Watch the Film!

 I watched a remarkable video made by the New York Times and featuring a writer famous for being a person who stutters, for being a writer that writes about stuttering and who writes characters who stutter. It was truly awesome for me because he stutters badly as I do. What absolutely thrilled me the most was when he derides those who tell us to “relax,” “take a breath,” “slow down,” or some other patronizing thing that comes from a good place but that is dreadfully misinformed. Check out this film.

It was gloomy and damp when we left for our morning walk. I’ve been walking often at Ricki Ave. because of the hill with which every walk there begins. I walk at a moderate pace (for me) and I climb the hill without any heavy breathing or breathlessness. Tezspire is a miracle. I gave myself a shot of it on the 20^th, so right now, I am in peak form.

When we got to Ricki, I could see a small pack of dog walkers and dogs ahead of me, so I walked a little quicker than I should have to catch up to them to see who they were and to meet all the doggers, and it was a group of walkers from the Sunday walk I used to participate in every week. I had to stop walking on Sunday because I was always having a seizure, so it was wonderful to see Paula, Connie, Stephanie, and Daryl. I loved having their company on our walk.

Then I came home to get under the electric blanket on the chaise with Simon Mason’s wonderful book. Before long, it was lunch time and Fred and Sheba seem to have a clock inside them, for they know when it’s time for lunch. Fred howls and Sheba comes and stands close by to stare at me without moving at all. They always win.

In the afternoon, we went into the village to shop and then we went for our afternoon walk. It’s so cool and damp outside, it’s not very welcoming, but the sunshine is glorious and once I start walking and warm up, it is heavenly to be outside in Winter without rain and in the gorgeous forest.

Sadly, there was bad news in our local newspaper. Our vets, a married couple that have been the island veterinarians for decades, are closing their business in July. This loss, plus the loss of our pet food store earlier this year, means that I will have to go to Nanaimo more often. I very rarely went to the big island last year; I’m never keen to leave Gabe, but I do love getting sushi every time I go.

And our evening was the usual, but I am thriving during these days of no appointments or visitors. I love the absence of pressure and the sense of total freedom to do only as I please. It’s the best medicine for my brain, to have a string of days to myself. Next week is very busy, much to my regret. But I go to the dental hygienist, I get my pneumonia shot, I Zoom with my asthma doctor, Sheba goes to the groomers and Eoin and François come for dinner.

And then January is over and I have no plans at all for the entire month of February!!! Things will happen, of course, but it’s thrilling to know that February may be a great month of rest. And, probably, rain or snow, but I am rich with wood.

It’s going to be sunny again today and through the weekend, and then we go back to rain. But there’s no snow in the forecast and the wet week coming is going to be mild! Hurray! We’ll walk with our friends this morning and the remainder of the day will be spent close to the fire or under the electric blanket. Woo hoo!