👭 Our 3 kids were all together in British Columbia, kids having a blast with cousins. Our four grandies getting to know one another. They were having a holiday in B.C. Jesse lives there, but my 2 Ottawa kids all got together, flying out west to stay a week at his cottage. We've been texting back and forth, but the time difference makes it as difficult as keeping up with Jesse's family on a regular basis! My youngest is in the background. We are estranged. I blurred his face. I know some of you know how this hurts your heart.
Isn't this adorable? Aster with Cluny (I think?). Or it might be Bryony. I don't know them well enough to tell. Isn't that sad? I know when we moved from Toronto to Ottawa when Caitlin was two years old it broke my mom.
They did thrifting in Chilliwack. There was swimming and paddle boarding, berry picking, lots of fun. They kindly posted photos for us. I travel vicariously. Maybe we can travel out there next year if I can get my act together. They are renting their cottage out in August this year.
They've been blueberry picking, as well as hiking. They found the Canadian/US border! Isn't that weird?!
Aster got a text from Fido, "Welcome to the US!" Whoopsie! Not good for the pocket book. I was fascinated with this image.
😷 Friday, my nurse friend was going shopping in town, and she popped in (staying well away from the door). Did we need anything? Orange juice! What a lovely human being.
What else am I up to? Coughing. I was awake at 3, couldn't sleep with back pain. Voltaren helped my back. The kitchen tool is an easy way to apply it without getting it all over your hands. (Tip from my physio person. I could use her ministrations, but that ain't gonna happen!)
I put my back out, probably from just sitting in my easy chair. It's an ongoing issue, since Jesse was born in 1983, and I broke a pedicle exercising after he was born.
Robaxacet might help, but I'm going to try topicals. And Joe's
Dr. Ho machine. It did the trick.
My COVID has settled into my lungs and nose, and feels like a horrid cold. At least the sweats have diminished. Sinusitis, relieved with saline nasal spray; and a persistent cough are wretched. I am writing down everything I take, which helps me remember. I was overmedicating with my puffer. I've had nursing advice, since my doctor wouldn't see me, to follow a strict 4 x's a day with the puffer, and twice a day, 12 hours apart, with the Symbicort. Turbo puffer, as we call it. I cannot imagine what people went through prior to vaccines during early COVID days. Then there are people with long-term COVID. It is sort of like long-term Lyme Disease, prior to people being given Doxycycline.
I think Joe made it through Lyme Disease, and the Doxycycline worked for him. He made it through his COVID bout, and is on the upturn. He's still fatigued, and has been having two naps a day. The last couple of days have been better for him. He went out Saturday afternoon (wearing his N95 mask) and got a few groceries, as well as picking up a fresh pizza for me. Look what else he brought home!
My late mom would be horrified with the clutter around here. I am letting it go.
Positive people know to focus on what you can do, not what you can't, but I cannot do anything that requires effort as my lungs can't take it. That said, I managed to do my laundry a couple of days ago. I am managing diarrhea with sanitary pads. I had a partial hysterectomy in 1995 or so. They still serve a purpose! Joe has some from after his prostate cancer surgery.
As I write here, at 3 a.m., I am grateful that I slept 5 hours. For many of you, you know that is all you can expect on a normal night. You deal with it. We're retired. Naps are good. All the rules around sleep hygiene have to go out the window. I was up at 3 the day before as well, and went back to bed having taken my normal sleep meds, and slept until 7 a.m. I don't think the sleep meds helped. I coughed the rest of the day, into the night, regularly irregular. 🎲 It's a crap shoot
Sitting on the back deck, Cinnamon kept me company whilst Joe slept. Cinn sat under my chair! These iPhones are great for sideways and tight corners. It's been a hot one. The nights are cooler, as is the way with August. Yes, I know we aren't there yet, but as Jasper continues to burn, it is reality.
Also, out back, Merlin told me it was a Black-billed Cuckoo. Merlin audiotaped it. I put in two Wiki images, bless their heart for sharing them with the world. I'll never see them. They are up so high in the canopy. It was wonderful having a project I could do without talking, coughing, or otherwise tiring myself out.
Here is my video.
black-billed cuckoo from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
🦉I heard, "who-cooks-for-you?" outside. It was late at night, in the dark. I added my own photos from previous years. I can't tell you how beautiful it is to hear them. Life carrying on with the new generation.
The whistle is the chick calling for food. It sort of whistles, if you listen to the video. It was dark and I couldn't see them. I knew what it was, though! I've heard it before when they nested out back.
barred owl and chick from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Thank you for your kind words, faithful readers. It truly helps.
