June was a weird month; I expect better of July

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!