Man am I tired. What the hell happened to starting out part time??? I'm already into overtime and working the bakery on my own and it's still two days from my two week mark! Work is good, getting paid for work is even better, but I'm seriously not sure I can keep up this pace; there were a number of excellent reasons for me wanting to work part time, at least for a while.
Ah well, today was good. Had the day off and took Mom out to eat at Olive Garden (her choice) for her birthday/3 years cancer-free celebration. Think she enjoyed her meal?
Picked her up some new puzzles, since she's rather fond of jigsaws.
A bird wall-hanging and a showy plant. (Kalanchoe)
My sincere apologies for not getting around to everyone's blogs; by the time I get home I'm too whipped to do more than eat, shower, and fall in bed. Frankly, if Mom weren't cooking I'd be too tired for the eating part. I am thinking of everyone.
I committed one yesterday, when I spotted this little guy/gal *ahem* hotfooting it across the tarmac and pavement. A mission of mercy that is.
It was 90+ F. here yesterday; close enough to 33 C. as to make no nevermind, as the saying goes, and this tortoise (a gopher tortoise I think) was racing across the road and drive, but not quite making it to the grass. I, being of the fools rush in breed, hurried over to help. Shoes? Forgot all about 'em, hence the crispy feet. Still, I'm sure his gratitude more than made up for my discomfort . . .
Doesn't that wee face just radiate good will, gratitude and stick a body part close enough and I'll bite it off for ya! (No, I didn't just take photographs, I nudged him gently into the grass whilst staying clear of the bitey end.)
Remember my pet cherry tomato plant? If you look closely at this photo, you'll see it has tripled in size. Little blooms are forming as well. This makes me happy. Obviously, it doesn't take a lot to make me happy.
The tomato plant is second to the right of the steps, it started out like this:
In other news, I definitely have a primary care doctor now, huzzah! And today, I'm putting in job applications. Wish me luck.
Just a very few weeks ago, less than three, I posted a video HeRe to show how severe my tremors were becoming. A few days later and my short and shakiness had landed in, of all places, Florida, where I'm spending some quality time with my mother. I need to do another video soon, to demonstrate how lovely and calm it is when the tremors are at their minimum. Which they are. My blood pressure has dropped and my heart isn't galloping or giving out with odd, extra beats either.
Bliss.
The weather is practically perfect just now. Mid 80's F. (29.4 +/- C.) and mildly breezy; mostly clear skies with occasional showers. Suitable weather for a residence slightly south of a town named Frostproof.
Is it possible, do you think, to fall in love with a place? This isn't coastal Florida, not Miami nor the Keys... not even Disney. We're in the middle of the state, where oranges, cattle and old people are the main industries. You can drive for miles on two lane roads and see scarcely another vehicle and the 'old' architecture looks like this:
There are lovely little towns, like the one called Labelle, where much of the population is Hispanic. There are old-style tacquerias whose like I haven't seen since I was last in California and on a quiet Sunday afternoon you'll see soccer teams made up of every age playing in the local church yards. Dotted around the streets are vendors, with lines stretching along the streets, waiting to buy handmade tamales, carnitas, Mexican street corn and sinfully sweet empanadas.
Here, where Mom lives, it's quiet: small town - almost country - quiet. I think I've heard one siren in all the time I've been here; a body can relax into the sussuration of wind playing amongst the palm fronds. A rather pleasant melody to accompany gardening, which I did a bit of yesterday, potting up a few things for Mom.
A 'black' cherry tomato.
Must have lavender, of course, and a butterfly bush for Mom's beloved butterflies.
Mom and I spent Sunday, last, with a family friend and her daughter; Mom and Judy have been friends for years, as have Melody and I.
Mom is in the lighter blouse.
And I have had my hair chopped off again.
It struck me, as we were returning from our day out, just how relaxed and happy I felt.
Oh, and if any of you are Shania Twain fans, here is a part of her McCompound on Marco Island, Florida.
Oh, and just because I can (and because he's a friend and extremely prolific writer) I'm including this blurb today:
May I introduce George... first, perched on the back of the bench, then admiring the larger than life size statue of himself.
Today, George brought along a little friend. Being the original sort, I named her Georgiana.
Not quite as cuddly as the pooches.
Since they were relaxing on Mom's very colourful little porch, I'd guess they were ... wait for it ... lounge lizards.
Mom seems to prefer the company of seahorses. And bluebirds.
I rather like Mom's very brightly coloured plants.
Here, we are surrounded by orange groves and cattle... not too terribly far away is the Cosa Nostra cattle ranch; I do believe I shall keep a healthy distance from it. Still, how many towns can boast a HUGE lake like Lake Jackson in the centre?
Simple things, really: catching up on rest, internet which works properly and is f a s t, a tree making it through winter, a candle in the oven; decisions made. I always feel better when I have a plan of action, don't you? But first, the images I'll be using for this week's prompt:
So, the tree we worried wouldn't make it through the winter - do any of you recall the corkscrew hazelnut (aka Harry Lauder's walking stick, aka the devil's walking stick) we planted last year? Even though our winter has been a mild one we worried it wouldn't survive, but it has! It's budding and even blooming! (The long catkins are it's blooms.)
And speaking of trees, I had a couple of photos of magnolias which were gifted to me, that I would like to share with you:
From the kidling (taken on the way from her flat to our house)
And from one of my nephews and his partner, the magnolia which blooms in their yard...
Yes, spring has sprung and yet we have a polar vortex headed our way next weekend. I fear we shall lose much of the fruit tree's production to the cold and we'll have to protect our wee corkscrew hazelnut.
Candle in the oven? It's the safest way for me to make my own candles and works a treat.
Decisions, decisions: Multi-tasking is no longer my forte' so, in order to have the time and mental energy to edit and revise stories which have already been written, I'll be cutting back to one new story a month (near the end of the month) as well as participating in Words For Wednesday when possible.
In other news: My oldest brother, who is preparing for a lung transplant, is in the final stages of the preparation process. Next week he'll be spending several days in hospital undergoing the final tests and assessments which are necessary before a transplant takes place. If all goes well, it will give him several more years of healthy life. During the testing process, Jim was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, inherited from our father. (You can learn more about it >Here<.) Right now, I'm taking it as very positive that Jim has made it to this stage in the 'vetting process for the transplant, many don't.
“Sometimes I can feel my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living.”
—Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Our crappy internet has been even crappier than usual the last week or so; when we can get online our speed is even slower than the old dial we were all happy to see go the way of the dodo. Since our (ahem) 'service' provider does this regularly, sometimes leaving us without service for weeks at a time, we've elected to do the sensible thing and toss them like a stinking gym sock. As an example: our internet has already switched off four times (erm, six times by the time I could get it published) and had to be manually re-connected whilst typing up this post.
Our new modem arrives today and on Monday we're having a new line installed from another service provider we've used in the past, with good results. We'll have much better, faster and more consistent service for the same price we're paying for the crappy, slow and horribly inconsistent service we have now. Sure, there will be some bugs to work out the first few days, but it will be worth it. Why, I do believe this is happening just in time to save the last ragged bit of my sanity.
In other news: Spring is truly here; the magnolias are blooming, the birds are serenading us with their horny chorus and a thunderstorm (with 30+ degree temperature drop) is on it's way. I'm not complaining; this time of year is exhilarating!
A bit of new (to me) music... absolutely love this man's voice:
My apologies for not having the story out yet. It's been an odd week, not bad just... odd. Distracting, but in a good way.
There's been a bit of illness (and not just mine) and a lot of canine silliness. Brain fog has perched itself securely on my head the last several days so I've spent time in a mostly happy fugue which has not been conducive to coherent writing, let alone thought. "Brain fog, also commonly known as brain fatigue, can be a mild to severe episode of mental confusion that can strike without warning. When this occurs, it is common to experience a lack of focus, poor memory recall and reduced mental acuity." - bing
Tonight I spent 15 minutes looking for the rice I was holding in my hand. So, in lieu of a semi-intelligent post, have a couple of photos!
Buddha 'making eyes' at me from my sweetheart's recliner and a rather tasty 'Cheater's Lasagna'.
The fogginess should be clearing soon, if all goes as it usually does.
The kidling came over yesterday evening and spent several hours: taking me to the store, catching up on Walking Dead and a series on space which reminds her of shows she and my father used to watch. We also did a bit of cookery, her contribution was cheddar and garlic pull-apart bread.
I made spicy tomato soup, not that we really needed anything to warm us. It reached 75 F. today.(About 24 C.)
The wind has risen and temperatures are falling however; we may well have snow this weekend. As the saying goes "If you don't like the weather in Indiana just wait a minute, it'll change!"
Later, I'll be making Cheater's Lasagna. Such is my 'exciting' (yet satisfying) life.
The high temperature yesterday was 71 F. ( about 21.5 C.) which was lovely jubbly... all this week the temperatures between 16.5 and 21.5 C. (62 F. to 71 F.) February really is over, huzzah! Do forgive me for meandering about the great outside whilst the opportunity exists; March will do a switcheroo soon enough. Still, open windows in March!
Doesn't seem to be quite so nice in Scotland just now, as per this striking photo from a cousin:
The kidling and I shall be out and about today, but for now I should busy myself doing adult-ish things like washing up and cooking.
Have you read The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino? If you or someone you know deals with a chronic illness, and you want to know more about living with it on a daily basis, it's an excellent read. You can find it Here.
Ms. Miserandino has Lupus, I do not, but there are a number of things in common... the fatigue, having to count 'spoons' every day, and so on. There are also a number of areas in which we differ. Yes, I am thinking of doing my own version of The Spoon Theory; mayhap I'll call it the Half-Baked Shakester Theory. Does it seem like whining? It probably is, but it's mostly about guilt; there's a lot of guilt involved, at least for me, when one is chronically ill.
This isn't a plea for sympathy; it's just easy to forget what a struggle each day can be when it becomes the new normal... not only for other people, but for oneself. To grow less conscious of the constant decision-making process and why it's necessary. Sometimes a reminder is necessary to foster patience, and there are people who need to read such pieces; to foster hope, understanding, or just a bit of relief that they're not alone. So, there it is.
In any case, although my stomach is still wobbly I was up to a bit of cookery:
Vegetable beef soup:
A loaf of salted caramel banana bread, with walnuts:
And mini-loaves of salted caramel banana bread, without walnuts:
A good song when I need to remember that there really is...
