For two nights I've had a great sleep, and woke to a cool breeze blowing in the window that had me reaching for the cover. It felt great, but was short lived.
Hours later, I can feel the heat and humidity building, so another day spent indoors, with the constant whir of the fan.
I know a great deal of the fan stuff is mind over matter. The fan is blowing the same hot air that I'm trying to escape, but the fact it's moving makes it seem cooler. At this point I'll take whatever I can get.
As I'm inside, I'm taking the time to watch the ball game. Go Jays! Somehow, I've become a baseball fan. I also watched the tennis matches from Toronto, the Rogers Cup. I'm sitting here, doing nothing, and these guys manage to run and be in constant motion in this heat. That is true dedication.
I keep telling myself it can't last forever, and fall will come with all its colors and cooler weather. I look forward to that and no further, not to the ice and snow that will inevitably follow.
We're never happy, are we? It's too hot, it's too dry, it's too wet, it's too cold. But then, if we didn't have the weather to bitch about, what is there? Oh yeah, politics, but I'm not going there.
Sunday, 31 July 2016
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Humidex Blues
Hot and humid, hot and humid, hot and humid. I am so sick of hot and humid weather.
I run my dehumidifier most days, a necessity as my place is built on a poured cement foundation, and can be damp. A neighbor said she was told to close all her windows, or she was just taking the moisture out of the hot air outside.
I tried closing everything up, and it took a complete day to get the humidity from 60% down to 48%. And it was like a sauna in here, inside temperature was 84 F. When I was outside, it felt cooler out than in, so the hell with it, I opened the windows and let the air blow, with a nice cross breeze.
I finally ventured out today, but it really took its toll, I was exhausted when I got home, positioned the fan and laid back in my recliner to watch the Blue Jay game (fell asleep and missed the end).
Now it's raining, but just a light drizzle, not enough to bring back the green of the grass.
I may have to give in and get a window air conditioner if we continue to have summers like this. I can't see how it can last much longer, and hope August will be an easier month.
Meanwhile, all this ladylike glowing I've been doing seems to make my skin nice and soft. Always look for the positive.
I run my dehumidifier most days, a necessity as my place is built on a poured cement foundation, and can be damp. A neighbor said she was told to close all her windows, or she was just taking the moisture out of the hot air outside.
I tried closing everything up, and it took a complete day to get the humidity from 60% down to 48%. And it was like a sauna in here, inside temperature was 84 F. When I was outside, it felt cooler out than in, so the hell with it, I opened the windows and let the air blow, with a nice cross breeze.
I finally ventured out today, but it really took its toll, I was exhausted when I got home, positioned the fan and laid back in my recliner to watch the Blue Jay game (fell asleep and missed the end).
Now it's raining, but just a light drizzle, not enough to bring back the green of the grass.
I may have to give in and get a window air conditioner if we continue to have summers like this. I can't see how it can last much longer, and hope August will be an easier month.
Meanwhile, all this ladylike glowing I've been doing seems to make my skin nice and soft. Always look for the positive.
Saturday, 9 July 2016
A Trip to the Beach
I ventured out the other day with my daughter and two of her kids, a trip to the beach to collect driftwood for a craft project.
I normally avoid the sun and the heat,but my new positive thinking had me wanting to give it a try. I actually managed to get through the sand to the shore, and could put my toes in the water. Someone had moved a picnic table near the water, so I sat and watched the kids. (Walkers don't move well in the sand).
I discovered that walking in sand is not good for my knee. Either was the bending down to pick up wood. You think you have a firm step, but it shifts on the sand, and adds another little twist to the knee. My one knee is bad, the cartilage completely worn away, so all these little extra shifts cause the bones to rub, and me more pain.
Here it is two days later and I am still hobbling around. Yesterday was a lost day due to pain, and a headache from being out in the sun. The hot weather and humidity continue, in spite of the rain, so I shall stay home and inside.
It's like living in a cave, curtains closed against the sun, trying to keep out the heat, my energy drained, so no ambition to go anywhere, do anything.
We're not even mid July, this can't last too much longer, can it? We need rain so badly. Our usual nice green landscape is nonexistent, with lawns burnt to a crispy brown,
I'll give the knee another day of rest, and maybe we'll have some rain to give the humidity a rest. I have a pile of books to read and some yarn, so I'm happy.
I normally avoid the sun and the heat,but my new positive thinking had me wanting to give it a try. I actually managed to get through the sand to the shore, and could put my toes in the water. Someone had moved a picnic table near the water, so I sat and watched the kids. (Walkers don't move well in the sand).
I discovered that walking in sand is not good for my knee. Either was the bending down to pick up wood. You think you have a firm step, but it shifts on the sand, and adds another little twist to the knee. My one knee is bad, the cartilage completely worn away, so all these little extra shifts cause the bones to rub, and me more pain.
Here it is two days later and I am still hobbling around. Yesterday was a lost day due to pain, and a headache from being out in the sun. The hot weather and humidity continue, in spite of the rain, so I shall stay home and inside.
It's like living in a cave, curtains closed against the sun, trying to keep out the heat, my energy drained, so no ambition to go anywhere, do anything.
We're not even mid July, this can't last too much longer, can it? We need rain so badly. Our usual nice green landscape is nonexistent, with lawns burnt to a crispy brown,
I'll give the knee another day of rest, and maybe we'll have some rain to give the humidity a rest. I have a pile of books to read and some yarn, so I'm happy.
Saturday, 2 July 2016
Finding Balance
I've been particularly active, for me, but it comes at a cost. I need today to rest, and do nothing. I see a nap in my future, maybe while watching the ball game later.
I picked up my grandkids from the bus on their last two days of school. The first day we came back to town and had dinner out, did some shopping (we all love the dollar store) and waited here for their parents to pick them up. The next day we stayed at their place and ate out, again, to celebrate the end of another school year.
A day of rest followed, sort of, as I made a quick trip to the store and then walked over to the main building to do a couple of loads of laundry. I will admit I crashed when I came home, left the folded laundry in the basket, on my walker, too tired to put things away.
Yesterday, I spent the day with another granddaughter, some one-on-one time we haven't had for awhile. She wanted to bake, something we always used to do together, and we settled for a no bake dessert (her favorite) and making coated pretzels. Both of these are treats I usually make at the holidays, but there's nothing wrong with a Christmas sweet in July.
Today is crash day. I'm not leaving the house. I took my diuretic, having missed a few days this week, and I'm getting rid of copious amounts of retained fluid.
The thing with being busy, socially, is that I need these down days, and I have no energy for anything else. And the anything else is something creative. I have itchy fingers, want to paint, have had this idea swirling around in my head all week.
I need to find some balance, so I don't have to give up any of these important things. The grandchildren are growing up so fast, one going to university in the fall, another in her second year of high school. All of them are involved with friends and activities, so I grab some time when I can.
I know these years with them are precious, and I should give them all of my attention. The sad thing is, my time, or at least my time to create, is limited, and being creative is like breathing to me.
So, we need to find some balance: family, rest and creativity. Isn't it nice that some of these kids are into crafts. I have so much I'd love to teach them, share with them. And then I'll nap.
I picked up my grandkids from the bus on their last two days of school. The first day we came back to town and had dinner out, did some shopping (we all love the dollar store) and waited here for their parents to pick them up. The next day we stayed at their place and ate out, again, to celebrate the end of another school year.
A day of rest followed, sort of, as I made a quick trip to the store and then walked over to the main building to do a couple of loads of laundry. I will admit I crashed when I came home, left the folded laundry in the basket, on my walker, too tired to put things away.
Yesterday, I spent the day with another granddaughter, some one-on-one time we haven't had for awhile. She wanted to bake, something we always used to do together, and we settled for a no bake dessert (her favorite) and making coated pretzels. Both of these are treats I usually make at the holidays, but there's nothing wrong with a Christmas sweet in July.
Today is crash day. I'm not leaving the house. I took my diuretic, having missed a few days this week, and I'm getting rid of copious amounts of retained fluid.
The thing with being busy, socially, is that I need these down days, and I have no energy for anything else. And the anything else is something creative. I have itchy fingers, want to paint, have had this idea swirling around in my head all week.
I need to find some balance, so I don't have to give up any of these important things. The grandchildren are growing up so fast, one going to university in the fall, another in her second year of high school. All of them are involved with friends and activities, so I grab some time when I can.
I know these years with them are precious, and I should give them all of my attention. The sad thing is, my time, or at least my time to create, is limited, and being creative is like breathing to me.
So, we need to find some balance: family, rest and creativity. Isn't it nice that some of these kids are into crafts. I have so much I'd love to teach them, share with them. And then I'll nap.
Thursday, 16 June 2016
Memory Glitch
I have short term memory loss, so...I forget things. Over the years I have found systems that help keep me organized, one is making lists or notes, and another is a calendar.
The thing with the calendar, you have to write things down and check it often.
I had my annual eye exam booked for the end of May. I really needed this appointment as I have had some eye issues. But, I got confused as to the date, because I hadn't been checking the calendar. I missed my appointment, thought it was the week after it was actually scheduled.
The clinic was very understanding, allowed one missed appointment, but if it happened again, I would be charged. I rebooked and made the next appointment as scheduled.
The doctor suggested I have my peripheral vision checked, as that can be a problem for people with MS, so I booked an appointment for that test, and my annual for the next year.
Things got busy, and I suddenly remembered the appointment cards were in my wallet, I had not added them to my home calendar. When I pulled the cards out, I noticed the date of one appointment was for June 7, and it was then the 13th of June. Damn, I'd missed another appointment.
I had a friend, in her eighties, also with a memory problem. She frequently missed appointments, arrived on the wrong day, too early or too late. It bothered her, and I understood that now better than I had before. It's embarrassing, and a blatant indicator that you are no longer in total control of your faculties.
I didn't know how I was going to face the people at the clinic, and avoided that call to apologize. The appointment cards were sitting on the table, a constant reminder. I put them on the fridge and looked at the dates. It made me laugh and shake my head.
One card read June 7, but for 2017, next year, my annual appointment. The other was for September, 2016. I didn't miss my appointment after all. What a relief. It does serve as a reminder that I need to improve my calendar situation. I need one on the fridge, where I can see it often throughout the day, not the agenda I have in the drawer beside my chair.
I'm so glad I didn't make that call. I would have felt even more foolish than if I had actually missed the appointment. I know, I know, pride cometh before the fall.
The thing with the calendar, you have to write things down and check it often.
I had my annual eye exam booked for the end of May. I really needed this appointment as I have had some eye issues. But, I got confused as to the date, because I hadn't been checking the calendar. I missed my appointment, thought it was the week after it was actually scheduled.
The clinic was very understanding, allowed one missed appointment, but if it happened again, I would be charged. I rebooked and made the next appointment as scheduled.
The doctor suggested I have my peripheral vision checked, as that can be a problem for people with MS, so I booked an appointment for that test, and my annual for the next year.
Things got busy, and I suddenly remembered the appointment cards were in my wallet, I had not added them to my home calendar. When I pulled the cards out, I noticed the date of one appointment was for June 7, and it was then the 13th of June. Damn, I'd missed another appointment.
I had a friend, in her eighties, also with a memory problem. She frequently missed appointments, arrived on the wrong day, too early or too late. It bothered her, and I understood that now better than I had before. It's embarrassing, and a blatant indicator that you are no longer in total control of your faculties.
I didn't know how I was going to face the people at the clinic, and avoided that call to apologize. The appointment cards were sitting on the table, a constant reminder. I put them on the fridge and looked at the dates. It made me laugh and shake my head.
One card read June 7, but for 2017, next year, my annual appointment. The other was for September, 2016. I didn't miss my appointment after all. What a relief. It does serve as a reminder that I need to improve my calendar situation. I need one on the fridge, where I can see it often throughout the day, not the agenda I have in the drawer beside my chair.
I'm so glad I didn't make that call. I would have felt even more foolish than if I had actually missed the appointment. I know, I know, pride cometh before the fall.
Tuesday, 14 June 2016
A Reclining Read
I bought my very nice recliner chair thinking it would give me the back and upper body support I needed, and hardly ever use it to its potential. I rarely sit with it reclined.
One reason for that is it seems too much bother, all the reclining, upright to get out of the chair, recline, upright to get out of the chair. I've learned to get what I need, and have it handy, and to go to the bathroom, before I get stretched out and comfortable.
The other reason the chair is not working, is my laptop. The table I was using, which was awkward, broke. So far, I haven't figured out the new system, other than to get a new table to the left, that allows for me to slide the laptop off my lap and onto the shelf, since my computer table is gone.
Yesterday, my daughter arrived early, with a nice cup of Timmie's tea, and when she left I felt indulgent, and grabbed my book, my tea, and read for awhile with my feet up. I should have done this before.
It threw my usual morning routine off, coffee, yogurt and my must-take-with-food pills. I almost forgot the pills, good thing I leave them out as a reminder.
It was a good start to the day, a visit, a good book and a cup of tea. But all good things must come to an end. Monday is garbage day, and the day I assign to cleaning up. Garbage to the curb, dishes done, I heard my book calling me, and it was calling louder than the dust, so I gave my chair another test run. The thing about dust, it's patient, and will always be there, waiting for me.
One reason for that is it seems too much bother, all the reclining, upright to get out of the chair, recline, upright to get out of the chair. I've learned to get what I need, and have it handy, and to go to the bathroom, before I get stretched out and comfortable.
The other reason the chair is not working, is my laptop. The table I was using, which was awkward, broke. So far, I haven't figured out the new system, other than to get a new table to the left, that allows for me to slide the laptop off my lap and onto the shelf, since my computer table is gone.
Yesterday, my daughter arrived early, with a nice cup of Timmie's tea, and when she left I felt indulgent, and grabbed my book, my tea, and read for awhile with my feet up. I should have done this before.
It threw my usual morning routine off, coffee, yogurt and my must-take-with-food pills. I almost forgot the pills, good thing I leave them out as a reminder.
It was a good start to the day, a visit, a good book and a cup of tea. But all good things must come to an end. Monday is garbage day, and the day I assign to cleaning up. Garbage to the curb, dishes done, I heard my book calling me, and it was calling louder than the dust, so I gave my chair another test run. The thing about dust, it's patient, and will always be there, waiting for me.
Sunday, 12 June 2016
Striving to Keep Doing
Out on a road trip with my granddaughter yesterday, taking pictures, we stopped at an abandoned country school, and found the door open, but were to scared to venture in.
We were laughing at our fright, being creeped out by the silent, empty building, and by the idea of being caught inside, when it was posted private property.
I'll admit I'm gutless, I thought my youthful companion might have been braver, but no.
As we drove away we made up our excuses, if we had been caught. She had her age on her side, as did I, and I had the disabled bit to back me up.
She was going to tell the police, or whatever authority might have questioned us that she was helping her poor, old granny live out a desire to take some pictures...while she could still get out and around.
We laughed, but it's not that far from the truth. I use a cane, walk better with the walker, so there are many places where I might like to take photos that are now off limits, not because they are posted No Trespassing, but because I am not as mobile, or agile, as I used to be.
These trips out are another example of my positive thinking...and doing. I may never do anything with the photos, but I enjoyed the idea of the artistic challenge, and of course, the companionship. It was a win/win day.
We were laughing at our fright, being creeped out by the silent, empty building, and by the idea of being caught inside, when it was posted private property.
I'll admit I'm gutless, I thought my youthful companion might have been braver, but no.
As we drove away we made up our excuses, if we had been caught. She had her age on her side, as did I, and I had the disabled bit to back me up.
She was going to tell the police, or whatever authority might have questioned us that she was helping her poor, old granny live out a desire to take some pictures...while she could still get out and around.
We laughed, but it's not that far from the truth. I use a cane, walk better with the walker, so there are many places where I might like to take photos that are now off limits, not because they are posted No Trespassing, but because I am not as mobile, or agile, as I used to be.
These trips out are another example of my positive thinking...and doing. I may never do anything with the photos, but I enjoyed the idea of the artistic challenge, and of course, the companionship. It was a win/win day.
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