Sleepy

Other than the temperature having dropped fairly sharply overnight into today, and a hazy sky, I have no idea what the weather was doing.  There’s apparently a lot of snow still in high banks along streets, especially in residential areas, while some of the major ones (like in my area) are a lot more clear.  Ah, January, when the wind blows cold and the snow piles up along the streets!  I heard from some friends in New York that flowers are beginning to emerge there!  Plus some photos from the UK show grey-green grass, which is a lot more colour than we have here!  Jerry is beginning to look like the original shaggy dog, and will need grooming soon, but it’s far too cold to clip his coat… I’d feel like a torturer if I were to arrange for a grooming at this point! He shivers badly when it’s 25C and there’s a cool breeze, so to do that to him at -10?  Don is glued to sports again… there’s a new professional women’s hockey league which he’s very much enjoying, and is delighted that they’re playing to full arenas.  I can’t tell the difference between the level of play for the men and women, except that the men’s games have a lot more hype, and the women seem to be able to score more effectively.

I slept for a large part of the day today.  I’m not surprised, as I usually have a bit of a reaction after chemo where I have all the energy of a dry sea sponge.  After my hydration was hooked up, I ate lunch (not as much as yesterday) and went to lie down for 5 minutes which turned into 3 hours and I only woke up because the phone rang.  I’m going to have to work out something for dinner shortly; it’s not as difficult as I might make it seem, as there’s food (thankfully) in the fridge that just needs to be heated but I’m feeling rather like the effort to make toast is not really worth it!

My cousin sent me a video of a food reviewer who was visiting a part of Trinidad to experience a “traditional Sunday lunch.”  By the time the food was about ready, I was salivating!  Sadly, in the acknowledgement section, they forgot to thank the lovely lady who prepared their breakfast, but in all it was hunger-inspiring.  On the breakfast menu was fresh coconut bake and buljohl with cocoa tea — I wanted to reach in and grab a square of the bake!  The visiting reviewer asked if bake “could be eaten with anything else?” (To me, a strange question) and the local host explained that it was a traditional breakfast food, and made regularly.  The lunch menu was very traditional Creole.  I’m not going to lie, it looked delicious!  Stewed pork, macaroni pie, “blue food” (cassava and dasheen, fresh pulled from the garden), avocado, foo-foo (or tom-tom — pounded plantain), fresh stewed pigeon peas, “junket” (fresh tomatoes and cucumbers) all seasoned with just-picked herbs and spices, served in calabash bowls.  It just looked so good, and I was transported back to being at home with the scents and tastes all wafting in the warm breeze!  I was thinking that it’s a shame that we don’t have WonkaVision and its ability for you to reach in and actually taste the food being presented (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a very imaginative book!)

My niece’s birth present has been delivered, according to the handy notification from the delivery service.  I hope she enjoys it, and I’ll be able to see her reaction when she opens it on Thursday.  My elder niece and I had a short chat about her course selection again; the ones she wants to do are not being offered this semester, and the options available don’t interest her.  We’re looking at what might work and what will be most useful to her.  It’s nice to know that she values my opinion enough to ask, and I continue to try to respect her enough not to push my views.  I do wonder, though, what difference it would have made to me if I’d selected other subjects for my exams to match my more eclectic interests.  I don’t regret my choices, I just wonder “what if” and I’ve concluded that I have not lost anything of value by pursuing some of my interests as “hobbies” instead of formal training.

OK, I really need to eat.  I’m starting to feel a little light headed, which is a clear indication that food is needed.  I’ll go sort it out; and disturb the dog who’s lying on my feet.  Good night!