequency, but the heat hasn’t made that easy. I haven’t made it back to the pool yet this season. I did find out, however, that the daily walk to the mailbox and back is about 400m, so that helps. I’ve worked out distances for walks I do regularly, whether around town, or to and from bus stops. The real help, though, comes from the handy conversion chart that is on the site – both housework and grocery shopping can be around 500ish metres every 10 minutes! So far I’m about 30% along each route. You get virtual postcards as you go, and a tree is planted every 20% of the route. I see some pretty things in my actual walking…
…and I also find some interesting things in my virtual walking.
Petra doesn’t seem to have street view on the map, but I’ve looked at various parts of the Netherlands – my first “stop” was some sort of shop.
Pastries? Cheese? I can’t really tell…
Wandered into a little alleyway.
And of course, there are tulips! And other flowers – daffodils?
Also, strange half people…
I still have a long way to go. But I’ll get there. 🙂
So I’m the first in the family to have had both vaccinations… The rest have had their first – since they’re all adults now (and how weird that is to say!) they all came to the decision on their own. I went in yesterday morning, felt OK most of the day. Got chills and shivering last night, a bit feverish today, but I figure I’ll just take it easy for a couple of days.
Treated myself to an almond croissant – not sure if I would be up to cooking – and had a lovely big cuppa tea with it. Much as I love coffee, sometimes tea is the only thing that works 🙂 I still have lots of books to read, and DVDs to watch…
Still figuring out Fridays – my Babe goes in to uni for a full day on Friday, and I’m planning to go fairly regularly to a group on the other side of town. We leave early – he goes to catch the train, I go for coffee at my favourite cafe, a bit of shopping, then the bus to the group meeting. So far I’ve done the whole journey once… there have been other appointments to get to! This time I was booked for my first Pfizer vaccination. I got in to town about 7am, but my appointment wasn’t until 10ish. Managed to while away an hour over coffee and a muffin, then had a look in the charity shop. Had a bit of a chat with the nice man who manages the shop a few times a week. I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the jab (I don’t like needles!), although I don’t believe I was in danger of being injected with microchips, or other similar theories. I did my research 🙂 While I’m sure there is a risk attached to the vaccine (which is explained by the administering doctor/nurse when you get it), there’s also a risk to taking ibuprofen or panadol, or any medication you might need otherwise. For me, it comes down to assessing the risk/benefit ratio… I believe it is the right thing for me to do. Nevertheless, I was apprehensive. We discussed the possibility of another lockdown (which didn’t happen in the end) and I said I was off for my jab. He told me about his experience, which basically boiled down to explaining to the doctor that he was needle-phobic and worried about it hurting and when would it be done, at which point the doctor said they’d already done it while he was talking 😆 I’ve heard from others that it was a bit of a non-event…still, there’s a bit of sheer terror cowering away in the back of the skull about some things.
I get a lot of my clothes from charity shops. I also pick up beautiful bits and pieces. As we were talking, he was arranging some jewellery in the glass case under the counter. I noticed a lovely crown ring, and then a couple of tiaras. Did I need them? Well, of course not! But I decided that I deserved to feel a bit princessy that morning.
I got to my appointment a little early, so I was finished early. Didn’t really feel it – just a bit of a sting as the needle went in – and then I sat out in the waiting room again for fifteen minutes in case of reactions. Then off to the bus and home. I hadn’t scheduled anything for the rest of the day (except some lovely salted caramel ice-cream – in case of fever 🙂 ) but didn’t notice anything much. Have had a bit of pain today at the injection site, and felt a bit tired and achey. That’s possibly just a normal Saturday for me, though.
Visual proof 😉 It’s a bit hard to get a selfie of your upper arm. I’m not planning anything strenuous for the next few days…thankfully I am well stocked with books!
I’ve had a couple of low energy/fatiguey days lately, so I’ve mostly been in bed. Thankfully I’ve also been in the process of changing the area by my bed so I can easily reach books, pens/pencils/paper etc when I need them. There’s still more to do (I do a bit, then run out of steam) but I should have a useable workspace soon. It still feels a bit lazy, but I came to the conclusion that it was better to get some work done in bed rather than not getting anything done while waiting to feel better… It’s not like I haven’t done any writing or drawing while sitting up in bed before – it’s just been quite uncomfortable. I finally got myself a little lap table with a tilting top, and a new “bedside table” (a trolley with drawers from Officeworks).
Today has been another catch up day – because of events the last few months, I’m behind in some classes and seminars. I’m enjoying the content of the twosites I’m working on, and I am content with my new space and the new things I’m learning! 🙂
Today has been a busy day. Due to various circumstances, I spent part of the morning picking up groceries that we hadn’t had time or opportunity to get to before. For me this means buses and walking, which was quite nice this morning, in the fog. I started off early, having breakfast in my favourite cafe – I was the only one there for a time 🙂 It was like sitting in my own lounge/dining room, except with more chairs…
Off on the bus to Market Organics after that, then wandering back to town – bits of shopping, library, then the bus home. Everybody seemed chatty today – people I knew, people I didn’t… there’s always time for kindness, whether given or received.
I finally got the bulbs in the ground the other day, where they will sleep their winter sleep and hopefully emerge in spring, looking like this (but less cardboard-y)
The sage is now safely gathered in – past its best, but quite abundant. I’d previously frozen the basil in olive oil, and yesterday chopped half the sage into olive oil to freeze as well. The rest of the sage went into honey to steep for a few weeks, when it will be ready for sore throats and medicinal tea.
Tired now, but happy! I think tomorrow will be a quiet day at home…
I’ve been having a good run of things lately. Going down to the pool in the mornings, doing bits and pieces around the house… starting to feel like I might get back to “normal”. That’s until last night – pains that I haven’t had for a while, keeping me awake, and then in bed most of the day. I’VE GOT THINGS TO DO!!! 😆
I’m not entirely sure why – lugging stacks of large, heavy books around yesterday may have something to do with it. I struggled with the “shoulds” today, then eventually realised it would be a day of resting, not doing much… small movements and small joys where I can find them!
I didn’t get to do the laundry, or finish organising my bookcases. I did do a bit of photography – little vignettes of my small things dotted about to make the place bright. 🙂
Little vases, with little bouquets…
A brightly coloured insect I fished out of the pool the other day
…and a single frangipani with a yellow-tinged feather!
I’ve been reading. Mostly cosy mystery type books – they’re easy, quick, and helpful for those days when you just can’t muster up the energy for too much… Which brings me to the book I’m reading at the moment.
It’s an interesting read. The author is writing from the perspective of a WOMI (Woman with a Mysterious Illness) and her long fight to find out what’s going on and what to do about it. I haven’t finished reading it, so I don’t know yet how that turns out… She comes from a family of doctors, and has great respect for doctors as a whole, but there’s the acknowledgement that mainstream medicine has no protocol for the myriad of “mysterious illnesses” that are suffered mostly by women, and therefore tends to dismiss any mysterious symptoms as psychological or just “women’s stuff”. I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia, although I’m not sure what that actually means in my case – I’ve been dismissed from the hospital clinic that gave the diagnosis as they can’t do anything for me. Whether the medical establishment mean it or not (and in my experience over the years, some definitely do mean it, and verbalise it freely) these types of symptoms/diagnoses come with a mental eye roll and a sense that you’re just whining and need to sort yourself out. In the bit I was reading today there was a list of common symptoms found in WOMIs, some of which I hadn’t realised could be linked to the others.
I can check off 50 from that list. Thankfully they generally don’t appear together, and not necessarily severely – some more than others. There never seems to be a time when I’m not experiencing some combination. Some days are really bad, some are bearable – and I think over the last year or so I’ve learnt how to ignore some things enough to function. I’m certainly not in as dire a state as some people I know, and I am grateful for how well I can function. But sometimes, I get tired… And it’s very discouraging, when you’ve had stacks of tests and you still feel generally horrible, to be told that – good news! – there’s nothing wrong with you! Yay? 😥
The book discusses nutrition and alternative medicine, and sees it as a positive thing. I know that watching what I eat and keeping up with vitamins/herbs etc helps me quite a lot. These can be restricted by cost and sometimes the difficulty in using them (if something requires preparation and it’s a bad day, it’s not going to happen). I would recommend finding a good practitioner. But also realising that there’s no magic pill/herb/concoction. Sometimes, it’s just a balancing act.
I’ll have to finish reading to find out how it ends…
So it’s October (already!?) and once again breast cancer awareness month. There are a lot of ads about, and the mobile screening buses are at a couple of shopping centres near here. Everything’s pink… I don’t really go for the “buy pink for breast cancer” thing – I don’t trust that all that merchandise is raising money for charity, and if it is, what does that money/charity do with it? Much better to give directly to somewhere that you know is legitimate! Whether you buy pink stuff or not isn’t really important – what is important is that you go for regular breast screening, especially as you get older. I don’t like getting lots of tests just for the sake of it, but some things need to be done (this includes bowel and prostate checks). Don’t wait until you have symptoms! Yesterday I went for my mammogram. I hadn’t realised it had been two years since the last one, but they rang me to book me in as their systems showed I was overdue… I understand that it can seem a bit daunting if you’ve never done it before, but the whole process doesn’t take long, and it’s done sympathetically and professionally. Sat next to a pink-lighted flowering tree while I waited… it cast interesting shadows.
I always try to schedule in a coffee/cake time, and some time shopping or otherwise enjoying myself for afterwards. 🙂 Just a short break makes a difference! I had my coffee and cheesecake at a cafe I don’t frequent much, since the one I generally go to at the big shopping centre here seems to have closed… still was a nice time out, and included my serendipitous heart.
I had to catch my bus fairly soon after, but still had time to pick up some little pots, which I will fill with succulents.
😀
So – all done for another couple of years!
Just to stay with the theme… here’s P!nk. Let’s get this party started!
At least it seemed like it at the time. Yesterday I was in for an endoscopy, a procedure I have done every couple of years or so. It requires fasting from food and drink for a period of time, so this was a feast by the time I got to see it. Everything went smoothly – the procedure itself apparently takes about ten minutes, but there’s the waiting around and the prep and recovery time. For some reason, in the last year or so, I’ve had trouble having blood taken/drips put in. My veins seem to hide or disappear, and even when they get a line in the blood doesn’t always come out… the anaesthetist had trouble yesterday and had to use an ultrasound machine to find a vein. She got the line in but it only drew blood sporadically, so she had to use the other arm, and eventually put it into my hand. I find that very painful, but you have to go with what works… Apparently as you age your veins can get a bit “valve-y” (obviously a medical term) and the valves resist the needle. At least it worked in the end, and the sedation went quickly.
I can’t remember how many endoscopies I’ve had, but I know they’ve changed a lot since my first one. The first time I don’t remember as much talking, although the procedure was explained to me. This time I had a good old chat with the nurse, the anaesthetist, the orderly who wheeled me in, and a little bit with the doctor. This was mostly about procedures and any fears I might have, but also about our families and whatever else. These days I believe the sedatives are a lot lighter – just enough to keep you under. My first time I had to be wheeled in to recovery on the bed and then come to at some point. I don’t remember a lot of that, as I was unconscious. Eventually I was able to get off the bed onto a chair, then try to eat something. This time (and last time) I woke up in the procedure room, walked to the recovery area, and had my gourmet meal straight away. I hate the process of going under sedation, and always feel a bit panicky at that point. It’s quick, though, so I don’t have time for too much panic! There’s also the memories of earlier times, when I would feel a bit sick and scarily disorientated after. It would also take three or more days to get over the sedatives. Thankfully it’s different now! I was having a lovely dream when I woke up. Something about books, but I can’t remember what… I still feel groggy today (I feel like I’ve been in a fight…), and will probably take it easy, but it’s a lot different to earlier times. I still have to have a “responsible adult” around for 24 hours after the procedure, so if you want me to sign anything or operate heavy machinery, you’ll have to wait 😀
That was a lot more writing than I thought I was going to do! Long story short, hospital procedures don’t need to be scary, at least the planned ones – I’ve not had emergency surgery before, so I can’t speak to that. I do know that whatever I’ve had done lately, I’ve come across competent, professional people who know what they need to do but also understand that we might be a bit worried and need reassurance.
I also have another source of comfort…I knew on Monday that I might be a bit out of it yesterday, so I did my Bible readings for both days. Here’s my verse for yesterday –
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
😀
What other procedures yesterday? More like “procedurals”, and murder mysteries. Since I knew I wasn’t going to be good for much in the way of deep thinking, I decided to just read and sleep yesterday. I went with the classics (Ngaio Marsh, Agatha Christie, P.D.James) Also – zinnias! ❤ They’re Mambo Pink, and are bright enough for this greyish day.
Given the uncertain health environment and regulations lately, we’ve augmented our fashion range with some cool masks!
They’re made by a woman in our suburb, and we got one each for our family (Babe and I each have an extra as well). Here’s a selection –
The butterflies are mine, the TARDIS print is for Sweet Bean.
My Babe, and Biggest Boy, have a black with white polka dot one and a grey small print one, respectively… you know, for formal occasions…
We’re still figuring out the best fit – might need a few adjustments, especially since most of us wear glasses. I’ve found I have to take my glasses off to read close up, since I can’t just look under them anymore! They feel a bit claustrophobic at the moment, and feel like they’re slipping a bit when I talk, but that’s probably the fit at present and will be better with adjustment.
Why did we buy them?
No, we’re not sheep, driven to mindless obedience under a draconian government.
No, we’re not terrified and scrabbling for anything to feel some measure of safety.
No, we’re not trying to look superior to everyone else (an actual accusation levelled at my Babe at the shops yesterday).
I’m not actually too bothered by the possibility of catching COVID19 – not because it’s nothing to worry about, but because our risk is very low. It’s not, however, non-existent. Even without that possibility, there’s all sorts of viruses hanging about in this season. I’ve not had flu (as in actual influenza) for over 20 years, and we don’t tend to get colds. Sniffles, maybe. And I tend to have a bit of a cough when it’s cold, especially in the mornings. At the moment that can single you out as a possible plague carrier when in public…
There are countries where it’s common, and considered courteous, to wear a mask in public during cold and flu season. People seem to understand that the mask wearer is doing so for the benefit of others, rather than their own protection (although that’s also a benefit to some extent). It’s hygienic, considerate of others and can be stylish! Here people do tend to look at you as though you’re stupid, or deluded. Why do some consider wearing a mask as an affront to them? A piece of material on my face isn’t a threat to anyone…I’ll be having a chat with my boys about not reacting if they’re challenged by strangers.
I’ve considered the question of masks in other years during flu season. Given that I tend to cough, I’ve thought about it before…not that I’m necessarily contagious (and generally I’m not – it’s more irritation), but – I could be. There’s something to be said for thinking about other people’s peace of mind when I’m coughing away in the supermarket…
At this time my odds of passing on COVID19 are low to almost non-existent. But not completely non-existent. And I know too many vulnerable people.
This is a new world, in a lot of ways. It may be the new norm, or it may be a passing thing, but for the moment – I’ll wear butterflies!
a bit of creativity, a bit of eco consciousness, a bit of inspiration.... hopefully not a lot of pompousness and blathering :D
i'm not entirely sure what's going on here... let's travel along and see...
1000 Fields of Roses 