Chasing away the Sunday blues...

I don't really have the Sunday blues, or if I do, I only have them in the slightest form and I hardly notice them. I'm mostly frustrated with what's on television, although it was interesting this morning when there were programs on about literature and politics. This afternoon there are sports on and that's usually okay, but I'm not interested in the kinds of sports that are being shown. The highlights of the rugby game between France and England aren't being shown until 5:30 pm. I hardly have enough patience to sit and wait for them. 

I took my usual nap on the sofa and for a change I'm not so discombobulated. That's quite a relief because I don't like the long drawn out process of rejoining the living when I am. I did make myself a cup of coffee immediately, but I hardly needed it as I was pretty clear headed right away. That goes to show you that you can't compare one day and one experience with the other and that each one is different. You can't always anticipate everything ahead of time because it may turn out quite differently than you thought. 

Nevertheless, I am having another cup of coffee because it's putting me in an excellent mood and I like it. I'd rather feel this way than hopelessly confused and in search of a good one.

I never did turn off the television, but just turned the sound down low. That way I am keeping track of what's on without it being intrusive. It's a little bit like having company without having to concern myself with it. The voices of the newscasters and the sports commentators are very familiar and they sound like old friends. It's pleasant to hear them in the background. I know I am thoroughly integrated now because I know everybody who's anybody on television. 

There are little buds on some of the hedges in the neighborhood. Some of the trees are starting to show buds too. Some of the bushes in the gardens show colored buds and I think they are about to flower. There are more daisies in the fields and I'm waiting to see other kinds of flowers, though I don't know which ones would come up next in the wild. We need more sunshine, but all we have is this drizzly weather and gray skies. We do have mild temperatures and I think spring will be here early this year. 

I have to watch the news now and see what is happening in Libya. 

Have a good evening.

Ciao,

Nora

In the time it takes snow to fall...

After today, the days will start getting longer again, although the warming up effect will not be felt for a long time yet. It will be March before we feel anything like warm sunshine again and go about without wearing layers of clothes. I can't even imagine that now. What it will be like to go outside without a jacket on and a scarf. It will be the most amazing and appreciated thing. I look forward to it already, but that doesn't mean that I'm miserable now.

I refuse to suffer from the weather the way it is now and I'm bound and determined to make the best of it. Of course, not many demands are made of me and I don't have to travel far away from home. I can go anywhere I have to on foot or stay home if I choose to do so. I don't have to get in a car and drive half an hour to get to my job. Woe are those who have to. It's a tough assignment, but it can be done with a lot of patience. It just may take a while longer. 

More snow has fallen during the night and there really is a winter wonder landscape now. It's possible to look at it in awe if you forget the negative aspects. You just mustn't try to get anywhere far away in a hurry. If you just walk through it slowly, it's very pretty, but you must be dressed for it. Kids in the neighborhood have built snowmen and forts and done very good jobs at them. I remember making them when I was a kid and we had winters like this. They weren't unusual back then. 

I wish I could tell you that I had slept for a good  long time, but I didn't. Just as I was about to go to bed last night, my sister called me to tell me that she had gotten home safely from Milan and that was a relief, because we hadn't been sure if it would have been possible. For some reason, her plane, bus, train and taxi all were on time and had no delays or problems with the weather whatsoever, while there had been delays and cancellations all over the place. She must have had a guardian angel.

I woke up early, because Tyke and I both had urgent toilet needs, and I stayed up. I was ready to be awake and enjoy the silent hours of the morning. I do have to forsake some sleep for that, but hopefully I can take a nap later today. 

The Exfactor is supposed to be here today to do the groceries, but there's some question as to if he's going to make it. It depends on the weather. Even he isn't indestructible. I'm going to see my SPN this afternoon and I will walk there, because I'm not sure if it's safe to ride my bike. I don't know how clean the streets are. Mine isn't at any rate. 

Oh, I had been waiting with dread for the end of year energy bill and was afraid that I would have to pay a phenomenal amount of money extra, because last winter had been cold and dark and I was afraid that I'd used more energy than I had paid for. My neighbors had gotten a huge end of year bill and I was prepared for the worst. 

It came in the mail yesterday. I said a silent prayer and opened the envelope and looked at both the gas bill and the electric bill. In both cases not only did I not have to pay anything extra, I was even getting a couple of euros back. I thanked God with a huge sigh of relief. That was a load off my shoulders. Whatever I'm doing, I'm doing right, because I don't pay a very large monthly amount. I must have a guardian angel too. 

This goes to prove the theory that's developing that a lot of things go right. That there are all these little happy endings all over the place. All I have to do is be on the look out for them and I can consider myself lucky. I can think of many instances when a piece of good luck came my way just when I needed it. When the timing was just right and I was saved by the bell. 

Now I've got to take my medicines and start the day. It's nice and warm in here, so I can get dressed now. I hate to take off my bathrobe if it's still chilly. 

Have a nice day, even if you're snowed in. 

Ciao,

Nora

The medicines.

I want to first of all thank you people for leaving me such great comments of support and encouragement while I go through the trials and tribulations of taking the wrong medication and now am adjusting to a new one. You know I very rarely comment on the comments, but I think it is worth mentioning here. You're all a great bunch of people.

The reason that I didn't notice that my medication was different to what I normally take was, that the Exfactor had gone by the pharmacy for me and had picked up a 3 months supply of 4 different kinds of medication and brought them home in one bag. I didn't check then to see what was in the bag and just deposited it in the cabinet where I keep all my medicines. It is possible that the pharmacist said something about the medication being different to the Exfactor, but if he did, he neglected to tell me. I think the pharmacist didn't say anything, because the Exfactor would not have forgotten something as crucial as that.

I didn't realize the medication was different until the very morning after I had used up the batch of the previous medicines. I read the enclosed information sheet and figured it was okay and took my usual two tablets, expecting them to work as they normally do. Imagine my surprise when they didn't.

When I talked to my psychiatrist that day and he told me that those medicines had not been prescribed to me and that I should go back to the pharmacy. He did say that the new medicines should work the same as the old ones, but I knew that they did not. At that time, we both believed that it was a mistake that the pharmacist had made and that I would come home with the right medicines.

When I did not, it was too late to call my psychiatrist and to be sure, I took an extra dose of the new medication at night, hoping that would help, but the next day I realized that it had not. When I talked to my psychiatrist that day he suggested doubling the dose, but I told him that I had already tried that. I think he realized that I had lost faith in the new medication altogether and that this was the reason that he allowed me the option to choose for a whole new anti psychotic, feeling that I would have more faith in that.

I take the new anti psychotic 3 times a day, 5 mg at a time, so that it is slowly building up in my system. The old medication I took all at once. I like the fact that I take this one 3 times a day, because it makes me feel that I am actively doing something to keep the level of medication steady in my body and I look forward to taking the next dose as if it is a little miracle pill that will take my troubles away, which is not far from the truth. It makes me feel very proactive. I am silently cheering it on. I think the anti psychotic and the mood stabilizer are my two most important medicines. I could live without all the other ones maybe, but not without those two.

I needed some more milk today, but I was not up to going to the supermarket, so I went to the little neighborhood market instead and when I walked in, I was met by an overwhelming odor of alcohol and a crowd of people shouting above loud Christmas music. Apparently they were having a Christmas party. Much shouting and laughing was done. I pushed my way through the crowd to the milk and managed to grab a hold of three cartons and also two packs of cookies. There was a woman ahead of me buying loads of sweets and cookies and cakes and she was obviously feeling no pain. She must have been partaking for some time. That's what you get when you live next to a working class neighborhood. Lots of cheer like that and lots of singing and shouting and partaking. It's the stuff that clichés are made of the world over.

I took many naps today and did not accomplish anything but the dishes. When not in balance, sleep, it's the best cure for what ails you. I always feel so much better when I wake up. Sleep really is like a heavy blanket that lies on top of you and covers you from head to toe and separates you from the world. Even the Überhund did not bother me this time.

I am in my pajamas now. The Überhund is sound asleep under the desk, he is snoring. It is a cozy sound. A while ago, he was hungry and I told him to go eat his food, so instead of that, he walked to the cats' dishes and ate all of their food. Stubborn fool. I think he was trying to make a point. It wasn't lost on me.

Have yourself a great night, full of cheer and pre Christmas excitement.

Ciao...

Comments.

Judging by some of the comments on the post with my pictures of the neighborhood, you had maybe expected something more quaint and rural, a pastoral scene, maybe. You all forgot that I live in a little suburb of a University town and that most of the neighborhood is newly built. What you see are streets cobbled with real stones and sidewalks laid with individual cement tiles. I was rather proud of the fact that I could show you as much greenery as I did in such a short distance. That's rather luxurious for a new neighborhood.

The pond, yes. I do on occasion go to the pond where there are ducks and a single heron. I promise to take that walk soon and show you what that is all about, but it won't be at its prettiest now, of course. Maybe I'll do that this weekend, although it's supposed to rain on and off today and tomorrow. We'll see.

Poisonous Mushrooms

A bit of 'art' thrown in to see if you are paying attention and to check if I still have any skills left. I think I need some practicing. That's another good thing to do on a rainy day.

There has a new shopping center been built just around the corner from me with all the best discount stores in it. There's a household goods store and a drugstore and a supermarket and a cheap store for socks and underwear and pajamas and sheets, etc. There is going to be a clothing store there as well, but I don't know if they'll have the bigger sizes that I wear still. It will be worth checking out when they open, though. I will be one of their first customers, you can count on that. I am very happy with the drugstore, because it is one of the best and has the biggest assortment of items you may want. I have always wished for one to be close by here. It will save me the trip downtown.

Well, now I've got to go and do some useful stuff around here. Can't dawdle here all day long, much as I want to. I've still got to put my face on and my necklaces. I feel naked without them.

Ciao...