Tag: health stuff

Yeah, still sick

Thursday. Blue skies, cold, tiny glittering snowflakes drifting about in the light breeze.

Yep, still sick. In fact, I feel somewhat less well than I felt yesterday, when I felt sick enough to go back to the clinic.

The plan for the day is to drag the laptop and a couple of research books to the Command Chair, in order to make some notes in between staring out the window and drinking tea. I’ve already set up the timer for med intakes.

Breakfast was oatmeal with the last of the cranberry nut mix as inclusions, with a side of cottage cheese. Lunch — I have various soups, and also salad things, so lunch will be Something.

And that’s all I’ve got. Hopefully, the meds will start kicking viral butt, and improvement will be swift.

What’re y’all doing today?

Anything can happen day

What went before:  On this day in 2024, we here at the Confusion Factory found that our podcast at Legendarium regarding Hellspark and why you should read it right now had aired.  This is the last podcast Steve and I did.  Here’s the link.

Yesterday, I was pointed to this ancient blog post regarding the craft of writing, which I offer to those who may be interested.

Wednesday. Sunny and cool.

Breakfast was hummus and naan, cheese and crackers, dreamberries, and tea. Second cup of tea just finished brewing.

I? Am sick. Again. I s’pose I should go back to the clinic, only — I don’ wanna. So, I’m drinking my second cup of tea while I type this broadcast to the universe, after which I will dispatch my duty to the cats, and then I’ll go to the clinic and chat with them about checking for opportunistic pneumonia. Steve two or three times “got over” a bad cold only to land in the ER with pneumonia, and while I wouldn’t have told you my late bout with the flu was anything like “bad,” I am so not a doctor. . .

What else? Ah. As reported yesterday, there will be no (NO) hardcover edition of Sea Wrack and Changewind. I’m very sorry, but my skills proved inadequate to the task. Those who desire a paper copy may of course purchase the trade paper edition (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948465299). The ebook edition remains available wherever electrons are sold.

Facebook tells me that “a friend” has reported a profile that is pretending to be me. FB assures me that it is investigating, and if it’s found that this profile violates “community standards,” it will be deleted. I suppose if it’s not found to violate “community standards” it will be allowed to remain, at which time I will either vanish in a puff of pearl-grey smoke OR there will be two of me, and we can share the housework. Watch the skies.

. . . I think that’s all the news. I’ll try to report in later, hoping that it’s NOT from the ER (oh. NOTE TO SELF: Put KIND bars in backpack).

Everybody stay safe, and healthy. And if you feel so moved, please share pictures of your pets.

Doctor, Doctor, Mister MD

What went before:  Yesterday was all errands all day.  The cover art for Diviner’s Bow is with the framer, and I should have it back by mid-February.  There came up for discussion the always interesting question of which band did the superior version of “Good Lovin'” — the Grateful Dead or the Young Rascals.  Facebook is leaning toward the Rascals.  I now open the question up to those reading here.  Here’s the Dead’s version.   Here’s the Rascals’ version.

Onward.

Tuesday. Cloudy and cool. Snowed a tiny bit on the overnight. Trash and recycling at the curb.

Woke up sneezing and hacking, so — no sewing circle for me today. Grr. I did mask everywhere I went yesterday, and a good thing too, I’m thinking.

Breakfast was an English muffin with cream cheese and an orange. I only have two of the little oranges left. *adds to list* Lunch will be … um.

Rookie decided to help me choose my day wear this morning, and as a result got locked in a closet for a few minutes. I called him; he answered; and I let him out. It’s nice to have a cat who answers when he’s called.

Having been let out, he had to go get Grandpa to Show Him, I suppose, but neither one could get the door open again.

So, I guess today is stay at home and poke at things, but not too energetically.

I think my next audiobook will be Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, another frequent reread for me. I finished reading Midlife in Gretna Green last night. I had a good time with it, and there are six (?) more, I hear.

The backbrain has been providing snips of scenes and various insights for the next book, so Not Writing is paying its dividends. I plan to continue Not Writing today.

What are your plans for the day?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Return of Winter, Part Three

What went before:  Discussions yesterday led to the realization that Diviner’s Bow represents the fastest turnaround from manuscript to eARC that I, personally, have participated in.  Bearing in mind that the book was due on November 15, this is the timeline: WIP handed in on October 28, line edits received on November 14, copy edits received on December 8, galleys received on December 23, eARC on-sale January 8.

No wonder I’m tired.

Also! for those who missed yesterday’s exciting announcement, you may now purchase, from Baen.com and only from Baen.com, the Diviner’s Bow eARC.  Here’s your link.

As has been our pleasant custom, a private parlor for spoiler discussions has been opened so that those who read the eARC can talk about it without spoiling the story for those readers who prefer to wait for other editions to be published.  Here’s the link to the Diviner’s Bow Spoiler Space.

That brings us current, I think, so!  Onward to!

Thursday, grey and cold. Snowed a tiny bit on the overnight, enough to give the Long Backyard a Wintry Air.

Breakfast was oatmeal with raisins and walnuts. Second cup of tea brewing. Lunch will be chili.

I’m declaring myself flu-free; 24 hours off of Robitussin, hacking non-present, sneezing ditto, no fever for days.

Today is a No-I-Am-NOT-Writing day. The crazy rush on Diviner’s Bow — where I got the edit letter the day before the book was due — may have broken my brain. Not really. Only a sprain, I’m sure. Still, if this is going to be the New Crazy, I’m going to have to take steps to protect myself, so that I can deliver the books that are still under contract. It might be I’ll need to extend the extension for the next book, because I never did get the downtime (being sick is not downtime) I thought I was gaining after I turned in …Bow.

In any case — today I’ll be catching up around the house, changing out the cat fountains (which should have been done days ago, ref “sick” above, and my cats are saints) maybe watching a documentary about lighthouses if I can track it down again, and other Light non-writing Amusements.

I also need to give some consideration to on-going brain care. I’ve mentioned before that I have a very busy brain. If I don’t keep it occupied — not stressed, occupied — it turns on itself, which is … not optimal. For 46 years, I lived inside a vortex of intellectual and creative stimulation, and as much as that might’ve made other people crazy, it was what kept me functional.

Isn’t Life interesting?

Speaking of Interesting — Who’s finished reading Diviner’s Bow? Show of hands, if you please! *raises three hands*

That’s all I’ve got right now.

Here, have a picture of the back yard. What’s the weather where you are?

Recovering writer is recovering

Wednesday. Sunny and chill.

Breakfast was rice cakes with cream cheese and grapes. Finishing up first cup of tea. Lunch will be leftover quiche.

The bed has been stripped down to the mattress — which Rookie found very exciting. The spread is drying, which will take FORever; blanket and coverlet soon to be washed. Opened the windows briefly to let the good air in and, hopefully, drive the bad air out. I missed a picture of Rook stretched full length in an open window, head high and proud, his fur ruffled by the (icy) breeze, looking every inch a Winter Lord.

I am feeling much much better, obviously, and yes, I am trying to not overdo myself into a relapse. I do note that I’m still hacking and that I’m going to have to send someone out to get me some more Robitussin, which I forgot to put on the grocery list yesterday.

In reading news, I put Lord Julian aside for the moment; he had been such a good friend in illness that it would be wrong in me to thrust him away in a fit of convalescent pique. I read instead last night from The House in the Cerulean Sea.

The plan today is to perform one’s duty to the cats, finish with the washing, reassemble the bed, and work on the short story — which now has a better, and more fitting, title:  “Core Values.” I will possibly find it necessary, as I did yesterday, to break in the middle of the day, and listen quietly to a chapter or two of The Goblin Emperor.

A simple, even a modest, plan but mine own.

What are your plans for the day?

Proof of life:

Day 5

Tuesday. Cold and dim.

Slept hard and late. So that‘s good.

I did not gather the trash and recycling yesterday, and am not going to do so this morning. Next week sees a return to Schedule.

Breakfast was muffin, orange, tea. Kettle on for second cup of tea.

Today, I’ll make a grocery order and have it delivered. I suppose I ought to do that earlier, rather than later. I also have a pile of stuff that was put aside for page proofs, which, yanno, I really don’t want to do, not least because they fall into that large category of things that are insipid and pointless to accomplish without Steve on-hand to offer insights, angles of approach, and random snipery.

I *would* like to spend some time with my story, so I may throw adulting to the wind and do that. What’s the point of being an adult if you don’t get to decide when NOT to adult?

I’ve started reading the 6th installment in Lord Julian’s adventures — A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor — and I’m beginning to get a little annoyed with him. This is either an artifact of having read so many in a row, or because I actually am feeling better and therefore more irritable (the author does now and then drop a narrative stitch; nothing major, and no business of mine, really, but I hit one during yesterday’s reading and gritted my teeth).

As reported elsewhere, the cats are at their stations.

. . . and so it goes.

How does it go with you?

Tuesday morning cat census:

Chilly Monday

Monday. Sunny and cold.

Still sick, fever down but sticking around. Robitussin deployed.

Lord Julian is earning his fee, hitting the sick-bed entertainment sweet spot of being an undemanding read with competent characterization, and engaging puzzles.

I need to call the chiropractor and cancel that appointment for today. And I won’t be going to the sewing club tomorrow, though I will be keeping my appointment with the PCP. He wanted to see me for a “mental health” check-up, but he can extend himself to a “flu, progress of” check-up, which will really be more useful for both of us.

I hear the kettle boiling, so I should go deal with that. Also breakfast. I’ll figure something out.

How’s everybody doing this morning?

In which the writer has the flu

What went before:  Woke up yesterday feeling extremely awful, and running a stoopid high fever.  Took myself to the clinic while I could, and Tests were performed.  I’m cleared for COVID, RSV, strep, but!  I do have the flu.  This, according to the doctor, is what passes for good news, because the flu only lasts “a couple days.”  I’m to stay in until the fever breaks, wear a mask if I do go out, and avoid, well, people.

Sunday. Cold and sunny. Predictions are for snow.

Kettle’s on for tea, peppermint and honey. Stirred, not shaken. Breakfast will … likely involve toast. Today will likely be spent in the corner of the couch or in the Command Chair. I wouldn’t say that I’m well (especially since I’m now a sneezy, drippy mess) but I have perhaps turned a corner, because yesterday I was content to just sit and be miserable, and this morning I’m grumpy because I haven’t been *doing* anything.

On the plus side, I have discovered something that’s even *more* boring to talk about than writing.

The cats have been taking this Health Emergency very seriously, piling on all three at once, though I’ll note that the Rookie was left on nursing duty all by himself for a couple hours yesterday. He did very well, initially setting up station in the rocking chair directly across from the couch, later adopting a more paws-on approach, by coming over and sitting on my lap to purr. Boy, that cat has a purr.

So, that’s what’s happening hereabouts today. What’s happening thereabouts?

In which the writer is cranky

Friday. Sunny and cold.

I’m feeling . . . a little unwell. Sore throat and iffy stomach. That was before the page proofs for the Ribbon Dance mass market landed. Jury’s still out on whether I’m going back to bed and pulling the covers over my head. I usually resist, but today I might just give in.

After the page proofs landed . . . there’s a scene in Carousel Tides, when Kate has just be informed by the park manager that the carousel not only has to be ready for the Season, but for a Super Early Season, like, Right Now. Her reaction is, and I quote: “We’re already pulling a rabbit out of a hat here, and now you’ve got the goddamn nerve to ask for a kangaroo?”

Yeah. Like that.

So, anyhoot, not really sure what I’m doing today, except cancelling my appointment with the chiropractor, because I do feel that bad.

How’re you doing today?