the day I ticked everything off on my list of things to do




Pippin is doing ok on her radioactive cat ward. The veterinary nurse said that she meows a lot. So true, I could hear her down the phone line. This is apparently common in hyperthyroid cats. Maybe with her thyroid gland now ablated she will be a little quieter. 

Our bedroom redecoration is going well but is not finished. The decorator is a real perfectionist and doing things just perfect takes time. He'll finish this evening. It is already looking really amazing (not at all like on the photo).

A pigeon met an unexpected end when it flew at full speed into our living room window. I wasn't sure what do to with the cadaver but while I was ruminating over a potential burial, one of many resident urban foxes found a big dinner. I can't reach the window to clean the pigeon outline now disturbing my view so have to wait until the window cleaner returns with his extendable tools.

I got my first official (approved) Covid vaccine on Friday. I waited 2 hours 52 minutes in a long (long!) queue at the drop-in centre, mostly outside in the cold. I may never feel warm again.... The drop-in clinic was in addition to appointment vaccination... The reasoning being that nobody might show up for drop-ins. Well, they were wrong. I tried quite hard to get an appointment by phone and online but without success. I also got the flu shot, which was unexpected but welcome.

To add insult to injury, I reacted strongly to the vaccine, or one of the vaccines. The chills were remarkable and the aches and pains really floored me.

Sam was visiting this weekend. I took him for dinner on Friday (before I succumbed to the shivers) while the other men in the house went to scouts (an overnighter for some). We had a lovely evening and parted ways afterwards, me ready for bed, Sam ready to catch up with his Glasgow friends in town. 

James went to the Friday climate protest with thousands of other children and teenagers and assorted parents. I am proud of him, even though he doesn't fully grasp the seriousness of a warming climate. But he cares and that is what counts. As a side note, I had to update a short introduction to climate change for a lecture in which I discuss the impact of changing climate on infectious disease patterns and human health. It was the most depressing thing I had to do in months. We didn't go to the even bigger climate protests on Saturday. I was feeling too miserable to do much and nobody else was keen. Marches in Glasgow in November are not for the faint hearted, the weather can be really awful. And it was! So far, COP26 has been progressing without major problems, always a relief. I hope something good comes out of it. 

I made myself go out for a walk on Sunday. I met my friend Jo in the nearby woods, together with our offspring. Well, I only took Alistair because James wanted to play basketball in the park. This suited me just fine because the boys argue all the time. Every Friday evening, I look forward to Monday because there is a respite from arbitrating endless arguments when they both are at school. There is no glamour in parenting. The walk was really enjoyable. It is just perfect when you can be friends with your children's mum/dad. Family and friendship time all at once.

And now it is Monday once more. I woke up feeling just fine. I started work early and I finished early, mid afternoon. Ticked everything of my list, in readiness for a full day of marking tomorrow. 

Thanks for visiting!

Comments

  1. Glad Pippin is doing ok and hope she will be back with her lovely family very soon.
    Shame you had a bad reaction to one of your jabs but good that you are feeling better today. Hubby and I are waiting for our booster jabs some time in the next month.
    A day with everything ticked off the list....I don't think I know what one of those looks like. I tick things off mine and something magically appears to take its place :)
    Have a good week Christina x

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  2. I'm so glad Pippin is doing well. Congrats on your vaccines! I had Pfizer, and definitely reacted. My skin hurting was the big surprise for me. The fact that James, as a young teen, cares about the climate is wonderful. I am sorry about your depressing task. I have to ration and space out the information I consume about climate because, yes, it is so, so depressing and infuriating. Our congress is so set on getting their own way that I think each side would rather let the people on the Earth suffer than make any progress. Oof, sorry...let's be positive...hooray Pippin, vaccines, James, and for a visit with Sam!

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  3. Glad you're feeling better and that Pippin is doing alright. I know what you mean about Mondays, I love them, that peace and quiet and order restored. Well done James on going to the climate protest. And well done you on ticking everything off of the list. My list has rather overwhelmed me at the moment. CJ xx

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  4. I hope you're feeling better now. And I'm glad Pippin is doing okay. When will you be able to have her home again? X

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  5. They've just announced boosters for seniors in tis province. They must be 6 months after the second jag, so it will be mid-December (at the earliest) for me.

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  6. I felt a bit grotty after my flu jab too. Didn’t last long. I’m booked for my booster in a couple of weeks and looking forward to it even if it has a short term effect. Glad to hear you are feeling better. A friend has had COVID recently even though she has had both vaccines and she was completely floored by it - in bed for over a week. Xx

    Your boys are getting so tall. Good for James for joining in the protests. The only hope for the planet I think is the fact that so many young people are engaged in the push for change. The politicians just don’t seem to have the required sense of urgency.

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  7. Glad for the update on Pippin, and unfortunate To read about the pigeon’s demise, but the fox was not so upset at a found meal. You did have to wait such a long time for the vaccine as we did last March, but the booster shot was much quicker and only required a same day appointment at a local retail pharmacy. Sore arms were our only reactions, thankfully. When reading the comments, I noticed how many folks use the term “jab” which I just read has become a new term for many.

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  8. I hope you're feeling better now - the first jab flattened me for 24 hours and it's not nice at all, but then you're up and about again as if nothing happened. We get the pigeon outlines quite often on our windows but thankfully they shake themselves off and fly away. I hope that Pippin continues to do well. Our cat has hyperthyroidism but it's controlled by meds at the moment - so much less stressful than a vet hospital visit! Hope you have a good week xx

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  9. Lots of news to digest there, always a good read. Fancy having to look at a pigeon's head on smear for ages! Glad your boys could attend the march, it is good to show support for what seems like the last time to push the big 'uns in the right direction. Have a good weekend. Jo x

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  10. Yay on getting your first vaccine dose
    Haha yes, parenting is not glamourous, at all.
    While I hate when the weekend ends I also breathe a sigh of relief on Monday when everyone leaves to do their own thing.

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  11. I am glad you felt better and managed to get everything done. It is so good when you can be friends with the parents. There used to be a little group of us that went on picnics and outings when my boys were small, my boys are all grown up now. Have a good week. x

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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