Welcome August

I'm glad that July is over. 

Let's start with our nation's 250th birthday. It was bittersweet because Trump has been trying to undermine our  constitutional freedoms. 

July brought two heat waves with temperatures in the 100s. In one heat wave, we also had bad air days from Canadian wildfires (which Trump used as an excuse to impose new tariffs on Canada. Ugh.)

I had another bout of colitis. It lasted a few weeks; it's enervating, frustrating, and uncomfortable at best.

The worst of the month is that I was almost scammed. I was vulnerable because we had issues with our anti-virus protection on our computers. I don't want to write much about it; it's embarrassing and infuriating. I made mistakes and missed some red flags. The bottom line, I didn't send them any money, and they didn't gain access to my bank accounts or credit cards. 

On a more positive note, we got grab bars installed in our bathrooms and I got hearing aids. Annette took me up to Havre de Grace for an afternoon. We went on a perfect summer day, went to shops, an artist collective, and antique mall before we enjoyed lunch on the water. I hired a high school neighbor to walk Jace, so I didn't have to worry about him. It was relaxing and fun.

March Miscellanea

 I always look forward to March--it feels good to get out of February. It's been a hard winter. Snow from the January storm took a month to (mostly) dissipate. There are still small patches and large snowplowed piles. But, at the end of February, I began to catch a whiff of spring and hear birdsong. In the final weekend, temperatures rose to the high 50s. Jace and I returned to the trails and the boardwalk.

That didn't last, of course. The following Monday, it snowed for several hours and left a coating on the ground. Luckily, that snow dissipated quickly. I'm waiting for the 70s predicted for a few days next week.  

Jeff and I have tried a few more restaurants. One was a breakfast and lunch place with good steak sandwiches. We also went out for a good seafood dinner with friends. We have many other places to discover. 

We watched some of the Olympics in February. I'm most interested in figure skating. I saw the men's and the ice dancing competitions, but somehow missed the women's and the pairs. Oh well. Now, some of our other shows have returned, such as Matlock and Ghosts. 

We also rediscovered Nancy Drew--a series that we had started to watch on the CW back in 2019. We had seen most of the first season, but the show went on hiatus or the timeslot changed, and we never got back to it. We found it on HBO Max recently and watched the first two of four seasons. TV Nancy is not much like the Nancy Drew I've read. In the premiere, she's having sex with Ned (now called Nick) and he's black. Nancy's mysteries also involve the supernatural: ghosts, witches, wraiths, and the like. 

Most of our days revolve around medical appointments. Jeff has physical and speech therapy each week. We've also scheduled other medical appointments. Plus it's tax season. I spent most of last week stressing about getting the tax documents together. I got them to the accountant on the 28th.

Then there's still unpacking and organizing. I got a lead for someone who can install wooden bookshelves in our dining room. I haven't figured out exactly what I want, but it's a start. 

A Little Can Be Enough

On Sunday, I was feeling sorry for myself. I wrote in my journal that I wasn't happy with my life. Then I wrote that I'd have to remake my life into something that will make me happy. I ended with "Think about that!" 

The next day, things started looking better. Walking Jace, I felt something in the air--a little warmth. It was still cold, but it was sunny, and there was no wind. After weeks with temperatures below freezing, everyone's excited for some warmth and melting. We'll gladly take the mud and mush. 

I had a good day today with this song was going through my head. I'm happy with my accomplishments--I got a decent amount of work done (paperwork, unpacking, cleaning.) I also want to Jeff's speech therapy session with him; it gave me a lot to think about.  

Two Months in Essex

Last Wednesday was the two-month anniversary of our moving day. 

We've done a lot of things in those two months.

• We bought new furniture: kitchen table and chairs, living room couch and chairs, bedside tables, Sleep Number bed. 
• We found a primary care physician and other doctors. 
• I got my Maryland driver's license and registration, including a Maryland Safety Inspection.
• We got a new TV and cellphones when old ones broke.

We did that even with a five day break to return to Connecticut and five days for Jeff in the hospital when I did virtually nothing.

Of course, there's a lot more to do. I am trying my best not to get overwhelmed. I need to focus and stick to my plans.

I underestimated  how long it would take me to acclimate myself to a new area. I'm still using GPS to get around, but less often. I've been frustrated with the various grocery stores. It's been hard to find things/brands I like. It's getting easier; having kandykakes readily available helps. 

We were here at Halloween and the neighborhood is into decorating. Even a part of the trail/boardwalk was decorated. Unfortunately, Jeff was in the hospital, so we weren't up for celebrating. 

Christmas decorations are pretty big too. I did our Christmas decorating on Sunday. It's pretty sparse. We decided not to buy a tree this year. In January, we trashed our old shedding artificial tree and don't want to deal with getting a new one. Hey, we need furniture. But if there are good post-Christmas sales, we'll keep our options open. 

Looking ahead to ringing in the New Year in our new home.

A Little Late, But...

Two days later than I had hoped that things would get better. It took a little longer, but I can say things are looking better. 

Finding a medical supplement plan for Jeff has been frustrating. We had a broker in Connecticut to help us. I couldn't find one here. I called insurance companies, found that there were not many options for people on Medicare under 65 years. We think we have enough information to make a good decision.

Our health care navigator got Jeff appointments with a neurologist and a primary care provider. 

Let the good times roll.

It's Been A Lot

I decided three weeks (minus one day) is enough. I have to post. But it's 9:44 PM as I start this and I'm tired.

I'm not up to a detailed description of the past few weeks. We had several medical appointments and made a disappointing home hunting trip to Delaware. 

Sedona Tap House is closing at the end of June. Sedona has been one of our favorite places. We went to dinner there last night and will really miss it. 

The Mets were swept for the first time this season by the Rays. They still top the National League.

And so it goes.

Frustrating Day

I drove Jeff to physical therapy only to find that his insurance will not cover PT in a hospital setting. The office said they called to let us know, but we didn't get a message. 

It is cold--it feels like March. Yesterday morning, the temps were in the forties, but at least it warmed up to the 70s. Today it started and stayed in the fifties with wind. Tomorrow, we're expecting a nor'easter. This is the lead-in to Memorial Day 2025. Ugh.

I took a large plastic container downstairs to our storage bin and brought up two three suitcases, a box of extra pieces of  wood flooring and a large bag. One suitcase was so old, the handle fell off. It was so heavy, I had to take half the things out to carry it upstairs and out to the trash.   

I also accidentally set the dryer cycle for no heat and had to run it again.

At least the Mets won, ending their three game losing streak. 

Two Weeks

I clicked on this site and saw the last title, "A Month Away," and thought it hasn't been that long. Just two weeks. 

Last week was bad, and the week before it had its own issues. Jeff was in a lot of pain last week; it was hard for him to even walk around our apartment. We cancelled all his appointments even the physical therapy that he needed; just walking from the car to the PT office would have wiped him out. At least he's feeling better--his normal level of pain. It sucks to have a normal level of pain on an everyday basis. He got back to PT yesterday and goes again tomorrow. We booked PT sessions through March. 

About two weeks ago, I felt like I had too many things that I needed to manage. It was if I were juggling and was losing some of the balls in the air. I pulled out a notebook and made a to-do list. Nothing earthshaking here--I just wanted to have everything in one place rather than scattered across my planner. I had nine "to-dos" and was thinking about how/when to do them. 

I quickly realized that I had forgotten two vital items: income tax prep, and health insurance research (Jeff is losing his Cobra coverage in April.) I added two more items. Over the last two weeks, I crossed off five items. That's not good, but not too bad considering. 

Anyway, time to make a new list. A new priority: my grandniece Daphne will be one in two-and-a-half ways. I'm buying her (and my other grandniece Ella) a book my cousin Deb wrote. I also have a copy of Go, Dog, Go! for Daphne. One of my favorite Cooper family photos is one of Daphne's father Kurt with his grandfather who is reading Go, Dog, Go! Unfortunately, that photo is in storage now. Recently, I've been displaying fewer photos, and put several good ones away. Oh well, I need to continue with my decluttering anyway.  

Bad news from the New Canaan Nature Center: the black vulture Mort has died. It might have been the Avian Flu. Mort was easygoing, vocal, and always hungry. Sad: NCNC just lost Ralph in February.

It's not all bad things recently. We had a week of nice weather. First the winds died down, and then it warmed up. Countdown to spring is progressing. We made it to March and are watching the Mets. This weekend we spring forward.

I went to a program on Rails to Whistlestops and made a contact with a Housatonic Railroad historian. This helped me get back into my Merwinsville work after a slow February. I'm also back in a good exercise routine. It helps with the stress and keeps me going. 

Another Steak Ends

I didn't exercise on Monday and Tuesday. I didn't feel well on Monday and was running around a lot yesterday. I only mention this because I've mentioned my exercise routine several times in these posts. I also only went to the gym twice last week instead of three times. 

I knew that I couldn't keep up a routine of exercising every day, but I can keep trying. I went back to the gym today.

Time Affluence and Time Makeovers

I've been reading about time management for years: tips and techniques for getting things done. I had never heard the term "time affluence" until yesterday. I read it in The New York Times article I mentioned in yesterday's post.

Today, the concept of time affluence re-appeared in a Huffington Post article. A majority of Americans feel time poor. Feeling time affluent can make you feel happier and help you connect with and become kinder to others.

The author listed four techniques to increase your sense of time affluence. I especially liked "Make A Time Confetti Checklist." Basically, you should take advantage of those little pieces of time between tasks or waiting for a doctor's appointment. 

***

These articles are part of the whole make your life over literature that crops up every January. I'm especially receptive to these types of articles this year because I've been making some changes myself. 

Helpful Hints

I enjoyed this article from The New York Times. It's entitled health tips Some are clearly health tips (e.g. minimize your intake of highly processed foods.) Other tips are more like life tips to me. 

One tip came from someone's second grade teacher. If something feels too hard to do, it just means that the first step isn't small enough. This is very good advice for someone writing (or attempting to write) a novel.

Another involves using "soft fascination"--doing simple activities such as washing the dishes or folding laundry--that require little mental effort giving the mind freedom to wander, make connections, and find solutions. Another appropriate tip for a writer.

A third tip involves giving yourself breaks--two to five minutes between tasks--because it gives you the sense of having free time.

I can use all of these tips and will. 

Hard to Believe...

 ...it's been a week since my last post, and I wanted to post before this, but...

The first half of the week was medically oriented--Jeff had four doctors' appointments, including follow-ups for his falls last week. We had our flu and Covid vaccine shots and also voted.

This is the first year there was early voting in Norwalk. I love it. There's no reason to make everyone vote on the same day and, in some cases, wait in line for hours. 

More to follow. 

A Thankful Thursday Post

I am thankful for the following:

Jeff saw a new acupuncturist who is part of his neurology group. She ordered X-rays for his back (which he had today) and more physical therapy--schedule to be determined. 

Beautiful weather. Jace and I went to three "destination" walks this week (i.e. not around our neighborhood) Taylor Farm, the Norwalk River Valley Trail, and Winslow Park. 

Jeff and I celebrated our 36th anniversary.

Even though I didn't feel well yesterday and worried about a colitis setback, I feel good today.

I'm getting excited about our move out of Connecticut. We still have a lot of work to do before that happens, but I feel that we're on our way. 

The Mets are playing great baseball. Tonight they beat the Phillies 10-6.They had a 2-run lead at the end of the first. Every time the Phillies scored, the Mets responded. The Mets are currently in the second wild-card position. They have the toughest remaining schedule of all the contenders, but as I said, they're playing great baseball. I believe again.

A Positive Outlook

To be clear, a positive outlook is my goal, not necessarily my current state of mind. 

I am still dealing with my gastric problems, but they aren't too disruptive. I didn't have any bad days last week, compared to the previous week when I had two. I'm also not as tired recently. I'm finally able to do some more work around the house. I still have many things to do, but I'm making progress. It may be slow, but it's still progress.

I went to the library twice to pick up Angel of Vengeance which was published last Tuesday. The librarian confirmed that I was number one on the hold list, but the book isn't available yet. Apparently, the library got a huge shipment of books that need to be unpacked. I offered to unpack the books myself, but that didn't go over too well. 

In the spirit of a positive outlook, at least I picked up two V.I. Warshawski books by Sara Paretsky: Overboard and Pay Dirt. I've already finished Overboard. Hopefully, Angel of Vengeance will be available by the time I finish Pay Dirt.

Another positive outlook, the Mets beat the Orioles in tonight's series opener 4-3. They blew a 3-0 lead, but Francisco Alvarez saved the game with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th--the first walk off of his career. LGM!

Late Thursday Thoughts

I've been meaning to write a version of a post for the past few days. But I've been in a prolonged writing slump. I've written only two posts this month. I haven't journaled since we were in Sea Isle City--about six weeks ago. Needless to say, I haven't done any serious writing. At least, I've been thinking more about writing, but that is obviously not enough.

Jeff and I have been dealing with various health issues and doctors' appointments over the last week-and-a-half including my colonoscopy on Monday morning. There were two days last week when I felt so bad, I could barely walk Jace and throw some meals together. I hope the colonoscopy resolves what's been wrong with me.

I don't think the Mets are going to make the playoffs. Today they lost a series to the Oakland As. At the beginning of the month, they lost a series to the Angels. The Mets are currently two games behind Atlanta for the last playoff spot. They have a three-game series against the Marlins--who are lousy against every team except the Mets. Then they play the Orioles, Padres, and Diamondbacks. It doesn't look good. New York Mets, please prove me wrong.

I found a Vanderpump Rules marathon on tv today--the season that ended with Scandoval. I watched around doing the laundry, walking Jace, taking Jeff to the doctor's. It reminded me that I never wrote a post about the latest VPR season. Maybe that will help me break out of this writer's block.

Two Weeks Plus

It's been over two weeks since my last post on May 13. I thought things were beginning to turn around then. By Wednesday night (the 15th) I had already done the weekly shopping and laundry, gone to the gym, taken care of the birds, reviewed documents for and attended a condominium owners meeting. 

Jace and I were on a Thursday morning walk when a large, unleased puppy ran over to us.This was our third encounter.The puppy would usually run around ignoring his human as he called after him. This time, he knocked Jace over, jamming my middle and ring fingers in the leash that I was holding. 

One of the first things I did when I got home was to take off my wedding ring. I remember my mother hurt her hand and they had to cut the ring off in the ER. As for me, I decided not to go to the ER. My first thought was the money (Yes, I have insurance, but...) An urgent care center? I figured my fingers didn't hurt enough to be broken. What could they do?

I consulted Dr. Google. After a few searches, I found a treatment for jammed fingers using RICE--rest, ice, compression, elevation. I used a wrap in our freezer--probably for wrists and/or ankles--and wove it around my fingers. Later I taped my fingers together. 

Luckily, this happened to my left hand--I'm righthanded. My middle finger bore the brunt of the bruising and swelling, but my ring finger was also hurt. By Thursday, I could do most things that I needed to----but I had to adjust how I do myriad things--tying my shoes, opening the car door, sorting laundry, opening cans, carrying plates, lifting things. 

I still can't make a proper fist, but each day my fingers get better. This nagging injury made me realize how lucky and thankful I am for my good health. I won't take that for granted. 

I was determined to finish this post this morning. This was my third attempt. I have other things I want to write about, books, book sales, my birthday dinner. 

It's also a good day to pick up some free weights and see if I can properly grasp them.

I'm back.

Topics for Tuesday

Here's what's on my mind.

Health: Jeff and I got our Covid shots today. In four of my five previous Covid shots, I've had bad reactions. I scheduled this appointment before a day with no plans, just in case. We've also completed our annual physicals recently.

Baseball: We're watching more baseball than I thought we would. Happy to see two Game Sevens in the League Championship Series; happy to see the Rangers beat the Astros last night. We're watching Game Seven between the Phillies and the Diamondbacks now. 

Sleep: We overslept this morning. It was not a big problem, but obviously I got off to a later start than I had planned. I'm debating setting the alarm again. I had been waking up early without an alarm. It's easier in the summer morning light. 

Weather: Just as we're getting used to fall weather, summer will return this week with temperatures flirting with the 80s. I'm not complaining, but it's weird. Jace and I will do some hiking.

Cleaning/Organizing: I'm almost done with consolidating the stuff of Jeff's and my car. A friend was happy to get some of the car emergency items, and I was happy to give them to her. Most of the things left will go to Goodwill.

Writer's Doubt: I've barely written anything lately and am doubting myself. Can NaNoWriMo be the answer?

Monday Miscellanea

I'm beat. It feels like it's been a long day (though it's still early.) I woke up around 4:15. I know I slept after that--I remember snippets of dreams--but I'm not sure how long. 

I had a good workout at the gym. I also researched some auto and home insurance pricing. Those were my main to-dos for today, along with this post. I wanted to post because it's been eight days, not because I have anything particularly insightful to write.

Jeff sold his car last week to a cousin of a neighbor. We had a slight snag because he had let the registration lapse. It took us three tries over two days to renew online. If the online system didn't work, we wouldn't have been able to get an in-person appointment until the end of the month. 

I spent a good chunk of Saturday going through all the stuff I got out of his car and consolidating his things with what I had in my car. We had more towels and blankets than we realized. I ended up reorganizing the linen closet and packing up things for Goodwill. 

For several weeks, our temperatures have richoceted from unseasonably warm (90 degrees in September and 80 degrees last week) to unseasonably cold. It's strange to see the beginning of fall foliage and Halloween decorations when it's 80 degrees. At least it feels like fall now, even though it's late October temperatures for now. It's also rained the first three Saturdays of fall, with more rain predicted for this Saturday. Ugh.

It's taken me a long time to recover from my bout with the flu. I don't know if I had a bad case or if I'm just old.

We're watching the baseball playoffs. Things aren't going as expected, but that's what makes baseball fun. I do hope the Orioles turn it around though. 

Maskless

Yesterday was the tenth day since my possible exposure to Covid. When I came back from Jace's night walk, I happily tossed my mask. I was using a KN95, which was tighter and more uncomfortable than the type I wore during the height of the pandemic. 

Today is the last day of the Federal Covid-19 Public Health Emergency. Luckily, I heard what that means and picked up some Covid tests at CVS. As of tomorrow, I'd have to pay for them (I think.) The pharmacist gave me eight. 

I hope I never have to use them.

Welcome 2023

I feel that 2022 was somehow a wasted year. I've been trying to think of accomplishments. Nothing's jumping out at me. 

Okay, as I just wrote, I did read 35 books. That's something. I'll be reviewing other goals in the next few days. But overall, I'm disappointed. 

I'm encouraged with Jeff's recent PT progress and will support (nag) him to keep working. His appointments over the next two weeks are spotty. He'll have to work on his own. 

I've glad I took care of some neglected health issues for myself. More seem to keep cropping up, but that's what happens when you get old. I'm in pretty good health overall.

I'm dissatisfied with 2022 because my goals weren't right. It's all well-and-good to set goals for books read, gym visits, blogposts, but I should really be focusing elsewhere--researching and writing. More to follow.