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Got up at 8. Yay, me. Showered, ate, got dressed and read email. Friend called and we went shopping then back to her house to play a game on her pc. She was stuck on a level, and things go better when two of you are figuring things out. I took three extra-strength excedrin, but was still having problems walking, and by the time I was ready to come home, I could barely walk. The couch and I had a session, but moving was still very painful when I got up. I have been having dramatically more pain in the past week or so, since the weather changed. I like to think that my body may be miserable and in pain and fatigued, but I am fine. I choose to not be sad or morose or negative just because I am ill.

On another note, I made a lovely salad yesterday from this link:

http://closetcooking.blogspot.com/2008/06/mango-caprese-salad.html

It was very tasty and refreshing. Caprese is normally made with ripe tomatoes, but the mango was very nice. Oh, and today we lunched at Azteca, a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant in Attleboro. It is a home-cooking type restaurant, not an “oh, aren’t we a snazzy Mexican restaurant here in New England” type of restaurant, and the food is very good. I had chili rellenos, beans, guacamole salad, and a chicken taco. Lovely.

The tomatoes aren’t looking good so far this year. All the rain has slowed fruit growth in favor of leaf growth, and there is a new disease that is affecting the crops. It is said to be the same that caused the Irish Potato Famine, and is highly contagious. My friend’s plants are very tall, but just starting to fruit, and they are checking regularly for signs of the blight. One person’s great summer weather is another person’s tomato problems. But I am liking the not too sticky too often weather we’ve had.

Does anybody watch Torchwood on BBC America? I don’t actually get BBC America any more, since I downgraded my cable, but they are showing Torchwood On Demand. Lucky me. I like a good sci-fi show, and although this started out a bit hokey, more like the older Doctor Who shows, it has gotten really very good.

Well, the good day is nearly over, I am off to bed shortly.

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Previously posted by me in a group I belong to, but I hope helpful to anyone with chronic illness who reads this blog. 

I have a homemaker also.  I made a list of everything I want her to
do.  In order.  I get the laundry into the basket, get the coins, pour
the soap into the jar (I measure out the soap cause they’re
front-loaders and we don’t want suds all over the first floor, now do
we?  ).  I
empty the wastebaskets into the trash bag in the kitchen.  I pick up
the cat toys from the floor.  The rest is up to her.  Here’s my list:

Start laundry.
Vacuum kitchen and bathroom with small vac.  Empty vac into trash. 
Clean bathroom.
Mop bathroom and kitchen.
Vacuum rugs with big vac.  Empty vac into trash.
Do any small miscellaneous jobs I need done.
Deal with laundry–into
dryer or bring up if I’m hanging it to dry.
Grocery shopping and pick up meds if necessary.
Go to post office if necessary.
Get laundry from dryer and fold it.
Trash out.  Goodbye. 

I don’t put the ‘goodbye’ on the list.   

Your
needs may be very different, but I’ve found having a list really
helps.  I prefer she doesn’t have to ask me what to do next, because if
I’m really tired I tend to say, “Nothing.  Just go home now.”  If I’m
having brain-fog, I can’t think what needs to be done so I tend to say
“Nothing.  Just go home now.” 
Having a list takes the pressure off.  Another thing is that since
homemakers change so often, having a list means they can start off
right from the get-go.  Every time I get one I really like AND who does
a good job, she leaves for a better job or to stay home with her kids
or……….  I am not really that comfortable with having new people
come in, so that’s another way the list helps.  I don’t have to
interact that much until I get used to them.