It Was a Sleepless Night - I Guess I'll Be a Zombie Today & Normal vs MCI

I've had something very rare for me, and I'm hoping to skip a repeat performance tonight. I got ZERO sleep last night. I guess I've just got too much on my brain right now, but I simply couldn't get into sleep mode for love or money. I finally gave up about 3:00 am, did my daily brain exercises and games, and resigned myself to a sleepless day. I'd better get some sleep tonight. 

I'm usually fine if I get five hours of sleep in a night, but I 
got ZERO last night. It wasn't for lack of trying but my 
monkey brain just wouldn't stop running in place. *sigh*

It's extremely rare for me to miss out on sleep. I've had some short nights - three to five hours of sleep - but I haven't had a no sleep night since college. It's always stress related and performance anxiety centered. Although it could be my final Mental Cognizance Impairment class this afternoon, I suspect it's not actually related to that at all. I think it's just Holiday stress coming to the forefront. I had planned on wrapping DH's holiday gifts at the shop early this morning, but he informed me last night that he would be coming in early and would need my help for this or that. 

Although I agree with these items, I'd also add:
Memory Problems - Normal: Missing one payment, MCI:Taking 
care of monthly bills is challenging.

Impaired Thinking Skills -
Normal: Losing things from time to time. MCI:Misplacing 
items often and being unable to find them.

Language 'Difficulties - Normal: Sometimes forgetting which
word to use. MCI - Some difficulties carrying on a conversation.
 
Disorientation in Time and Space - Normal:  Forgetting what 
day it is but remembering later. MCI - Losing track of both 
the date and the time of year.

And ... Poor Judgment - Normal: 
You make a good decision every once in a while. MCI: You 
make poor decisions a lot of the time. 

DH's going a bit crazy himself, trying to finish getting all of the precious metal products we sell priced properly and inventoried correctly. He's been coming inside the store taking off his coat and settling down at the computer for a full day of work. That's a rarity for him. He usually only puts in a few hours (one or two in some cases) before going back to his desk and playing bridge for an hour or two on his phone. But he knows we're under a time deadline. Still, the stresses that he's going through are getting transferred to me through his words and attitudes towards me. I'm not very appreciative of that aspect of his work these days. 

Still, I'll have an opportunity to see Chickie Mama again for the final week of the class. I always enjoy seeing her - she's been a staunch friend over the years. I'm going to wrap this up and get moving. Lots to do and not a lot of time in which to do it. Have an excellent Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

Week Two in the Pool - Life Is Good!

Today is a swimming day and I've added a new thing to my swim wardrobe. I bought a set of swimming gloves from Amazon last week. The chlorine in the pool had interacted with my hands so poorly last week that I had open cracks in my fingers - one finger in particular. Ouch! So, I'm trying a set of swim gloves to protect my hands from the chemicals. 

I purchased a set of these swimming gloves 
in the hopes of keeping the chlorine away from 
my hands as much as possible. It won't be 
100% of course, but it will be maximal 
protection. Now to see if they actually work 
with my swimming gear and in the water. 

I've always had a problem with chlorine, but it's intensified as I've grown older. I'm not sure if it's because my natural skin oils are lessened because of age, or if my skin has just decided to be more picky. Whatever the cause, it left me with a large open crack over my top knuckle my right hand middle finger after last week's three days in the pool. It's healed now, but it was painful and just reminded me that I might react slightly differently to my general environment now that I'm on cancer drugs. I'll see how they work. I just have to remember to put my watch over the glove so that I can track my strokes. 

I actually feel as if I'm thinking with greater 
clarity now that I've been allowed to start 
taking my usual vitamins and minerals once 
again. There are various supplements that I 
take which really make a difference in my 
brain clarity and focus. 

Thursday is my MEMORY TEST evaluation in Minneapolis. Chickie and DH are sure I'm losing my brain capacity, I think a lot of that was cancer and my inability to take any of my supplements or vitamins for months. I feel clear, sharp, concise and raring to go these last few days, and I hope that will translate to a good report from the memory Doc because DH and Chickie are quite sure I'm quickly becoming a senile idiot. Then again, if a senile idiot doesn't have to work, can exercise every day, and can bury her head in a book and/or computer games on her phone all the time, I'll consider that a win. 

I love reading on my phone, as well as doing various 
games and puzzles on my phone. DH plays Bridge on 
his phone, and yells at it for stupid bids. I'd rather work 
on a puzzle that doesn't irritate me. Different strokes 
for different folks. I also read on my phone. It saves me 
from having physical books taking up space in my house. 

So, I'm off to the pool in 15 minutes, time to wrap this up. I'm so happy all of you have been with me on this journey. Having friends - near and far - who were holding my hand, talking to me as if I was a human being with a brain, and encouraging me ... well, it was amazing, wonderful, and I'm more grateful that I'll ever be able to express. Veilen Danke Shoen. Muchas Gracias, and Thank You SOOOO Much! Big hugs out to all of you - my friends and my readers. Have a great Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

March is Winding Down, and So Are My Health Appointments - Yippee!

Can you believe that March is almost over? It seems like it's just flown by in an instant, despite the fact that it was appointment after appointment after appointment. I'm getting down to the finish line for my radiation treatment, and then, after another full week, I can resume my "normal" life again - return to the pool, take my vitamins and supplements, etc. I do have one major obstacle still in my path and that's my memory exam. That's scheduled for April 17th and it takes place in Minneapolis. Ick - I really don't enjoy driving in Minneapolis. But this dude works out of Abbott Northwestern Hospital instead of United Hospital. 

Abbott Northwestern Hospital is another HUGE 
complex of medical centers, buildings, and specialties. 
I've got directions (at least what they sent to me), 
but I'll be relying on Google Maps to get me to 
and from. I rarely go to the other "Twin City" these 
days, and have never been to this hospital complex 
before. 

Apparently it will take approximately four hours! That's a long time. The doc also requested that I have a second person accompany me. As the handout says: "It is helpful for the provider to understand your condition from another perspective so please bring a close personal acquaintance who has observed your symptoms." So, although I could bring Claire, and she was more than willing to come, she really doesn't know me that well. Instead, Claire will go to the shop to keep Chickie company, and DH will come with me. I'm not super happy about this, he's such a grump, but I really don't see any alternative. 

As is the case with Sister Kenny Rehab at United Hospital, 
St Paul, the actual clinic is located across the street from 
the main hospital. In this case, it's Abbott Northwestern 
Hospital in Minneapolis. I'm NOT thrilled about driving 
to Minneapolis a couple of times. I rarely cross the river. 
But in this case, I have no choice. It took me six months 
to get the appointment in the first place. 

I won't find out anything at the initial visit, but will be required to set up a follow-up visit (which can be a solo affair) which will last for about an hour. That's when I'll learn about the results of the tests and any recommendations for a plan of care. I'm going on record now that I'm NOT looking forward to this, but DH and Chickie are insisting on it. I think my general physical health had a lot to do with any memory issues I might have been having, but DH is sure I've got the beginnings of Alzheimer's and Chickie just says I'm off my game lately. So we'll see. 

So Jerry Halsten, PhD, LP and ABPP will be my 
doctor for my memory testing and diagnosis. At 
least I don't have to deal with that immediately. 
The appointment isn't until mid-April which will 
give me time to take a test drive over to check 
the layout. 

I did have some excellent news yesterday, though. After radiation I walked over to the Breast Cancer center and left a note for Dr Perez, asking about when I can start living a "normal" life again. He's got me on a pill that starts seven days after my radiation therapy ends, and I was hoping I could also start taking my vitamins and supplements again at that time too. I got the "no problem" response later in the day. I also asked when I could resume swimming, and it's the same time. So I'll be back in the pool on the 8th. I can hardly wait. I emailed a couple of my swimming friends immediately, so I'm sure the group will all know within 24-48 hours. Life will return to "normal", or at least until the memory test results come through. Then we'll see. 

I do love my first cup of tea of the day. I only drink 
herbal tea, but I must have it to start my day - LOL. 

So, on that note, I'm going to enjoy my "cuppa", have breakfast, and head off to the shop. Have an excellent Saturday and a great weekend. I'll still have to dash off to radiation, but only two session left! Enjoy your weekend, Slava Ukraini. 

This and That - Just Letting My Mind Free Today (A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste - LOL)

I'm looking at a desk full of things that have to be handled tomorrow ... but that's tomorrow. Today it's swimming, dropping by the bank for a deposit, and then work. After work it's dinner, relaxing for an hour or so, and sleep. Tuesday always starts my "hard days" out for my week. The days when I swim are the days when my alarm goes off at 3:00 am. I'm usually up before it goes off, but the 3:00 am wake-up is mandatory if I'm to be on the road no later than 4:30 am and in the pool when it opens at 5:00 am. There's nothing like a schedule to get a person up and running - or swimming, in my case. So, what do you do when you wake up? 

Although the sun is still below the horizon when I 
awaken (except on Sundays), it's still morning 
to me when I awaken at 3:00 am. Yes ... I know I'm crazy! LOL

When I wake up I start with meditation. That can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as 30+. Generally, on swimming days, it's around 15 minutes. Time to practice breathing, be grateful for the morning and the upcoming day, and settling into my body. Then I do various brain games on my phone - three different games of solitaire and two puzzles - and finally I make my "bed", take my daily weight, get dressed in my skin suit for the pool, and settle down to write my blog. I now have 15 minutes to get this together, posted and wrapped up before I go back upstairs, clean out my jacket pockets, and grab my swim bags for the pool. Generally I'm on the road between 4:15 and 4:30 am. 

I've been using Insight Timer for daily guided meditations 
for years now and highly recommend them. I have a stable 
of guides whom I adore, lessons learned over the months 
that I use every day without fail. 

Some might say that I hit the day running, but I know better. The things that I do first thing in the morning, whether or not I'm swimming, are the coping techniques that I developed during COVID, when I found them to be a lifeline for the pressure and the various crap we were dealing with. It wasn't a comfortable time, to be sure. I broke my foot, which is what pushed me to the living room for my bedroom instead of being upstairs in the master bedroom. It moved me from the downstairs bathroom to the main floor mini-bathroom (no shower or tub in that room), and it was the prelude to my daily meditation. (Something I had wanted to do as a habit since I was in college in the early-mid 1970's.) I started working with meditation teachers and classes on MindValley; and by following one teacher who left, I found Insight Timer. I've been visiting Insight Timer for daily meditation ever since, (and dropped Mind Valley because of the expense). 

I actually take both of these, but just ran out of my 
mushrooms over the weekend. Oops! I have more 
on order which should be in within a week. I have 
plenty of my "Brain" pills, and they work REALLY 
well for me. I highly recommend them to my friends
 who might have "fuzzy brain". They work - really well. 

I also take daily brain supplement tablets. I started off with Stonehenge Health Dynamic Brain, and later also added their Dynamic Mushrooms. I really like this brand - a LOT. I had one time when checkout simply wasn't working and I purchased a different brand for six months. Oy! I could really tell the difference. Things were much cloudier and murkier, thoughts simply weren't there at my beck and call. After those six months were finished, I returned to Stonehenge Health and I'm feeling much more confident once again. Yes - supplements at my age are helpful - VERY helpful, and even though they're not inexpensive, I find them well worth the cost. 

It's going to be a VERY busy day today. 

So, now that my mind has taken it's usual tangents when faced with a white screen and 20 minutes to get my daily blog posted, I'm wrapping this up and I'm out of here. My brain and I have a very busy day today - LOL. Time to get moving on it. Have an excellent day. Slava Ukraini and חיים עבור ישראל, I'll be back tomorrow.

We All Live in Our Own Soap Operas - Mine is in High Gear Right Now

Everything is done and dusted with Aearwen. She signed the final papers and handed over the keys to the old house yesterday afternoon, and has now turned her back on her old home and is living 100% in the new one. It was a LOT of work, and anger and memories, but the weight and the wait is now over and she can start the next chapter of her life. We were text-chatting last night and I could tell, even though it was only text, not voice, that she's feeling a hundred pounds lighter now. Good times are in her future. 

Aearwen is looking into getting one of these 
for her trailer. It's a GE Profile Ultrafast 
2-in-1 Laundry Combo machine. It's quite 
something - able to wash and dry loads 
of laundry, and it doesn't require special 
plumbing. It's rather ideal for the limited 
space of a double-wide trailer. 

Today, my "day off" will be spent in several tasks and I'll be a busy girl all day. I need to purchase veggies and make my Ogre Juice for the next week. I'm really good at that - under pressure, I can pull everything together from start to finish in less than an hour. I'm going to be pushing the time today, because I have SO much else around the house that needs to be done. I'll grab the vacuum cleaner and see what I can do on the upstairs and the main floor. I'll also dust my dragons - they need a good clean. And I'll take a duster to Scatha - my copper dragon light fixture. That one can be a challenge, but it's worth every difficulty. Such an amazing lamp. 

I'll be doing some of the housecleaning today, and finishing 
up with that next week. I can get a good start on things 
today, but the computer room is towards the top of 
the pile of "to do" rooms. 

I need to get the financials from 2022 into their permanent folder and move them into the study. I also need to tackle Mt Midoriyama in the computer room. That's very high on my list because it's totally bugging me. 

He wants these pants to have a slight break. I had him 
standing on a step stool last night for a preliminary 
pin, and I'll do a final pin and sew today. It'll be a 
chance to sit and relax a bit during a hectic day. 

IF I have any "spare" time, DH purchased a new set of pants at Target yesterday, so I need to hem those up for him (I pinned them last night), AND, I have to work on his website. I had planned on working on the website yesterday at the shop, and had the time, but had forgotten the paperwork at home, so I was totally stalled out. 

I was really frustrated when my muscle memory deserted 
me last night. I've swiped my code on my phone 
thousands of times - I can swipe it a hundred times 
in a day sometimes. Suddenly I was swiping the 
wrong pattern. GRRRR It took me about 45 minutes 
to recapture that automatic memory, and now I have 
it written down, just in case that ever happens again. 

And, if anyone can find my memory, please send it home where it belongs - LOL. I spent a rather frustrating unable to recall the exact pattern I used to unlock my phone. *sigh*. I did remember it, and wrote it down in my code book, because the way my mind wants to play "hide and seek" with me these days, I don't want to wander down that pathway again. GRRR - frustrating. I'm quite sure some of this is simply stress - there's a lot on my plate right now. But since it won't get any better until we're rid of the store, I've got to learn how to deal with it. 

Apparently stress isn't good for memory either, and 
I'm living with a lot of stress right now. I'll pull 
through, because most of this stress is simply that 
I have a busy day today. But, it was quite frustrating 
and I wasn't happy last night. 

So ... the soap opera of my life continues. We'll see how much of this list I actually end up getting done, but hopefully it will be quite a bit. That's my goal, at any rate. Have a wonderful Friday and I'll be back to wrap up the week tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

Today my Heart Weeps as I Remember the Fallen and Why Do Jewish Graves Hold Stones Instead of Flowers?

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the White House (which didn't happen because the passengers revolted and caused the plane heading for the White House to crash in a field in Pennsylvania instead, killing all aboard.)

This photo was taken at Ft Snelling National Cemetery in 
the Twin Cities - my local military cemetery. Each headstone 
was connected to a family - people who miss their loved 
ones every day. 

Rather than post something lighthearted, I'm following my feelings today and allowing myself to reflect on how short life can be and those whom we love and who choose to love us. Everyone in this nation was affected by these attacks, it's something many of us will remember throughout our lives. In some ways, the attacks were the start of our war in Afghanistan - a war that we just abandoned less than two weeks ago. 

Instead of flowers, most Jewish graves have stones place 
on the gravestone. Have you ever wondered why this 
was done instead of flowers? Here's an article that 
explains the practice far better than I can. 
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/putting-stones-on-jewish-graves/

So today I remember the fallen and those who fell afterwards in the long and rather fruitless war. If you have a chance today, think back on this single day that changed the course of life in our nation. Mitakuye Oyasin. 

Thank You - It's Inadequate But It's All I've Got

I'm wishing a safe Veterans Day to all of my readers. I never wanted to be a part of war, to live through one or experience one in any way, still, my life seems to have been filled with conflicts near and far. I'm slightly too young for the Korean War (or "Conflict" as some call it - if people are killing each other in uniforms from different nations, it's a war). Vietnam was a large part of my youth - watching it on the nightly news as we ate dinner, protesting it in High School and College, and celebrating with so many other people when Nixon resigned, hoping that it would mean an end to the war. 

Nixon resigned on August 8th, 1974. I was working at 
an archaeological field school in New Mexico for the 
summer. When his resignation speech came over the radio, 
everyone gathered at the cook tent to hear his speech, and 
we all broke out in cheers afterward. I was in college at 
that time, still working for my BA. It was a time of hope. 

After Vietnam came the shorter wars in the hot places - the Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq. Do you want to be appalled or depressed? Just Google "List of wars involving the United States" and suddenly the fact that the Defense budget is the largest single expense of our nation becomes quite clear. We might talk about peace, but we don't seem able to actually walk that talk without holding a weapon. Depressing doesn't even come close - disgusted might be closer to my feelings. 

Our Defense Budget is huge, but we're not at the top 
of the heap. Russia spends more than we do, and 
the Middle East is scary! 

But whatever my feelings, it doesn't change the fact that millions of young men and women have put their lives on the line for others while wearing a uniform from the USA, and I'm proud of all of them. It's not easy to be in the military - for anyone in any nation. It's a rather thankless job, long hours and poor pay, and you're flung into situations where you may not survive. It doesn't come under the heading of my job preference, but thank goodness someone is brave enough to step up. 

It's a day to remember those who serve - those who are 
active, those who have moved on to other jobs, and those 
who never came home. Praise Them With Great Praise. 

So "Thank You" to all of you who have served or who have had a family member or loved one who has served. I know that "Thank You" isn't adequate, but it's all I have. 

Stay safe, be well, and please wear your mask. I'll be back tomorrow. 

Memories of Unci and Le Tour Hits the Alps

I seem to be fighting my way to "competence" with my new blog software/format fairly well. It's still a bit stumbling on my part, but it does seem to be cross-posting correctly. Sometimes old dogs like me really don't like new tricks. I have to think too much in the early morning with the new format - it's not in my blood yet, so I'm expected to think before 5:00 am. There are sometimes when that just doesn't happen - LOL. 

In this photo, Grandma (Unci Zona) is on the right, and 
her sister, Sadie is on the left. There was a third sister, 
Nancy, who I met once. In this photo the two are all 
dressed up to attend my nephew's high school 
graduation. 

Today came up in my calendar as the date when my Unci Zona died out in Pine Ridge. I'll have to try to text my sister today and let her know I'm thinking about her and the family on this memorial date. Unci (Grandmother) was a force - very respected and beloved in the community, loving, welcoming, and the matriarch of the family with a well developed ability to make you think twice about doing something she disapproved of. She didn't yell, she was quite soft spoken, but she was strong. Despite her lack of a sharp tongue, you wanted to do what she asked, to please her and get that wonderful smile of hers in return. 

In this photo, Grandma and Auntie Sadie 
are again right and left. This photo was 
taken in front of Grandma's house. 

Grandma Zona was the reason my brother moved back to Pine Ridge after many years in the Twin Cities area. He had a house that he actually owned, a family he was raising, friends and comrades throughout the area, and he was well known as a spiritual leader of the Lakota Oyate. But, after many years, Unci decided it was long enough and asked him to return to the Reservation. That was all it took. He uprooted his family, put up a double-wide mobile home on his land near her home, and moved back to South Dakota. He was often in the Cities afterward - visiting for this or that or holding a ceremony for someone. We were still in touch, but it was different than just dropping by the house and visiting with him and the kids. Now there was 13 hours of driving between us. 

Here, Grandma is with my niece Rachel, dressed in her 
cap and gown for her High School graduation. I was 
able to see Rachel for a short time when I was back 
last year for my brother's funeral (her father). She's 
grown into a beautiful and talented woman. 

Still, for many more years, I went out to the Reservation at least once a year, often more, to see Unci and visit my brother, to participate in various ceremonies, and to help out. One of the last times I was out there, my sister Maja and I tore Unci's kitchen apart and put in a new floor, then painted the kitchen, living room and hallway of her little BLM log house. It was a week of hard work, but I noticed things were still looking pretty good when I was back there last year for my brother's funeral. 

All COVID tests came back negative, so we're on for 
the final week of Le Tour de France. Today we're 
into the big mountains - the Alps - and here's where 
teams will be crushed and dreams will be left 
behind. We have serious mountains until the 
individual time trial on Saturday and the ride into 
Paris on Sunday. It's been a great race so far with 
lots of surprises, so I'm anxious to see what will 
happen in these storied peaks. 

So, on this day of remembrance for me, I ask all of you to remember those people who have been important in your life. Cherish them if they are still alive, and recall interactions with them if they are no longer walking among us. Remember how your life was enriched by your interactions with them and consider yourself fortunate to have those memories. Have an excellent Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow, and please - be safe, stay well and wear your mask. 

Memories - September 11th and Mrs Peel (and Le Tour, Of Course)

Today is September 11th, and it's a date that will live in American history for as long as we remain a nation. The nightmares of watching the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center collapsing because of a terrorist suicide plot, followed by the planes in fields of Pennsylvania and into the Pentagon are seared onto the historic consciousness of the nation. We won't forget. We can't forget. Those images, for those of us watching the scenes play out on television sets and computer screens throughout the nation, are seared into our memories. As time goes on, it will become more and more a footnote in American history, but for those of us who experienced it personally or vicariously through the public media, that footnote is written in bold lettering on our souls. 

Where were you when the Twin Towers burned and fell? I was at
the shop, glued to the television, and phoning my sister-from-a-
different-mother, Maja, to turn on the TV. September 11th was
a defining moment for this nation and for everyone who lived
through that day. 

DH got the second section of the woodshed shingled yesterday. As he said, he's the slowest roofer EVER. I have to agree. It took him most of the day to do just the one small section. Today, weather permitting, he'll work on the flashing. The center section also needs to be shingled, but that's the hardest section to get right in the pattern. He'll be happy when the roofs are completed, though. Then he can put up the side slats and maybe start loading wood into them. He's been spending time on his computer looking at plants he wants to plant in the expanded garden, but right now that garden is taken up with cut up logs and branches waiting for the woodshed to be completed. 

I might have to look into getting some of these
pop-up tomato protectors for next year. I think my
plants would be happier with something like this
instead of being swaddled in old bedding. 

While the West Coast (and other areas of the nation) have been filled with smoke and fire, we've been dealing with unseasonably cold weather. Last night was the second night in a row for frost warnings. My tomatoes are covered against the frost, and the container tomato is once again spending the night in the tool shed. It's supposed to start getting warmer again. I can hardly wait. 

We're pulling over the Massif Central today, with some nice
climbs. It's not the Alps yet, but it's a nice preview. Mountains
will dominate Le Tour from this point forward. 

And, last but certainly not least, today is Day 13 for Le Tour de France. Although we're not in the Alps yet, the peaks will keep coming and coming for most of the next eight days, with the ninth day being the ride into Paris (if the next round of COVID tests allow the race to continue). It's been a great race so far, if a bit strange and slightly more subdued. The riders all seem to be totally into it and although the crowds are slightly smaller, they are still there to cheer on the competitors. 

The guys had James Bond, but for the girls, no-one was much better
than Mrs Peel in "The Avengers" TV show. From 1961 through 1969,
Steed and various companions fought to keep King and Country
safe from evil. Mes Peel, played by Diana Rigg, was the classiest of
those companions and the way she could wear a jumpsuit was a
thing of beauty. She was lovely, calm. collected, and deadly. She
was just about perfect. 

A final note - a fond farewell to a woman I loved - Diana Rigg. Her "Mrs Peel" character was one I adored and her grace and self-reliance inspired me as I was growing up.  

With that, I wish all of my readers a fond farewell until tomorrow. It's actually five degrees warmer than this time yesterday (meaning it's in the early 40's instead of the upper 30's). Maybe we're finally climbing out of this unseasonable deep freeze. Have an excellent day and please, be kind, be save and wear your mask. 

Stay-at-Home - Day 40 - Channeling My Inner Dorothy

Sorry about missing yesterday's post. I ended up having to run quickly to the shop for a customer query and by the time I got back home, DH had the garage overtaken with his building. He's busy building privacy screens for the shop. Things were going OK ... but I've learned over the years it's better to walk through and ignore to the best of my ability. Which is exactly what I did. 

The walking boot is working OK, I'm still using crutches, but I'm not 100% dependent on them. I see the Podiatrist in two hours, so I'll get the scoop on the boot and how soon I can take the darned thing off when I see him. I might be tolerating the boot, but it's really hurting my shin and I hope he'll have some suggestions for that. 

Although Dorothy Gale overcame many obstacles on
her hunt for the Wizard and a return home, she isn't
the Dorothy I'm channeling.  

I headed today's post "Channeling My Inner Dorothy". Some of you may be thinking of Dorothy Gale, from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" fame, but no. My Dorothy was a very real woman whose fortitude I've been amazed by at various times of my life, but especially now that I've been relying on crutches and boots. 

Dorothy wore braces on her legs and had crutches
similar to these - attached at the upper arm with
bars for the hands. She managed to keep her rambunctious
family all together, kept a clean kitchen, and was
a rather phenomenal person. 

Many of you know I grew up in Denver. My best friend in childhood (aside from my cousin across the street) was the girl across the alley from me. She and her two younger brothers lived in a small house with their parents. Both parents were polio victims, her father usually in a wheelchair, her mother with arm-attached crutches. He was a talented jeweler, working for one of the downtown Denver custom jewelry stores, she was a stay-at-home housewife, because that was the trend back then in the "dark ages". 

Many of my readers are too young to remember the last major
Pandemic that spread through the world - Polio. I knew people
directly affected by polio, and even met a woman living inside
an iron lung when I was in my 30's. It's a truly frightening
disease and we managed to find a vaccine. We'll find one for
COVID-19 too, it's just going to take a while to find the best
one to offer to the world. 

When I look back at all they managed to do for their kids and the friends of their kids, I'm amazed. Dorothy was the mother's name, and what she could do on crutches was beyond amazing. Her husband, whose name I don't recall, was the handyman. He made us a seesaw for their back yard, he also made us our first skateboards from an old set of roller skates and a one-by-six board. We got really good at going full speed down the VERY steep hill at the bottom of my block. I suppose we could have seriously hurt ourselves - no helmets, no knee pads - but we all were very lucky and lived into adulthood. 

I think it's always good to remember people who left a positive impact on us. So, I'm channeling my own Dorothy as I work through the problems ahead with my foot being broken and still having to make my store ready to open on the 18th. I just thought I'd share a bit of her story with all of you today. As always, Stay Safe, Stay Home, Stay Well. I'll be back tomorrow. 

Shipping Woes and ET Phone Home

It's been a bad week for shipments. One major shipment I've been expecting was due on Thursday. It didn't arrive. I went onto the UPS website for tracking information, the only information they had was "delayed". Wow! I probably could have guessed that on my own *sigh*. It didn't arrive on Friday either, and my UPS man said there were tons of delayed shipments throughout the nation. That they had been overwhelmed by Cyber Monday. Checking the UPS update again a few minutes ago, it looks like what was due to be delivered on Thursday will actually be delivered today - two days late for items I really need in stock at the store. 

UPS is normally pretty reliable. I guess they got overwhelmed by
Cyber Monday. According to the tracking information update, I
should finally be receiving my package today, more than 48 hours late. 

A second order is even more messed up. First, their website wouldn't allow me to enter my credit card information, although it did finally accept the order. Two days later I was finally able to get in touch with them and provide the credit card information. But now, in today's update, it seems that they ended up shipping the package to my home address instead of the shop, and it's due for delivery at home tomorrow. Normally a Sunday delivery wouldn't be a big deal, but I'll be working at the shop for the first of my three working Sundays in December so nobody will be available to accept the package. It wouldn't surprise me if my package was stolen by the time I get home. SO NOT HAPPY! 

I'll be pulling up the hood of my parka over double-hats and
wearing my snow boots and gloves early next week. The temps
may end up less gnarly than the original forecast, but it's
still going to be crispy-cold early next week. 

I'm trying to stay calm and on-track but things like that don't make it easy. I'm looking at the positive, like the weather - LOL. It's Saturday and we're not supposed to get our next snow until late Sunday night into Monday. The original 4"-8" that was forecast has been dropped down to 1"-3" instead. But (and it's a BIG but), we'll be in the deep freeze next week. Our overnight temps on Tuesday are estimated at -13F (-25C), and a during-the-day HIGH estimated at -3F (-19.4C). I'll be bundling up and my utility bills will start their climb to 2-3 times the summer amounts. *sigh* Life in the Frozen Northlands is starting the frozen part really early this season. 

Yes, it's a commercial. But it's a joy to see a grown-up Elliot and his
family interacting with ET on a short, return trip. I'm ignoring the
commercial and enjoying the short film. 

On the fun side, Xfinity has had an ad on TV lately featuring ET returning to earth to visit a grown-up Elliott and his family. They have a tag of "see the whole story" with a website "Xfinity.com/ET" (just click on the link to view). Since I had a little time this morning, and adore ET, I decided to take a look this morning. I loved it. It's maybe a five minute commercial clip, and it's funny and poignant and left me in tears as ET leaves to go home once again. If you want to take a look, click on the link above. I recommend it. 

The best part about the short film is that the Dad is actually played
by Henry Thomas, the original kid ET bonded with in the film almost
forty years ago. 

So, that's it for another blog post. People wonder what I have to write about each day and I have no answers for them. I sit at the keyboard, and I start writing. Sometimes it's good, sometimes not so much, but the important thing is that I'm writing - something - every day. Have a great weekend and keep positive thoughts that my Sunday shipment will be on my front stoop when I return home from working tomorrow. I'll be back on Monday. 

Dia De Los Muertos, Samhain and NaNoWriMo

I hope everyone had a good Samhain and that today will be an excellent Dia De Los Muertos for each of you. These two days open the doorway to Autumn in my mind, and we're now on the slippery slope towards Winter Solstice in December. My Samhain was quite low-key, just the way I prefer it to be. My Dia De Los Muertos is a chance for a bit of retrospection and remembrance. Today I'll be remembering those who have passed the veil before me - my parents and in-laws, my Unci, and this past month, my brother Floyd. 

Sugar skulls and colorful altars are often a characteristic for
the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos. Remembering those
who have gone before is always a good thing. 

Memory can be a filter of your choosing. You can remember the good times or the bad. You can focus on one irritating thing about a person who has gone beyond, or remember the good things. To be honest, it's probably better to take off the rose-colored and the violet-colored glasses and just view memories as what they are - compounded, often only accurate in part, and not a good place in which to spend a lot of time. Memories can be faulty, incorrect, and slanted. If you build your future based only upon your memories of the past, it won't have a very solid foundation. 

I love this quotation by J.K. Rowling. So many times we
hit rock bottom and are looking up, trying to climb up
sheer sides. If you just look at that bottom as the lowest
point you'll ever go, it's only up from there. 

But as we step out into the latter portion of the year, it isn't a bad thing to remember and to celebrate. Those who have passed ahead of us still shared and influenced our lives in many ways. There is no person who will affect everyone in a positive fashion at all times. That's sainthood far beyond sainthood, and Godhood that really doesn't exist. Give me a more balanced view, please. Give me the mother who loved me and supported me, but who often didn't really understand me. Give me the brother who was demanding and sometimes toxic, yet who opened up more doors to me than I would ever have believed. Give me life - because that's what life is. Life is both good and bad, sometimes within the same moment or stream of life. Pain is balanced by joy, laughter is balanced by tears. 

Writing for NaNoWriMo? I'm here on the sidelines,
cheering you on. "Go! Go! Go! I know you'll do it!" 

So I wish all of you a wonderful Dia De Los Muertos, and for those of you doing NaNoWriMo, I wish you a successful day at your keyboard - only 28 days to go after today's writing session. I'm standing at the sidelines cheering once again. But I'm totally in your corner - my voice is calling out encouragement for you along with a large crowd of other voices. Have an excellent Saturday, remember to turn your clocks back tonight, if appropriate for your area of the nation, and I'll be back on Monday. Blessed Be!