Spring may be here at last.
Signs of Spring
Finally, finally!
Although that might be snow on my neighbor’s roof, seen behind my shed.
Let’s hope not!
Category: About Marsha (Page 1 of 4)
I looked forward for a long time to an event in June: a writers’ retreat that hadn’t taken place for a long couple of years [insert your own opinion of the Wuhan Plague here]. I very much anticipated being together again with some of my dearest friends, who, by the way, are fellow writers.
I took masks, but I did not wear them.
I should have, for all they might have done [Insert your own opinion about masks here].
A friend of mine did not know that she had been exposed to, and was currently breeding, the nasty virus. I sat in close proximity to her for several hours one day. Consequently, when she reported that she became ill after she arrived home from the retreat, I became alarmed. So far, I had escaped without coming down with the Wuhan Plague and all its varieties. I wanted to keep that record intact.
But sure enough, several days later, I, too, showed symptoms. I didn’t have any test kits, and unfortunately, my doctor’s office refused to let me show up there for testing. I would have somehow found the strength to go to the doctor’s if they had offered to test me, but no.
That was discouraging. Subsequently, I couldn’t buck up enough energy to drive the 20+ miles to town to get tested at Urgent Care or at the hospital, and I didn’t want to ask anyone to drive me there. I guess I failed myself.
I ordered government test kits, but by the time they came, the window for testing had closed.
I gritted it out for a couple of weeks during June, eating soup and drinking lots of water and fluids, changing all my appointments and not going anywhere. I mostly spent my time sleeping–hours each day. I had no thought of writing. The brain fog and metal and physical fatigue was too overwhelming.
I especially didn’t go to church. Instead, when my brain was clear enough, I asked other people to fill in for me at the musical jobs I have been asked to fulfill each week. I assure you, that’s not easy, finding someone who can play the electronic organs we use–there just are very few musicians in our congregation.
A few came out of hiding and filled in for me, and I thank them very much for stepping up.
To add insult to injury, my body was drained of strength and stamina enough that I was hit by a galloping flare of gout while I was still down with COVID-19. I’m still fending off the twinges since I got that under control through drinking gallons of tart cherry juice and consuming a bottle full of tart cherry capsules. By the way, the juice is quite staining to fabric. Get it out right away!
I expect July to be a much better month, although I still feel down both mentally and emotionally. If I can’t summon enough mental grit to work on my novel-in-progress, I’ll watch my movie collection. I probably have enough DVDs and Blu-ray discs to last me through the rest of the year.
I do hope you’re having a great day!
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I haven’t written a post in a while.
You might know about all the medical issues that the doctors discovered after my fall last June.
Well, my eyes started bothering me a while back, so I got an appointment with my ophthalmologist in early May, and began a bunch of visits, with tests included. The pressure in my eyes was sky-high, but I think my field-of-vision test went pretty well.
I finally received a diagnosis at the end of June. It turns out I have glaucoma.
There is nothing wrong with your eyes. The photo is fuzzy because I held my phone really close to my face to get the shot. However, yesterday I had fuzzy vision, so that’s about how I would have seen things.
I’m not likely to go blind, as I would have if I lived in the 19th Century. I’m taking my prescription drops, and my doctor has not brought up any cause for concern, beyond, you know, it’s glaucoma.
I’ve been a little freaked out, so I haven’t even looked up glaucoma online.
I have been writing, difficult as it has been to concentrate. I decided to take a break from the story today, so I’ve been working on a Large Print edition of That Tender Light. When I started the project of doing all my books in the LP format , I had no idea I might enjoy re-reading the book better that way.
Have a great Independence Day tomorrow!
Phone App:
I think I’ve tried using this app before, but they’ve made a few changes, so I don’t know if I’ll be successful or not in writing this post on my phone.
Thanksgiving:
I did have a good one, although I was separated from my family due to COVID Caution (that’s a thing, right?).
I hope a photo of my dinner appeared above. If not, I’ll have to get on my computer and put it in. (It’s on the left. As close as I can squeeze it in, you know.) I roasted a large baking hen, had mashed potatoes with butter (I didn’t want to make gravy), stuffing, peas, black olives, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie with whipping cream on top. (Sorry, I didn’t take a pic of the pie) I initially had more things on my menu list, but I decided to go simple, preparing only the essentials. It was very yummy!
I’ve been posting #GiveThanks messages on social media. Initially, my global faith leader (President Russell M. Nelson) asked members of my church to express our gratitude on social media during the week from November 20 to November 26, which was Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. I think I missed a day, maybe two, but I’m going to continue making expressions of gratitude, because, for one, it made my feed so much more cheerful when other people did so, and secondly, it made me happy to say what made me grateful.
Technology:
Technology has been kicking me around the block lately. I’ve had internet problems, email problems, and phone problems. Is it just 2020 manifesting itself? I’ll be so glad to see this year in the dust!
Holiday Decorations:
I haven’t done much decoration for Christmas yet, but I did put up some door decor. It looks like I’ll have to add that picture, too. I’ll “publish” this now, so I can edit it.
Sometimes I wish I had the gift of decorating, but sadly, I don’t. A wreath or door hanger on the outside door is about as much as I can manage, although I do have an unused Christmas Tree sitting in a box in a closet, and other miscellaneous decorations and lights. I actually strung lights on my roadside deck rails one year (that was before I had health problems).
I think when God was handing out the gift of decorating, I was off in a corner writing a story. Or singing a song. Or playing a guitar or piano. I did get in line in time to receive those gifts. Both music and writing have enhanced my life, and I hope that by sharing them, I have made others happy.
Oddly enough, my elder daughter got the gift! She is a marvel at crafting clever decorations.She has many other wonderful gifts.
Culinary Arts:
She’s also a good cook. I quit doing that when my kids all moved out after my husband’s death. I usually only heat things up. But I put the chicken in the oven and actually baked it.
And, of all things, I made a batch of corned beef and cabbage, red cabbage, the other day. The cabbage had been sitting on the counter for a while, and I didn’t want it to get so bad that I had to chuck it. I hadn’t let it get bad, though, and it made a tasty dish.
Of course I have leftovers. One person cannot eat in one go the results from preparing a dish composed of a head of cabbage and a tin of corned beef, right?
I also have leftover chicken. That was one BIG bird! I’ve already consumed the extra stuffing, mashed potatoes, olives, peas, and cranberry sauce. The pie has disappeared, as well. But the chicken was eight pounds and some. Next year I will go back to fixing a Cornish game hen.
Final Thoughts:
I #GiveThanks for all the blessing of a benevolent God upon my head. I #GiveThanks for a loving family. I #GiveThanks for a multitude of friends who love me and pray for improved health for me. I still don’t know what, if any, treatment I have in store for the three major maladies that were discovered at mid year. This is a busy time of year in the medical community, due in part to the plague that has beset the world, so I’ll just hunker down and wait. I’ve had a lot of practice in waiting this past six months. Five months. It’s just five months, although it feels more like fifty. In the meantime, I have more stories to write.
May you have peace and joy throughout this month, and prosperity and freedom in the coming year.
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THE BLACKSMITH’S APPRENTICE, Book 6 of The Owen Family Saga
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