2892

Trouble on Tuesday! I did something today that I've not done before--I took my midday medication about three hours later than usual. I was in a dance class when it was time for my medication. For some reason, I thought I had taken my midday dosage right before starting class. I only "thought" I had done so. I realized that I had not taken anything when class was over and I was heading home.

I'm not certain, but I had thought I was having problems in dance class. I seemed to be having difficulty moving my legs and feet. My feet and legs felt heavy and seemed to move slowly, off the beat, and not as far as I wanted them to move.

Since I began taking my PD medications, I've never been so late in taking a dosage. And I've not done an extensive period of exercise without having a timely dosage. I'm not interested in doing the same thing again to "prove" that what I experienced really happened. I'll just program my phone to beep a reminder when a dosage is due.

No class tomorrow! Several dances and workshops on the calendar for October and November in addition to classes.

I was feeling really logy at the end of today's class. After taking the medications and getting some food, I'm feeling somewhat "normal" once again. Moving on!

2893

Things were a bit out of sync today. Last night (and yesterday) MD (who is 97) started mentioning that she wasn't feeling well. She had a rough time yesterday afternoon and last night and we were all keeping our attention on her and her conditions. The good news is that this morning, after a good night's rest, she awoke feeling better and was back to her normal self. Her caregiver will be here tomorrow and that will help her get back into her regular rhythms.

I spent some time shopping again today. I'm not a fan of spending time in the big box stores, but I was determined to find a gym bag that I can use to hold my dance stuff. I finally found what I was thinking about--a small duffel-like bag that is not huge but compact and tidy. I ended up paying more than I thought it would cost--but by the time I found it, I was ready to pay a small bit extra versus continuing the search. I came home and took a well deserved nap.

Dance class tomorrow! Looking forward to the class. I'm ready for some movement after my shopping spree--and ready to dance some of the new ones we've been learning.

My favorite series of the huge set of CBS shows are all restarting for the Fall. There are enough shows on that one network to keep me busy--I seldom watch shows on other channels. And I also only watch the crime-centered shows (CSI's, NCIS's, Blue Bloods, Good Wife, Madam Secretary, and such) but none of the sitcom or reality shows (except for Survivor). I probably spend about two hours per day watching streamed video.

Think I'll break it here and watch a show before bedtime. Good night, Mrs Calabash, where ever you may be!

2894

A friend of mine, BA, prompted me about writing my "story" of my adventures with PD. I wrote him back a response, which I've pasted below:

My "story" is not complete enough to spread yet. It's still to early to draw conclusions from my current activities. I'm fortunate that I can still move and dance as I've been doing, but for many people with PD they have problems standing, walking, and dealing with the basics. Many are dependent on their caregivers in order for them to get around. I think a summary of my "story" right now is that I have been really fortunate to be able to do what I am doing. Perhaps all of the previous things that I've done (running, exercise, yoga, dancing, climbing, and such) set me up to be able to do what I can do now--but I don't have any way to prove that is what happened. 

PD is stealthy. It sneaks up on you over perhaps decades of "normal" health. Then, one day you start noticing small things (slight tremors, really poor handwriting, cognitive fogs, a foot dragging slightly when you walk, and a dozen other symptoms) that seem to be unrelated. Unrelated, that is, until your PCP tells you that you appear to have the illness. He or she may also share the unhelpful knowledge that what you are experiencing is progressive, degenerative, and incurable. That the illness doesn't kill you, but sets you up for something that will do so.

Since I was diagnosed (10 years ago), I've thought about writing my "story", but the "story" keeps changing. It keeps changing and morphing. Right now it has morphed into a dancing story, but a story that hasn't been going long enough to draw definitive conclusions. And with PD, that may continue to be the case.

2896-2895

Friday's dance class went well. We covered a number of dances and I came home and fell asleep for several hours. When I awoke, I zoned out. Oh, yes! I forgot to mention that in the morning I drove B to pick up some mulch for the trees that he planted. So, I was up and about all morning and early afternoon. I was ready for a nap when I got home from all these ventures.

Today, I went shopping--which is not one of my favorite pastimes. I picked up a gift for my daughter whose birthday is next week. I also located some jeans that fit my new size--34 waist and 29 inseam. I seem to have dropped a couple of inches from my waist line and perhaps have shrunk some in height. Finding jeans with moderate-sized waists and short inseams is a challenge. I paid for it (jean prices are off the charts now) but I found two pair that fit well. I also had to pick up a smaller belt (a 34)--it was either that or punch new holes in my 36 belts and chop off the excess leather.

In prepping for finding new jeans, I did an inventory of my closet and found 3 pairs of 36/30 jeans that I've hardly worn. They are much too baggy for my slimmer self. Hopefully, B can fit into them. It's that or donate them to Goodwill.

My ex showed up this afternoon. The grandkid really likes her visits. It gives her someone new to order around and enroll in her fantasies. The grandkid is mellowing out some as she gets older. Her new kindergarten is helping her make the transition to a more thoughtful existence.

Well, it's bedtime--time to dream. Let the dream files roll!

2897

2.5 hours of intermediate-level dances today and it was challenging. By the end, I was fried, but did all right given the complexities of some of the dances.

I fortified myself with a big lunch and a green tea latte and other nibbles. I need to remind myself to carry some energy bars or other snacks to class--to help bridge the big time span of the classes and feed the energy levels.

B scoped out the issue with the water leakage that was showing up in the area of one of the water heaters. It was not the heater--it was a blockage in the garbage disposal unit which was shunting the overflow into the space between the outside wall. He had asked a local plumber to come look at everything yesterday and he gave an estimate to replace the water heater--which wouldn't have solved  the problems. Thanks to B, that costly service will not be needed.

Dance class tomorrow in Citrus Heights. The instructor has posted the dances that will be covered. I know a few but there are many I'm do not know. I guess I'll catch up one day--after the newer dances take over from the older ones and the old ones are retired.

We had some rain today--quite a lot in the morning. Feels good to have some moisture in the air. Hope we get more--the draught has been around too long.

2898

Slow day this Wednesday--or at least things seemed to be moving slowly. I munched my way through the day. I had a huge breakfast. I awoke feeling hungry so I went to CoCo's and downed a large combo breakfast of eggs, sausage, french toast slathered with cream cheese and lingonberry compote. I opted to not have the hash browns and butter. It was very filling and very tasty!

Dance class tomorrow--and I spent some time today watching videos of several dances. Next Thursday has been deemed to be red shirt day--everyone in the class has been encouraged to wear a red shirt. Simple things keep people happy--red shirt it is!

I see that 10 million iPhone 6's were purchased last weekend. Amazing numbers! Everyone seems to have a mobile phone and they use it a lot. What's next? It has to be implants with modifications to one eye, or both, to play images--unless the imaging can be driven directly within the brain. Everywhere I look, I see toddlers playing with their parents' phones and actually doing purposeful things. What are these massive numbers of brains going to be doing in the future?

2899

I didn't get to sleep last night until after 3am! I got into an obsessive mood doing puzzles and kept going until I finally quit well after midnight. NOTPRON and JUST WORDS were the primary distractors. Those two and watching line dances! So many places to put my attention!

I arose fairly early and ended up taking B to work before hitting SB's and grabbing some lunch. I also picked up some soups for my daughter who is getting over a flu-like episode. I then did 2.5 hours in the dance class--which went well--I'm remembering more of the dances! I came away from the class somewhat tired but I felt good--clear and quiet after the dancing.

I've started watching the horde of new/old shows on CBS. Most of my favorites are back plus several newer offerings. I have to admit though that I'm liking Netflix much more than streamed TV with commercials. No commercials on Netflix makes for simpler more efficient watching. But, I've nearly exhausted screening all of the better Neflix series. I'm amazed at how many of them I've viewed in just the past year.

Things are going to pick up in October--dancing, birthdays, medical, dental, and more. I wish I didn't feel like I have to sleep before and after every event--but that may be my new reality and I'll just have to abide by what is happening.

No classes tomorrow so I can rest up front today's exertions and prep for Thursday's. And so it goes but nobody knows if I'll break a hose or get new clothes--time to repose!

2900

Moon Day! Fall is in the air! Cooler with rain being promised later in the week. Feeling tired and hazy internally. I slept quite a bit over these past few days, but still feeling like I could lay down and sleep forever.

Didn't do much of anything of substance today (not unlike most days it seems). Did a walk through of the shopping center--looking for a birthday gift for my daughter. Her birthday is during the first week of the next month. I think I have an interesting gift for her--another kitchen helper called a mandoline--a manual slicer that uses several blades to slice up vegetables. It'll be a partner to the chopper that I gave her last year for Xmas, I believe.

The mall where the kitchen items are found is huge! It's several blocks in length and seems to go on forever. I had parked at one end and almost walked the entire way to the opposite end. When I got back to my vehicle, I could tell I had made a trek.

Macy's is a three tier big box with hundreds of items on display. The men's section is one entire floor with so many choices (laid out by designer name) that it makes it nearly impossible to compare items. It must be a zoo when sales are on--especially if customers are carrying items from one area to another. The huge space and the large number of items are intimidating. I just wanted out of there once I had located a mandoline--which they did have.

Looking forward to a dance class tomorrow! September is rolling to an end.

2901

Autumnal Equinox! Awoke this morning to the rolling thunder of a huge storm. Lightning strikes were nearby and the resulting thunder rattled the windows. Welcome to the Fall, one and all!

I am feeling really foggy today. I've slept some and ate a mound of food, but I'm still feeling ratty. I think I went to bed early last night, but was awakened around 1am by the passing storm.

It's been relatively quiet here this weekend. I napped a lot over the past two days.

I spent a bit of time on the world's most difficult Internet puzzle -- notpron.com
It's a trip and I've only penetrated the first few levels. Just a handful of people have solved it out of thousands who have tried.

It's been much cooler today with the sky overcast much of the time. Winter is a'comin in -- perhaps!

Every now and then, I've taken time to review some of the dance steps I've been learning. I'm picking up more and more of the dances--slowly though! I don't remember as well as I once used to--the exact physical details get lost in the memory banks (or bank). Practice helps--and the classes! Have to keep on keeping on! The daze go by--and I wonder why!

2903-2902

Went to dance class yesterday and we covered about 9 to 10 dances. It was a good class. I came home from class (grabbing a sandwich on the way) and fell asleep for a while. The class was a challenge. My feet are not moving as quickly as they need to be in order to do the dance steps. I don't know if more classes are making it better or worse. I'll stick with it through October and see where I am then. That will get me through the classes and the workshop in mid-October.

I had a huge breakfast this morning--eggs, sausage, waffle covered with nuts, fruit and caramel. I came home and napped and went back out for a latte.

I'm still feeling groggy and will probably nap some more before the evening arrives. I awoke last night a few hours after going to bed. I was wide awake and ended up watching a couple of episodes of a Netflix series--Asset. My days/nights seem to be flipped around. I want to sleep in in the mornings and stay up in the evenings. I feel more frazzled in the mornings and more quiet and clear in the evenings.

And then there are the dreams--I am still dreaming during some of my sleep periods. I'm just not recalling them with my sleep schedule flipped around.

Well with that bit of data as an introduction--I think I'll take a nap and digest my morning's fare. Let the dream times roll! Let them roll, let them roll!

2904

Short and sweet tonight! I messed around and didn't get to sleep last night until sometime in the early morning. So, I feel somewhat blitzed tonight.

Went to the more advanced dance class today and it went well--despite my lack of sleep. I had a huge lunch--one of Annie's specials and chased it with a green tea latte before heading to class. I napped for a while between lunch and going to class--that helped make the class possible.

On the home front, we got a new refrigerator--a massive unit with several smart features I don't think it talks to the toaster, but I'm not certain that it doesn't. It is a side-by-side unit with two vertical doors. One side is a freezer and the other side a cooling unit.

Dance class tomorrow--with the instructor I like. Dancing today did alter my energy levels. Before class, I was logy, fuzzy, and dense. After class, I fleet lighter, clearer, and awake. I did have some movement difficulties with my feet/ankles, but it was a good class.

Getting late--I need to go horizontal. May play just one round of Just Words--I promise. That game was the reason I stayed up so late last night. I need to stay focused and not get sucked into playing "just one more" game. Discipline! Jawhol!

2906-2905

Made it to dance class yesterday, but was blitzed after 2.5 hours... Actually, I was done in 2 hours--the final 30 minutes was a blur. I zoned out when I got back home and stayed in that state until bedtime. I did sleep well last night--I don't recall getting up in the middle of the night.

When I got home after class, the grankid was home. She asked me if I wanted to play and I told her I was tired and just needed to rest. I asked her if she wanted to see some of the dances I'd been doing. She said something sarcastic (which is amazing for a 5-year-old) and asked if I wanted to watch her dance. I said that I did and she tried to start the CD player. It was set to radio and her disc wouldn't play. I offered to help her get it started, but she again refused. She told me to stay away--that she would do it.

This action on her part is an example of some ongoing hostility toward me that she exhibits. If I agree to play with her (doing a puzzle, acting out one of her elaborate stories, dancing, playing hide-and-seek, and anything else), she goes into a control mode of interaction. Nothing I do or say is to her liking. She only wants to order me around and completely control my actions--what I do, say, express, or suggest is completely negated. I'm told not to do it the way that I'm doing it--and do it explicitly her way. If we are playing a game, she continually adjusts the game rules so that she "wins". It has become quite frustrating to interact with her--and not a lot of fun.

I'm puzzled by her attitude toward me. I somehow seemed to have triggered a belief on her part that I am a threat or a problem. Her way to minimize the threat is to impose absolute control over my actions and interactions with her. She becomes pedantic and harsh--it's her way or the highway!

She is really smart but seems to lack some ordinary social skills--at least when she interacts with me. We shall see said the honey bee! No dance classes today!

2907

Temperatures here have been hovering in the high 90s with some 100+ days... S planted a small garden and it is proving to be bountiful... Lots of stuff from the garden...

I went to a PD support group this morning... I come away from some of those meetings feeling sad... Some of the people with PD in the group are really struggling with the illness... I can only hope that my efforts at dancing and such will forestall such things for me... Still, it's kind of scary...

Took S to pick up her car from the body shop... They did a good job of putting everything back in order... She got a copy of the police report, which confirmed that the guy who hit her had run a red light. That will make it somewhat easier to get his insurance company to pay for the damages and problems. He was trying to hold on to the story that he was on a yellow light.

I had eaten a hefty sandwich for lunch, after the PD support group meeting. When I came back from trip to pickup S's vehicle, I lay down and fell asleep. I conked out for several hours. My days/nights are wrestling to invert--I want to sleep all day and stay up all night! When I awoke this morning, I just wanted to crawl back under the blankets and sleep the day away. Last night, I didn't want to go to bed--I just wanted to watch the Netflix series that I've been screening (The Blacklist).

Days are nights and nights are days... Daze, amaze, craze, phase, haze, laze, blaze, urokinase (huh?)...

2908

Awoke in the middle of the night (morning)! It was still warm and humid from the 100+ degrees we encountered on Saturday. Can't beat the heat when it's cooking the meat!

Finally, fell back asleep and was awakened by the ex and grandkid around 10am.

I popped out for a green tea latte and then joined the ex and grandkid in putting together a jigsaw puzzle. It became lunch time and I felt myself start to fade when I didn't eat anything of substance. Stopped for a 1/2 sandwich which I had picked up the evening before. Downed it and felt better--but it's still hot out today.

I'm feeling like I just want to lay back and sleep some more. I'm also feeling a bit antsy, like I want to be doing something physical but don't know what. Maybe sleep first and then decide what to do. Or not! Who knows?

Don't recollect any dream themes that might have materialized over the past week. I'm still hearing some of the dance tunes in my head, especially if I watch the videos.

Have a PD support group meeting in the morning, in Folsom. Don't know if we have a guest speaker or if we're just sharing. Hum and buzz, buzz and hum! Fee, fie, foe, fum!

2909

100 degrees or so today! Hot and hotter! Went to the grandkid's gyms and swim session this morning. Her paternal grandmother, great aunt, and uncle stopped by on their way back home. They were in the area all last week with the grandkid, but they just wanted to say goodbye to her before they took off.

The gym and swim kid's club is a madhouse of kids bouncing, leaping, running, flying, and other activities. There are even very young ones doing some of the workouts. There are hordes of parents and adults sitting around, watching the organized turmoil.

When we returned, I immediately  went back out for a green tea latte and did some shopping. That's when the heat really started to show up.

I stayed up kind of late last night and felt it this morning. I could have slept straight through, but got up to make the trek to the gym and swim session--and meet the distant relatives. I met the grandmother about four years ago--but we didn't interact that much so there's little memory on my part.

I continue to "hear" the music and lyrics from my dance classes. Now, it's not just Gentle but several songs associated with several of the dances. Not something my brain usually does, but is doing so as I focus on learning the dances.

But, I'm now feeling like it's time for an afternoon snooze. So, I will make it so!

2911-2910

Dance classes two days in a row! 1.5 hours yesterday and 1.5 hours today! I can tell I've been moving. Unfortunately, I'm noticing that my feet and ankles are not moving sometimes, especially with any kind of small foot articulations. They sort of make the motions, but I'm not completing the actions. I have to shuffle and fudge in some cases.

What's nice is that the instructor sent out the dance roster so I know the names of the dances we covered. I can bring up videos for the dances and check out the foot movements that are giving me problems. Hooray for technology!

I seem to be running into obstacles regarding me using dance as a PD healing regime. I will continue to press through the next couple of months and see what happens. The more dances I learn, the easier it is to relax and just dance. Learning so many new (to me) dances is a challenge--especially in such short order. But, I have nailed Gentle and can now focus on some of the other more complex dances. Gentle was my test subject and I think it was mastered.

So, another week has passed. It was a busy time and I did fairly well with the tasks that needed to be done. I certainly danced more this week than I've danced in years. Now, it my body/mind system gets the message being sent--entertains the questions being asked. Am I healing or growing worse? Is dancing helping or hurting? So many questions--so few replies.

Getting hot again! Never thought I'd be looking for the coolness. What a difference a small location shift produces!

2912

Sleepy day! Can't get enough of that sleepy time stuff! Just feel tired and mopey!

The song for the dance Gentle keeps playing inside my head. If I stop and don't think of much, the song pops into play. I don't exactly hear the music, but the lyrics ring through my mind. It's not often that a tune/melody sticks with me so well. I do like the dance, especially near the end when the whistling is done.

I took my daughter over to her partner's mother's house so she could pick up a car. B's family said that she and B could use their car while they were out of town. Helpful, since her vehicle is in the body shop. Not having a car is problematical.

I stopped on the way back and had lunch at a Chili's. It was OK, but nothing outstanding. I actually went into another part of the shopping complex than I had intended. I was trying to go to a place my daughter had taken me once, but I think I turned off one traffic light too soon. It wasn't until I sat down and opened the menu that I realized I was in the wrong place. I had their chicken fajitas (I originally ordered carnitas, but the kitchen said that their carnitas wouldn't be cooked for another hour--not good planning on their part).

Week is flying by! Tomorrow I have the more advanced dance class. Friday I go to the one in Roseville (Citrus Heights). No dance on this coming Sunday!

Just watched a video of a woman, 90 years old, doing an upbeat swing/Lindy Hop/jitterbug with multiple partners. She was great--still smooth and flowing, and doing great moves.

2913

Did a 2.5 hours of dance class today and I'm fragged! I took B to work in the morning and I stopped for breakfast at Whole Foods. Their buffet is just not as good as the ones in the Bay Area. Here it looks like they focus more on salads and mix/match items with very little ethnic foods.

Anyway, I ate breakfast there and went to dance class in the afternoon. We did a 2.5 hour dance-a-thon ending with my favorite new dance--Gentle.  I helped the teacher out some by doing pieces of the pattern that I have gotten sorted out.

But, I again find myself near bedtime but zonked. Time for some gentle sleep!

No classes tomorrow. But, need to help B puzzle out the watering system. Oh, yeah!

So it's off to bed I go! No super moon outside aglow! It could rain or it could snow! But the blazing sun still let us know that weather changes happen s-l-o-w!

2914

Super Moon Day (night)! Just looked outside and got a glimpse of the super moon. It is bright, for sure! It was probably more super when it first rose.

Went to the neurologist this morning. Nothing of major note transpired. He agreed that I shouldn't have any problems with a colonoscopy as long as any sedatives or anesthesia used are ones that don't conflict with the PD medications.

I'm still humming from yesterday's dance. I told the doctor what I was doing. He concurred that I should continue with the more expanded dance activities. He got a chuckle when I mentioned "wallzheimers"! He noted some minor foot twitching that I have on the left foot, but not much else.

Perhaps the biggest win for the day was my no problem journey to the doctor's office and back on the not so nice freeway route. In the afternoon, I also took B to work--so I had a busy day of driving.

I've been hungry today--I think from all of the dancing--seemed to have kicked up my metabolism perhaps.

I've started a new Netflix series--The Blacklist. The pilot was pretty gritty--but it is an intriguing idea. A man on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List, surrenders and offers to help the FBI catch other major criminals. Of course he is brilliant and has conditions for his participation--and so it begins as he gives them a taste of what he can accomplish. We shall see!

2915

Danced 2.5 hours this afternoon! I didn't know all the dances but I did alright given the time I've been at it. We did Gentle, which I have been working on, and it went well. There were about 30-40 people at the dance--mostly people from the classes.

I am zonked now. I awoke fairly early this morning and we had the hubbub of the visitors packing and leaving. I took B to work and explored a different route to the dance place.

I have to be and out early in the morning. I've got the appointment with the neurologist at 10am. I need to be headed that way much earlier--the traffic in that area is heavy and unpredictable.

It's so quiet here, now! Guests are gone, grandkid is with her dad (for a week), and everyone else is winding down from the turmoil of the past few days.

Well, I feel like I need a good night's sleep. Dancing feels good but I am tired.

Dancing dreams tonight!

2917-2916

Two busy days--and the 2nd one is still happening! Yesterday, I went to the Friday dance class. That makes three classes this week and an afternoon of dancing yet to come--tomorrow! That's the most movement I've done in a long time.

Yesterday's class felt really good. The instructor is very thorough and she has a style of teaching that helps everyone learn the dances. The other two instructors I've experienced have a somewhat more "cerebral" way of teaching. The logic is right, the patterns are noted, but there's something missing in terms of flow. I come out of their classes and feel like I have to practice a lot in order to master the dances. With yesterday's instructor, I feel like I've learned the dances in the class.

She teaches a class on Wednesdays and links the two classes in terms of the dances she covers. I may have to go to that class as well. That would make it four days in row with classes in the afternoons. Have to ponder what that would like. I must go with the flow!

Yesterday's activities were a bit hectic with lots of things happening with the two visitors. Today was a madhouse! Friends of my daughter and her partner started showing up around 7:30am. I didn't get told that there was a tree digging program going on today (plus other miscellaneous endeavors) as well as dinner tonight with the whole tribe. There were extra kids along and a host of food preps devised to feed the laborers. The daughter's grandmother arrived with the early morning crowd and everyone was off and running. SMUD, the utility company, gives away trees designed to foster shade and less power usage. The deal is: they deliver the trees--you dig hole and plant them and care for them as needed. Holes were dug. Big holes! Big enough that the one dog, who can't see well, fell into the holes twice, so far.

Well dinner time approaches! We are going to eat at one of the places where my daughter's partner works. He will be our server! Hmmm! Do we tip him or not? That is the question! The dinner train is on the tracks and moving!

Dance tomorrow from 2 to 4:30! Let there be music and lots of dancing feet! Repeat!

2918

I did well in today's more advanced dance class. I felt like I danced several of the more difficult ones despite me staying up late last night writing a lengthy note to a friend of mine.

Today was also a somewhat jumbled day--the two family member visitors have introduced all manner of adjustments to schedules, activities, plans, and so forth. It's good to have some new faces and it certainly shifts the dynamics around. The grandkid has shifted into a semi-adult role with her young cousin, who is only one year old. D, the young cousin is a happy, bright-eyed elven-like charmer. She has the most beguiling way of looking at someone. She is very content given that this is her first big separation from her parents.

The grandkid is doing what she thinks is her role in being with someone much younger than herself. She is also a bit bothered by the attention that the young cousin is getting--having the spot light not be on herself exclusively. She also is going to school for a big part of each day while the young cousin gets to stay home with everyone. That's somewhat of concern to the grandkid.

Getting to bed/sleep so late last night made me sleep in this morning and miss the local PD support group session. I just couldn't force myself out of bed in time to make that meeting. I felt a bit stressed as it became time to head for the dance class. But, once I was at the class and dancing, everything smoothed out and became enjoyable. The note I wrote to my friend last night talked about how positive I feel about what dance brings to the table with respect moderating symptoms. I felt, in the class today, that I was making those thoughts into realities.

Right now, I still seem to feel the balm of the class washing over me. It feels so good! I look forward to tomorrow's class--the larger group and the different instructor. And, I'm feeling good about attending the dance on Sunday.

Monday I see the neurologist. I touched base with him six months ago. Looking forward to the visit.

2919

I'm logy and out of sync today. I didn't fall asleep until after midnight last night--I was in a good feeling space and just kept going until I had to stop. I'm sure the extended dance class helped put me in that state.

I got up a bit earlier than usual as well. I helped my daughter get her vehicle to the repair shop and get a rental. No time is an ideal time to get into a car wreck, but she's organized and handles the stress fairly well. Unfortunately, the impact was enough to give everyone in her vehicle some upper shoulder/neck problems. More complexities!

Awaiting the great aunt's and her grandkid's arrival. They are flying in later this evening. Between my dance classes, support group meetings, Sunday dance, and general stuff, I'll be in and out a lot.

I've been skipping in and out of YouTube--going over the steps of some of the line dances I've been learning. My brain cells feel overloaded and not all that efficient. Without the videos, I can't seem to build a muscle-memory of the dances--even by doing the dances. I seem to need the external visual demonstration to help with the process.

I went to the BBQ place for lunch. Not all that busy--the food is excellent. I had a pair of pulled pork sliders and an order of their tasty sweet potato fries. Yummy, yummy, for my tummy!

Good news! I got my CRP report--it said that the level is low! I think that means that there are no major inflammations in my system. The measurement is not a diagnostic of anything, but is an overall indicator of possible problems. Low is good news!

Tomorrow, there is a PD support group meeting in Orangevale in the morning. Dance class in the afternoon. PD meeting is at 10am--dance starts at 3pm. Makes for a spread out day, but what the hey?

2920

I did 2 hours of dance classes today! I was zonked by the time we hit the 2 hour mark. There were a handful of people who did another hour. Also, the traffic was really heavy at that time versus only doing one hour of class--but it was worth the effort.

I dropped off the CRP requisition after taking B to work. The lab was closed from 11am to noon for lunch. I went to a local pizza place and ate quite a few slices before heading back to the lab. The phlebotomist took a blood sample. I should know the results quickly--the lab work is done quickly.

I got a call from the dental group offering me a canceled space in their schedule. I had to refuse for this week--I've got to many balls in the air. Probably will accept a cancellation next week.

Tomorrow is a "rest" day from dance classes (although I'll be doing some practicing on my own). I'll be helping my daughter get a rental car--her vehicle was hit by another car and it completely stripped off her front bumper. B, who was a passenger, is noticing that he has a stiff neck and upper shoulders from the impact. Otherwise, no one sustained any major injuries--thank goodness.

Also tomorrow, the great aunt and her grandchild are coming for a visit. The kid is only about 8 months old--will be a big shift in normal activities when they arrive.

Dream time! It'll be fine! No need to whine! Valentine!

2921

Labor Day! No time to play! No words to say!

September begins! August ends!

I cleaned the bathroom today. Scrubbed the sink, counter top, tub and toilet--vacuumed the floor. It is ready for this week's guests--a great aunt of the grandkid and cousin (I think that is the lineage). With four generations of people involved it's difficult to keep an accurate score. I still need to clean my room--mostly vacuuming the floor and dusting.

Tomorrow sets off the string of events that will consume the coming week--CRP testing, dance classes (3), a Sunday dance from 2-5pm, visiting relatives, appointment next Monday with the neurologist, and many other parts and pieces. I'm feeling stronger in some ways and I just nap when I need to, no matter what. Plus I have to schedule the prescribed colonoscopy, possibly get called for the dental scaling sessions, and who knows what else.

Busy, busy! But seemingly standing still--not going anywhere!

I woke up last night around 2am and had some difficulty getting back to sleep. Actually, I picked up my phone and spent time doing image searches of people that I know. I discovered that there are a lot of images out there in cyberspace that people don't know are there. For example, I googled my daughter's name and pulled up about 300 of her photos that she has stored somewhere on line. I don't think she knows that all of those images are floating in the cloud for anyone to browse.

The web is a wondrous but scary thing! Too much information in too many places! I just remembered  that in the barbershop yesterday a young girl (about 4 or 5) was playing with her dad's phone. At one point, she encountered a request for one of his passwords. She told him it was all right--she knew which password he used in this situation. Astounding! What is it going to be like in just a few years where every kid is so used to accessing information with these devices--dealing with downloads, passwords, installations, uninstalls, saving data, printing, and apps? Oh, brave new world (if it's not already)!