Getting Back Up On That Horse

     How many of you have trouble starting all over again after falling down on some responsibility? I sure do. Case in point . . . this blog.
     Now, I really enjoy writing it. Honestly I do. But for some reason, when I have something that gets in my way and causes me to lose the necessary momentum I just seem to fall to pieces.
     Every time there is a crisis in my household I seem to stop writing and then I can't get underway again for love nor money. (Well, since money never has made much appearance when it comes to my writing anyway, perhaps I should just leave it at love.)
     I'm not sure if I've mentioned that my Dear Heart has been suffering from the Shingles for the past two and a half months. In March, when he first became sick, he was mis-diagnosed and treated by a substitute doctor for the wrong thing and then ended up in the hospital where he was mis-diagnosed again for something entirely different. Therefore it was a couple of weeks before his regular doctor discovered what his condition really was and it was a little late.
     I have never seen anyone suffer anymore than the poor man has done. Now, you and I have heard all sorts of horror stories concerning the Shingles and I believe every one of them at this point but until one actually observes or experiences it there is simply no real way to describe it fully. My husband has always been able to throw pain out the window and never gives in to anything. One summer he broke a tendon (!) in his right calf. There was nothing that could be given to him to help the pain so he simply strapped his boot tight and worked all summer until it healed. Once he drove a chisel through his forehead, just missing his right eye, but returned to work as soon as we returned home from the surgery in Kansas City.
     Should I sprain my ankle, heaven forbid, I will be in bed for a week and someone has to carry me to the bathroom.
     But the Shingles has brought him to his knees. He has spent most of the past two and a half months in bed, living on Percocet, if you can believe it. This is a man who is suspicious of multi-vitamins and refuses to take cough medicine. And even that doesn't do more than take the edge off. He does not break out . . . he merely has terrific pain through his body, as if, he says, someone is using large butcher knives on him and later crawling up and down on his back and shoulders. And as if that isn't enough, I'm watching like a hawk in case he gets too despondent. Being in this much pain just invites depression.
     His doctor tells us he is using my husband as a poster boy to promote the shot that will help prevent getting the Shingles. Fortunately I had received it about six months before and we had intended for him to do the same and simply hadn't gotten around to it.
     He has lived to regret it . . . hourly.
     My message to my readers is to head to your doctor's office pronto and get that shot. You won't regret it.

Late...As Usual

Late is my middle name. At my age, I've mostly given up on New Year's Resolutions. In fact, I hardly notice New Year coming and going. It takes all I have to get through Christmas these days. But I have a birthday coming up tomorrow and suddenly I feel like I'm really running out of time.
Because I had knee replacement exactly three months ago I've had a really good reason to put off writing anything and, believe me, that's exactly what I've done...nothing. I usually find any excuse in the world to get out of exerting myself and now I have to wade through the piles and find out where I left off.

Actually I left off with three completed (to MY satisfaction) ms and a Word program that bit the dust three days before my surgery, wouldn't you know? So I jumped in and ordered the new one but I did have the good sense to not install it until this morning. It's up and running now so I just have to teach myself the basics of the new set-up (urk) but at least I can once again convert from my Word Perfect originals. And I think I have a possible market for at least one of the ms. I'll let you know at a later date.

Back to my Birthday Resolution. Since I'm now down to about three decades (yeek...well, maybe more if I'm really lucky) I figure I'm going to have to increase my efforts. Right now is a good time because I still have a knee to go in the spring. So...a blog is one way. Reading a couple of sites for inspiration is another and I'm making a list of them right now and am intending to do so each day. Also get back to a little bit of actual composing. HOWEVER...I do have to finish income tax (UGH) for my husband's business, so that messes me up a little. But I will belly up to the bar and get to it a little at a time.

Got a two-day OWL meeting to hit on the third weekend in February and I'm chomping at the bit. I need to get back in the swing of things. Wish me luck.