Friday, April 24 (Day 44): Woke up with an aching jaw and a headache.
Rainy day. Cold and gloomy.
I never remember my dreams anymore, since my second brain aneurysm rupture in 2017 (I used to have vivid dreams before that!). So I have no idea if I'm having nightmares about the virus or what. Usually, only a vague feeling of uneasiness lingers after I wake up. Do you remember your dreams during this pandemic? Are they often nightmarish?
Because of the headache, which lasted most of the day, I couldn't read the new book that arrived on the 22nd. Rats! I was really looking forward to starting This is My Brain in Love by I.W. Gregorio (my friend, Ilene Wong). Tomorrow, definitely.
Leftovers for dinner and watched another episode of Monty Python's Personal Best.
Saturday, April 25 (Day 45): Read a few chapters of This is My Brain in Love and it's delightful! Such a lovely escape. And wow, would it make a great movie. So visual. I can just picture these two teens and the Chinese restaurant and even though I've never been to Utica, I can picture it too. That's the sign of a great writer!
I made a sign for my mother for Mother's Day. Since we can't go visit her on Mother's Day, her lifecare facility is doing an in-house TV show, putting together photos from relatives of the residents. So my husband took a photo of me holding up the "Happy Mother's Day, Mom/Grandmom, We love you and miss you" sign. Then I emailed it to our sons, who will add their own photos into it, and make a kind of collage.
Today was a gorgeous day! This is the day we've been waiting for. Took a lovely long walk around our entire neighborhood. And because it was Saturday, lots of kids were out on bikes, and plenty of parents out walking too.
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| I love this neighbor's Eastern Redbud tree! Wish we had one. |
Saw something I'd never seen before during a walk: a neighbor, walking a few feet behind his little kids, was carrying a glass of red wine! My husband and I laughed and I said, "Now, that's a walk!"
Burgers for dinner. Watched the last episode of Monty Python's Personal Best.
Sunday, April 26 (Day 46): Another rainy day and I accomplished very little. No headache this time, at least. I did a little writing upstairs, while my husband attended church online downstairs. This is how we live now.
Did a load of laundry, which I decided would be my main accomplishment for the day. Ha! But I also read several chapters of This is My Brain in Love. And I'm totally in love with it and with the characters! Buy this book, people! It's entertaining and thought-provoking and a delightful escape from the pandemic. Plus the two main characters are so real. Here's a link to bookshop if you'd like to buy it.
Baked a casserole for dinner, along with roasted sweet potatoes, my new favorite vegetable.
Decided to watch the Downton Abbey movie again, on demand. Mainly to see Queen Mary (because she also played Marilla in Anne With an E!)
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| From IMDB |
The first time we watched this film was in the theater last year -- in fact, that was the last movie we saw in a movie theater. Can't imagine doing that ever again! Social distancing has become so ingrained in our lives now.
What I really can't imagine doing is going on a cruise ever again. We love travel but it's definitely off the radar for the foreseeable future.
Monday, April 27 (Day 47): My husband had to have Mohs surgery to remove a large basal cell carcinoma on the top of his bald head. He'd already put it off a month. He was worried about going in to the dermatologist's office, but they assured him they only allow a few patients in at a time, the chairs are spaced far apart in the waiting room, and everyone has to wear a mask (patients, as well as doctors and nurses) They also had plenty of hand sanitizer. They wouldn't have let him in the door if he wasn't wearing a mask. Luckily, we have some!
The horrible part? It took four hours! I was home waiting for him (I had my own telemedicine appointment with our family doctor) and was going crazy because he wasn't home and didn't text or call. I couldn't imagine why it took so long. He was exhausted when he got home and I advised him to simply rest for the remainder of the day. Whew! We're both glad that's over.
Pasta for dinner.
Tuesday, April 28: I read several more chapters of This is My Brain in Love. Ilene, you really have a winner here! I want to keep reading because I'm so absorbed in the story and the characters, but at the same time, I need this book to last! I'm so in love with it.
With my husband resting after his surgery, I took a walk alone.
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| Not sure what these tiny wildflowers are, but they certainly say "Spring" to me! |
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| A bit of leftover tar from when the road was patched. What creature do you see here? |
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| Our back yard, getting greener every day. |
Leftovers for dinner. Watched the first episode of "Godless" on Netflix.
COVID-19 World stats as of April 28 (from The Guardian):
Confirmed cases: 3,113,447
Confirmed deaths: 216,929
In the US, as of April 28 (from the CDC):
Confirmed cases: 981,246
Confirmed deaths: 55,258
News sources have made much of the fact that the US now has about a third of the cases in the world. Trying to open up the economy again, and let people go out and mingle, doesn't seem like a smart move to me.
Stay safe, everyone! Stay home.
Tell me, do you have nightmares about this pandemic? Do you remember your dreams at all?
I have been having some unpleasant dreams, but not more than usual. What seems to be different is that I remember them!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for your review of This Is My Brain In Love!
So sorry you remember your unpleasant dreams, Michael. That's not much fun at all. Ha! By the time I actually review This is My Brain in Love, I'll have talked about it constantly on this blog!
DeleteI have been having some weird dreams. I am sure some stress is causing the weird dreams- for me at least.
ReplyDeleteGlad your headache and jaw pain is gone. Sorry to hear about the stress you were under during your husband's procedure. Happy to hear it all turned out okay!
Awesome that you are enjoying your book!
Stay safe!
~Jess
Jess, so sorry you've been having weird dreams. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the stress of this pandemic is causing them.
DeleteThanks. Yeah, we're both happy that his procedure is over. And he's healing nicely, so that's a positive thing on which to focus.
I don't often remember my dreams, but I haven't been bothered by nightmares. I take melatonin so I have pretty weird dreams anyway. I like your little tar creature. Looks like a heron to me. How awful that your husband's surgery took so long. And he had to drive himself? Wow. My brother-in-law is in the hospital with some heart issues and my sister can't visit him or directly hear what the doctors are saying. Very frustrating. I'm glad you have found a book you are loving and that you are getting some writing done. That's great. I just can't write. Keep on keepin' on. I am enjoying the diary.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you don't have nightmares, Rosi. And that was one reason I stopped taking melatonin years ago -- the other reason was it only guaranteed me four hours of sleep and then I'd feel groggy all day! You're the first one who mentioned the little tar creature. Yes! I see a heron too. My husband had to drive himself because I don't drive since my second rupture, and asking a friend to drive him would mean being closer than six feet. He'd called and asked ahead of time if he would be okay to drive himself home and they assured him he would! That must be frustrating for your sister not being able to visit her husband in the hospital or hear what the doctors are saying. Can't the doctors call her? I'm sorry you can't write yet. Hope it comes back eventually. Thanks for your kind words, Rosi.
DeleteI've been having weirder dreams than I normally do during all this, but the coronavirus specifically doesn't usually come up. I'm glad you're enjoying This Is My Brain In Love—it sounds great! The slideshow your mother's home is putting on is a great idea! And I'm sorry your husband had to go in to have surgery—that's especially unpleasant right now! Thanks for the great post, as always! (And I love the little tar-crane photo!)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Completely! (I wish I knew your real name!) My husband's scar is healing nicely, but it still looks awful! And he's still in pain. Glad you could see the little tar crane. My husband doesn't see it that way!
DeleteI saw a crane with his long beak pointed to the sky.
ReplyDeleteYes! That's what I see, Marcy. For some odd reason, my husband can't see that. He doesn't see a creature at all, just a blob of tar!
DeleteHow cool that you're writing a journal -- very cathartic and who knows what you'll do with it. You may have grandchildren/great granchildren some day studying this period and can read how you coped. I love your beautiful back yard! Would be nice if you could spend more time outdoors when the weather cooperates.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patricia! I hope there's a good reason for doing this. And yes, you're right. It's very cathartic. Thanks for the kind words. As it warms up, we'll be outside a lot more. Stay safe!
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