Happy New Year... Late

We made it! I wasn't sure for a moment there but we arrived, only a little worse for wear.

My I've been away for a while. I've sort of fallen off the grid with this particular blog. To be honest, I've been ill for months, since November, with a hideous cold. I won't go into great detail but NaNoWriMo started in November and things were going well until about the second week. I had a cold that got worse and required antibiotics but despite that, it blew my NaNo to bits. Had it not been for my co-ML and another participant, I don't know what I'd have done. By the first week of December, I thought I was better.

That lasted a week and I was down again with a second round of the cold. This required a second round of antibiotics and I had to come off all of my RA meds for three weeks. I was sick until the first week of 2017. I began to feel human again. But the last several weeks I've battled fatigue that has made it impossible to do anything for more than a couple of hours a day.

I've been trying to write more if I can stay well and awake enough. I told a friend recently I was ready to give up on my writing. It is depressing to sit down and find that you can't think and you don't know what to do or even how to do it. I've been writing all my life and to reach this point is very discouraging.

I discovered over the holiday that Google Docs has a voice typing feature. My computer has a program installed just for that purpose and I've tried it a few times but it just wasn't very good. I could buy a dication program but they are ridiculously expensive and the reviews all say similar things about the inefficiency and need to extensive training. So, this morning I did a short session with Google Docs using the voice typing. I was astounded. It was error free. The biggest drawback was that I am ignorant of the commands to make edits. I'm going to go check for those and see how well it performs. I'm kind of excited about the idea because some days I am not well enough to sit in a chair for a few hours but I think it might be possible to write if I could voice type. We'll see.

As I said, I've done nothing this year so far. We're 15 days in and I've only about 500 words to show for it and a couple of bedrooms switched around. Sarah decided she wanted the full-sized bed instead of the twin. Frankly, it is better in her room. The twin fits better in the smaller room and I'm going to get it set up as a play area for her. She still doesn't like her dolls in her room and they can now have their own space and she'll be able to play with them much easier. They'll even have some drawers for their clothes.

I have plans to do some traveling this year. I don't know about very long trips. My problems with my RA and the fatigue are very inhibiting. I'm kind of afraid of getting off somewhere and being too ill to drive home. Driving with the fatigue is very scary. I had to go someone a week or so ago and it was terrible. I was terrified I'd have an accident because I was unable to focus well. I'm a good driver and never had an accident or a ticket but this was so bad I knew I had to get out of the car. I came home and immediately crashed in my chair for three hours. I slept so hard I felt drugged when I woke up.

Okay, think that's enough for now and it gets me started. I really ought to get a plan for blog posts. I don't think more than a half dozen folks really read this blog but at least it keeps me writing. It was always just a journal and several times I've considered closing it. But it gives me a place to just natter on about the trivial life I live. Sometimes people comment and I  love that. The other two blogs are more directed and I find it easier at times to post there than here.

I hope those of you who are reading have a wonderful new year, wherever you are and however you celebrate. I pray for blessings and grace in your life and may you have only great joy this year and beyond. Thank you for coming by and I hope you'll return. If not, Happy New Year anyway.

A Day Shopping 12/29/2016

Where Have I Been?

No idea. Things have sort of been chaotic. I've been sick... twice. In November, during NaNo, I caught a monster cold the second week. Got antibiotics on the 16th and spent the next two weeks, including Thanksgiving sick. I flunked NaNo, barely able to get 5000 words.

I had a week's respite before the second monster cold hit me. I suspect a relapse. I battled it two more weeks and on the 19th, I got another round of antibiotics.

I am STILL battling this cold. I still have a runny nose, despite the doctor's assertion that I have an upper respiratory infection and the antibiotic would clear that up. I still am coughing and I can tell you my right lung is not letting go of the crud without a serious fight. I haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks because I can't wear my CPAP mask. I wake up choking and coughing and have to take it off. The coughing is beginning to lessen and there is less junk in my chest but I'm telling you, it has been bad.

As a result of the second round of antibiotics, I have to stay off my RA meds more than just a week. My immune system is so suppressed that I'm catching everything. At the moment, I've been about 5 days with no meds and I was due for the Humira shot on Monday. I skipped it. I am just thankful that at the moment, my pain is not an issue. When you can't breathe, some things just become unimportant to the brain I guess.

That being said, I had a relatively calm Thanksgiving with my family here in town.  I helped Sarah's mom move into her new apartment. I am going to miss them. I miss little Madi toddling around getting into stuff and giving me morning kisses. It was nice to have someone to talk to and go shopping with once in a while. I suspect I'll pop around regularly to get my kisses. The house was alive again for a bit.

Christmas has also been nice. My youngest son is in with his family from Arkansas. Tonight we decorated the tree, which is a good indicator of how much better I am feeling. I had it up before the 19th last year. This year, I was seriously thinking who needs a tree. But with the help of my granddaughter Alyssa, we had it up in no time and it looks good. I did not put up all my decorations, as I would have liked. Who needs decorations.

So, that's what the last two months have been like. I don't have a clear memory of much else because it all passed in a blur of coughing crud and snot. Yes, I said snot. I need to buy stock in tissue companies in the worst way.

I hope all who are reading this will have a wonderful Christmas holiday. My you find the true reason for the season in your own life. I celebrate the birth of the Savior.

On The Mend

I believe I'm on the mend. I'm coughing less and feeling less achy. I have a headache tonight but I have nearly every day I've been sick, particularly since I started  the antibiotic. I'm also off my RA meds for the time being until the cold is clear. So I could be having pain due to either one or both. I am very tired tonight so will not be doing much on this post. 

I start the week hoping I can knock out at least another 5000 words on my NaNo novel. As I mentioned, this is a previous NaNo novel that was near completion. I'm not stressing about it but it would be nice to start Dec. 1 with a completed draft. I think 5k is a stretch. I don't think it will take that much more to finish. Still, that's my goal, at any rate. I've got a plan in mind to work on the draft, i.e. rewrite, through next November. My next goal would be to edit that draft and get some feedback. 

We'll have to see. I've been known to get very ill when I make such plans. I'll tackle one goal at a time. I'm hoping that the meds will continue to work and I can keep my brain going. 

So, this is good night. 

It's Over!

I'm sitting in front of the fire, in my recliner feeling like yesterday's sludge. I have a cold that keeps hanging on. It has toyed with me for over a week now. I suppose I need to get some meds but when you take about 25 pills a day you don't want to add new ones.

The election is over and I doubt anyone is any happier than I. Trump is triumphant and 50% of the population is in a panic thinking they're going to be assaulted by Republican zombies or stripped of citizenship. Sad that the media has created this environment. If they stuck to political facts instead of personal attacks... well that's not going to happen.

What I find highly amusing is the illegals protesting. You have no voice in this election. No right to complain about our process. Go back to Mexico and straighten out your own country. We got this. Despite your belief, the Constitution only applies to citizens rights, not illegals.

Whew! Sorry about that. It just ticked me off seeing criminals protesting our government. This is the kind of thing Americans are angry about. This is OUR country. If you don't like our laws, get out.

I reviewed my blog posts and I'm very lax about this blog these days. I rarely post here anymore. It has always been more of a journal and I haven't felt a need to journal in recent months. I've either been too sick or too tired or too busy. Not so much drama either. And I've specialized the other two blogs so that takes a lot of what would normally be here. I suspect this blog is dying a slow death. Sad in a way. I started it in 2005 I think, 11 years ago. Lots of life happened.

I'm leaving to listen to the fire popping and try and nap. Only 5 hrs sleep last night and the cold have left me feeling bad.

Why yes, that is a Youtube fireplace.