Views from the Bridge

Just joined a Golden Retriever interest group on Vox.  At the moment it's small.

Here are the photos of my Golden Retriever, Meka that I posted there.  For anyone who doesn't know, Meka is my assistance dog.  We've been partners for five years, now.

Meka

PeaceableKingdom

Finally got around to posting the little snippet of video that I took during brunch on Mother's Day; a recent visit to Andrew and Becca's apartment and a glimpse of Matt at work at Rocky Sullivan's.

5 26 08 - MattAtWk

These were taken on April 24 and 28, some of the first really warm days we've had.

It's been quite some time between posts.

As of last week, my voice is back and reliable again and the energy levels are starting to come back to normal, though stamina is still variable.

That episode took most of a full month to resolve and I'm not sad to see it go.

The holidays have come and gone and even though I wasn't feeling great, we had a good Christmas and New Year; including visits with friends and family. 

One of the things that happened during that time, which probably had more to do with the dearth of postings, is that my ibook's display died due to a malfunction in the logic board.  I'd had one replacement previously under a warranty extension program but was unable to get it fixed this time.  It's kind of surprising what a commitment it feels like to sit at the computer desk rather than bed or "the comfy chair" to go online and do anything but the most basic email and site checks.

I've just committed, what for me is major money into a new laptop which I'm hoping should see me through the next five years or so, as did my last.  I was able to save my data, which is resting comfortably on a hard drive and when the new computer gets here I can decide what I need and what I don't.

Here are a few photos, a couple of views from our apartment window, 2 animal-related.

Christmas is past and New Year is looming.

I would like to write something profound about the movement from old to new or cycles or something, but I'm too tired.

I've got some kind of upper respiratory infection and a case of laryngitis.  I called for a doctor's appointment and after making one, the assistant called back to tell me that when she heard my voice she felt compelled to speak to the doctor about it.  They called in a prescription for an antibiotic and told me that if I didn't feel improvement, I should start the antibiotic, even before the appoinment.

I waited a few more days for the conservative measures to work but after becoming completely voiceless, and completely exhausted, finally decided to go for the antibiotic.  Let's see what happens.  I sure would like to be able to say "Happy New Year!" in something more than a hoarse, low volume whisper.

Spent the day at home after a brief visit from our friend Dotty and an exchange of greetings and gifts.  A kind of strange visit since I couldn't really speak, but pleasant nonetheless - a mixture of gesture, whisper, use of computer speech.

My voice is really pretty well gone.  I used the last of it to croak out a pathetic (and probably pretty funny) voicemail greeting telling folk to leave a message and my husband might get back to them or email me. I'm not answering the phone. It's funny that people are either wildly sympathetic or vastly amused by laryngitis (I suspect that it's probably both).

I don't feel as absolutely sick as I did late last week, but I'm really exhausted.

So, I've been watching TV or using the computer all day, so that I can get a head start on my upcoming carpal tunnel syndrome flare- stay tuned.

Below is a photo from our Christmas celebration. It shows my two sons, me and the tree.

Yuletide Joy

What's the best gift you received this year?

I think that the fact that we had our family and friends to dinner on Christmas and had a wonderful time. 

My son and his wife had initially invited us to their home for the celebration but  because I was starting to feel sick upon further thought and discussion we came to the decison to have the celebration here at our house and have all of the principals provide one or two dishes rather than one peson be responsible for everything when time is so short and everyone has so maany respo.

One of my friends volunteered to disjoint a turkey and have it ready to cook. My son and his wife voulnteered to make sides and appetizers.

An added bonus was that three of my "material" gifts turned out to be very helpful with the dinner prep--a new knife set, a grinding attachment for the kitchen.                                                                         

I prepared the spacel; cleaned and decorated; baked cookies.  Other attendees brought more bakeery goods, drinks.

I was able to just enjoy my company and nobody else seemed too stressed.

My younger son has only recently moved into his own apartment ; the elder, though out of the house longer, has only been living in back in Brooklyn since last December . So, this is the first time both sons, and their significant others were here under one roof, in their new roles.

Below is a photo of Andrew,Matthew, me and our tree on Christmas Day.

Yuletide Joy