Maybe starting to drink coffee again wasn’t a good idea. My GOD I missed a hot cuppa when I was tired in the afternoon! Maybe I just had too much? I had a cup, all was fine. Repeated this for the last month without incident. But maybe? Hoping that is all it is and by going back on a “water and plain white bread” diet things will improve. And Pepto. Gotta love Pepto. Time will tell and tests are waiting for me at Lahey. Will try to hold it together until vacation so I don’t have to miss more work.
So, drained of energy. I am looking around my house, which needs serious attention. The dogs couldn’t get out during the storm and made an exceptional mess. As soon as I feel a little better I can get to it. I need coffee! I made a tea so light it looks like the teabag just dunked its toe in the hot water, and added a little lemon for flavor. Not the same by far.
On an artistic note (yes, the artistic thread keeps going non-stop in my head despite the lack of time and health to execute it all!), a relative of my aunt’s is going through old photos and is digitizing them, sharing them in batches. Yesterday there were some wonderful photos of my dad as a young person - maybe 14? 15? 16 tops. Really shocking how much his grandchildren look like him in these photos. Today a photo came along that made me stop and almost gasp.
Jeannette Ropple was my father’s sister. She had a difficult time growing up, from what I”ve been told. She eventually left Massachusetts and went south, having more difficult times in her life. I never knew her until my father was ill and she just happened to call him one day. They talked and had a good conversation. Later, when Dad was in the hospital and rehab, she called and talked with me. Such a kind lady. We exchanged stories, and said how much we would have liked to meet in person. She was lovely. Shortly after my father died, she passed away. Along with the remaining brother by the same mom, who passed away from strep throat when my dad was just five years old. What sadness.
This photo shows Jeannette as a little girl, most likely taken sometime in the 1930’s. There is something in her expression that grabs me -- a vulnerability, a sadness, yet a spunky cuteness, too. Maybe there is something artistic I need to do with this photo. What treasures old photos can be!