April 26-May 2, 2020
Migraine Extremes, Hard Week, Nemesis, Hiking With Henry
Hello Friends!
I think we all had a hard week at our house. We were all a little out of sorts and struggling.
Migraines:
Well, this was one of the hardest migraines weeks I've had in a long time. Luckily, it ended on Friday, but that was the end of a MONTH long migraine!!! I went on the Prednisone and that did help, but when I went off it I ended up getting a massive extreme migraine on Thursday that words can't convey the agony I was in. I emailed my doctor and she prescribed another new med to try, but I figured I'd had enough weird chemicals in my body this week and decided to save it. It was the right choice because things did settle down after the massive migraine finale on Thursday.
Botox:
This week was my botox shots, for migraine prevention. I only wish it helped my migraines more, but I don't have many options for help. The doctor gives me like thirty shots throughout my scalp, neck, temple, and forehead. The shots really hurt, but it only takes a few minutes and it's over.
Bible Studies:
I think I have forgotten to mention my Bible studies for the past few weeks! Thrive: The one I do at the church I attend continues to be fantastic. I'm getting used to meeting on Zoom. This week instead of just meeting with the six women in my group the whole women's group all got together on Zoom! I don't know how many women were there--sixty or so? It was definitely a learning experience to be separated into little groups and then back with the big group online. This wrapped up our official term and a few of us are going to continue to meet each week and discuss the Proverbs until our summer session starts June 1st. I'm glad and thankful for the friendship and fellowship with these ladies; especially when I'm home alone most days.
BSF: The other Bible study, BSF, I decided to drop out for the last three classes. I just felt awkward trying to do that one on Zoom and just decided I could print out the worksheets and do them over the summer on my own.
FaceTime Heather:
Thankful for another chat with Heather this week, although I had a migraine and the conversation was a bit of a blur. So thankful for a kindred spirit that knows my heart.
Garden:
The seedlings are coming up and doing really well.
Some of my most numerous memories of my deceased father were of him watering the plants in our backyard in Florida.
I guess, like him, I really love watering!
Isn't that a funny thing to enjoy?! But, I do!
I was back in my element watering once again this week! Yay, spring!
Bible Studies:
I think I have forgotten to mention my Bible studies for the past few weeks! Thrive: The one I do at the church I attend continues to be fantastic. I'm getting used to meeting on Zoom. This week instead of just meeting with the six women in my group the whole women's group all got together on Zoom! I don't know how many women were there--sixty or so? It was definitely a learning experience to be separated into little groups and then back with the big group online. This wrapped up our official term and a few of us are going to continue to meet each week and discuss the Proverbs until our summer session starts June 1st. I'm glad and thankful for the friendship and fellowship with these ladies; especially when I'm home alone most days.
BSF: The other Bible study, BSF, I decided to drop out for the last three classes. I just felt awkward trying to do that one on Zoom and just decided I could print out the worksheets and do them over the summer on my own.
FaceTime Heather:
Thankful for another chat with Heather this week, although I had a migraine and the conversation was a bit of a blur. So thankful for a kindred spirit that knows my heart.
Garden:
 |
| See the green chives that came back from last year?! |
The seedlings are coming up and doing really well.
Some of my most numerous memories of my deceased father were of him watering the plants in our backyard in Florida.
 |
| This is the area that I had planted blackberry plants in before I found their permanent home, and now each spring I have to pull up thirty new sprouts! I am going to work really hard on keeping them out of this area this year. |
I guess, like him, I really love watering!
Isn't that a funny thing to enjoy?! But, I do!
I was back in my element watering once again this week! Yay, spring!
Chainsawing, Pruning, and Burning:
This week we have continued to clean up the small weed trees and vines. We've been burning them along with some of the piles of brush that keep getting higher and higher! Dh got creative and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows one of our yard days; which was a lot of fun! We have been burning in four different pits this spring. One day we had two fires going at the same time; which took some effort to keep going but we really burnt a lot of our piles and made progress.
Fire Pits:
The picture above is a tree stump that we've been burning, slowly but surely. So far, every year we try to cut it down and new shoots keep trying endlessly. We are hoping this year it might not cause as much trouble.
Clearing:
I've been clearing this area of the driveway, see above picture. I've been pulling up thorny vines and lots poison ivy. I also used my chainsaw to cut a lot of weird scrub trees too.
Fire Pits:
The picture above is a tree stump that we've been burning, slowly but surely. So far, every year we try to cut it down and new shoots keep trying endlessly. We are hoping this year it might not cause as much trouble.
Clearing:
I've been clearing this area of the driveway, see above picture. I've been pulling up thorny vines and lots poison ivy. I also used my chainsaw to cut a lot of weird scrub trees too.
Mowing and Yard Work:
I'm back to mowing! I have a lot of mowing and a trusty pushmower to see me through! The previous owners had left two half-used bags of fertilizer that I've struggled with what to do with. Since I'm only letting the chickens out when they are in their tractors I figured I could use the fertilizer up in the front yard -- uphill and very separate from the area where the tractors are. I'm glad to be done with it and it's not sitting in our barn any longer. I didn't feel comfortable throwing it in the trash to go to a landfill either. I'm relieved it's gone.
 |
I moved the two Hydrangea plants from the pool area to up here in front of the house where I can water it more often. I moved them last fall and am so delighted they both are doing well and I see new leaves!  |
Transplanting:
 |
| new home for coneflowers |
Last year I transplanted some plants around hoping I'd found suitable new homes, but by the middle of summer, the Hostas were being burnt to a crisp in too-sunny locations!
I had to wait until spring to relocate and started switching things up this week.
I moved some Coneflowers and Black-Eyed Susans to the sunny/sandy beds and moved the Hostas to the shady spots. I had a few other relocations by the pool---some Daisies and Iris's had escaped outside the fence, so I dug them up and put them back inside where they belong!
I had to wait until spring to relocate and started switching things up this week.
 |
| New home to more hostas |
I moved some Coneflowers and Black-Eyed Susans to the sunny/sandy beds and moved the Hostas to the shady spots. I had a few other relocations by the pool---some Daisies and Iris's had escaped outside the fence, so I dug them up and put them back inside where they belong!
Hiking With Henry:
 |
| Henry! |
Most days I was fortunate enough to take Henry out to the woods for a lovely walk in the big woods. Hiking in the woods makes me so very, very happy. In each season I find so much beauty and am so glad I have a dog that demands long walks and fusses until I take him out!
Chickens:
A good week for the chickens.
Sleeping:
Dd and I are like so many other people that are having trouble sleeping during this pandemic. Since I started the Prednisone for my migraines my sleeping went from bad to worse. Dd is not only having trouble sleeping through the night she is also having nightmares.
Dd's Progress For the Week:
Dd is working on her last weeks of classes for her Grace Co-op and Algebra II tutoring.
We finished the Read Aloud (Nemesis by Agatha Christie). She has not been sleeping well and is struggling with anxiety. She does her lessons during the day and then spends her evenings and weekends with her boyfriend. This week she was really wrestling with the decision to go back to work or not. She really misses seeing her friends.
Bible, Church, and Devotions:
Dd is doing well with her devotions. She watches the church service online with Seth every Sunday. She also likes the online noon services each day.
Math:
Algebra II with a tutor (Saxon)
Grace Co-op:
Writing: IEW: Analytical and Research Papers
2 1/2 hours plus online class. She is working really hard on her final paper.
Science: Anatomy and Physiology (Apologia): 2 1/2 hours and online class
Foreign Language: German: DuoLingo: 1 hour
Art: Drawing: 1 hour
Read Aloud:
Nemesis by Agatha Christie: COMPLETED
.............
We finished the Read Aloud (Nemesis by Agatha Christie). She has not been sleeping well and is struggling with anxiety. She does her lessons during the day and then spends her evenings and weekends with her boyfriend. This week she was really wrestling with the decision to go back to work or not. She really misses seeing her friends.
Bible, Church, and Devotions:
Dd is doing well with her devotions. She watches the church service online with Seth every Sunday. She also likes the online noon services each day.
Math:
Algebra II with a tutor (Saxon)
Grace Co-op:
Writing: IEW: Analytical and Research Papers
2 1/2 hours plus online class. She is working really hard on her final paper.
Science: Anatomy and Physiology (Apologia): 2 1/2 hours and online class
Foreign Language: German: DuoLingo: 1 hour
Art: Drawing: 1 hour
Read Aloud:
Nemesis by Agatha Christie: COMPLETED
.............
