My New Meds

I took my first thyroid pill this morning. It's on a trial basis, but I may have to take them for the rest of my life. They may help me feel better. I hope so. My mother and my brother are both on thyroid meds, and the problem tends to run in the family. I also took my third IBS pill. My IBS is somewhat better and I seem to be sleeping better. If it's really working and not some placebo effect, I will be grateful. I do want desperately to feel better. But I am also sad. I've prided myself in not needing meds, I associate meds with old people and the chronically ill. I hate putting chemicals into my body and I hate the expense. I'm afraid with these new developments, I am crossing the line into old age and chronic illness more securely--I've really become a crone. Yesterday, Janet at the nursing home asked if Keith was younger than me. He's six months older. That means I'm aging faster than he is, a scary prospect!

I've been talking more about this issue at The Unbearable Darkness of Being: don't read it if bummer stuff brings you down! LOL!
--
I am certain of nothing but the Heart's affections and the truth of the Imagination- John Keats
Mary

rain

rain
It's november. It's grey and raining. Most of the leaves have fallen from the trees. The few that are left are dull mustard. Raindrops hand from every branch and twing. The street shines with rain, and black reflections of trees make it look like a lake. It's hard to take, this greyness. But we can't really complain. It's been unseasonably warm and beautiful all month so far!

--
I am certain of nothing but the Heart's affections and the truth of the Imagination- John Keats
Mary

Heron Marsh, 3R

Heron Marsh, Three Rivers, photo by Mary Stebbins 

the three ingredient stirfry

When I am in a rush, and I so often seem to be in a rush, I've developed the habit of making a three ingredient stir-fry. I toss into the pan some olive oil, some mystery meat, and 2 veggies (okay, okay, that's four ingredients!) I keep the veggies in one spot, the meat fish and poultry in another, and it's genuine fast food. I may also toss in onion or garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Today, lamb, garden mushrooms, and red cabbage. Yum. NOTHING else, so salt or pepper or anything--tastes great just as it is. Nutritious, not very fattening, and quick.
--
I am certain of nothing but the Heart's affections and the truth of the Imagination- John Keats
Mary

Hamilton Waterfront

Hamilton Waterfront, photo by Mary Stebbins. This is Canada. Sometimes I am so disgusted by our country having voted George Bush into office and all the terrible terrible things he's doing to the environment and the world that I think I should move to Canada. "America, love it or leave it." What I'd like it for George Bush to leave. 

Back from Voting

I'm back from voting, after studying up on the issues.  There was one I missed studying, a town proposition.  I never saw anything about it in the paper and the printing was so tiny I could barely read it, so I hope I made an appropriate choice.

When I was leaving, a man, well-dressed arrived and struggled to unload an unfold a wheelchir and roll himself in to vote.  So much more work than what I have to do.  It made me angry to think of all the people who don't bother to vote, but spend a lot of time complaining, when there are so many people who struggle to vote or can't vote and want to.

I've never missed an election since I was old enough to vote.  I admit there are times when I've been less well-informed than I'd like, but I make the attempt.  I wish we lived in a democracy, but this is the next best thing.  Please vote!  I know you will or already did.

--
I am certain of nothing but the Heart's affections and the truth of the Imagination- John Keats
Mary

Fall Color, 3R

Fall Color, Three Rivers GMA, photo by Mary Stebbins 

Fish Soup Again and new posts

My grocery bill was larger than I expected (and I forgot to buy toilet paper!) I was wondering what the problem was. The quarter of pound of shrimp I bought was only $1.89! Bu the quarter pound of scallops was $5.44! Wild-caught! They're supposed to be healthier because of all the antibiotics and growth hormones in the farm raised ones. There weren't any farm-raised ones available. For lunch, I took half of each and added them to yellow squash, portabella mushroom and borcoli with a little onion and garlic, salt and pepper for a great fish soup! YUM! I love fish soup! it tastes awesome, is quick and easy to prepare, and healthy as can be, except those chemicals in the farm-raised shrimp and the nonorganically grown veggies I just grabbed up at Wegman's.

One of my Psions has decided to work a little so I made new posts at Unbearable Darkness, Invisible Trail and Raw Words. As well as new pix at Imagik--and more to come if I ever have time. I'm very excited to have recovered at least some of my novel chapters lost on the death of Dead from Sara, though I haven't had time to deal with them yet. And don't know what stage they are--I may be posting them as well, for an added security measure. I guess the more places they exist, the less likely there are to disappear.

Here's a note from Raw Words, written yesterday in Wegman's parking Lot, in the rain:

I am feeling happy. I feel good, I feel comfortable, I feel excited about my work, I am eager to work on the pictures for the course and the pictures for the show. (I am also happy to be in Syracuse where people are seeking me out and I'm not an unknown nobody with almost no friends.) I am looking forward to seeing Keith on the weekend. I feel good, I feel happy. (Hope the sky is not about to fall.)

Of course, I got dashed down today when Bryan Peterson didn't like two of my pictures. But I still feel pretty good.
--
I am certain of nothing but the Heart's affections and the truth of the Imagination- John Keats
Mary

Global Warming?

Janine, Photo by Mary Stebbins

It was a beautiful day today and Janine and I took a walk in her woods. No one would want to complain about such a lovely day in November. It could be that the nice day is just that--a nice day.

Or it could be the result of global warming and the same delightful warmth we had today in our temperate forest is translating itself to heat, drought, and famine in Africa and other tropical climates. 

That Poetic feeling

I took a walk tonight at the invisible airplane.  I got there later than I intended.  I haven't adjusted to the time change.  The sun had already set and it was getting dark.  I almost didn't walk, because the park closes at dark, but there were a lot of other people there.  I guess I'm not the only one not adjusted yet.

I walked past the good-dog park--looks like they've built more (hard to tell in the dark)--out to the end of the trail and beyond, out over the creek--crossing the wet, slimy wobbling boards in the disappearing light, down into the even darker swamp woods and our the long narrow peninsula the divides the bay from the river.  In the dark, the invisible branches whipped my face and the narrow trail so close to the drop into the dark water was slippery with rain and sloping into the river.  At one point, I hesitated over something looking like swollen body parts.  I poked at them with my toe and heard a gentle rending sound and felt a squishy mass like rotted flesh--puffballs!  Gone by.  Huge ones.  I walked over the beaver lodges and got that poetic feeling.  I wanted to write a poem about it.  I had my headlamp--but no Psion.  Images and ideas were flooding me.  Oh, I desperately wanted to write, all the way back to the car.  But when I got there, I had to go, and there was the drive and signing in at Loretto and the elevator ride and my mother and waiting for Sara and talking and reading mail and looking for ice cream and going out to eat and then the drive home, story time and the poetic feeling was gone.

--
I am certain of nothing but the Heart's affections and the truth of the Imagination- John Keats
Mary