Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! I hope you get lots of chocolate or whatever thrills you the most!

Things have been quiet here as I am still recovering from the sinus infection and shingles. Still having some pain and sensitivity in the places the rash was the worst. I haven't really felt like doing much with my head aching and trying to get caught up at work has left me exhausted in the evenings. The weather has been a mixed bag again. Up in the 50's and down in the teens in the same week. Rain, snow, ice all in the same day. Envying Linda down in Australia where it is summer now. The cats and dogs are beginning to live together in peace and there have even been attempts to play together. Smoke is growing and will soon be as big as his mamma. I will have to get pictures of him to post. He is not completely black. He has grey on his belly and butt. It looks like he sat in something when he walks. So cute! Of course, he doesn't like it when we laugh at him. He is a loving and annoying little fellow. He curls up and sleeps on my lap in the evening so he can be wide awake when we go to bed. Then we lay in bed listening to him romp through the house and back and forth over the bed and the dogs until he finally settles down again. Mamma cat loves to sit on the back of our chairs in the evening but she has a fascination with our hair. When she first goes up on the back of the chair we have to put our hands over our hair and tell her NO to get her not to try to chew on our hair. She needs to get to the vet soon to be fixed but we are still not sure how she is going to react to crates and cars.

Vacation Bible School planning has begun. We are doing another Holyland Adventure - Jerusalem Marketplace. The VBS will be in June but I am working on the crafts now. So far just on the computer looking for affordable alternatives to the expensive or otherwise not suitable crafts in the kits. Thinking of trying rolled beeswax candles with the kids. I have been reading up on it and think we can handle this. We have dreidels left from two years ago that we can use for another craft. Basket weaving is another possibility but I need something that all ages can do. Jewelry making is a must. Plenty of shells left from last year and the kids loved those. Lots to think about and time is flying for this.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Back Again

Ever had shingles? I have just had two very bad weeks. It started with a sensation of extreme tenderness on my chest and right arm. The sensation progressed to a feeling similar to a scalding burn. Then red areas appeared. Then the rash. At first, I thought I picked up something off the dogs' coats from them being outside. Then reality. Shingles! The rash was worst on my chest and shoulder then ran down my right arm and even onto the palm of my hand. I thought it was just a rash that would itch for a while and then I'd be fine. But two weeks later I am still recovering slowly. Part of the problem for me was a bad reaction to the anti-viral medication. I was supposed to take it for 10 days. I managed 5 before stopping. The side effect headache it gave me was worse than any headache I have ever had. The image I have of the headache is like an earthquake seismograph that is recording very strong very fast tremors. Dense and jagged. Horrible! Then my lowered resistance resulted in a bad sinus infection and pressure headaches and dizziness. Back to the doctor for more medication. Side effects include -- headache and dizziness! How do I tell which is which now?

But I am improving and plan on returning to work today. I was off work at first because of the extreme sensitivity of the rash (I could not bear anything touching it) then the side effect headache then the new sinus infection and dizziness.

Seems like all I have done lately is report on illness. Things will get better.