Bread!

Seizures (rarely now), severe stuttering, hives, nightmares and a high body temperature: Anxiety is a nasty affliction. Living involves constant strategizing. I’m glad I have the letter from Dr. Shoja; it’s going to make all interactions with bureaucracies much easier—particularly the ferries and, as I recently discovered, police roadblocks.

Wednesday was pretty great, considering how horrific the night before was. I have always enjoyed a huge improvement in my speech and wellbeing after talking with Dr. Shoja, but another factor made the day a wonder: Bright skies and sunlight. No medicine is better for me than sunlight.

And making bread was a joy! Its wondrous fragrance filled my home and every time I open the bag to have some, the scent thrills me—so does eating it. Today, I may make some Madeira cake. It was something I loved as a kid.

And shizah: It seems likely we’ll get cold temperatures and, perhaps, snow; a cold front moves in for an extended visit on Saturday night. I worry about its impact on my plants that have thought it’s Springtime and are covered in little green shoots. We’ve had a lovely mid (but wet) Winter so far. I hope the cold spell is short!

In spite of the cold and my nights of terror, I have my pets, the fireplace and books. I ordered more. I have to say it every day: Thank God for the great storytellers and masterful stylists that make my days so happy and time pass so comfortably.