I’ve been busy creating a fun character but not quite ready to share. I must admit to being surprised. But the artwork is still in my head not on paper. I was worried that I was only getting bad guys but I have an unfortunate main character emerging. Even not knowing the next few Inktober prompts are fitting right in. I’m in suspense hope you are, too.
Meanwhile, did I tell you my stationary bike has a friend! Treadmill has joined the living room as a sofa sitter.
End of the day and I have nothing to blog about. It was a diverticulitis day and all plans undid themselves. I did receive my new treadmill but it won’t fit under the couch as I planned. See what I mean? So bike and tread will stay out in the open, in the way. Maybe that’s a good thing? It’s in its box until tomorrow.
Here is where I keep myself accountable to me for progress on projects of my passions. But yesterday I got behind and then ahead on this episode.
Sometimes I feel I make other people feel inferior through my checklist. Please don’t. I feel inferior to everyone else in that I’m sure they’re getting other stuff done that they don’t even need to report because they are so good at getting their adulting jobs done that I feel guilty not getting done or just overlook, like dishes and shampooing. The same 24 hours is all we get and we make choices of what we can do. What we need to do. And what we can’t wait to do, leaving other necessities hanging with futile hopes.
And since this blog is attached to ‘Warts and All’ I’ll start with what hasn’t gotten done. My husband asked me today why I haven’t been playing the uke, recorder, or violin. Well, I thank Mrs. Skinner for this sidetrack path straightener.
When I got sick of practicing piano and ready to quit lessons, she came up with this bait and switch. Forced practice came from Mom. But I adore my teacher. She sent me home with her ukulele. It helped so much in bringing me back to the piano.
So in hopes of keeping my music alive I tried the recorders and strings. And sure enough it worked.
When my dad was in the rest home over a decade ago, the lady in the room next to his played her piano all the time. I decided I wanted to grow up to be her, or Huge Lauri of House fame. He would sit down and just play, no sheet music just music.
I’ve been stuck with eye music since I was 5 years old. My goal this time is to learn to improvise and play. Still, there is so much to learn to get to that stage of free-playing. The other instruments help with learning chords and meandering melodies. And a change of positions. So I need to get back to them sometimes.
Duo still rides my stationary bike managing a few lessons for the half-hour 4-5 miles on #3 grade. So… There’s that.
I’m still slowly coming around. I’m still doing little bits of everything. What I’m learning in my old age is how even little bits get the job done. What am I on some kind of race? Just with myself. I just need to be patient.
While we’re watching local news I use the stationary bike while working on Duolingo. It’s interesting how the exercise my legs helps my brain.
When I move to my Dabbling Den, Chris hops on the bike. He’s working very hard lately. He went from five minutes to 30 minutes for 5 miles (like I do). We are neck to neck in this gentle race.
From around 10:30 Shiloh and Sammie gather in my Den. Shiloh will walk on the piano keys to let me know what I’m supposed to do. I’ve begun to call her ‘Mom’ as she gets insistent about my practice time. Sammie just sleeps in a little bed under my diamond painting table.
Peace. I know. Who thinks of COVID as peaceful? But 2020 gave us a moment of peace. Many embraced this time as a time to grow, introspect. Many learned new skills or strengthened their talents. It all fit into my favorite part of the movie, Groundhog’s Day. What if we were given time to get better? Time to embrace our passions? We had that time and many of us were surprised at what we could do.
The thing is, I’d been thinking that way since ‘fibromyalgia’ took over my life. That’s what the doctor labeled the pain I went through. The pain left no energy and was all inclusive of my life. Yet at times it would disappear. That diagnosis was over 15 years ago.
But it was during that COVID year that I needed a tooth removed. The dentist gave me a round of antibiotics before he’d do the extraction.
On extraction day, I accidentally broke my baby toe. So immediately after having the tooth pulled, I went to Urgent Care. My mask was full of blood. I looked like a sated vampire.
That doctor looked me over. Yep, the toe was broken but outside of a crazy boot, there wasn’t much more to do. But with my temp he decided to put me on another round of antibiotics.
A weird thing happened. Even though my toe hurt, I didn’t hurt all over like I would have before that second round. Any hurt used to became body wide. Like every nerve was feeling the same pain as the stubbed toe. But suddenly the ‘fibro’ had disappeared. I don’t think it was ever that. But maybe a low grade infection had been in me for YEARS maybe decades.
So now I wasn’t working. I was living in a fear that the pain would return. But it didn’t. I was free to pursue my passions and curiosities. All languages, knitting, crocheting, loom-knitting, diamond painting, etc. etc. I was given Groundhog’s Day and pain relief.
That’s why I keep track of all my fun. The bits and pieces of my peace.
In lieu of Finishing Friday I offer this stream:
Somehow I managed to keep at least one lesson a day in Duolingo. And I cheated here on the blog with the slightest post of a funny daily here.
Music and diamond painting had to stop until I started having energy again. I think that was about Wednesday.
Piano and ukulele started then but I just picked up the violin yesterday. I just barely played Twinkle and that was enough.
Same with the stationary bike. Wednesday I did 12 minutes or around a mile. By Friday I got up to 15 minutes or 2 and a half miles. So energy is returning slowly.
With health I can regain my passions piece by piece. And that gives me peace.
Besides finishing The End of Alzheimer’s (see previous post) these are things I’m working on this week.
Musically, I’m beginning to recognize The Dexter Theme. It has been hard as how it’s written is a little hard to interpret. After I get the basics I may rewrite it to the way I hear it on the show.
Succession, title song from the show. I didn’t much like the show, but I loved the music. I’ve finally played all the way to the end. It’s certainly not ready for anyone’s ears. Still it’s fun as I get to play the whole piano, less than an octave from either end. It’s cool!
Since the smoke causes my throat to hurt a bit I haven’t been playing the recorders, just in case it’s more than smoke irritation.
Enya, my ukulele, is getting easier. The B flat minor has been the toughie. But it sounded fine a couple times this week. I’m beginning to pay faster and smoother and having fun.
Violin! Whoa, what a challenge! I’ve barely gotten beyond tuning and putting resin on the bow. But I can finally say I’ve played Twinkle, Twinkle a few times now. My eyes get tired looking up the strings to my fingers. But I think that is good for my lazy eye and tracking issues. So I’ll take my time and learn.
I rarely report on my Duolingo, but it is such habit for me to pick up my phone and do a Duolingo 5 minutes here or there. In fact, it has joined me as I ride the stationary bike. It works when I’m just riding slowly but I have to put my phone down to get cardio.
Our weather is getting chilly. Though we get smoke from other places we’ve had huge rains lately that seem to help clear the air a bit. As of next Monday we will have a low in the upper 30s. I think we will welcome an early Fall.
I don’t talk much about Duolingo and my 10 languages. Maybe you think it’s a bad idea to do all of them. But both of my grandmothers died from Alzheimer’s. I want to learn as much as I can while it all still works. Still, some days I work on every one. Some days I might barely make it through one little lesson. I’ve managed to stay at the Obsidian level. For me, the great take away is I feel more and more confident — until I feel I suck. I would say more positive times than negative. And I love the feeling of growing, getting better. Hearing words on TV or while reading that I understand just thrills me. I must admit Navajo and Hebrew are the hardest of all ten. I keep starting over. I think I need books or tutorials on these.
The other tidbit is the achy muscles from < 5 miles and < 30 minutes on the stationary bike. Before I hop on the bike I do 20 pushups on the door, 10-15 floor/ceiling touches, and side to side bends. That doesn’t make me sore. But my son and I have started our afternoon walks of two miles. The energy is there to do these. But my legs are protesting quietly. Again, I’m amazed at how little things can build to make a body or mind, or habit grow. Why did it take me so long to understand that?
Finally the heels are done on this bamboo yarn pair of socks. The leg and cuff are left. That doesn’t take long. So maybe these will be featured on Finished Friday?
Four miles on the stationary bike and three walked. Woo hoo!!! I’m tired! I hope all this starts paying off somehow.
Last August, I was so excited that our Ancheer Treadmill was in my house. I got to it right away, using it nearly every day. Then suddenly it stopped! Just when I was finally doing a slow jog a few months ago. I was quite proud. I had labeled the speeds:
1 stuck behind the slow people at the mall
2 crowded mall but able to move at a normal speed
3 heading toward the car after shopping in the mall
4 slow running after the bus but not letting the cool kids see you run
5 Truly late for the bus, it is waiting for you.
I was moving toward a 6, and the motor stopped. I nearly fell off. The error message said the motor needed to be replaced. Ebay, and the company, Ancheer were not helping to find solutions. I wanted it fixed. I loved working on the treadmill. But if they couldn’t seem to help. If we could get our money back, it would mean I could get another somewhere.
Thank goodness I had purchased insurance with it. My husband was on the phone or emailing the companies, and finally, the insurance came through. We lost $2, but today we were able to purchase a Stationary Bike! It will be easier for my husband with his metal joints. Here’s a picture of what we ordered.
I think this will work out well. My son and I are trying to take a daily walk. So between these, maybe I can get back in shape, of some kind, less round, let’s say. I’ll let you know how it works out.
I couldn’t decide which emoji works better for this, so you get both, my close to realistic, or my inner rebel?
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