Life is Very, Very Good!

I subscribe to several channels on YouTube that feature fellows who are renovating old French or Italian homes and revitalizing their properties. They work hard all day every day, and I do so little. Mind you, I have health issues that keep me from being like them, but still, I feel much stronger now that Tezspire is in effect in my body.

So … yesterday I got out my painting supplies, and I repainted the floor of the ensuite bathroom in my bedroom.  I loved doing the work; I loved passing time constructively instead of sitting on my missing ass and watching YouTube videos. I’ve resolved ensure that every waste bin that I put out for pick up is full. I want to rid my closets and the studio of everything I don’t use. And since the garbage is being picked up on Monday, this weekend I will focus on filling the waste container to the brim.

I took Sheba in for grooming at 9:00 and I picked her up at 10:45. On the way home, I returned the crutches I got from our island Ambulance Society. I would use them more, were they not so painful for my arthritic hands. I’ve learned to walk with my left foot facing left when I move it. I twist my leg to make my foot face left, and I walk like that. My bone spurs don’t hurt as much when I walk that way.

When we got back from the Ambulance Society storeroom, I fed everyone lunch and then I got busy painting the bathroom floor and touching up the cupboards in the kitchen. Then—and I can’t believe this—I vacuumed for the second time yesterday morning. There were more needles where Sheba had been resting, and I tracked in a lot fetching paint, brushes and wood.

Finally, at 13:00, I had a fifteen-minute nap before applying another coat of paint in places and then, using the leaf blower, I rid the deck and the courtyard paving stones that lie between the deck and the shed of the accumulated Fir needles. Now I can fetch wood without tracking so many needles into the house. When that was done, I did some work on the compost and fed the birds. That was a mistake. It brought a lot of birds to the feeder and that attracted a killing machine—a Cooper’s Hawk. My next accomplishment was washing the cupboard doors and drawer fronts. And my last chore was fixing some door handles. By then, it was 15:00 and so Her Highness and I went to Elder Cedar to trail walk. I wore a pair of Jay’s shoes. They are a size or size-and-a-half larger than what I wear, and I think they make walking easier because they don’t press against my heel. As we walked, I relaxed, chuffed about all the work I’d done. And today, I’ll likely do more. I have plans.

Epiphany: I’m having trouble reading and, as I’ve written several times, it’s because I get restless. I stop focusing on the book and I think about something I could do—on my feet and moving around. I’ve two thoughts about my need to move around. One is that one of the eleven drugs I take by mouth is affecting me this way. The other is that Tezspire has my lungs providing more oxygen and, therefore, more energy.

Sam is the person who corresponds with me from the asthma clinic at St. Paul’s. She’s my doctor’s assistant. She was the person who asked me about my will and gave me statistics on longevity with fibrosis. (I did not make sense to me, what she told me, because there are degrees of fibrosis.) Regardless, fibrosis is what killed Jay. He lived six months from his diagnosis. But no one knew why his lungs failed as they did. In my case, they know it’s asthma, and there are many treatments and medicines for treatment of asthma.  

The legacy of Sam’s emails was that I was living with a sense of being someone who was dying. I knew that Sam’s statistics pre-date the introduction of biomedicines like Tezspire. Still, I had a slight doomsday outlook, However, I don’t anymore because a am more active and I do our walks comfortably now. And with my house so clean and all the closets organized, it’s quite exciting to live in Pinecone Park. 

And I have a beautifully cleaned fridge. Life is good. But the best, and last recent change in my life, is the change in my eating habits. I eat a lot less than I used to do. A lot less. But most importantly, I think about everything I eat. About once a week, I’ll eat quite a bit (for me; not in general), and then I get back to normal habits. I’ve become quite a modest eater, and I feel great. If I feel hungry, I eat, but I only have a little of whatever it is, and I might eat less at dinner.

I’m quite thrilled by this change. I like not having a pot belly. And I still enjoy going out to friends’ places, or to a restaurant, and I have whatever I want. But I don’t over-indulge, and now I sometimes pass on dessert.

Aren’t I perfect? 

It all feels good to me because everything makes me feel healthier that I have done. Plus, I’ve got Tezspire, plus my HIV drugs and heart drugs and psychiatric drugs, all keeping me going and having a mighty good time!

A Needle in My Mouth

I was late posting yesterday because I was Zooming with my UK stuttering group. By the end of the session, I was having trouble hearing people because the sound of rain, and I’m talking Biblical levels of it, created such a thundering sound. It was dark and the rain was just teeming down. Once the call was done, I went out to get more wood for the fire. It was clear that we were going to be staying indoors for quite a while.

I checked out my supply of gas when I went into the shed for wood. There was no wind when I went out, but heavy winds were predicted in a government storm warning bulletin, so I feared a power failure, and I wanted to make sure that I had enough gas to run the generator to keep the fridge cold and to let me watch movies.

Nancy recommended a detective series by Simon Mason, so I went to my cheap book website and ordered three of the books in the series, and I ordered the fourth one from Amazon. It comes out in January. I’m hoping they engage me and that reading becomes a passion again. I’ve been struggling to read; I blame FND for my inability to concentrate.

The deafening rainstorm lightened up not too long past 13:00. Thank God! But it was still raining with vigour. I served everyone lunch right after my Zoom call, and then I headed for the chaise to watch YouTube videos until there was a break in the rain so that I could walk Her Highness without getting soaked.

We walked at noon, and that was it for the day because heavy rains returned in the afternoon. Sigh. But I thrive in solitude, and I can’t believe how great it feels to be completely free of responsibilities. My one day a week indulgence, My Day, is moot in Winter. Every day feels like my day because there’s no watering, no pruning, weeding, transplanting. Yes, there’s vacuuming. I must do it every day because of Fir needles everywhere. But it’s over in no time and the rest of the day is mine.

AT 19:00, I went outside for wood, and the sky was ablaze with stars. There wasn’t a cloud to be seen. It will, therefore, get cold tonight if the sky stays clear. We’re in for some sunny periods over the next three days, so no more downpours for a while. 

Last night, I watched the news. It was the first time I’d watched The National in ages and the only reason that I watched it was because I wasn’t tired last night. And how glad I am that I watched it! I learned that Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux resigned. The political panel that they have every Thursday night consisting of Chantal Hébert, Andrew Coyne, Althea Raj and host Rosemary Barton, were all pretty much predicting that pissy little Pierre is doomed. They said Mr. Jeneroux intended to cross the floor, but he was bullied by Pierre’s goons into resigning instead. And this morning, social media is buzzing about the demise of the demonic little prick Pierre. That news, plus the outcomes of the elections in the US being so favourable for Democrats, is wonderfully uplifting.

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The sky is clear this morning, and it’s cold. Sheba has an appointment at the beauty parlour this morning, so we will walk early together and not with our friends as we normally would be doing on Friday morning. And the rest of the day will be spent puttering and, maybe, doing some work outside. I’m keen to clear the Fir needles from the deck and part of the courtyard where I walk to fetch wood so that I don’t track so many needles into the house.

How bad is the in-house needle situation? This morning, there was one in my mouth, probably because Sheba lies in needles in the backyard and brings them into the house and onto my bed when she goes there to sleep. My red living room carpet is brown with needles because I couldn’t be bothered to vacuum for ONE day. (I vacuumed this morning.)

A Great Lunch With Pete

 I made some French fries in my air fryer. I was disappointed in the outcome. That was months ago when I got the fryer. So last night, I decided that I wanted salad and French fries, so I peeled and sliced the potatoes, and then I boiled them for just a few minutes before frying them in oil. They were fantastically good! I’ll be doing that again!

Sheba and I walked alone yesterday. The group walked elsewhere. I wanted to walk the Ricki Ave. trail to see how I did on the hill. The Tezspire seems to be keeping my lungs in great shape; walking the Ricki hill is the best way I have to evaluate my breathing status. I got a letter calling me into Nanaimo Hospital for more lung testing. That should give me even more information on how my asthma is progressing.

I loaded up the car with all the things that I wanted to take to GIRO for recycling when we got home, and then I passed time cleaning up and vacuuming as I waited for Pete to arrive at noon. We left shortly after he got here, and dumped our stuff at GIRO, then we went for lunch and man-oh-man was it delicious. I had some kind of cold curried salad, and I could have eaten tubs of it. I’ll be going back for more.

Then it was home to putter through the afternoon doing little chores and watching YouTube videos without ads!! And then Her Highness and I went for our afternoon walk. It killed me. I ordered shoes with no back from Temu when I got home, and I can hardly wait until they get here. They’re due Nov. 10-17. And from Amazon, I got a new Winter coat. The two I have were purchased second hand and have tears. It was time for an upgrade.

The evening was lovely. Every evening is because all the chores of the day are done and it’s time to relax. I sometimes go to bed early (21:00) because I can and I love my bed and sleeping.

Today I Zoom with my UK group and the rest of the day is mine to enjoy.

Jørgen Dahl Moe | Dancing In the Dark (Bruce Springsteen)

I’m no fan of popular music anymore, but I once was. Yesterday, I happened on the Norwegian signer in this video. I watched several of his videos. He can shred a guitar as well as anybody, but his talent at re-interpreting songs, and his beautiful clear voice are the skills that amaze me. Just listen to this rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark! 

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Tuesday was a surprise. By the time the sun came up, the sky had cleared and so our morning walk was lovely. We walked in the 707 because I knew that we’d be walking at Drumbeg mid-day after my Covid shot. When we came home from out walk, I got busy online searching for shoes with open backs because my foot is hurting so much when I walk. 

While I was walking, my watch started vibrating. When I looked at it, I could hear Steve talking to me, so I got my phone out of my pocket and FaceTimed with him as Her Highness and I walked the trails of the 707. What a blast, but as I walked and my hand got colder and colder while I was talking to Steve in Palm Springs. He was in a light short-sleeved shirt and tanned, and as we talked I could hear the birds chirping like mad in the orange tree in Michael’s beautiful garden. Steve is staying at our friend Michael’s house.

I wanted to clean the courtyard when we came home, but I don’t want to be on my feet working until the new shoes come. It turned out to be good that I stayed indoors because St. Paul’s pharmacy called to respond to my message about being freaked out by a lack of delivery last time. This time, the caller was much more committed to my wellbeing. She texted me a consent form, I replied affirmatively, and now I am linked to the pharmacy by text. If I ever have another problem, I can text instead of panicking.

Shortly after the call ended, it was time to go to our Community Hall for my Covid and Flu shots. It was a slow process, but friendly and uneventful except for one thing: Just as I got my shot and was heading to the chairs to sit and make sure that I didn’t have a bad reaction, Sheba came through the doors and went ape shit when she found me.

I chose to leave with her. No one was troubled by her being there. In fact, everyone thought she was beautiful. But we hurried to the car, and a side door was open. I must have pressed the door-opening button on my fob by mistake. We took off for Drumbeg under cloudy and ominous skies and walked in 9° and humid air that chilled to the bone. There was a breeze coming off the sea.

Then home to heat, food and peace and quiet for the afternoon. Not long after getting home, Pete came by. He proposed that we have lunch together today, and I was thrilled to accept. He is the finest of men; how could I not be delighted to lunch with him?

And speaking of fine men. I got the nicest email from Aidan this morning. He has watched the video of my performance at the monologue festival. His email was a treasure for me. We have some kind of mutual admiration society happening between us. These people, my dear long-time friends, Pete and Aidan, they are the best thing about being alive. Friendships with these miraculous people heal my soul. 

It rained overnight. The deck and courtyard area I cleared of needles yesterday is covered once again in the brown Fir needles that drive me crazy. We’re walking with our friends this fine wet morning and then going to GIRO (our recycling centre) and then to Ground Up for lunch with Pete.