Dog Tracker

Thursday was a spectacular day, largely because of the brilliant sunshine and warmer air (8°). Even though Winter has not even started, the welcome sunshine made the day feel like Springtime after so, so many dark and damp days this past Autumn. Also, my Icelandic wool sweater arrived in the post, as did my several Inspector Bruno books by Martin Walker. 

But best of all, Still Life arrived in the post. It is the first Chief Inspector Gamache book by Louise Penny—the one I’ve been waiting for so that I can begin reading the fifteen books I have by her to read—all in order.

To celebrate the beauty of the day, our walks were long and uplifting … and… I made myself a nice big batch of seafood curry to carry me into the weekend.

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Word of the Day: Smellfungus (noun): A habitual faultfinder or complainer. After Smellfungus, a hypercritical character in Laurence Sterne's 1768 novel, A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy.

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It’s official: The head of Environment Canada’s weather division has said that the heat dome we had this past Summer in BC is the worst environmental event in our country’s history. The second worst event in the history of Canadian weather record keeping was the atmospheric river that did so incredibly much damage to our province.

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I tried to talk with Bruce last night. Impossible; I had to use the chat function. I couldn’t speak at all. But it was good to practice typing in the chat function with him as we are Zooming with friends on Sunday. I’m grotesque to watch. I will not even try to speak on Sunday because my mouth struggles into all sorts of ugly shapes as I try to get words out. I look like I have CP. I really hope this relapse isn’t my new forever. 

Twelve more days until I speak with Dr. Shoja. I never ever imagined getting worse. I have believed, since the onset of FND, that I would improve. This downturn in my condition has been a total shock. 

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It’s cold this morning and the humidity helps the cold get into my bones. I’ll be warmly dressed for this morning’s dog walk, and then I’ll come home to read and spend the day by the fire. And tonight: Acorn TV, the all-British streaming service that keeps my evenings entertaining.