I'm Back

A reader wrote to ask if I was well since I have not blogged in a while. To explain my absence, I have to say that this has been an awful year for me. I had COVID in January and my brother died in February. Meanwhile, I am dealing with lots of post COVID problems. I hate to write when I have nothing positive or helpful for my readers.

Also during these times, I am trying to learn how to live in two places. I have spent most of the time in Roswell,GA where my sister lives. I am grateful I was with her when I had the virus in January of this year.  Although I had all my vaccine shots and a booster and although I was careful to wear a mask when in public, I caught it at a restaurant where none of the staff wore masks and others did not either. They say that masks are about 85% successful in keeping the virus from escaping into the air. So masks would have helped. 

The fatigue I am having now keeps me from doing many things I want to do. However, my work has helped me with my grief. Keeping busy with something I enjoy has always been a good way for me to get through the worst of mourning. I try not to dwell on my sorrow for long, but I still cry when I think of my brother and realize he will never call me on the phone again. He will never sing his songs or tell his stories. It makes no difference that he was in his nineties or that we all knew it was going to be soon. When we lose someone we love, we miss them and that makes us sad. There is no shame in that and it should be accepted by others who care for us.

I am in Hayesville this week, back to my mountain home that I love. Every day is filled with either a doctor's appointment, a hair appointment, or getting my taxes to the CPA. 

Cloudy day in the mountains 

Time passes so quickly and with the time change that has just occurred, I find my days seem shorter. My body did not recognize a time change. It is still on the one it was used to. 

The cold weather here with snow has shut down the early spring we were enjoying. My forsythia looks damaged and the pear trees that were a beautiful white are now yellow. Japanese magnolias that were blooming so pretty a few weeks ago are done for now.

As I prepare for my writing class I will teach for the Carl Sandburg home historic site, I am amazed at the large number of people who have registered. I hope I feel well and am at my best for this class.

I hope you, my dear friends, are having good weather and enjoying good health as we anticipate the next season in our lives.