A couple of favorites

 

A weather satellite took this photo of moon and earth!

My oldest son and his wife! 

I called him the other day, and he said he's working on Thanksgiving...which is a good thing, since he likes the extra income from working on a holiday. I'm not sure what his wife will be doing.

My second son is driving to visit his wife's relatives near DC. They have several members of the family who can also drive now, so can just zoom on down the road.

I just found out what my youngest son is doing for the holidays, they're having some friends over for the feast..

I'm just staying here at home, happily breathing better!

I do wish everyone a good Thanksgiving.

Sad passings

 Robert Bly    12/23/26 - 11/21/21  RIP

A sigh from the earth as a "groundbreaking poet, editor, translator, storyteller, and father of what he has called "the expressive men's movement," has passed from this life.

I've listened to some of his interviews, his poetry...a beautiful person.

John F. Kennedy  5/29/17 - 11/22/63 

And the 22 of Nov. 1963 is long remembered by those of us of a certain age, as the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The "certain age" is those old enough to have experienced the shocking news, having watched those black and white TV's as news was delivered all that long day. I was pregnant with my first child, so of course he has no memory of that event. I'd imagine children 10 or younger at the time probably didn't understand it either...though it's impact on their parents might be remembered by them.

I had my first appointment with the OB/GYN about my pregnancy. I was shocked by hearing on the radio in the car about the assassination. Then I went home and watched the news the rest of the day!

the very big grocery trip

 So I came home with just 4 bags full!

I leaned on my cart handles just a bit too much by the time I got to frozen foods. 

"What?" I exclaimed, "There are no frozen fake fish filets!"

So I got some fake chicken filets instead, though I know I've still got some of these.

I had carefully trolled through the produce dept. and stopped myself from buying everything I like...concentrating on, "can this make a meal for me, rather than a snack?"

I still returned home with two kinds of dips...and no chips or veggies to dip. So another trip is in order. I did get two kinds of salad greens, which was a goal. I gladly piled up some sweet breads for breakfasts, and frugally skipped the high cost berries. I also skipped the many bags of grapes. 

And I was headed toward the orange juice, which is on the opposite side of the store, in the back, while I'd been shopping the front. I didn't make it. The orange juice can wait 'cause someone gave me a whole bag of tiny little oranges. Did I mention this is a super store?

So unfortunately I had to do the self-check out. I was bleary eyed by then, but kept my mask on. I only had to get the manager's help twice. I've put away only the frozen things so far. Now I need to squeeze all these fresh veggies in with the ones that I already have. I keep eating the oldest first...when I go to eat. That's hard cause I'm rather tired of it by now. But it was a gift, and you know how you can't throw away gifts. (Watch me, today is the last day for a couple of these goodies!)

I have now returned from the land of the almost alive be-masked grocery shoppers. 

An eclipse and fevers...

A week ago I finally got a diagnosis for the recurring fevers I had had for about a week...and then I collapsed into caring for this old bod.

Me with one of my dragon creatures, from my clay creative days.

Shingles, for me, was different than all the stories so I want to briefly share that experience. A week of fevers that came and went, which triggered more of my chronic cough, then the little itchy area on one side of my back which resolved after a day into defined raised spots. I stopped scratching them, having had the very similar.experience of herpes on my back. I started the mega-dose of an anti-viral, rather than antibiotic...this is a virus not an infection. The fevers continued, with some days gone. It was hard taking the high doses of the anti-viral, though I had already been on a low-dose maintenance to prevent outbreaks of herpes for years. These viruses don't ever die, but become dormant, like chicken-pox.

Which explained this as the second time I'd had Shingles. The first (which I had forgotten for years) had been right after I moved about 15 years ago. I had unexplained nerve pains, shooting pains when I moved in many different ways, located in my right side rib cage. We took X-rays, which showed a healed cracked rib, but no new problems. So the diagnosis was shingles, without rash, and no treatment beyond taking tylenol.

Eventually it went away and I forgot it. Until this diagnosis. I didn't have shooting pains at all this time. I never had the little lesions become larger...and they virtually disappeared by day 6, when I showed them to the Dr. again. He said my lungs were clear, though I had my chronic cough. So no need for antibiotics. He also said the recurring fevers have been part of shingles.

At that time I asked for something to address the irritating pain around my ribs when I coughed. At times I would cry out because a cough hurt so much. The doctor did the best he could and gave me the pain relief for nerve pain. I took one of those pills, which was very trippy. Moving around, my vision was really strange, and I was terribly tired, and slept most of that day.

I determined that the coughing pain wasn't the same as nerve pain, and went back to Ibuprofen.

I began to feel up to doing a few things around the house. It was still a chore just to get dressed, let alone shower. I was able to put together all the donated food for decent meals. I stopped taking my temperature when I woke up. It had been showing a fever more mornings than not. And then last night there was a lunar eclipse.

I did wake up around 2:30, and looked to see if the moon was shining in my window. I didn't see it. But it was hard to get back to sleep. By 4:30 I woke again drippy wet, sweating in my p.j.'s. I changed my clothes and went back to bed.

Not my photo of Lunar Eclipse, Nov 19, 2021

And when I got up at 7:30 it was already light outside. I looked out my window and saw the first rays of sunshine hit the highest mountain I see, which I think is Big Windy. It didn't sit there with sunshine just on the top slowly coming down, but raced down the side of the mountain. It was like time was doing double-time. Strange, but then I figured out that the tilt of the earth now meant more sunshine was hitting this face of the mountain.

No aches, no fever today. I may run out of steam soon, but I think that night sweat with the eclipse may have been the end of this illness. I've only got a few more of the football pills to take, then I return to my preventative dose. And the little virus guys go back to sleep wherever they belong!

When shall I take a shingles vaccine? My Dr. said to wait 6 months.

I had avoided it when the newer shingles vaccine came available simply because a friend who'd had shingles had an outbreak when she got the vaccination. I wanted to avoid that.

I am so full of gratitude for friends who've helped me through this episode. It would have been a lot more misery if they hadn't been there, always asking, can I get you something? And the two lovely women friends who did a few household chores have made a big difference in my emotions while feeling so out of it.

(This was written on Fri. morning, Nov 19)

The big playground

 

Dallas 1900

Did you have a playground that you enjoyed, either at recess during school, or after school?

Sorry only one shot, I've a good excuse (I've been sick!)

But I'm doing much better!!

Sharing with Sepia Saturday this week! 

Beauty and...

 

First to share a bright color in a parking lot...then the mundane of..

Take out the trash!  That's once a week at my house, because we have collection points where everyone's trash is supposedly put in maybe 5-6 bins. The rest of the week we supposedly put just kitchen trash in 2 bear-proof bins. Yes, we could have a black bear come snacking on our trash any time, but more often in the spring.

So I ran out of these bags, and asked a friend to pick some up for me. What a dear friend. She found the cheapest ones that met my needs too!

I'd give her a bouquet of Dahlias, except I don't have one. This was someplace I visited in the last month. Except I've only gone to my Dr. 2 blocks away for the last couple of weeks, and the pharmacy a couple of long blocks away (not for me to walk up and down those hills.)

So I'm about to journey forth to the trash bins!

Cause you're tired of hearing about my being sick...

 Some of my favorites from the past.

From the Blue Ridge Parkway

From Grandfather Mountain (not my photo)

Some of the leaders in teaching the Ornish lifestyle last year after my heart attack.

A flash of an old style bathing beauty, loving the shell bra!

Friends putting life together

 How about a big thank you to:

Helen

Teresa

Molly

Mark and Angie

Larry

Tina

Linda

Anna

Julia

and there probably are others who I've missed. You all are keeping me going!

And the bloggers who I sometimes miss commenting with:

Linda

Laurie

William

Bill

Vicki

Jenny

Marcia

John

David

Jack

Gary

Wendy

Gwynneth

Monica

Eileen

Tom

Robin

Margaret

John

Beatrice

Cate

Tamar

Kellyn

Lea

Jackie

Dave

Alan

Mike

another John

Bob

Mille

Susanna

Djan

Sue

Eliza

Michelle

another Wendy

Gail

Molly

Monica

Virginia

And of course there are other blogs I read, almost daily! I may have missed some of the authors by name. But over the years your creativity has been most enjoyable.

'

Trolling through...fever, pills, sleep...etc.

 

 

I enjoyed finding this old photo of my oldest sons, and their dad, from the 70s when we got divroced. This looks like a FL event place...amusement park. I'm glad when we separated we decided to stay friends. Actually we were the first couple in FL to be divorced under a new law, can't remember what it was called. A rather adult approach where nobody hurt anyone else's feelings.

I haven't had the sharp pain that I had with the first bout of shingles about 15 years ago. So I'm just living day to day hoping we caught this one early enough. There aren't any new bumps at least.

Now fever, pills, sleep...drink plenty of fluids!  Here's a playlist YouTube of Norah Jones I'm listening to today. Or maybe the Paul Simon? You know where it is...

Deepest gratitude

 

I have many friends on the internet, but when the crisis appears, having friends in the area can't be beat. I am so grateful for both...and the wonderful food and shopping that my friends have provided already. I'll have more before I get over this bug. Our church has a wonderful care committee, with volunteers stepping in to help out.

For now my eyes don't want to stay open, and every other word is being typed wrong! So I'll do my breathing treatment and head for the dear olde  beddy bye.

Under the weather

 Health problems hit me in the middle of last week. Maybe by today I'll be out and about again. And maybe I'll be worse. So far on Tues I'd recovered from Sun/Mon minor temperatures. Then Wed. I got zonked by higher temps, but they mostly receded a bit with Ibuprofen.

But Thurs. I felt worse, and wanted a COVID test. I got the quick test, which was neg. for COVID and the flu. They do send off another swab for a more extensive test. They'll only call me if it's postive.

However Fri. arrived with extreme weakness as well as a bit of fever, and a new symptom appeared on my back...little itchy spots. So my friend drove me to the Dr. because by then I couldn't drive 2 blocks. She  also took me to a drive through for a biscuit and coffee. And then we picked up my drugs to treat the rash...it's probably Shingles. 

I've had it before with a lot of pain, and no rash...and didn't like it at all. So I am doing all kinds of resting, and imaging those little viruses on my nerve cells...and the Shingles guys are aging very fast, and losing their teeth and their bites. Then, because once I could imagine the areas on my nerve cells, I imagined that they needed to be healed by a nice dip in a lavender oil bath. And not to go too far, but the next needed part was to give them protection from any more attacks. So I imagined a microscopic hero, one that I knew would be loyal and fierce, and with a sense of humor. Tiny little Patrick Swazyes for each nerve cell. Remember you can't see these things until you look in a microscope.

And I seldom share my more kooky side, looking at the strength of imagination to heal. But hey, what do I have to lose? And I have a fever anyway.

Joni Mitchell and sepia photos

 

Last week Joni Mitchell had her birthday! Happy birthday and thanks for all the music! Joni was born (1943), as Roberta Joan Anderson in Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada.

In 1966 she was performing at the Newport Folk Festival. Mitchell was an unknown when she walked on the stage. She sang “Chelsea Morning” and “Michael from Mountains,” and when she was through, the audience was dead silent. Then they broke into applause and gave her a standing ovation. Mitchell was 23 years old.

Photo by Anton Smotlak: Farm workers from Slovakia enjoying a vacation. 1957

Rounding Cape Horn for the last time, 1949, last commercial sailing ship, The Pamir.

US Coast Guard training Barque, The Eagle, sailing in the Caribbean in 2013

A sailing vessel of three or more masts with all masts but the sternmost square-rigged, the sternmost being fore-and-aft-rigged

A black animal (maybe gorilla?) with 3 apples in his mouth at once. Thanks to whoever shared this wonderful hungry critter.

Now let's go back in history, these are native chiefs in their new English dress, when signing a treaty in England....namely the first treaty signed between the English and Natives.

First treaty with English and Native Americans...as re-published in the Asheville Citizen Times.

And going to Africa, in the area near Tsavo, here's an elephant queen, photo by W.B. Lucas

While on the coast, a baby sea turtle starts his life leaving these tracks.

Photographer unknown.

Who knows who this is? I don't have any information on this character, who could be Miss Marple.

Is it our familiar darling, Agatha Christie?

Seeing this picture downloaded close by the portrait, I now tend to think Beatrix Potter.  And under her illustrations, there's the very one of the woman in the green hat.  But here's another group of her photographs!

And I'll finish this week with this trio of slightly silly young women as they enjoy a jug of spirits.

Enjoy your Sepia Saturday!

I'll be back next week.

Today's quote;

​Aldo Leopold writer and ecologist wrote, "Harmony with land is like harmony with a friend; you cannot cherish his right hand and chop off his left."

Cloudy day with colors

 

Downtown where the railroad crossed Black Mountain Ave.

Looking south from Ingles Grocery Store parking lot toward Lakey Gap.

And before I could post this, the sun came out and I went to the library to return Vol. 1 of The History of the English Speaking Peoples, by W. Churchill. I had already picked up Vol. 2 and started it, then a friend loaned me a John Grisham that I  hadn't read...and I'm indulging in it.

Today's quote:

He grew up in the ruins of World War II–the ruins created by the Nazism and its ideological commitment to conspiracy theories, violence and white supremacy. Based on that formative experience, the former Republican governor offers his take on this week’s coup attempt in Washington: “Being from Europe, I’ve seen how things can spin out of control… We must be aware of the dire consequences of selfishness and cynicism. President Trump sought to overturn the results of an election, of a fair election. He sought a coup by misleading people with lies. My father and our neighbors were also misled with lies, and I know where such lies lead.” To avoid a similar fate, we must hold the conspirators accountable, find public servants who will serve higher ideals, and, most importantly, “look past ourselves, our parties and our disagreements, and put our democracy first.” Arnold Schwarzenegger

Enjoying color changes

 

Hwy 9 going over Lakey Gap...where the big orange sign warns truckers not to try going up that route. About once a month some dude in an 18 wheeler tries it and gets stuck on the switch backs.

On another topic, yesterday I got a fill-in-appointment from a cancelation at the Physical Therapist. Yay...it would have been another week!

Happy Veterans Day to all who have served in the Military of the USA. Now why don't we celebrate those of other countries, I wonder?

Today's quote:

“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” Frida Kahlo

The 23 day progression

Oct. 8...beginning to change!

Oct 22, 2021
 

Halloween day

And so the progression of autumn colors proceed!

I was awestruck when I woke to freezing temperatures but a sunny morning. There were gentle leaves falling from all the maples outside. They'd just let go and flow slowly down to earth...a few hundred at a time. There was no wind. They had had a bit of frost or dew on them, which got warmed up by the sun. And they somehow decided this was the time to let go. Wow!

Today's quote:

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little. -Edmund Burke, statesman and writer (12 Jan 1729-1797)

Colors at Lake Tomahawk

 

My friend and I tried to add our shadows after walking as far as the dam, where we turned around and walked back to our cars. And it was fairly warm and not windy that day. But I got winded often!

Looking toward the little bridge.

Today's quote:

​Religious freedom should work two ways: we should be free to practice the religion of our choice, but we must also be free from having someone else's religion practiced on us. -John Irving, novelist (b. 2 Mar 1942)