Doug: Day One

There was no rain overnight Friday night, and Saturday dawned with an optimistic sky. It’s always easier to host guests when the weather invites us to be outdoors. I hoped that we’d have a lovely afternoon because my plan was to go to Drumbeg to walk Her Highness so Doug could see our prettiest park.

I got an email from BC Public Health telling me to get an RSV vaccine. There was a link to pharmacies that offer vaccination services and our Gabriola pharmacy was on it, so I went in to make an appointment. The clerk told me that they couldn’t give me the vaccine and that I should contact my doctor. I told them that my email said it should be free from them, but no.

When I got home, there was a phone message for me. It was the pharmacy clerk calling to apologize and telling me to come in to make an appointment. She told me that she thought I was 60 years old and the free vaccines are only for people over 75. She was shocked at my age when she looked me up to check that she’d not erred in rejecting me. So now I must make an appointment, and they only get twenty doses a week and I have a lot of competition for access because this is a community of old folks.

But … Also, when I got home, I loaded my groceries up and came into the house. Sheba was keen to lie down after our walk and visiting Dave next door. Between her walk, shopping and talking with Dave, we were gone for ninety minutes. I bid a warm hello to Fred and Ethel, and then I saw that the back door was open. All that time away, it had been open and I know the cats went outside. They must have enjoyed being out there on such a beauty of a day, but they came back in. I am so, so happy to know that they are emotionally tied to our home.

Doug arrived just past 11:30. I picked him up at the terminal and then we went for lunch at Ground Up, which was on our way home. It was such a beautiful day, and it was lovely and warm. After lunch we came home and got Doug settled, and then we went to Drumbeg to walk Sheba and so he could see the prettiest park on the island.

Then home to chill before going to Woodfire to pick up pizzas for dinner. After dinner we watched an odd movie, a documentary, and we both went to bed early.

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This morning I was up at 4:00. The sky was clear and the moonlight and stars were lovely overhead as I fetched wood for a morning fire. Doug is going to help me stack some wood this morning after our walk with Sheba, and this afternoon we will go to the Apple Fair at the commons. Our plan is to go to The Surf for dinner.

What a Garden!

 

Watch this and weep little people. See how the rich grow food. This is a gorgeous film of, perhaps, one of the world’s greatest kitchen gardens. Oh, the majesty; oh, the work!

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Doug is now coming today, not today, and staying until Monday. (He’d planned on coming tomorrow.) As a procrastinator, I respond well to deadlines, so yesterday’s primary activity was cleaning and tidying. I polished my wood furniture (which is abundant in my living room and all three bedrooms), I cleaned my fridge and cleaned the guest bathroom and the bedrooms because Dianne and Bev come next weekend.

By lunchtime, I was a sweaty mess, but things were looking mighty good—particularly my fridge. What a glorious difference a thorough cleaning and culling can make! I wanted to have a shower and change my shirt, but I knew I’d be wanting to do it again a half-hour later, so I laboured on. There’s nothing more motivational that fear of judgement and a deadline.

I was gifted a bunch of organically grown carrots. They’d been in my fridge for two weeks, and so I peeled them all, cut them into slices and put them in the freezer. That felt good. I can take a break from eating them to ensure that they did not go to waste.

Next up was sweeping the deck and the part of the courtyard where we will be walking to reduce the tracking of shite into the house. And while I was out there, my left foot started throbbing. It’s the foot with calcific tendonitis for which I am awaiting minor surgery. Shizah, it hurt!

Finally, noon arrived. It takes forever when you are up at 4:00. Well, eight hours then. The sky was getting brighter and that thrilled me because I knew I’d be able to enjoy a soak once my status as domestic goddess had been re-established. I had recycling to organize, some composting to do and I wanted to end my workday with another vacuuming after all the work I’d done. I tracked in a bazillion needles during my morning.

My fridge is often neglected in my cleaning routine, so I am glad that’s done for a while. My last chores were to clean the cattery and litter box, and then to make the guest beds up. By 13:00, my battery was stone-cold dead. I desperately wanted to shower and then go for a soak to feel clean and refreshed, but guilt prevented that from happening. I felt it fairer, nicer, to first take Her Highness for a mid-day walk so that I could become self-indulgent. 

It felt good to come home to a very clean and tidy house. It’s not like I’m a slob, but life means things accumulate on counters that should be in cupboards, and I live under massive trees, so at different times of the year, pollen, needles and pitch are everywhere and it all tracks into the house. 

Once I was changed after my spa, I sat at my desk to do some SPACE work. Two Stellar Jays were feeding at my feeder and then wham! A Cooper’s Hawk swooped in to try and get a Jay. I ran outside and saw the hawk zooming after the Jay, but the Jay seemed to be cleverly evasive. I came inside not knowing the outcome. Those hawks are gorgeous and powerful raptors. They fly like a jet, but I hate seeing Mother Nature in action.

The Great Lillian Hall, starring Jessica Lange, is WONDERFUL theatre people. Ms. Lange is perfect, everyone is perfect. Kathy Bates has a very delicious role and is great at it. But it’s about Lang’s character having to face the end of her career on Broadway. It’s set in a theatre as she rehearses TheCherry Orchard, and in her home, where Pierce Brosnan is her neighbour.

Loved it!

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I have a humdinger of an agenda for Dr. S. on Tuesday. I’m humbled to be so well cared for by our medical system. Dr. S. is in my life until …. Not only that, I get expensive HIV medication for free, and I am on four asthma medications, one of which is extremely expensive. I feel like a poster boy for the miracles of science.

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Last night, I crashed. I was sitting at my desk and suddenly I felt nauseous and disoriented. I was worried that I would not be able to walk to my bed. But I did, like a very, very old and damaged man, and I fell directly into a deep sleep. I feel fine this morning and that’s good because Doug arrives late in the morning. 

Oh, the sweet, sweet fragrance of Sweet Peas!

Offering Help

How was Thursday? How do you like waking up at 3:30?

The rain began at 9:30. Working on the wood was out. What a shame, eh? How sad is it that I felt forced to relax with my wonderful book by Douglas Stuart?  Oh, the diligence with which I forced myself onto the chaise to read by the fire! However, I had done a load of laundry and vacuumed everywhere, so I earned my chaise time.

I didn’t read for long. I had my UK support group Zoom call at 10:30, and then it was lunchtime for the brood. After that, heaven: I read for a good long stretch before deciding it was time to go into the village to pick up a prescription. (I have 11 prescription medications that have me constantly needing to go to the pharmacy.)

On my way to the pharmacy, I noticed an elderly gentleman hesitating as he was about to step off the sidewalk and into the parking lot with his groceries in a pushcart. He seemed hesitant, so I asked him if he needed assistance, and he said he did. He was so grateful! He could not stop thanking me. I walked him slowly to his car and helped him inside, and then I fetched his groceries and loaded them into his car. He was so old and unsteady, I asked him if he wanted me to follow him home and help him unload. He said that he could manage.

I felt mighty good about helping the fellow. Then I went into the pharmacy where I had a fair wait to get served, and then I did my grocery shopping, and when I came out, I noticed that the gentleman’s car was still there, so I went to check on him, but the car was empty. So, off home we went.

Next up was our afternoon walk and then a spa for me. I cannot believe how good it feels to get into the nice warm water to soak. 

The evening was the usual.

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This morning, the clouds are back and there’s been more rain. Today, it looks like I’ll be reading a lot because it’s so dark and wet outside. I have chores I can do indoors, and the birds need my attention. I will be washing thoroughly, all the feeders and refilling them.

Doug is apparently coming this Sunday to stay for two nights, Friday the ninth I go to dinner at Dana and Louis’, and Dianne and Bev arrive on the tenth for Thanksgiving. All this coming activity has me feeling slightly anxious. I must do a lot of baking before Dianne and Bev arrive. But hey, a change in routine is good.

Zoom Zoom

Wednesday was a bright sunny day. It’s cool in the mornings, especially when it is clear overnight. Come Sunday, it’s predicted to get warmer again with afternoon hights around 20°. I’ll take that!

I sent the arborist and email cancelling the splitting of the wood his team bucked for me from the downed tree. I am going to do it with our splitter and my maul. 

Yesterday, nothing happened of consequence. We walked the Elder Cedar trail early in the morning which was great because there was no one there. Then I had a Zoom call with my fellow STAMMA support group leaders. That went very well, but it was long. It ended at 12:30. I fed the brood and had my lunch and then was back on Zoom with Aidan. My calls with him always go well.

I've had far, far too many migraines in my life. They were brutal. But I've only rarely had 'normal' headaches, but I had a low grade headache all day yesterday and it made me lethargic all day. I was very relieved this morning to feel no trace of yesterday's dull ache. Yahoo!

We walked again in the afternoon, and the evening was the usual.

It’s cloudy and uninspiring this morning. Today could roll out any old way. I’ve the wood to move and split, and there are chores wanting done everywhere I look, but I love the book I’m reading and I’m verygood at procrastination. Regardless of what happens today, it will be a good day. I have another Zoom call, this time with my UK stuttering group.

Huh?! I installed the latest Mac operating system on my computer. But I had to delete all my music files (that I never listen to anymore) and some applications that I don’t use so that I had enough room for the new OS, and I have eight gigabytes of memory! Sigh.