September is almost over

How's that for a strange picture?  

It's an x-ray of my implanted tooth.   The tooth is extracted and a screw thing/ post, is put in.   After it heals, a tooth/ crown is put in place.    From a normal, non x-ray point of view, it looks like a regular tooth- like it's been there all along.

This tooth and I have a long history.  I had an ancient filling in the tooth that was starting to show decay and was falling apart.  So I had a root canal in anticipation of having a regular crown put in.  The original tooth would not be removed- just filed down for the crown to fit over it.

The root canal was not terrible.  People say how terrible they are, but that was not my experience.  What happened later was not so good.  I got an abscess in my gums and had to have an apicoectomy.  That's a procedure that removes infection at the root if you get an infection after a root canal.   It is a surgical procedure and not at all fun.

Even after all of that I ended up losing that tooth and went in for an implant.

I currently have an infection in my gums where the implant it.    I saw my dentist yesterday and I am seeing an oral surgeon tomorrow.   They might have to do a "procedure".  I have no idea what that could entail.

I think that at least a part of why I am so tired lately is that I have an active infection on my mouth.   Plus I am recovering from a Covid vaccine last week and a terrible celiac full on attack.   My body is working overtime on being well.   I think my body is telling me to take it easy.

Cruising this week!   I'll tack the itinerary on the end of this unless I have on a previous post already.  I am really looking forward to getting on the ship and relaxing.  Of course there is a possibility that we will run into a hurricane, but I am not stressed about that- yet!

The first port on this trip is Prince Edward Island followed by Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Wish us luck!

Day	Ports of Call	Arrival	Departure
Sept 23 day 1	New York, New York	---Not Applicable	4:00 PM
day 2	At Sea	---Not Applicable	---Not Applicable
day 3	At Sea	---Not Applicable	---Not Applicable
day 4	Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island	7:00 AM	5:00 PM
day 5	Sydney, Nova Scotia	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
day 6	Halifax, Nova Scotia	9:00 AM	6:00 PM
day 7	Saint John (Bay Of Fundy), New Brunswick	12:45 PM	---Not Applicable
day 8	Saint John (Bay Of Fundy), New Brunswick	---Not Applicable	12:40 AM
day 8	Portland, Maine	12:30 PM	10:00 PM
day 9	Boston, Massachusetts	7:00 AM	5:00 PM
day 10	At Sea	---Not Applicable	---Not Applicable
Oct 3  day 11	New York, New York	7:00 AM	---

The Norwegian Joy

 

Feeling old

 Yesterday I wrote on Facebook that I am officially old.   That's how I feel much of the time these days.

The truth is I am tired.  Exhausted even.   And then, of course, I feel guilty for feeling tired because (in my mind) I am not doing anything so I shouldn't be tired.    But I am.

Even though from the outside I don't seem to be doing much of anything, I am.  Went to Portland.  Did a lot of cleaning and organizing.  Left early because the kids had covid.  

Chance and I did so much work at Courtney's house.  We didn't have to, but we wanted to.  The clutter and disorganization ate at my energy.  I know that what works for one person/ family/  household, is not necessarily what works for anyone else.  Actually, as hard as we worked, it energized me to feel productive.    I am fairly certain that the organization I left in place has been undone by now, or will be soon.  I have to remind myself that it's not a judgement of me.  I "shouldn't" feel disrespected.   And I don't exactly.  I just feel like it is hard for anyone to feel the way I do.    

Not going to try to elaborate any more, it's exhausting.

Thursday morning, Nick and I got our most recent Covid booster shot.   Thursday evening I went to my first La Leche League meeting in over 2 years.  Thanks pandemic!   It was a very small meeting.  Myself and one other, brand new LLL Leader, and a mom with her 6 week old baby.  It was a new meeting place- in a church nursery school room which was great.  But I was feeling overwhelmed.  I think that the shot was making me tired. The room felt hot (maybe also from the shot) and I felt out of practice is that's possible.   

After the meeting, when we went outside, it was dark out, and I had to drive home in the dark.   I have not driven in the dark for a while, and definitely not for any distance.  It was really stressful.  I felt lost.  I felt like I was driving blind. If we were still living in our house in Reston, it would have been a short drive and I am sure it would have been fine.  But we live farther away now and have to drive on fast, busy roads.

Anyway, I just felt so old and out of it when I got home. I know that the vaccination had something to do with how I was feeling.

I started entertaining the thought of retiring from La Leche League. A feeling I never thought i would experience.  How depressing.   I am closer to 70 than 30.  I am old enough to be some of these women's grandmother.  But I do feel like I have a lot to offer.   I need to work through my funk. 

It's complicated

The Queen is dead. Long live the king

 On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 ,after ruling for 70 years.

  

There were announcements on TV that the family was going to the queen's bedside and then, the next think I knew a special announcement cut into the TV to announce that she had died.

Of course, she was a mortal being like all of us.  But, at least for me, an American girl, there's always been a mystique surrounding the royal family.

Queen Elizabeth and my mother were both born on April 21, 1926.  I wish my mother had lived as long as the queen.

Talking to Nick and reflecting on how surprised we both are at how moving and emotional it has been we are reminded of losing our own parents.

Life goes on.  There are all of the practicalities of transitioning from having a parent, or in this case, a queen, to not having them,    

It isn't a surprise, yet it is.

Summing it all up: a letter I wrote a few minutes ago

 I am in Oregon and have been since August 24th.    I came to house and cat sit for our daughter so she and her boyfriend could attend the Burning Man festival.   Our son Chance flew out with me to keep me company.  Another son, Austin was here and planning to go to Burning Man as well.

Chance and I were able to do some much needed house and garden work as well as visiting some of my cousins and old friends.    Chance was here for just over a week and is now back in Aldie staying with Nick.

After the whole trip was planned, Courtney learned that she has thyroid cancer.  She needs surgery, which was scheduled for September 14th.  Since I would already be here I have been planning to stay until after the surgery.

As the kids started heading home last night, they discovered that Austin has tested positive for covid.    This morning Zach, Courtney's boyfriend, also tested positive.  So far Courtney not has tested positive.

I will be checking into an air B&B before the kids get back- to avoid contact.

Of course, now there is the uncertainty about whether Courtney will have surgery next week or not.

I have been planning to return to Virginia on the 17th, but now I may be heading back earlier.

Nick and I are scheduled to go on a cruise September 23rd.

Wish us luck!

Portland adventures continue

This spiderweb was glistening in the morning sun when I looked out the front door this morning.

Chance and I had a delicious lunch at a place called Redwood.  This shall be called my "before" picture.  there are no "after" pictures.  I ate some cornbread assuming it was gluten free.  It was not.   I was really sick in an unpleasant way and am most grateful that Chance was driving and was so kind

Courtney has an apple tree in her back yard.  These apples were too pretty to pass up.

Sue Riles and I want to a riverside restaurant called "Salty's"   The food was delicious, the company was grand and the view was to die for.  Sue and I took pictures of each other

 Zach has a pumpkin patch in the back yard!