This is Peabody, Mass., from the first winter we were here in Massachusetts. It snowed for three days straight. More snow in one fell swoop than I’d seen in my entire life put together. (I was 24) It was gorgeous. One of my fondest memories, standing on our second floor porch, watching huge flakes fall by the light of the streetlights. Lived 20 miles or so south of Peabody, and I think we got more snow than they did. it was fantastic.

Today I am cooking.  I cooked yesterday, too.  Well, I made oatmeal cookies, which took probably two hours, not including baking.  Stuff in bowl, sit, add egg, sit and stir, rest, mix dry, sit, add dry, sit some more.  Pain and fatigue.  It is so fun.  Two weeks ago, before they made me decrease the Prednisone, my pain was about a 3, and I didn’t even need pain meds every day.  Now, my pain has been a 7 for several days, and tylenol in the morning, ibuprofen at night, and sit, sit, sit.  Or lie on the couch.  But I did get some stuff done yesterday, mostly sitting down stuff.  Today I got even more done, but my homemaker was here and did a lot herself.  Mainly I rearranged some small things, and the cooking.  I baked the cookies, I am making apple crisp (Marie peeled and chopped the apples.  Thank you, Marie.)  And I baked Gorton’s crab cakes, which are something I had not seen before.  I like their fillets.  And I microwaved some green beans with almonds.  Green Giant.  You know, the Jolly one.  Ho Ho Ho.  They’re from his valley, apparently.  So now there are dirty dishes all over, and unless I have a burst of energy later, they will still be there tomorrow.  Marie did not have time to unload the dishwasher, and I am too tired.  This is the life with chronic, debilitating illness.  I am determined not to give into it until it gets too bad not to.  I must decrease the prednisone again Sunday, from 9mg to 8, but one week on 9 is not nearly long enough to adjust.I would prefer a couple of months, but as it is I am defying my doctor by doing this extra week.  By the way, the crab cakes are not bad, but need a sauce or something.  The green beans are just ewwww.  Oh, well.

It was a gorgeous bright sunny day, even if pretty darn cold.  Spring is springing, once we get out of the deep freeze we’ve been in all month.

Little edit.  I forgot, until I just had a teeny taste, that I had grabbed the cayenne pepper instead of the cinnamon.  My apple crisp has a bit of zing.  It’s not a bad thing.  🙂