Love is in the air….

I have been getting a lot of SOS signals from friends lately who have been experiencing sadness, poor attention spans, or some even feeling a bit weepy. From what I’m hearing on the news channel, this range of emotions is not limited to my circle of companions. There’s a sort of general malaise running through our society after two plus years of COVID. In my case, I have noticed in the last few months I am certainly more distracted. Friday, for example, I had an appointment at the opthamologist. The office is located in the cluster of buildings in town where most of my physicians have their practices. Arriving the allotted fifteen minutes early, I was number five in line. When it was my turn at the counter, I answered the usual barrage of COVID related questions and moved on to provide my name and DOB. Keying in my information, after a moment of staring intently at the computer screen, the desk clerk said, “You don’t seem to have an appointment today”. “That’s odd”, I said, pulling the card out the side pocket of my purse with confidence and handing it to her. After looking at the card she said, “Well you are correct, you do have an appointment today, and as you said, it is at 9:00.” “Ah Hah”, says my mind. “However, this is the dermatologist office”. Ohhhhhhh. I considered walking sideways to the door like a crab scurrying across the sand so as not to make eye contact with any of the people in the waiting room who I was sure had heard the exchange. Instead, I said, “thank you”, and took a brisk walk of shame to the front door. Thank God for masks. Wow.

At the correct office shortly thereafter, the eye doctor suggested I use a face mask morning and night on my eyes for my allergies. He went on to say I could order an appropriate mask at Amazon. Of course. You can order everything at Amazon. Need a kidney? Surely someone at Amazon has one for sale. Good news was I had been through this routine before, so had one at home I could start using right away. The mask is made of canvas material stuffed with little beads. You heat it for 25 seconds in the microwave and then apply the mask to your eyes for 5 mins. Not rocket science. I got up this morning and after significant rummaging, located the mask in a drawer. It seemed a good idea to get this procedure over with before washing my face and beginning my day. I went in the kitchen, poured a cup of much needed coffee, and placed the mask on a paper plate pushing 25 seconds on the key pad. Hearing my phone ring in the bedroom, I went off to answer it and became involved in a conversation. A foul smell suddenly filled the bedroom. Huh? Ending my call, I went into the kitchen to find the microwave counting down most likely from 25 minutes instead of 25 seconds. The material had split open like a dropped watermelon, spewing the contents out in a putrid smoking pile on the plate. Whoops. That’s not good. Once I got the smoldering mess in the sink, the smell was so pungent I began to wonder if I’d created noxious fumes, so I opened all the windows (even if it was thirty degrees outside) and turned on the fan. It took nearly an hour for the house to smell normal again. Sitting in front of my laptop I typed “Amazon” and ordered a replacement. I really do need a keeper these days.

My days have become super busy this month. I am not complaining, because I like to be busy, but they are just a tad overly busy the next few weeks even to my liking. Today my appointments were lined up like ducks in a row. The earliest one was an annual x-ray at 8:30. I arrived, checked in and sat down to wait to be called. The man next to me was probably in his late eighties. Little old men like this gentleman are cute. I know that sounds terribly sexist, most likely because it is, but sexist or not this guy was cute with a captial C. There he sat without displaying one hint of discomfort, wearing his Christmas pajama bottoms and slippers, accessorized by his jeans jacket, a fishing hat and what looked to be one of his lady’s scarves. Very nice. This is not making fun of him (well maybe just a twinkle) but more I admired him for being comfortable enough in his own body to show up without apology dressed exactly as he was. Sitting there, we shared a word or two on the usual waiting room subject, the weather. According to the weatherman on the morning news, it is to be unseasonably warm outside the rest of the week. The man sitting across from me in cargo shorts and a short sleeved tee apparently had already gotten the memo.

The temperatures are predicted to be hovering in the mid to high seventies this week. This would be truly nearly perfect weather, for June. February, not so much. California weather is for the most part ideal year round. However, with the current drought situation continuing to plague the state creating dangerous fire scenarios, seeing this kind of heat this early in the year doesn’t bode well for what’s coming our way during the summer months ahead. Another side effect is the trees, shrubs, and plants are blooming in the faux spring atmosphere and my allergies are responding. Next Monday I begin allergy shots in an attempt to pre-empt allergy season this year which usually begins in May for me. Last year I had a series of allergy test which revealed I am allergic to just about everything outside as well as inside, including Boo, the Queen of Cats. Boo is staying, so hopefully this will make spring a little easier on my nasal passages. Also, I have been on maintenance steroids for about five years and would love to wean myself off. This could make that possible. I have my fingers crossed.

When my appointment schedule had been satisfied, I came home and took out my cleaning products. I guess the spring feel in the air triggered my need to clean out closets, and move furniture and clean behind things. I spent the good part of the afternoon returning the luster to my tabletops and rediscovering my floors. Yay. Since Dale passed away I’ve sort of taken a busman’s holiday from it all. Slowly but surely, I’m taking steps towards coming back into my world again and that makes my heart happy.

Happy Thursday to you. Almost Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is a difficult day for those of us who are partnerless. The holiday is all about love, romance, and couples staring wistfully into one another’s eyes. Rather than sitting around feeling sad about the whole affair, or lack of one, I am taking an art course. It does remind me, however, of years back sitting in my office one Valentine’s Day. I was going through a very painful divorce. Love, at least for me at the time, had hit a bit of a sour note. At lunch I had to spell the receptionist so she could eat. While I sat there I was bombarded with a parade of roses, chrysanthemums, and carnations being delivered for the ladies in the office behind me. Oooohs and Ahhhhhs were the words of the day. What a miserable day that was. On the way home I stopped at the store and bought myself a lovely bouquet, a bottle of wine, and a large chocolate cake, which would end up being my dinner (the wine and the cake, not the flowers). Sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

Have a great weekend!!!