Things are looking up a little

Aerial roots

It has been over a week now since I left for Jackson, and tomorrow, will be a week since I returned. It being the beginning of spring in Mississippi, yellow pine pollen is everywhere, covering everything. The wind has been blowing. Driving home from Jackson Friday morning, I was tired from not sleeping well the previous two nights and arising early each morning. I hit the road by 8ish and headed out intending to stop for coffee at the edge of town. Once out of the urban traffic, I opened the sunroof to permit some fresh air to help stave off my tiredness. Let’s just say that was a mistake…you know, yellow pine pollen.

By Sunday morning, I was coughing, and my head was stuffy and my ears hurt and my throat hurt. I managed to keep going, drinking a lot of water, orange juice, and ate soup. I did not have elevated temperature (my normal is less than 97) and I have had enough spring allergy attacks here to feel pretty confident it was just the impact of spring, driving home through pine forests with outdoor air exposure, and arriving home to a thick yellow layer on everything in the yard. It seemed to have ups and downs–I would feel better and think I had turned a corner and within an hour, feel certain I had not. Then Tuesday, R started coughing. Granted, his allergies are worse and he had already had a go-round requiring him to visit the doctor and be on the steroid treatment. Once again, this morning, I felt like I might have turned that corner. I have only coughed a few times, and it does not feel like it is coming from the bottoms of my feet–just my throat, which is vastly improved. I made beef vegetable soup last night with the few food items still present since no one has gone to the grocery store in said week. I put turmeric in my foods when possible as its anti-inflammatory properties are helpful, and I credit both my days of “recovery” to eating turmeric-laced soups. Besides that, it tastes good.

Metacognition: Thinking about thinking

R missed work yesterday, and from the sound of him today, he will miss tomorrow also. I am holding out hope that if I am cautious, I can resume the ability to put on some clothes and purchase needed food items and feed us. I have been wearing a mask to take the dog out and to get the mail, and that has at least helped screen out any additional pollen making its way into my breathing apparatus. Having lived here now for 20 years, my mantra is “it will pass.” It always does.

I have managed a few hours of working on some research for someone using the newspaper archives, which is always an interesting exercise due to the things I stumble across accidentally during the process. I remind myself that taking it easy and nurturing one’s body is important. I remind myself that cleaning house means stirring up dust and hair and cobwebs and sometimes, what you can’t see doesn’t hurt you. I will get back to the tasks at hand as soon as my lungs get back to their peak performance.

If I get in the shower now, I can still get to the grocery store before time to start dinner. I hope everyone is having a better week than the one on Taylor hill, and if not, that yours is finally turning around also.