Just A Few Things

This week has been a blur. This blog post is also a jumble.

The weather has been overcast and rainy, windy and raw. I've been struggling with sinus headaches. I've been working out every morning.

I've been planning all the dinners, shopping and preparing the meals. Two nights in a row, I made vegan entrees (the black bean and rice burritos and the lentil dhal from www.thebuddhistchef.com.) They were excellent. I've been doing the dishes and keeping the house as clean as possible.

Lentil Dhal

I've been running up to my neighbor's barn almost every day to help out with the horse, Big Mack (his owner has been suffering with serious back outage.) That includes picking the stall and paddock, grooming, and hand walking and grazing time.

On Monday morning (or was it Tuesday?), we had a couple from Pennsylvania come look at the house. They made friends with my neighbor last year, and are very motivated to purchase a home in this area. A deal fell through for them, so my neighbor suggested this place to them. I would make a really shitty realtor. I couldn't help but point out all of the things wrong with the place - of which there are many. But also, over the weekend, Don and I had discussions about possibly waiting one more year to put it on the market... I haven't fully committed to that idea yet, but there are a few good enough reasons to consider it. I heard from my neighbor yesterday afternoon that the husband liked it (saw the potential in the place) but the wife "didn't care for it." Not surprised. The place kind of is a dump, in my opinion. "NICE LOCATION, though!" Yea yea yea.

Last week, I got a message from Terry's social worker that he was in intensive care. The levels of ammonia got too high in his liver and he went down. He was in for a few days, and I thought he might die, but he pulled through. I called him on the phone the afternoon before he was set to be released and sent back to the nursing home. He hates it at the nursing home. I told him to pretend he's sick so he could stay in the hospital longer.. he had a private room there. Poor guy. He's miserable.

Tuesday afternoon, I drove over to Harvest Hills Animal Shelter Thrift Shop and donated some more things.. lamps, dishes, random Christmas ornaments, stuff like that. Then I kept going into Fryeburg center and stopped at the wonderful little health food store, The Spice & Grain. Got some more coriander powder in bulk, two packages of the Japanese incense that I love, more Meyer's counter spray, and even found a bottle of my new favorite face toner, along with a couple of other things. I love that little shop.

Wednesday morning, over morning coffee, Don announced he was feeling unwell. Body aches, stuffed head, coughing. He's been under tremendous pressure with his work the last few weeks, and though he felt like hell, he sat at his desk all day to work anyway, because he had no choice. I made him a cup of hot water with honey, lemon and cinnamon, and then later went down town and picked up his favorite cold remedy, a box of Emergen-C, cough drops, and a 5 pound whole chicken. In between reading Phyllis's wonderful book "Looking Back From The Gate," I spent the whole rainy afternoon making a broth with the chicken, and then made up a big batch of chicken and vegetable soup. He had a bowl and was in bed before 8 p.m.

Last night, I made chicken pot pie out of the left over chicken. Again, he was in bed by 8 p.m. This morning he says he feels a bit better - but I know it's going to drag out for a while. At least he's over the worst of it.

So. Yea. I've been picking up the slack. And trying to keep in touch with family and friends. And trying to keep focused on the band stuff. And trying to keep the house running, the bills paid, the cat fed, the cabinets stocked. And take care of myself.

Brand new vocal monitors - just arrived this morning!

Today, finally - Friday - at last - there is a bit of sunshine.