Medical Things (of course), This and That

I've been pretty happy with my progress since my surgery a week ago, until yesterday. *sigh* I realized that I've still got a VERY long road ahead of me, and as much as I want to get back into the swimming pool, that may be pushed out farther than next week. I'm really hoping not, but I am a realistic person, and I have to be honest with myself. 

It's a very long road ahead, as much as I would love to 
think that the surgery was the end of the issues, it's really 
only one step on a very long staircase. I'm already dizzy 
from the height and the view, and I have many hundreds 
of steps still to climb. 

I felt that I was doing really well - healing well, managing my life as a cancer survivor really well. Until Laura called - she's my doctor/patient navigator. She reminded me that I still have appointments coming up that will deal with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and several other appointments, and it hit me that I'm nowhere close to being finished with this process. *sigh* I was rather hoping I could just stamp "The End" under next week's surgical exam and conference, and that's probably nowhere close to my reality. 

Do you remember this old screen splash? For those of 
you much younger than I am, this was the final panel 
of various Warner Brother cartoons - cartoons I still 
remember with great love. 

I want to get back to the swimming pool ASAP. I feel like an absolute slug! Today I was going to get onto the treadmill for the first time since before surgery, and I just couldn't get motivated. I will try again later today. Since this is a "day off" and I don't have a full kitchen day (although I do have a lot of cooking I have to get done), I might be able to make the treadmill in the afternoon sometime. I'd feel a lot better for getting SOME type of physical exercise. I feel like a slug at the moment, and that's an uncomfortable feeling for an active person. 

I'm feeling like a slug today. It's not like I'll be doing 
nothing - my first load of laundry is already in the 
washer, I have groceries to buy and prescriptions to pick 
up (for DH this time), and I have things on my agenda 
to cook. But, I'm not peppy! I'm a bit down, I suspect, 
because I've just realized how very long this road is 
that I've stepped onto. 

Then again, it's only been a week since my surgery. I'm not expected to be a "Jack in the Box" wind-up toy. I am expected to take some time to heal (although I've been back at work for several days already). I just want to start feeling like a normal human being once again, not one that's forever stamped across the forehead with "CANCER SURVIVOR" for anyone to see. I want to blend into the woodwork once again, only standing out on my own terms, not dictated by my health responsibilities. *sigh* 

I'm feeling rather like a Jack-in-the-Box toy. 
Just push me back down again, turn the 
crank, and see if I pop up when the music 
reaches a specific point. *sigh* I only wish 
I heard the music with more clarity. 

Today I'll be grocery shopping, cooking and baking. I have a busy day planned, and of course it's damned cold out, so I'll be bundled up like a yeti, blundering my way into this store and that, until I can return home, put my groceries away, and start some serious cooking. Tomorrow Chickie and Chickie Mama head to the Mayo Clinic. It sounds so easy, but Mayo is HUGE - multiple hospitals and buildings, each encompassing a different aspect of health. Chickie has a rare genetic condition that's starting to affect her mobility, so after various references and phone calls, she's being seen by a specialist at Mayo. There won't be a treatment, but there might be a plan of action. At this point, she's looking for anything that might relieve her constant pain and increase her mobility. I think we're all going to be very tired of physicians, clinics and hospitals by the end of Winter. Have an excellent Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Happy Birthday to Abraham Lincoln too - one of the good ones - LOL. 

It's a VERY Cold Morning

Good morning, my friends and fellow peeps. It's cold (-7 F, -21.6 C), so I'll be bundling up for my drive to the shop. I should also get some gas into my car - it needs it. Of course, like an idiot, I have one of the coldest days of the year on which to do this. It's going to be even colder tomorrow, with a stronger chance of snow, so I guess I'll get my gas today. The realities of living in the colder climate areas of the USA. 

You might recall my friend Meg from swimming who dropped by last week and gave me a daffodil? Well, it's blooming like crazy right now - every stem with a flower. I know that's temporary - they'll bloom, then die back, then be green for a while until that too dies back, and then they'll be dormant for several months. I'll have to keep an eye on it, but I'm enjoying the blooms while I have them. A reminder of Spring still ahead in both the calendar and my life. Spring comes, goes, and then comes along once again. 

I have two bills to pay before I wrap things up on this computer, have breakfast, and head out into the cold. I'm grateful that I can pay bills online, it does make things easier and faster. However, I still have to remember to pay them ... sometimes that's problematic, and I've had other things on my mind this past week or so. I'm not late with the payments, but they have to be done. 

So, life settles back down into "normal" rhythms. My next doctor appointment is in another week (next Wednesday), so I'll make do with grumbling at the tape covering the stitches, and be grateful that the stitches are minimal. No "Bride of Frankenstein" for me ... at least not this time. Still, I'll be very happy when I'm allowed to pull the tape off. I'll be even happier when the stitches are removed. Everything itches slightly - a sign of healing, but annoying nonetheless - LOL. 

Have a happy and productive Tuesday, I'm off to grab a quick breakfast, then freeze while getting gas into the car. "sigh" The vicissitudes of life - LOL. Have an excellent day and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. (And thanks for all of the personal E-notes, cards and comments - I appreciate each and every one of them!) 

 

It Was Quite the Week!

It's Saturday, and what a week it's been. Yesterday morning was spent at a different clinic location for my first injection to help with my crappy bones. The Fosomax I've been taking forever simply wasn't cutting it any more, so I was referred to a specialist WAY across town who determined that we needed to switch from Fosomax to Prolia. It's an injection I'll need every six months. 

So the Fosomax I had been taking for several years 
simply wasn't working any more. Now I'm on Prolia 
injections every six months. I'll have to do a bit more 
research, but anything to halt my osteoporosis is 
a good thing - I have enough other things to worry 
about. 

I had a truly delightful nurse who was excellent with a needle, and the injection itself was in an odd place - the back side of my upper arm, closer to the elbow. Very unusual, but no pain, just a slight discomfort. So we settled down to chat while she made sure I didn't have any immediate negative side effects, and over the 15 minutes I discovered a lot about her. I won't share, because it's her story to tell, not mine, but we had several things in common and I felt we had a real connection by the time I was finished and released back into the snowy world. 

I love Google Maps on my Android 
phone. I've been sent to some places 
I've NEVER been before, and it has 
steered me correctly every time. Bravo! 

I have to say, thank goodness for Google Maps. I hadn't used them before the first time I needed to get to this clinic location, but I've used the feature several times now and I'm loving it. I suspect when I first had used it years ago, it wasn't something I enjoyed because Google hadn't surveyed everything on the planet - LOL. (I know they still haven't, but really .... isn't Google taking over the world?). It's such an easy app, and it can move with the flow. 

I used Google Maps to find my way to my nephew's house for the annual Holiday get-together last week. I'd only been to his place once before, and had no idea how to get there. While following the map, however, I got caught in traffic and ended up on a totally different main artery. The map just shifted along with me though, telling me exactly where to go and I found my way to and fro without any problem. I wish life were that easy. You know? "Get onto the road to college here. Oh, a detour for marriage? No problem. We'll put you on the road to your new family instead." 

Don't enjoy looking at a small screen while on 
your treadmill? Don't despair. Virtual reality 
treadmills are being developed and will absolutely 
become a "thing" for the people who can afford 
them and who will have the space for them. 

So, I'm jumping off the speculative treadmill here, and wrapping this up. I haven't been in the shop for days and I'm sure I have a TON of stuff waiting for me. DH barely spoke to me last night, so he's stewing about something too, and I have no idea what. Too bad. He'll either figure it out or he won't. Not my problem. Have an excellent weekend and I'll be back on Monday. Slava Ukraini. 

Mountain Peaks - Some Climb the Physical Mountains, Some Just Climb the Everyday Ones in Our Lives

I wrapped my week up with a virtual run through northern Italy to the back of the Matterhorn mountain, and then into Switzerland to get the front view. Of course, it being a mountain, there really isn't any "front" or "back" view. I term it that way because the Swiss side is the side I'm more familiar with. But it just took a quick glimpse and I knew exactly what I was looking at from Italy. Such an iconic mountain. 

The Matterhorn is so very iconic and recognizable. I loved 
seeing it on my treadmill screen this morning. I knew 
immediately what peak I was nearing. 

I admit that I've never quite understood those people who actually want to climb mountains in real life. I find the mountains we need to climb in our day-to-day lives to be quite challenging enough, but there are people, very talented and physically fit people, who want to challenge the physical peaks of the world.

K2 is the second-highest mountain in the world, only a 
small amount shorter than Mt Everest. It presents some 
very tricky climbs to summit, but it's a mountain, and 
for serious mountaineers, that's all that's important. 

 Expert climbers often want to climb the following five peaks: Mount Everest (of course), the highest peak in the world and K2, the second-highest peak in the world, and close neighbor to Everest.  The third peak is Kanchenjunga, also located in the Himalayas, but harder to get to which adds an extra challenge. Avalanches are a major problem on this peak, not just the altitude and general issues which are shared by all three of the peaks. Annapurna, also in the Himalayas, is the fourth peak for expert climbers. It is known for highly unpredictable weather patterns which can be so very deadly in those heights on those peaks. Finally, the fifth peak is ... the Matterhorn. Really? You might ask. But yes. the Matterhorn presents its' own serious challenges. It's incredibly steep and there is constant danger of rockfalls. 

Kanchenjunga is the third highest peak in the world. It's 

a challenging world of ice and snow with very unpredictable 

weather. In general, it's your typical Himalaya mountainside. 

It's a beautiful peak, though. 

Of course there are challenging peaks in every continent for serious climbers, but think about it. Are you going to toss a bunch of equipment into a bag, get a visa, and go and climb any of these? If you are, fabulous! I wish you the best of luck and skill at achieving your goal. But the vast majority of us will challenge our own peaks without having to invest in equipment and cold-weather gear. We're all challenged by the peaks and valleys of life. Life is just as unpredictable, holds challenges for each of us, and is every-changing from day to day. The best we can ask for ourselves is that we stick to the course, look at the longer goals while achieving the shorter ones, and be unafraid to reach out to others for assistance when necessary. 

Annapurna Masif is the fourth highest peak, and the 
fourth one in the Himalaya mountain range. It's also 
quite stunning. 

So, as we move into the weekend and I need to get into gear and get my latest story written and posted, I offer you this challenge. Live each day as an achievable challenge, and be unafraid to reach out to friends near and far for assistance if needed. We're all here for you, as we hope you will be here for us. Have an excellent weekend and I'll be back on Monday for the start of my "Two Weeks of Hell While Chickie is on Jury Duty" LOL. Slava Ukraini. 

Every Day is a Fresh Choice

A thought popped into my head today (well, actually a few more than ONE thought). Floating to the top of the thought pile was "Every day is a fresh choice. What will you choose today?" That thought was immediately followed by a desire to decide on a theme for this year's holiday cards. After all, what better to think about when summer is about to kick in, than the snows of winter and the sound of Christmas bells? *sigh* Yeah - not the more common things to think about at this time of the year for most people. 

This particular photo was from an unexpected snow storm 
in an Alaskan summer. I'm SO happy that I won't be seeing 
snow for several months. 

Why think summer when Spring has barely settled in? Mainly because the outdoor pool opens tomorrow and we'll be swimming out there (weather permitting) until Labor Day (that's early September for my non-USA readers). The only times we'll be swimming indoors is if the day is stormy - lightning and the outdoor pool do not mix, so lightning requires a shift to the smaller, indoor pool. I like them both - but my larger swim fins only work well in the longer pool, so I'll be adding those to my swim bag today so that I have them on Tuesday when I'll be swimming outdoors for the first time this year. 

Isn't this an amazing photo of lightning? It was a long 
exposure photo over Johannesburg, South Africa. Stunning, 
isn't it? Mother Nature is amazing and smaller miracles 
happen all around us every single day. 

I have a TON of things to do on this, my "day off", not just thinking about holiday cards and looking at a pile of bills that I have to e-pay today. The end of May and beginning of June are the beginning and ends of so many things in our general society. In the USA, it's the end of the school year for many, and the beginning of summer. For some, it's the end of school and the beginning of the rest of their lives. But whether the kids are graduating to Middle School from Elementary, or graduating from college with a B.A. or an advanced degree, it's a step forward on this path we all call life. 

It's after graduation occurs that reality starts to set in. 
Suddenly life stretches ahead - choices at every 
intersection, and no going back. It can be frightening 
for a lot of people, because most of us, although we 
earned degrees, really didn't jump right into using that 
degree for our future employment choices. 

Life can be what we allow it to be. We all make choices - every day of our lives. Those choices could be as mundane as "What brand of bread do I want today?" to momentous - "I think I want to do X with my life. I need to do Y and Z to attain that goal." It is human nature to set internal goals. I'm quite sure it started with the basics - "It's a nice day - I think I'll go harvesting and see if those plants that were ripening a week or two age are ready to be plucked." Or maybe, "It's a great day for hunting. I'll grab the guys and we'll try for some bush pig." 

There is always choice - good or bad. Sometimes you 
can't evaluate the wisdom of either path of choice until 
you've already chosen it. Sometimes those choices 
will turn out to be poor choices. But we're human. We 
have the ability to choose a different pathway - not 
always easy, but possible nonetheless. Change can still 
happen, even after a choice has been made. 

Those basic goals of food and shelter met, mankind was able to focus on larger goals - things such as career choices, mate choices, living area choices. The bigger things in life. Look back over your choices today as you dive into your tasks and challenges. Is there any single thing you would have done differently? Does that choice bother you, even if it was many years ago and you can't change things now? If so, perhaps it's time to put the past behind you and focus on today and tomorrow instead. The past can be a weight dragging you down. Drop it behind you and fly free! Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow to wrap the week up. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל. 

 

Sigh ... Just Sigh - Goals Placed, But Many Unfulfilled

I started the day out knowing that I needed to make the week's portions of Ogre Juice" (accomplished) and maybe some baked fruit since I was eating the last container of the previous batch for breakfast. That also got accomplished. I also made the next batch of my Bar-B-Que sauce, and cut up another pineapple because they were so beautifully ripe at the store. I even added some pineapple to my roasted pears. I think that will be absolutely fabulous. I still have plenty of uncooked pineapple pieces for munching. So, work in the kitchen was successful. 

It seemed to me that my roasted pears would be lovely 
with pineapple added. I didn't want to add a lot, but 
in every container of pears are several pieces of 
pineapple. I'm already looking forward to my breakfast 
fruit! 

After the kitchen work was completed, I started searching for my other set of AfterShokx headphones. I had given my old set to DH, who tried them for a short time and declared they weren't for him. But ... he never actually gave them back to me, and the only box I had was empty. *sigh* I couldn't locate them at all, and I NEED these for my swim days. REI - a local sporting goods shop near my home - carries the Aftershokx brand, but they didn't have the "Open Water" one in stock. Apparently they had one on-line, but I passed on ordering it and went home to check their website instead. 

I know I have another set of AfterShokz "Open Water" 
headphones in this house, but after "lending" them to 
DH, I haven't seen them since. No problem ... I just 
ordered a new set. I use these when I swim, and I really 
don't want to be without them. 

I ended up purchasing a new set from AfterShokx directly, paying a LOT extra for expedited shipping. I should have them early next week. Of course, they'll still need to be powered up, so I'll be plugging them in as soon as I get the package. Then I'll download the book I've been listening to and I'll let it play, ignoring it for hours. I was in the final few chapters of the book when the headphones died, and it's not such an entrancing book that I need to listen to the first three-quarters again. So ...  it'll be a bit of prep work to get myself back on track for the pool. I might have everything ready to go for Tuesday, but it's more likely that I'll be really bored once again, stuck with my own thoughts (NOT relaxing into the stroke patterns at all). Still, I'll have sound again soon. 

Yesterday, my phone was showing the correct screen 
to control the phone (an issue I've had in the past), but 
it was just too windy for the little squirt to get anywhere 
safely. I finally gave up, after making sure the new 
batteries had charged up properly. I'll take it to the shop 
today and maybe try flying above my beams. I'm sure 
I'll be appalled by the dust on them, but they are "I"
beams that are 12 feet above the store flooring. . 

I also had hoped to take the drone outside for some more practice. I ordered two additional batteries from the manufacturer earlier, and they were charged up and ready to go. But it turned out to be too windy - very gusty. I was once again having some software problems too, which really need to be resolved. I'm being very daring (or stupid) and taking the drone with me to the shop today. I have 12-foot ceilings there, and it might be a good place to practice without any breeze. It's a very small thing and quite lightweight, so I don't think it's going to be damaging, even if it crashes. 

Life is a balance beam and we all fall off every now and 
again. The key is to get back up and try again, because 
the alternative isn't worth doing. We need to accomplish 
something - need to improve our balance between the 
stresses that hit us every day from every direction. May 
your day today be smooth, happy and balanced. 

So, it was a day of accomplishments and disappointments. Isn't that just like life? You get the highs and the lows, and somehow you have to manage to stay the course. After the deepest lows, you'll get a high that will make those bad days seem like a horrible memory. But, after too much happiness, sorrow will come to balance us out. It's a balance beam, and we all have to walk it to the best of our ability. Have a wonderful weekend, I plan on boring you again next week - LOL. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.

Two Steps Forward and One Step Back is Still Progress - Just a LOT Slower

Although I actually got quite a bit accomplished on DH's website yesterday at the shop, I ran into a brick wall with getting it published to our URL, so I'll be phoning customer support today to find out what's up and what I need to do. I started working on the "private pages" also, populating the one specific customer I'm working on with the photos of the items we thought would be of interest to them. That was another whole bucket of learning and problems, and I'm not sure I'm quite on-board with what I'm doing there. But I'm much closer, and that's progress - even if it is two steps ahead and one back. 

I can dance pretty well, in real life and in my standard 
life's challenges. Sometimes it feels as if I'm dancing on 
a tightrope, however. Those are the challenging times. 

I got a new (cheap) wrist watch from Amazon yesterday (along with a few other things like my new spice grinder - WHOOT!). Today I'll get to fight with getting it set up. Hopefully it won't be as difficult as the last watch I had. No guarantees on that, of course. As electronic digital watches get more complicated (and I like part of that complexity to help me keep track of my laps and swimming time), they also get more complicated for the basic functions. Entering and changing the time settings is essential, and it seems to be buried in most of these watch directions. I'll try to tackle this today. I'd like a watch settled for next week's swims. 

I got my new grinder delivered yesterday. It's 
really nice, and it fits perfectly in the cupboard, 
next to my mini food processor. I'll be grinding 
dried peppers soon, ready to make my own chili 
powder for my winter chili con carne stews. 
So yummy! 

Of course, it's also a kitchen day, so while trying out my new grinder, I'll be making my Ogre Juice for the next week. I've got that down to a routine now, although I change up the vegetables I use in it all the time to keep things fresh. It's also a grocery day, and I need to get to my tailor's and pick up a shirt that I'm having altered to fit me. It's a favorite shirt of mine, in a size 14, and I wear a 6, so there was some serious downsizing involved. The rain, which I awakened to, will be out of the way by 10:00 am or so. I'm grateful for that, because I have all of these things that have to get done, right? LOL 

Sometimes it's necessary to say "OK, I need to make 
a quick shift in plans and expectations to achieve 
success." This year's holiday cards are requiring that 
type of shift. Time has caught up with me, and the time 
I thought I had has now disappeared. So ... time 
for a shift in expectations and a new goal to 
achieve a successful project. 

I've spent the past two weeks, on and off, looking for one piece of equipment I own for this year's holiday cards. No luck. Not finding it, I ordered an inexpensive replacement which I will get next week. I'm not happy about duplicating equipment, but without this, I won't have cards to send this year (or at least, not cards that I've made myself). I'm giving no guarantees about how detailed the cards will be this year,. Time - which started out looking like plenty was available - has now compressed and I'm looking at a hard deadline and a LOT to get done. So, elaborate is out the window, and gifts are pushed to next year. I'll be lucky to meet my "in the mail by Winter Solstice" deadline, at this rate. But I'll get them out to you. 

I'm quite a bit more adept at shifting plans than 
DH is. He gets into the groove to get from Point A
to Point B and simply won't deviate. That can make 
for catastrophe on occasion. Sometimes you need 
to regroup before conquering the mountain. 

So, I'm getting this posted, and (hopefully) catching up with all of you a little bit before I head out to the store and start my day. I hope you have a wonderful Friday and I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up another week's worth of posts. Enjoy your day and Slava Ukraini. 

With A Crash and Bolt of Lightning, The Rain Came

With a crash, followed by driving rain and lots of lightning, I was pulled from sleep in the wee hours of the morning. We knew we were going to have serious rain with high winds, but the times kept getting switched from 1:00 am onward. In reality, it hit sometime shortly after 3:00 am and lasted for 30-45 minutes before moving onward. DH awakened and moved through the house, checking to make sure we weren't flooding (we've had flooding issues with hard rains in the past). Everything seemed fine, so he went back to bed. I didn't even bother getting up. 

We had been having overflow problems in high
rains, so we picked out larger rocks to frame the
channel with and increased the depth and height of
the banks with more river gravel to
control the water flow. Of course, a hard
rain so soon after he reseeded the
grass probably toasted the new sprouts, 
but we'll know more after the sun
rises and we can take a closer look. 

He's been working on the drainage along our eastern side, between the house and the creek. Last Sunday we pulled the rocks from the bed of our drainage passage and deepened and raised the bank where we had overflow problems. We got about half-way on Sunday and he finished the job as far as he could yesterday. His back is killing him now - it's a lot of work. But he really did a beautiful job. 

I love attending the MN Renaissance Festival. It's
grounds and layout are almost like a second home
at the end of summer, early fall. We start out with
temps in the 80's and 90's and end up with
temps in the 60's and 70's. We always have a
good time. 

I emailed the folks at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival and they moved our season tickets from 2020 to 2021. The new tickets were emailed to me yesterday and I've printed them out. I'll grab a file folder for them from the shop today so I don't lose them, and we'll be set. We'll probably attend this year's Fest at least once, but now we won't be "obligated" to attend every week. I'm hesitant to commit to the event with COVID still very much a presence. 

So, that's about it for what's happening in my life right now. Hopefully the new waterflow channel did the trick and we'll be set on our Eastern side. It would be one less thing on the to-do list and one less thing to worry about. Have a wonderful weekend, be safe, be kind, and please, wear a mask! 

Stay-at-Home - Day 47 - A New Set of Wheels

I started the day out by seeing the ankle specialist who showed me my CAT scan and corroborated four breaks with a potential fifth, but he also said that everything looked really stable and that I was doing really well. I'm allowed to put weight on the foot now, but ordered to remain in the walking cast for the full six weeks, and perhaps two more. I guess I can't have everything, but at least I am allowed to put weight on if it doesn't hurt - no stabbing pains allowed. 

I now have two mobility options - the conventional crutches
on the left and the knee scooter in the middle. I'm delighted
that I'm doing better and that I have some choices now. 

After the doctor (who wants to see me again in four weeks for a third round of x-rays and another in-patient visit), we headed over to the shop. I had several mail orders to fill and pack and some other inquiries to pin down (do I have the item, or not, and how long I'll hold it aside for the customer). I even walked down the very evil stairs I have at the shop because that's where the bathroom is located, so it's really impossible to not go down stairs sometimes. 

After several hours, we zipped over to the bank and then, finally back home, pulling into the driveway just as a UPS truck was delivering something two doors down from us. I was expecting my knee scooter today, so we just unpacked our stuff from the truck while the truck moved up to our house and a box was carried up. 

I'm really happy with my scooter. DH took it out for a quick
test run and was surprised at how fast it is. It's not massively
sturdy, but quite sufficient for my needs at a great price.
I'm relieved I'll have it to use at the shop. 

DH was kind enough to start right in on assembling my knee scooter while I did the shipping labels for the mail orders in the computer room. By the time I was finished getting the labels printed and onto the boxes and envelopes, he had the scooter almost ready to go. We adjusted the height of the knee pad and handlebars a bit, to fit me better, and I took it for a bit of a test. It's fast, really quick. Has a large turn radius. but no real problems. By lowering the handlebar, it fits fine into Minion, so I'll be able to take it to and from, if needed. I think I need some flames for the scooter, and I'll have to figure out a name. It'll be a blessing at the shop, because even if I can walk with more ease, I'm still crutch dependent there if I'm not using the scooter. 

So, all in all, it was a good Thursday. We're planning on relaxing tomorrow, the last really warm and nice day before we have to return to work next week. We'll head back to the shop on Saturday to do the week end report and finalize our steps in making us open once again. The door is cracking open and the sunshine is starting to paint the floor boards. Quarantine is ending. As always, Stay Safe, and Be Well. 

Time to Slide Into Spring

Late tonight is the official slide into Spring - Ostara, otherwise known as the Spring Equinox. Then we're on the climb up to summer. That's a bit hard to believe, up here in the Frozen Northlands. We have a winter storm coming in by the end of the week that should dump 1-3 inches of snow on us. But, I really can't complain - we've had excellent weather for the past three weeks with nary a snowflake in sight. This one will be in and out quickly. 

Many people use the rabbit as a spirit guide during the
time of Ostara. I only wish our area actually had
green grasses and flowers at this time of the year.
Still, we're above freezing and most of the snow of
winter has melted. 

I'm finding it very hard to get into a home exercise regime, but I know I really need to do it - no if's, and's or but's. If I don't get a schedule settled and start working on the treadmill and floor exercises, I'll balloon, and that won't be pretty. I don't have a pool (I'm weeping here in the corner because I really miss my pool), but I have two legs, I have equipment (old but still quite functional), and I have the time. No excuses. I'll let myself wallow for a day or two more, then make a new schedule for a "new" life. 

The seeds planted in Spring will become the harvest of
Fall, at least that's the age-old promise. This Spring is
a bit more strained and desolate than previous ones. I
hope things will be resolved by Fall. 

My store is still open, and I'm really hoping it can continue operations for as long as possible. We're prepared to close indefinitely if the order comes down, but so far we're OK. The coffee shop next door isn't allowed to have seating for customers any more - it's operating on take-out/pick-up only, so our parking lot suddenly has a lot of open spaces. That's rather refreshing and enjoyable, so I'll take the good along with the bad. But I know the coffee shop owner, Kathy, is taking a financial bath from the new restrictions. 

I really like this image because it looks as though
she's sitting in the remnants of winter's snow. This
is more like my part of the world - a bit cold for new
growth and flowers. 

I was shopping at my local grocer yesterday, and they had some pretty decent produce, which was an excellent thing. But there wasn't a chicken breast to be found. The entire chicken section of the meats aisle was empty! Of course I have things in the freezer that we can eat, but I really missed my weekly chicken dinner last night. Oh well, maybe I just caught the store at a bad time. They'll get restocked at some point and the store is very close. 

I loved the colors of this depiction of Ostara. Honor Spring in
whatever way seems best to you, but know that we're on a
recovery mode now - Spring is finally here as of late tonight,
and I can't be distressed when I'll soon see flowers. 

So, as the financial markets continue their bath in the red, and people continue to pull up their drawbridges and isolate themselves from their neighbors, I'm thankful for the internet. We're isolated, but we're not. Because of the internet, we're all in contact with many people, and I stretch my hands out to all of you who read my blog and who are my cyber-friends. Be safe, be happy, and I'll be back tomorrow. 

Family Ceremonies and New Beginnings

Ceremonies of life happen every day - celebrations of birth, memorial gatherings at deaths, christenings, and, of course, marriages. In the old days - those dark ages that still may exist in some cultures or families - marriage was forever. Thank goodness that's not always the case any more. These days, in most areas of the world, marriages can be ended and lives can continue on separate pathways. 

Life Bridge Brewing Co took its name from the bridge that
used to cross the St Croix River from Stillwater, Minnesota to
Houlton, Wisconsin. Although the old bridge has been
replaced by a newer one, it lives on as a pedestrian
bridge and a well-loved symbol of this riverfront town. 

Tonight, DH and I will head east to join our larger family at the wedding and celebration for our youngest nephew. It's his second marriage and he's found a really lovely person to share his life with. He has a son, I think Ian is around eleven years old now. His new bride has a daughter, a year or three younger than Ian. Together they're making a new family and I'm hoping this one will be good for everyone. They deserve it - they're all really nice people with some really cool kids. 

Founded in 2008, Lift Bridge Brewing has established itself as a
serious player in the craft brew market. They expanded their
taproom in 2018, and offer tours and other events at the brewery
throughout the year. I haven't been there before, so I'm looking
forward to this. 

The wedding itself and the celebration afterward will take place at a craft brewery in Stillwater, near the banks of the St Croix river. I dressed up for his first wedding, a large and rather pretentious gathering of two very disparate families. I'm dressing down a bit for this one - it's in a brewery, and it's a lot more laid-back and fun. So, leggings, a mustard-colored shirt and a fabulous knee-length heavily hand-painted jacket DH purchased for me in Santa Fe, New Mexico many years ago. It'll be good, and I'm looking forward to the celebration and getting together with my relatives once more. 

In addition to their beers, they also brew a non-alcoholic
root beer, some different cream sodas, and several
hard seltzers. I suspect there's something here for
almost anyone's taste buds. 

Of course, when I last saw everybody, I was fighting with my alopecia and hadn't been able to see my dermatologist yet, so I was wearing silken scarves. Now I'm bald and bold - a certain change for everyone who hasn't seen me. It should be a fun night, and I'll have a chance to see the new tattooed sleeve my youngest niece's husband was in the process of getting when I last saw him. All good. 

The old Stillwater Lift Bridge still exists, but it's restricted to pedestrian
or bicycle traffic only. The entire center section is raised to allow river
traffic to pass underneath. This would lead to long traffic jams as cars
waited for the bridge section to lower once again. A new bridge now
spans the St Croix River nearby and raising the bridge no longer causes
massive traffic backups through town. 

So have a great weekend. I'm unsure whether we'll go to the final day of Renaissance Festival or not. There's really no reason to go - we've been there each weekend and have seen it all by now. I wouldn't mind catching up on some sleep and working on the house until the football game starts in the late afternoon. We'll see. What I DO know is I'll be back on Monday. Have a truly fabulous weekend! 

Engaging the Senses

Shiny things. What is it about shiny things that grab our attention. Why choose shiny instead of dull, sparkling instead of drab? I suspect it has something to do with the long history of evolution of humanity as a species. I suspect it hits the deepest part of the brain; something like: 

"Hey, Sam! I think the water's this a'way. See that little bit of shine over yonder?" 

Look at this lovely waterfall. Here we get the swishing sound of the rushing
water, the smell of the water and the moss-covered rocks, the texture of
the rocks themselves, the smell of water and greenery, and I'm sure
the taste of the water would be wonderful and cold. 

Yes, that ability to find water by the sparkle of sunlight on the shiny arcs of liquid is a very human thing. I choose sight, because our sense of smell is rather dismal. There are animals who would be able to smell the water from long distances away, but humanity evolved into sight-operated entities with sound augmentation. We see, we hear and finally we smell and we taste. Sometimes touch comes into the equation too. To be truly satisfied on all levels, we must totally engage all of these aspects of being human. Think about it. 

The more senses are engaged in a project or event, the more you'll
be involved in it and the happier you'll generally be. Think about
attending a concert. You hear the music, you often drink a beverage
while listening, You see the musicians and their stage show. You
smell the people next to you and the singed smoke from any
pyrotechnics, and you touch the person dancing next to you. It's
a total experience. 

Two of the major products I sell are beads and jewelry. They are often sparkling, with a sheen from the lights and a color that is augmented by the colors that hang nearby. Although sound doesn't often play into jewelry, there is something intensely satisfying when pouring small beads onto a beading surface so they are ready to use in a project. It's a "swish" type of sound, a small rattle at a low pitch. There's no taste, and no smell for either jewelry or beads, the materials they are made from are inert. I suppose there's a back-of-the-mouth metallic tang if I put tongue to metal, but jewelry is rarely (if ever) made for tongue and taste. Touch is big, though. A good piece of jewelry, a beading project in the making, these are items that beg to be stroked, fondled, and hefted. 

This is an item entitled a "Jade Fondling Stone". I'd probably be
calling it a "worry stone", but the concept is the same. Just look
at it. doesn't the light texturing of the larger stone invite
the hand? Isn't that indentation just asking to be caressed? Stone
and other natural materials are popular because they beg to be
fondled and stroked. 

Think about it for a moment as you go through your day today. How many of your senses are you engaging at any given time? Vision is almost always a basic, but touch and smell certainly come into play often during an average day. Try to engage your senses more fully today. Pay attention to your reactions to sight, smell, sound, taste and texture. See how many ways you can experience that cup of coffee or that book from the shelf. Deepen your appreciation of the depths of your humanity and find that water sparkling far away in the distance. Happy Friday, I'll be back tomorrow.