Choppy Water

Another cold grey morning. Rain. Rough winds on the water. Birds fighting to get downriver. Going on midnight yesterday, sitting at the computer screen, winding down on Dristan, when part of Chatham Head explodes into bright orange. Flames. Was there an explosion? I'm not sure. There was a fire, a pretty big one, and it seemed to happen really quick. It was difficult to tell whether it was a building or the field. The Newcastle fire department responded really quick and seemed to have it mostly under control when another truck arrived from Chatham? Or Nelson? Or Napan? I would guess Nelson. It's all one big happy city now anyway. Damage? I've no idea, can't really see anything much, it's too far away. I need binoculars. If I had binoculars I'd waste many hours sitting in my window and observing the wildlife.

The garlic oil and hot onion seemed to actually help my ear. And my sinuses even seem to have loosened up and are beginning to drain. Although at one point it seemed like the discomfort had actually moved to the other ear . . . which was weird, but today the other ear seems fine, so I'm thinking it was nothing. So today I'm going to continue with the garlic/hot stuff route of home medicine. I'm loathe to go to the hospital. I despise taking antibiotics. I can zap this thing on my own! I know I can!

This morning I made oatmeal for breakfast. It's the steel cut kind you always hear healthy people talking about. I tried to make it in the microwave, which was a HUGE error in judgment. My nuker is now Filthy, with a capital eff. But the oats was pretty good. I'm not big on the whole oatmeal experience usually, that instant thing with all the pretty flavours, blech! But this was pretty darn fine! It doesn't even need any brown sugar or anything, there's a great flavour and texture. And it's super filling, and supposedly very good for you. I think I will in future take the time to do it on the stovetop properly.

My throat is a little bit sore and scratchy. I could maybe go out to the Petro and get some Halls . . . I took the last of the medicated drops I had yesterday. I don't know if Halls will help or not. I really could use some lemons or something, but that walk is too far for a sick girl in the rain methinks.

That fundraiser for the girl I'm writing a story about is tonight, but I don't think I'm well enough to attend. I never found anybody to go with (I didn't really try all that hard, lol) mostly because I figured I'd be too sick to go anyway. I could probably push myself out the door and across the river and into the pub, but it would likely do more damage than good. In the long run. So I sit this one out. Soon enough there will be plenty of places to go and things to do as Miramichi's summer of festivals hits its stride.

I stumbled across this site called 30 Boxes. You know how I'm always trying to find programs to help me stay organized. And I have found a couple that I really enjoyed, and that really worked well for me. There was All On the Ball (which I notice no longer exists online sadly) that I actually purchased and used and enjoyed . . . but lost during one of last year's many hard drive crashes. Then there was TimeTo, which I also used religiously and enjoyed for many months for free, and then the trial ran out and I thought they wanted too much money (and after what happened when I bought the ball) so rather than buy, I abandoned. Then I went back to a handwritten day-timer. I've never been good at organizing my life by hand. NEVER EVER! So some weeks it works, others pass without me opening the book, it's pretty hit and miss. That's why electronic seems to work better for me, because being on the computer is a constant in my life, it happens every day. 30 Boxes is a bit different than these other electronic tools I've tried, but it's easy, and I like their slogan "It's your life" . . . so maybe I'll give it a try. Not that I've totally slipped back into complete disorganization and disarray. That's not at all the case. For the most part I feel on top of things. More in charge than a couple of years ago, for absolute sure! But I'm not THERE yet, wherever THERE is, and I'm totally open to anything that can help me get one step closer to THERE. You know what I mean?

Mood: semi-sinusy
Drinking: cranberry-pomegranate juice, black coffee
Listening To: buddy's washer fill
Hair: in my right eye with a huge left side flippy wing