Music

I promise I won’t moan about how meltingly, suffocatingly, boiling hot it is and how much I’m longing for thunderstorms and rain to break this heat wave, which is just dragging on and on… I’ll just say that it’s summer, Ottawa is demonstrating that it can be hot and miserable with vigour that’s better spent on other things!  Jerry has been lapping up his water at a great rate; I tried putting ice into his bowl, and he doesn’t seem to enjoy it.  He just noses the ice a bit, looks at me with disapproval, and walks around sadly until it melts (not long, it’s been 🥵)  Then he jumps on my lap and stretches out his telescopic legs to get his tummy rubbed.  He likes the fan blowing in his face, too.  I’m loving the fact that I can see Don’s face, instead of a wall of hair!  I rather missed his smile when his lips were hidden, and it’s so much better to see the full smile.  I’ll stop harping on that too, but I’ll just mention that he looks so mischievous when I can see his full face and he smiles or laughs.  Silly of me, I know, but that’s just how I feel.  

Last night, before bed, I had a wave of nausea.  I decided to lie down in the hopes that it would pass and I wouldn’t have to do anything about it.  That did help a little, but I was woken up at 2am with a very unhappy tummy.  I felt super sluggish this morning, and had a few uncomfortable moments— no vomiting, just lightheadedness and queasiness.  All of those disappeared when I was able to cool down and feel more comfortable, so they were clearly all heat related.  Add in a miserable headache and I think I was on the way to a minor heat stroke (without being in the sun) Thankfully the AC is now installed and turned on so that should help us both feel more alert.  I’m actually hungry again, and I must say that I enjoy that feeling!  I’ve noticed that if it goes on too long, I’ll vomit, so I’ve been relearning eating habits, and I’m back to setting a timer to remind me to eat.  Still looking for things that are easy to prepare, not spicy (😢) and are not in large individual portions.  One of my cousins has been regularly texting me meal ideas that she’s making for her grandchildren which gives me ideas (and makes me hungry!)  I need a little energy, or perhaps I need to teach my support worker how to make them so I’ll have a few readily available.

It’s the time of year when Bluesfest is on; we didn’t have any really for the past couple of years, but this year it’s back.  The opener tonight is Shania Twain, and I can hear the bands starting up now.  Bluesfest takes place just at the bottom of the hill from me, a little to the west, and I can hear the music fairly easily.  Some bands I can hear more clearly, and it’s probably due to which stage is being used.  I can’t hear the crowds, although if I’m out, I can see that all the on-street parking has been filled with concert goers who decide to park and walk; it’s not too far, less than a kilometre, and in the old days, an easy stroll for me (not so much these days.)  Canada Day fireworks were held in that location this year, which was disappointing for me.  When they’re held at Parliament Hill, I can see them from my balcony, but I face east, so these happenings west of me are concealed.  The nice thing with being able to hear the music (apart from not having to pay admission fees, stand in a crowd, deal with the mobs entering/leaving the venue, getting coated with dirt/mud from the outdoor venue…) is that on a somewhat cooler evening, we can sit on the balcony, enjoy the concert and be close to all the amenities of home (drinks, food, bathrooms…)  I’m not antisocial, I promise, but after over 10 years of guarding a damaged immune system, I’m even more inclined to avoid crowds than ever.  The music goes on until around 11pm, but it doesn’t interfere with my sleep or anything.  If I’m hearing someone that I enjoy, I’ll be parked on the balcony (watching my neighbours on theirs) dancing a little.  

OK, I’m going to take my meds and drink some more water.  I’ve just been going through glasses of water all day so I don’t wilt completely.  There’s a forecast of rain, possibly thunderstorms overnight and tomorrow and I just love that!  As long as power doesn’t cut out (the workers are in the second week of a strike) the rain is just ideal.  Hoping for a somewhat cooler weekend… good night!