Friday thoughts

It’s Friday evening.  I’m up in my room and just spent an hour or so working on a grant application for one of the organizations I volunteer for.  I’ve never done a grant application before but no one else was interested in doing it and I figured I had nothing to lose.  I’ve got it mostly done, I’ll just polish it up later this weekend and get it in on Monday, when it is due.  I have another one to do for another organization.  It’ll be interesting to see what transpires…

I’m in my room because my daughter’s sort-of boyfriend is here and I’m giving them some space to hang out.  What is a sort-of boyfriend? They are more than friends, but not really dating in a steady way.  No regular weekend dates, no phone calls or texts or anything on a daily basis.  They have known each other since they were 5 or 6, and in the last 6 months or so they’ve just become a little more interested in each other.   It’s very low-key and low-pressure and I very much approve– much more sensible than getting all serious and heavy.

I’ve been struggling with headaches this week.  Had a horrible migraine that started Monday night and went through the following evening– dreadful.  I felt good Wednesday morning but by the afternoon I had another headache, this one a sinus which of course segued into another migraine. Very painful and discouraging, since I’d been headache free for a while.  I think they were caused by a combination of factors– too much Easter candy (why, oh why did I buy 4 bags of Cadbury mini-eggs? What was I thinking?) , and I forgot to take my loratadine on Monday so the allergies were acting up.  Also Wednesday was a bright, sunny day and while working, the reflection of cars parked outside really got to me.  I survived, though, got back on the allergy meds, and got the last of the mini-eggs out of the house since I have absolutely no self-control with them.

So I haven’t written much in April, and I miss it.  It’s been a busy couple weeks with Easter and all, not to mention time spent curled up in bed clutching my head and waiting for it to explode.  But I’m learning that writing makes me feel good, is good for me, and maybe something I am supposed to be doing.  I need to not be afraid to prioritize it.  I did write a little in my private journal, and I’ll write more this weekend– I have some stuff to work out, and it’s not for public consumption.  I am finding journaling invaluable for this sort of thing– working out a problem or issue or just venting.

Speaking of Easter– the Vigil service was wonderful.  The lectors did a fantastic job, the music was lovely.  The church was decorated so beautifully and the fragrance of the Easter lilies filled the air. We’re blessed to have a priest with a good, strong, true voice and when he chants the Exsultet (Easter Proclamation) it is incomparable.  It occurred to me this year while listening that it may be the last time I get to hear Fr. David chant it– our parish clusters are changing this summer and he may be moved to another parish.  So I made sure to enjoy it.  Fr. was really on his game, and the Mass seemed even more beautiful than usual. I love the moment when Father lights the Easter candle, and then we spread its light through the dark church, candle to candle, until the whole space is filled with candlelight, symbolizing The Light of Christ. Thanks be to God!

April Showers

We’ve had plenty of them.   I don’t want to complain too much, because things could be a lot worse– Alabama is certainly getting slammed right now weather-wise.  But day after day of cold rainy weather is getting to me.

I’ve been plagued by sinus headaches this week.  It’s a combination of a cold, and allergies brought on by: pollen from the few things blooming; the incredible amount of dust in my home; and probably mold from all the rain.  Pseudoephedrine HCl helps somewhat, but today a flax-seed bag warmed in the microwave really helped the most.

I’m a headache-prone person.  I often have sinus headaches, and I suffer from migraines.  The migraines have been less frequent and less intense over the last few years– when I was a mom with two young kids and a husband who traveled a lot I often got absolutely dreadful ones that kept me in bed for a day. Probably it was the stress of coping added to the whole hormone thing– as I hit peri-menopause things have improved.  Nice to know there is an upside to it.

I am anxious to get outside and prepare our herb bed– the house had a rose-bush surrounded by peonies in the back yard, but the rose-bush was doing poorly, so son Jacob dug it up last year.  We plan to dig out the peonies– look, I know they are very pretty when they bloom, but after that what is the point to them?– and then we’ll plant some herbs and a few other things.  One of our neighbors has a black walnut tree so not everything will grow, but we’ll see what we can do.

I have 2 weeks left to my physics class, and two tests.  The test I was sure I did so badly on?  I got a 95.  How pathetic is it that I don’t know how well I do on these tests?  The class is getting tougher– the teacher is going a lot faster and expecting us to do a lot more.  But I’ve maintained my A average so far and I am determined to keep it up!  I never dreamed I would do this well in this class, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge.  I am rather proud of myself, too.