“Books hold most of the secrets of the world, most of the thoughts that men and women have had. And when you are reading a book, you and the author are alone together — just the two of you. A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered. Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people — people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.” –E.B. White
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Why yes, I am on vacation!
How could you tell?
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5 most common phrases overheard in the Walker-Weir household
If you happened to be passing by the windows of our home, sitting at the dining room table or listening on the other end of the phone, you’re very likely to hear one of these statements:
1. Get off the table! (Yes, this is directed at the cats, not M.)
2. Sweet dreams. See also: Nighty night, rabbit. (Due to our opposite schedules, we rarely get the pleasure of sleeping in the same bed at the same time.)
3. Kill ’em a lot! (M is a gamer. I slay people in fiction.)
4. Five minutes. (Generally uttered after putting the kettle on for tea. For a snooze request, I ask for 10 minutes.)
5. I love you, my heart. (Also: my own, my love, my sugar plum and sweetie pie. We’re foolish romantics. What can I say?)
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When it comes to migraine relief, every little bit helps
On Sunday night, I woke to a Level 8 migraine. On a scale of 1 to 10, a Level 8 headache features truly severe pain. Just imagine someone jamming an ice pick through your right temple and into the eyeball. Now, tack on light sensitivity, balance issues and nausea.Thanks a lot, Summer.
After stumbling down the hallway to the bathroom, I donned my Cefaly device and returned to bed for a full treatment session. By the time it ended an hour later, the migraine was still tormenting my brain, but the pain had dropped to a Level 7. Even though my head continued to throb, a Level 7 headache meant I could muster enough strength to dress, walk downstairs, make some tea and soup and swallow the migraine meds that can only be taken with food.
The damn migraine lasted for several more hours before abating around 2 a.m. And although it rebounded around sunrise, I was able to get some much-needed work done. For that, I must thank my little space tiara.
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5 things that have changed in my life since the pandemic began
There are surely more than five, but here are the highlights:
1. I was watching an episode of “Fringe” recently where the protagonists encountered someone they described as a germophobe. The character earned this designation because her home had hermetically-sealed windows, an air purification system with HEPA filters and bottles of hand sanitizer in every room. Turns out she had a son who was immunocompromised, but in my mind, she was just prepared for COVID-19.
2. Thanks to the toilet paper shortages of 2020 and 2021, I’m now a convert to the bidet. Every toilet in every home I live in from this point forward will have one.
3. I used to love going to the grocery store; now, I exclusively use Hannaford To-Go and Instacart with drop-off service at my front door. Pre-pandemic, I’d spend a good hour planning meals, checking the pantry for ingredients and compiling a shopping list for two weeks’ worth of meals. After driving to the store, I’d wander up and down the aisles, filling my cart while listening to music or Zombies Run. Then, I’d bring the groceries home, unpack the car and put everything away. Going to the store was an event, one that took up an entire morning.
Due to the pandemic, I haven’t been inside a grocery store since February 2020. However, buying groceries online is actually pretty convenient. I particularly enjoy creating shopping lists and hitting the “buy again” button. The orders arrive at my door within a pre-selected two-hour window and I can do other things while a well-compensated shopper compiles my cart and delivers each order. Shopping this way means I’m also less tempted to purchase items from pretty displays and shelves of impulse buys.
4. Important errands and appointments are now scheduled between surges. As soon as New Hampshire returns to low transmission of the virus (or as close an approximation as I can estimate since the powers-that-be refuse to collect accurate data), I cold-call doctors, dentists, vets, librarians, handymen, etc., to take care of all the things that need to be done before the next coronavirus variant causes everyone to become sick again.
5. Me in 2019: No one needs to pay for more than one or two streaming services.
Me in 2022: Since I can no longer go to the movies, I subscribe to every streaming service!
