Monday, March 01, 2021

March 1, 2021 Monday--1:45pm

Good afternoon!

This past week slipped by rather quickly.  I didn't feel mostly back to normal till Thursday...and then was exhausted from feeling "sick" for six days so rested up for a couple more days--LOL!  That's normal for me, though.

Did find out online that having a strong reaction to the vaccine is a really positive thing.  That means my immune system is better than I thought it was!  Hurray!  It said that younger people usually had more reaction due to the fact they had healthier immune systems and seniors tended to have less reaction to the shots.  So for the first time I was really glad I felt like crap--ROFL!

It wasn't that bad--but definitely knocked me back, shall we say.  Was in my pajamas for days and even just threw clean ones on after I showered--LOL!  Of course my having no spoons doesn't take much, as you know.  I was pleasantly surprised my immune system was in overdrive and working hard for six days.  Who knew?  So if you have a flu-like reaction and a sore arm that feels like there's a softball under your skin--well, congrats!

I will just figure after I get the second one that I will be in my pajamas again for a week--LOL!  I have my appointment with Dr. Kessler exactly a week after my second shot is scheduled so I hope I will be okay to make it there.  They say you can have a stronger reaction the second time, so we'll see.  All worth every minute of crummy time in my book.  This nearly 70 year old is very happy to be getting the vaccine.  

When I was laid up for days Annie was enthralled with Bridgerton...

...for quite a while!  

Why?  Who knows with a cat.

I did manage to do laundry last week and (later in the week) bring out trash and make a trip to the garage for more bird seed.  Leah and I had our video call Thursday night and she dropped off Costco groceries on Friday afternoon.

Blaine emailed me and said they will be having their usual family vacation to Alexandria (Minnesota) mid March and can run over Grandpa's desk one day.  We will wear masks and I will meet them in my garage for a short visit.  Can just leave the desk out there for now.  At least that is the tentative plan.

I have online appointments with Elliot Overton on April 7th and May 5th.  Be interesting to see what he has to say and suggest.  Leah will join in from her place.  We'll ask if we can record it.

Yesterday I decided to pick the easiest project I had lined up since I still wasn't up to thinking much, if you know what I mean.  (Tackling new-to-me stuff in Wanderlust seemed beyond my brain fog power--LOL!)  So I picked a set of birthday cards to work on.

I used my Clean Color watercolor brushes.  Sampled the overlay of various blues, reds, and yellows for the balloons.  
Picked out the three I liked together best so they'd overlay to purple and green.
Then it was assembly line, non-thinking time--LOL!  I colored all the center blue balloons...
...then all the red ones and finally all the yellow ones.
Simple, but really like it.
Then I put the crease down the middle of the card stock (forgot to take a picture of the board I use).
Then folded them all and creased them well with my teflon bone folder.
Next step (didn't get a picture) I put Scrappy Tape all around the outside edge of the back of the front card piece with the balloons.  Then took all the backing off the double-sided tape and stuck them on the front of the red card base.
I didn't get pictures because I was busy with a video call with the boys at the same time as I was working on finishing the cards.
We were on the call before, during, and after dinner.  :)
All 50 birthday cards are finished!  Nice!
Was a very slow, quiet week mostly.  Watched quite a bit of Bordertown on Netflix (subtitles) and still working on Waking The Dead on BritBox (9 seasons).  Found a series called History Cold Case on YouTube on the Reel Truth History Documentaries channel.  You know how I enjoy British shows and this channel has a lot of interesting programs.  I love the ones where people try to live like they are back in another time period.  Anyways, this particular series is about studying bones to try to find out how people died and possibly have an idea of who they were...from hundreds or thousands of years ago.  Fascinating to me.  I watched both season they have online right now.

So I may have felt crummy and been low on spoons most of the week but I had an interesting, peaceful time.  Annie is always glad to have me in my chair so she can snooze between my legs on the footrest, so she had a great week, too--LOL!  Oh--and can't forget--I actually got one set of birthday cards finished!  Makes me so happy!  

Our weather is acting spring crazy already.  It was 2 degrees when I checked a couple hours ago and expected to be 48 degrees tomorrow.  We could still get snowstorms in March, of course.  But when it is first warm like this and things start to melt...feels like spring.  It was 37 degrees last Thursday when I was wheeling my cart out to the dumpster and garage.  Just lovely to not have to wear gloves or a hat!  But it was still February!  Well, enjoy the warmer days while we have them, I guess.  It's nice to be able to open the place up and get some fresh air!  Our weather is very unpredictable in the spring and fall--LOL!  

Have an uplifting week!
Till next time...
Best to you and yours!
****
"Perhaps the most radical act of resistance in the face of adversity is to live joyfully."
Ari Honarvar

18 comments:

Rita said...

Blogger was messing with the size of my font and making pictures move from side to side, etc. I did the best I could--got the pics centered, I think--but finally gave up on the font size and just posted as it was. Happy Monday!! :)

DVArtist said...

Hey glad you are getting the vaccine. I can't find any place that has appts. available. Our hospital is only doing 4 and hour. The two pharmacies are not even taking applications. I have tried going to the next town over and they are not taking appts either. My pharmacy Rite Aid isn't giving vaccines at all. How stupid is that? Glad you are feeling better and even made cards. I live some of the shows you mentioned and I too like British shows. You take care and have a great evening.

Bonnie said...

I'm sorry you felt so bad from the vaccine but grateful you were able to get it. It sounds like you got some good television in while you were resting! We finally got an appointment to get our first vaccines. We will be getting them this Wednesday. I love the balloon cards you are making! You are so talented at things like that.

I hope you are beginning to feel better! Take care!

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Rita so glad you shared how you felt after your first shot - you give positive WHY and how you feel and that is so encouraging to others who are waiting for their turn. Your cards are beautiful - a great project when you needed quiet activity - the overlapping balloons with your Clean Color water colour brushes.
Hugs and Love
Joy

Deb J. in Utah said...

Hi Rita - glad to hear that you are feeling better. Charly's first vaccine is tomorrow. Yes, I have heard that it is good to feel crummy after the shot, so I guess we are both good to go. I just felt really tired and achy for about 36 hours, but since I got the shot, I have felt more tired in the afternoon and earlier at night, so I am thinking that may be a holdover from the second shot. So glad you got the appointment you wanted with Elliott Overton. I love all your handmade cards! They are great! See you again soon.

jinxxxygirl said...

Hi there Rita!!! Glad you are feeling better!! Alvin had his first shot the other day... he hardly had a reaction. His arm was a little sore and personally i think it made him tired and a little achy ..not that he would admit it but all in all not a bad reaction.. I'm still waiting on mine.. We had 20+ showings of the house over the weekend and tonite we looked at 6 offers.. We put a counter offer in on one that was offering more than asking price so now we wait.. They are willing to pay up to $30,000 over appraisal! So cross your fingers!! Take care.. snail mail letter coming soon.. PROMISE!Hugs! deb

Anvilcloud said...

I am almost jealous of you watching Waking The Dead. What a great program that is/was. We rewatched the series some time ago. Someday, we may do it again.

I hope you have a good week now that the worst of the shot is over.

DJan said...

I too am glad to hear you have gotten the first shot and recovered from the effects. I get my first shot today. My guy had his first one last week. Feeling bad is good! Your birthday cards are so pretty! Good job, dear friend. :-)

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It is good to hear that despite an unpleasant reaction to the vaccine it probably means that you have acquired substantial resistance to the virus - and that is the whole purpose after all. Perhaps a return to something like normal life is on the horizon. I hope so!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Nice cards! Glad you feel better! I am not looking forward to the second shot. I have what they call Covid Arm and it will eventually go away. I will have some jammie time after that second shot I am sure :(

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

I am glad you and other blogs who get the jab as I am reading about real people not statistics. I am all for getting the jab but Tim doesn't know.

Juli said...

We had negative wind chills today, which made delivering my mail route, and 3 hours of another oh-so-much-fun. Tomorrow? 48 degrees and sun. I will take it. I'm already all set with March's "lion".

Last week I had so much energy and got so much organizing done. This week, not so much. I have a "non specified tissue disorder auto immune", basically they just know it's an auto immune but don't know which one yet, so in the mean time... I COMPLETELY understand the spoon rationing. This week's goal is to list one or two things a day on ebay. Time to start clearing out what I've organized out of our lives. :)

LOVE the cards, BTW. Simple, clean, and cute.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I am going to give up cable because it costs too much. I might be able to afford Brit Box (grin). I'd love to see it, that's for sure. You got a lot of cards made, even feeling poorly.

I've seen so many people I visit in blogland, like yourself who had bad effects from their shots. My friend Sally said it didn't bother her at all. Go figure.

Lady Fi said...

Hope you feel better soon. Love those cards.

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm sorry about your shot reaction on the one hand, and yet since that means your body responded well to it I guess that's a good sign. I'm glad you're feeling better. What pretty cards! The "assembly line" serves you well :)

I've seen some of Bordertown but none of the others you mention. I've been watching an Italian mystery de Luca (subtitled) that I enjoyed. Amazon Prime iirc. We're having lows in the 30s and highs in the 60s, so Spring has Sprung here lol

pearshapedcrafting said...

I'm glad you feel a little better now! I think seeng the boys and getting a while pile of cards must have helped to give you a lift! I haven't seen Bordertown or Bridgeton yet...plenty of time! We have been enjoying Designated Survivor although not sure how realistic it might be! We both used to love Waking the Dead. If ever you get a chance 'The Bay' is a good series, but maybe we were biased as it is filmed in Morecambe where we used to visit when we had the caravan! Have a good weekend, Chrisxx

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Thanks for the update, Rita, and now one down and the last to go, same with us. No reaction first time, but prepared for second to possibly give a kickback. I have ‘t seen any of the series you mentioned, although Acorn did have a series with bones being found in England, but I can’t recall the series name and only watched a couple of episodes. All the cards were nice and I also stocked up on cards this seek for birthdays and other events but mine were store-bought. Glad to read that you have your appts set up with Overton and hope it brings useful and helpful information.

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

Sorry to hear that you were not feeling well. Annie looks like a good companion. The birthday cards you made look awesome! So bright, colorful, and cheerful!