Jeff

Monday morning Ma texted all four of us kids that our cousin Jeff had gone into the hospital in Portsmouth, NH for pneumonia and sepsis. 

Yesterday she let us know he had been moved to Boston because it was an issue with his pacemaker.

I woke up this morning to a text from Ma that he had passed away in the early morning... He was 55, born only a few months before I was.

I replied and said I'd talk to her & Dad tomorrow, because I am not good with death, and I didn't want to be around anyone else for at least a day. After a surge of emotion and a welling up of tears I tried to live a normal day. It happened so quickly that it doesn't seem real.

At 2:00 I drove to Starbucks for a white chocolate mocha and a free bag of 2024 Anniversary Blend whole bean coffee, then it was down to the lake for the second day in a row. I walked my usual route with Chillhop Essentials - Fall 2018 in my ears. It was sunny and 60, so I hung out until 3:30 reading Asimov's Science Fiction magazine while drinking my coffee and enjoying the fresh air on this darkest of days, trying my best to blot out what had happened. It wasn't easy, but it was somewhat peaceful at least. 

Good-bye Jeff, you were always my favorite cousin, and it's not going to be the same without you around...

Best Soap Ever

Many years ago (sometime between 1998 - 2005) when I was on one of my island trips to Nantucket I found a soap in a local store that had the best scent I'd ever smelled. I'd never been able to find it after that on the mainland, and often lamented it's lack of availability.

Fast forward to a few years ago and I accidentally came across it on Amazon in the form of Primal Elements - Rain Scent. It's only $6.95 for 5.8 oz on Amazon, with a $1.80 shipping fee (as of the date of this post), and it is totally worth it for the scent alone. And it's also great on the skin, and lasts a decent amount of time for the price & size. I might actually buy in bulk one of these days, and spring for an entire loaf.

New Toy

After many weeks of trying, cooking and enjoying new foods from East Asia I decided to get a wok and go all-in. Ramen, soy sauce and various meats & vegetables will now be supplemented with udon noodles, soba noodles, and various stir frying experiments. I'm having so much fun lately!

Autumn Plans

2 weeks ago I decided to make some changes in my eating habits. I'm trying to avoid the following, until at least November 1st, unless someone else provides them when I visit:

• Beer
• Pizza
• Bacon
• Cheese

So far, so good.

Also I have been exercising more, by going to the lake to walk and/or float & swim.

And I have been doing 'Spring Cleaning' for the last few weeks as well, tossing or donating things I don't need or want any more; swapping out old mugs for ones collecting dust on my shelves; weeding out books; and gathering a lot of my comics to sell in bulk.

I plan on arriving in California at the end of November at least 20 pounds lighter & tighter, and sailing into 2024 with a great new job, and a jumpstart to my fitness.

COVID

 Wow.

After 4 years of being on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic, I finally came down with it yesterday, and it was confirmed with a home test today.

I was watching far too much tv yesterday ("The Expanse", "New Girl", etc...) and I was becoming more and more achy all evening. I finally went to bed at the ungodly early hour of 8:30 pm! I had chills - I never wear a shirt to bed, and I even added another blanket. I tossed and turned all night, waking every couple of hours from many bizarre and/or cool fever dreams (I had an actual fever midway through the night, and removed the aforementioned shirt and blanket). Thankfully Chumble kept me company, the sweet kitty!

I woke at 8:00 am and texted Ma and Jean Marie to see if they had COVID home test kits, and JM brought a few over at 9:30. I also texted work to let them know my status. I had a bowl of cereal and then went back to bed, and wound up sleeping until 3:00 pm. Then I took the test, and 20 minutes later, it showed a 'positive' result. So I let work know the definite situation, and now I have the next several days off to deal with what are mostly flu-like symptoms, thankfully: itchy eyes, headache ('sore' teeth), phlegm, some coughing, and mild body aches. No trouble with breathing, which I had when I got my first vaccination shot.

Hopefully it passes quickly, so I don't waste my regularly-scheduled days off (Monday & Tuesday) laid up!

Back, for the Foreseeable Future

Well, la dee FRICKIN' da!

Because the other two managers at work are both slobs who constantly leave things in the wrong spot "for now", I was busy Tuesday night cleaning up and organizing the stockroom, and making space for the next truck. Lo and behold, I hurt my back, yet again.

So from 6:30 pm until Will & I left at 9:45 I hobbled around, and made arrangements for a medical leave of who knows how long.

After yesterday's doctor visit I am off work at least through next Wednesday, with a Thursday return. 

Today Ma was kind enough to do a small food shop for me (and she went her usual generously overboard as always - thanks, Ma!). And I've been dealing with phonecalls and paperwork as it arrives.

*sigh*