World of mine Wednesday’s Ws

What’s top of my mind:  My health. The worst of the flu may be over but I still have a cough although it has evolved from a continual thing to paroxysms of violent hacking as if my lungs are trying to eject themselves. I get tired easily and a mild exertion causes me to sit or better yet lie down. It’s a slow mend. I have some nickel and dime days off the month; they were initially taken for Christmas-related activities but I am going to use them for convalescence.

Where I’ve been:  The Good Doctor. I had my quarterly appointment the other day. The routine is to get blood work done a few days beforehand so they are ready to process in the appointment. This time I showed up and there wasn’t any on order but a urinalysis. I asked the phlebotomist to check; I’ve never had ‘no blood work’ to do. When I showed for the appointment TGD asked where were the labs. Upon investigation someone had canceled them. With not much to talk about he chastised me for not having done a home test for COVID and influenza last week. If I had and was positive, he could have phone in a Rx to cut down the duration and severity. On the way out I stopped by the lab to do the six vials that ought to have been done Monday morning.

Where I’m going:  Michigan, lord willing. I am scheduled to fly to Michigan this weekend to see Princess Goddess ballet class dance “The Nutcracker”. She plays Clara.* The trip was arranged long before I became sick. I hope I will be up to go. I may have to cancel. It will feel funny flying to Michigan this way, for all trips were to babysit Father to give Brother #3 a break. This time he won’t be there.

What I’m watching: My blood pressure. Along with a residual cough, I am having lightheaded sensations upon rising as if my blood pressure has dropped. A few times I have had to hold onto something lest I go down. After decades of near-stroke readings how odd it is to have symptoms of low blood pressure. Yet the OMRON home BP device has the temerity to tell me 123/63 is ‘elevated’.

What I’m reading: The Hogfather – again. This Christmas parody has joined “Santa Mouse”, “Eloise at Christmas”, and “How the Grinch stole Christmas” as must-reads for the season. Mr. Pratchett’s point is humans need fantasy to be human. Belief in Santa Claus types helps us believe the big lies like Truth, Justice, and Mercy. We have to believe in things that aren’t true, how else can they become?

What I’m listening to:  Christmas music. Ho ho ho there is no lack thereof. The Spirits of Christmas (or someone like them) keeps introducing me to new tunes, some of them rawther amusing and a few downright appalling, along the line ‘what on earth were they thinking?’

An example of the former: ‘Five Pound Box of money’ – Pearl Bailey. Ms. Bailey (the dear!) tells Santa never mind the gifts, just bring a box of money. Jolly good fun!

 An example of latter: ‘Oh Holy Night’ – Tiny Tim. Oh the pain.

Do you know of an amusing (or appalling) Christmas carol/tune rendition?

What I’m eating: Soup – or soon will be. I gathered all the vegetables peels from Thanksgiving dinner and put them in a pot along with the turkey carcass to make stock. This is a profoundly satisfying endeavor. I like the notion that nothing is wasted. It pleases me there is no recipe per se but whatever bones and bits are at hand. It simmers on low in a stewpot on the stovetop all day, filling the kitchen with an aroma of savory satisfaction. This year I put in the dry brown outer peels of the onions. Some bigwig on The Tube of Yous said this won’t enhance flavor but gives a warm brown tone to the stock. Good! My broth often comes out with a yellow-gray tone, so I hope this helps. At days’ end I will strain the lot and use the stock for soup or later cooking. Bliss.

Who needs a good slap:  Optum Rx – again. Once again they’ve bungled my prescriptions. Something ordered on 11/11 still isn’t here. When I looked it up it appears someone tried to deliver it at my office, ‘failed’, and sent it back to OptumRx. Two more prescriptions are in transit heading towards the same conclusion. I spent some time on the phone explaining the situation and what needed to be done to fix things. Almost as soon as we finished, I got a text one had been delivered to my office – while I was sitting there. It appears to have been placed in the office mailbox (after the tracking said it was being returned). But the receptionist is out sick and no one knows where the key is. Oh the pain.

On my 1-5 scale, I give three slaps.

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Who gets a fist bump:  Myself. Every day I do language lessons on Duolingo, mostly Spanish but also German (to keep it fresh). I even dabbled in some French. Duolingo sent out the 2025 report the other day; it says am in the 1% of learners for time online and numbers of words learned. Well! Que stupende y sehr gut und tres bien! I get an A for effort.

I have mixed feelings though. If the point of learning a language is understanding and conversing with in such, then I get a F grade. For all my effort I can barely understand when someone is speaking Spanish unless they slow down to a turtle’s pace. As for my speaking, I can barely ask for a pencil or the time of day. Oh the embarrassment.

What I’m planning: Nothing right now. Normally about now I am planning all sorts of things like shopping for Someone, getting out decorations, making menus, and baking cookies. My mind doesn’t feel like doing any of these things at the moment. I know folks already done setting up the tree and the Christmas prizes purchased.

What’s making me smile:  Another allotment of money. Patience above! I thought the estate of our late Father was over and done with, but Brother #3 recently reminded us there was a portfolio of stocks he and his shyster financier didn’t make as part of the main inheritance. Brother #3 was driven to distraction (and drink) this year getting this settled – and now it is. Because it is stock, the estimated value has varied so many times I don’t know how much it is. I will come home from Michigan was a modest Christmas cheque of ~ 70K and that ain’t chicken feed. And I was just looking forward to having some freshly-laid eggs!

*Princess Goddess has slowly risen through the ranks, going from chorus to Clara, good for her I say! For the past couple of years she danced the role of The Mouse King. Her uncles tried to bribe her to fix the ballet for The Mouse King to win, but she wouldn’t do it. I promised to pay for her college if in the middle of the ballet she started doing ‘The Rite of Spring’ but she wouldn’t do that either.