Saturday became a glorious day, but it is now much cooler and that’s just fine with me. Her Highness and I walked with Stacy and then I went into the village and to the farmers’ market. I really enjoy going to the market even though I don’t buy a lot. I enjoy seeing all the people and dogs and enjoying the atmosphere. Then it was home to water all the gardens, but before I did that, I ordered Mick Herron’s entire Slow Horses series.
Half-way through my watering, I came in for lunch to find an email from Nancy, the woman with whom I am meeting this afternoon to talk about the clinic’s doctor recruitment drive. She is highly enthusiastic about my suggestion for a plan B. She was impressed by my critique of plan A. I was immensely relieved because I’d been regretting being so negative about plan A in my emails to her. I’ve found working with the clinic slightly nerve wracking, but each time I work up a sweat of anxiety over my actions, it turns out okay.
So … I got involved with the clinic so I could know more about the campaign to get new doctors for the island, and now it seems, I’ll be at the centre of the effort. How great is that? How scary is that? I was so nervous about getting involved, due to my speech and insecurities about my capacity, but things seem to be going very well. Stacy, who’s a UBC medical school grad, has offered to help me reach students, residents, and alumni of the UBC family practice program. And away we go ….
The thermometer said 22° mid-afternoon, but I was chilly in the shade. Perhaps it was the breeze keeping me cool. But in the sunshine, I was toasty warm. I spent all afternoon worrying about a little bird that was sitting on the ground when I came home from the village. At 2:00 it was still there, so I gave it some grain and hoped it would take off, but it didn’t, and I started to lose faith in its future, the poor thing.
Finally, at 4:00, I was finished with watering, walking Sheba, and cleaning up the kitchen and I got onto the chaise with Bruno. I gazed out the window at my yellow/grey lawn and with everything looking so parched. Everything I see, the thinning of the plants, the leaves on the ground, the angle of the light. And my little bird friend on its side.
I went to the front yard and saw that I needed to pick up a small pile of broken branches that were left from the felling of the two dead trees. When I got close to the pile, I saw that it was alive with the little fucking red ants that bite me all the time. I got the hose, turned it to high and focused on a driving hard tight stream of water, and blasted the pile apart. There were as many fucking little fucking red ant eggs as there are people in India. It looked like a basket had broken that had been full of rice.
I then ran. I don’t want those vampires on my body. But I must undertake round two soon, when the fire ban is lifted. It’s time for the plague of fire. I’m a pro at that. I got the strap in grade eight for (accidently) lighting the artwork hanging on wires in the art room on fire. I could have killed scores of school children. My autobiography will be titled This Close to Infamy.
After the plague of water, I came in and read online about pruning Raspberries and Lavender. My lavender is hideous because I’ve let it run wild. I have some serious pruning to do soon.
A friend wrote proposing a visit. I deferred. It’s easier for me when two people, even three, come. They can talk together, and I can listen and pop short sentences in. Sometimes I can do well, even very well. But I single person puts a lot of pressure on me to speak and to do things together, and right now it’s too much for me. Until the onset of severe symptoms recedes, I’m taking precautions. I don’t like seizures, and I particularly don’t like seizures in public.
In the evening, I lit a small fire to warm up the house. I’m so used to being warm, the cool nights have me uncomfortable in the house, so I indulged myself last night. I did a walkabout in the park. In the light of a bright orange sunset gave the yard a beautiful cinematic look.
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Today has dawned bright and clear. I’ll go on the big community dog walk at 10:00 and at 2:00 I go to meet with Nancy to discuss the doctor search campaign. Best of all will be my time spent with Bruno today because it's Sunday, my day, no guilt day. Hurray!
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