Gift of RA

I’m not sure what to call this post, seems mostly a round-up of what I have been doing this last week.  It turned out to be a busy week and at the end of each day I was beat.  Monday I went to see my chiropractor in the morning – I had been carrying rocks again Friday.  Fortunately there were very many consequences but it was god to have an adjustment nonetheless.  Then I had an Apple appointment at noon to work on my book in iBooks Author.  It has driven me crazy because I can’t figure out some of it – such as how to put my Pages copy into the format and have it work properly.  The bottom line, I have to do more copy and paste.

Even Katie, the tech, was having trouble getting it to work; I didn’t feel like so clueless after that.  Apparently the app hasn’t been updated for 2 years and I am not the only one having trouble getting it to work properly.  I will have to write to Apple feedback and tell them what is happening.  Apparently they do read it and Shawn has noticed they made changes she has written about.

After that was my caregivers support group.  I didn’t have much time to get there, so I stopped at Mrs. Field’s for a brownie, not the smartest choice, just the fastest.  When Eddie asked me later what I had for lunch, I said not the best choice, a brownie.  Then he asked me if I ate it because I was upset – an unexpected question he has never asked before.  I told him I had very little time and it was the quickest thing I could think to do.

We had a large group at the support meeting, some for the first time.  One of the advantages of having been there for a while, I am more calm when talking about Mom than I have been.  there are still times when I need support and I am so glad to have these friends there for me.  I have also been able share my experiences and resources to others who are beginning the journey.  That feels good to be able to do that – I don’t know the outcome usually, but it is not always necessary.

Tuesday I didn’t visit with Mom because I went up north with Eddie for the day.  Tuesday was the day we decided for my Queen’s Birthday.  We stopped for breakfast and I spent some time in “my office” – otherwise known as the balcony – reading until I was ready to leave.  Things are different at the Future of Flight since the coming of the new Exec Director, so I wanted make sure did what worked for Eddie.  I left and spent time in Hobby Lobby and also Pacific Fabrics before meeting the other women at the restaurant.  It felt good to sit down.

I was about half an hour early, so I found a spot and read until I saw Joyce come.  We went in together and sat at a table waiting for Char and Lois.  They came fairly soon after that and we had a lovely time.   Char brought me a chocolate bar with a card and Joyce brought a card.  We have been just doing cards lately – at this point there seem to be a lot of funny cards about older women.  Yikes!  That’s me now!

Afterwards, Char and I went to Half Priced Books to look around, then it was time for me to meet Eddie.  I told him I would wait for him in the car until he was ready – seemed to work out well.   We left at about 3, but it was 6 before we finally arrived home.  There had been an accident in the tunnel and the Viaduct was closed – you can imagine what that did to traffic.  We took I-5 to 85th and then went over to 99 – but the traffic was backed up quite a way.  Everyone was trying to find a way around the tunnel and the Viaduct – not all that easy.  We decided to go through town, just as everyone else did.  We were on 5th and suddenly the Monorail went right overhead, never been under it like that before.  It happened several times so that shows how slow we were inching our way.

Finally we found the traffic opening up a bit, so we decided to go down Airport Way – that was so much better – it was good most of the way home.  We were beat and had a light dinner – I slept so well that night that I didn’t want to get up at 5 the next morning.  But it was Breakfast Club morning and I enjoy going there.  The last 3 or 4 weeks, Eddie has been going later because the historian Mike has been away – had a knee replacement.  He is planning to come back next Wednesday.

I always enjoy being with the group, they are such good friends and colleagues.  We do have fun but we are also serious and professional about our businesses.

Afterwards I went to visit Mom, bringing cookies and chocolate.  Lately I read to her, I was finishing up one of the “The Cat Who . . . . ?” books; I brought another one on Friday to begin.  I came home shortly before Eddie did, then we went out to do some things in the afternoon.  I felt myself almost falling asleep in my chair those 3 days.

Thursday I went to the Group Training for Pages because I have been having difficulty with Eddie Round Up – the type goes small on him and he gets very frustrated with it.  I found out I need to do some adjustments before I can make it a template, then it should work properly.  I don’t think Eddie is ready for new Pages yet.  Afterwards I came home and found myself working on the book.  I had energy and enthusiasm, plus I figured out how to copy the Pages version – unfortunately only one entry at a time – so it fit in the format.  Now I need to figure out how to get the Table of Contents to behave.

While I had been at Apple, Paul and Jude cleared the house and property for me – I have to admit I didn’t feel anything different when I came home.  Wonder if the burst of energy and enthusiasm was part of it.  But that night I felt uncomfortable – no where particular, just a general uncomfortable.  I didn’t sleep very well  that night and woke up feeling crappy.  Things are better now, maybe it is going to take some time to settle down and clear out.

That’s my story and I am sticking to it.