Getting over the plague

I’m finally over the plague, what a miserable week. On top of dads memorial service next weekend and work stresses I really did not need to be sidelined by this. It’s day 7 or 8… I don’t have to be back at work until Tuesday which will be a good 9-10 days of quarantine. I finished one quarantine crochet project and picked up the baby blanket I need to finish now that I’m no longer contagious. Luckily the weather cooperated. Had this happened when we had no power or water like we did a couple of weeks ago it would have been unbearable. But the weather hasn’t been bad and ironically, focusing on my health (with c0v!d there’s always the fear that it could go south & require hospitalization, especially with an autoimmune disease) has let me let go of my work stresses temporarily. Temporarily because as I get closer to Tuesday I’m starting to have dreams again but it was nice to just say “f it” for a few days. Plus, just resting and watching YouTube and Netflix was cathartic. (I now know how to make whisky from ethyl alcohol and oak chips 😜)

It’s not been a good start to the new year.

Dad 1931 - 2021

Even when it’s expected it’s still difficult. We lost dad in November. He had come home from the hospital on hospice and was only on it for 2 days. He went peacefully in his sleep though. Mom is getting used to the new normal and Jim and I are doing what we can. Her Church is helping too. We decided to have his memorial this month, after the holidays and when all of the kids were available. The video I made is finished but I still have to burn several copies and the image on the top. Power was out for 10 days and we‘ve been without water now for about 6 days. Now that power is back I’m hoping we have water by tomorrow. Cell service has been out and now that it’s back it’s been sketchy at best. And through all of this work has been unbearable. My little office is being ignored. I’m doing everything I can to keep this office functioning under extreme circumstances and they keep throwing road blocks in my way. Isn’t Human Resources supposed to be… I don’t know… human? Well they’re beyond less than helpful. No communication, no explanation and nothing but a major headache. Even one of my bosses had nothing good to say about them. “A real piece of work” is what they had to say about the one I’m having a problem with.

On top of everything I don’t need the work stress they’re throwing at me. My stress is through the roof. Tonight, after I burn the dvds I’m going to lose myself in some artwork.

“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.”

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Christmas card image for 2021

With everything that went on this year, so close to the holidays, I really didn't have the time to come up with something more than a generic Christmas scene. Last year I reused a scene I had created a few years ago with Santa in a bar only for the 2020 card I added a couple of his elves, alcohol, hand sanitizer and a mask to mark the type of year we'd had. This year I altered another image I had already rendered but changed quite a few things. I changed the Christmas Tree, got rid of the flask and whisky glass and added hot chocolate and holiday treats to show Santa taking a break. I had been watching youtube videos on lighting tutorials in Daz Studio so I applied some of what I had learned to add more of a firelight to the scene. I also added last years photo of the kids to the wall and one of my favorite pics of Jim and I, taken at Kaitlyn's wedding. Just as I was about to render it out print size I noticed that I only had 4 stockings. Well that just wouldn't do as I needed one for the son-in-law and when I originally created the image he wasn't in the picture (and now I thank God he is) If I'd had time to adjust the image further I would have changed out the room itself. The room I used is designed to look not quite modern. In fact, I use this room for my "Jacob Marley Ghost" image. (which for some reason is not in the gallery, once I find it I'll add it here)

Kid #1 will be here tomorrow for a few days. (Yay!) He's here in the state at a friends house currently. I really should warn him just how thin the fridge and pantry are right now. With just Jim and I we aren't stocked up like we used to be when the kids were home. I only make one meal a day for myself and it's just a protein and a vegetable. Jim usually has more interesting food but we really need to hit up Sams Club. I finally found a meal program that works with my arthritis and auto-immune issues and I've lost 22 lbs on it so far. (It's slow going for me what with the evacuation and then f'ing off to Disneyland recently but I don't care, it's working, slow or not) I was worried the bars and shakes were causing a flare up but then I realized that I had been taking my immune booster almost daily. Well, when your immune system attacks your body that means that boosting it doesn't always work to your favor. I had been around a lot more people during the evacuation so I had been taking more than usual and realized that was what was causing my flare up. Apparently I can't boost my immune system against C0v!d without my auto-immune disease turning on me. Welcome to my life.

I think we're having the family Christmas party at our house this year so I'm getting ready. If Jim remembers to grab some butter from the store on the way home from his golf dinner I'll even make Ken the first loaf of pumpkin bread tomorrow. I found a pattern for Christmas stockings that is super simple and a great way to use up yarn stash if you have the right colors. Hell, even if you don't have the right colors I mean, not everyone is traditional. I may even work up a rainbow stocking. :) Last year I gave my daughter the Christmas Tree skirt that I had made but I definitely do not have time to work up another one. It was beautiful though. I used a white, super bulky yarn, the type you could "arm knit" with. Her Christmas designs lean towards blue and silver and she misses the snow so it when we went out there to her house last year I brought it. It fit perfectly. I'll make a new one for next year.

This may be the longest blog post I've written in ages but I'm in the mood to share so... it is what it is. Even though it's been cold and rainy and I'm in pain it's actually been a productive day despite having a hard time keeping the house warm. Everything is ready for tax deduction #1 tomorrow including new sheets and comforter in the guest room. He's a food safety specialist so I always re-organize the fridge before he comes home. (did you know certain types of food belong on certain shelves? I do now. :) )