SICK!

It's been a while! I was out of town for most of February, returning on the 20th, and I fell ill. I took a COVID-19 test, which was negative. I felt exhausted, but I still have my sense of smell and taste. I'm sure the flu is a complicated case.

I couldn't work and spent most of my time lying down. I had a low-grade fever in the 100s and felt miserable. It's been about 10 to 12 days, and I'm starting to feel better. I went for one bicycle ride, but it tired me out the next day. Being older appears to increase the severity of the flu.

It might be the flu or another illness that caused it. I suspect I caught something on the plane during my return trip. I intend to exercise regularly in the coming days. Before I got sick, I was cycling at least every other day for an hour over 12 weeks.

Besides feeling under the weather, my mom mentioned she’s not happy because she feels everyone at the facility is being unkind. That’s why we decided to move her. It’s a bit of a bummer because I think she’s been feeling lonely on the farm for so long that people have been avoiding her. I’m not sure if she has the best social skills, and honestly, she does have a look that might be a bit intimidating. She doesn’t usually say hello to people, and she often walks around like everyone’s not a fan. But hey, the picture above shows a good day!

The big news is that Shelley did put in her retirement notice for May 2.  I'm also looking forward to her being retired because I think she has been jealous.  I love my freedom.  She'll not want to travel as much as I do, but we will see.  She really likes tinkering with flowers, the lawn, landscaping, and summer and is concerned that if we leave tomorrow, what will happen to her plants? 

I purchased a 3D printer to work on prosthetics for my son.  I have been making them with fiberglass from a mold, and it worked, but I still had some issues.  My son's engineering background created a great model, allowing for selective padding and increased comfort.  I would use a thin fiberglass shell on the outer portion of the 3D print for added stability.  The design utilizes traditional zip ties for mounting.  This will make it easier to replace the supports.  We used hose clamps before, but fixing them when they broke was a significant task. I want to write with more regularity.  Even if it is never read, it is a valuable mental exercise to reflect on life as I age.  Things are not as easy as they once were. I am spending less time challenging my mind.  I am going to look for projects and activities that are challenging! Until next time - Carry on!