In Sickness and in Health, The Curiosity of Death, A Giving Community of Joyful and Loving People

"It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited and that eventually, all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Then, your foot falls through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things."
— Lemony Snicket

Good morning; I woke up with a sore throat for the second day in a row, Thursday it started to scratch, and now I'm aching, coughing, and don't feel well. Thankfully, my wife is through it; I think today should be my last day to rest; I'm not a big fan of sitting at home all day. Thank God for Nyquil.

I don't need sympathy; use it for someone in worse shape than myself, I'll be fine. I write this moring soup for my future self to look back on my past self and see what was going on. This time will be referred to as when the pandemic ended, and you got a little bug? One might say you should test, but I can still taste and smell; if I have COVID, it's a mild case. Monday is day five, I should be good to go.

I had my men's group meeting yesterday; the concept is for 14 men and one woman to get together and become the best versions of ourselves. Unfortunately, a couple of us were sick, some had fantastic news, and a couple was fighting severe stress, but working through helping each other is the mission, and we succeeded.

I worked after my meeting, took PVHT for a couple of walks, and took a two-hour nap. I have not slept that hard for a long time in the middle of the day; it shows I need to take it easy. After that, my wife got home, made some fish and bisque, and we watched three episodes of the new Ozark.

My Oura ring is sounding alarms; I'm to pay attention to my readiness. Both my body temperature and heart rate are elevated. It is instructing me to rest; I got this, Oura. Our daughter's pup Griffy will come over, so no dog walks today; the puppies will play in the courtyard.

My back massage belt has been a blessing, heat, and constant kneading of my lower, middle, and upper back. I strongly suggest you order one on Amazon if you have any back issues. My back is good, but it doesn't hurt to have regular massages and heat.

Brain fog is another outstanding symptom. A friend asked for a referral yesterday, and I could not remember one of my friends' names; only after an exhaustive search of my contacts did I remember her name. it could be age, but I'm going to blame it on the "flu."

I understand my position in life and society; I have been blessed beyond measure and my role moving forward is to help others. I do this a few ways; this is the year of giving; I'm helping those in need in $20.00 increments, offering up 30 minutes of virtual mentorship to hard-working young people. Most of my friends are in the same position; I have a giving community full of loving, joyful people.

Thursday, we will be leaving one community and heading to another. I will miss our Indiana family and friends but be home soon. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with our western comrades. We have invited a crew to meet us at Brooks Place Tavern upon our return on Saturday; I'll be getting some hugs!

Last night, Bailey stayed at the mountain house; she sent me a photo of my cat, I miss that creature, but soon we will be sleeping with her by my head and our pup at my feet. Then, I'll wake up to fantastic sunrises and live the life of a mountaineer. Although I have some fire remediation I need to tend to upon my return, there is always something to do on the mountain.

People asked how close we were to the fires; they were about an hour to the northeast, safe for now, but what happened to those communities could quickly happen to our home. One lightning strike could create a quick-moving fire that destroys our neighborhood. I don't worry about fire, nor do I fear tornados when in the Midwest. I count on something bigger than myself to offer protection, and if it's my time, well, cheers, I had a great run.

I hope you are feeling fantastic; I soon will return to form, but life ebbs and flows, and right now, I'm ebbing. So I'm going to enjoy the ebb; I've got some reading to catch up on, some shows to binge, just taking it easy and allowing my body to recover. I would classify my health status as intense cold or maybe light flu, but not some deadly virus. I'm lucky to have decent health most of the time, and today that will be my focus.

"It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited and that eventually, all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Then, your foot falls through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things."
— Lemony Snicket