I took this midday yesterday from the 9th floor clinic where I had a mammogram. I feel incredibly lucky that I can walk to all these preventative tests. Anyway, the reason I am sharing this less than stellar shot is that if you look down the street towards the top of the picture that is where the ICE facility is that is causing all the noise and consternation here in our fair city. It is two blocks up that street, maybe three at a stretch. Does this look like mayhem and rebellion to you?
This particular clinic where I was getting my test is a general clinic dedicated to those with cancer. It is a bit heartbreaking to wait amongst folks getting these complicated treatments. One of the patients was a little boy. I did not have to wait long and the technician that called my name was wearing a poodle skirt, sneakers, had her hair in a ponytail with a sparkly floaty scarf tied round it. The guy who was checking folks in was wearing a Winnie the Pooh suit. Halloween.
It was a weird week. No Monday night class. I skipped the state Communications Café presentation on if we were in a Constitutional Crisis or not, (it was recorded so I can watch it later), managed the Wednesday night in-person class with varying views on pushing the start time earlier but at least the room was warm. It was 63˚ in there last week! There was a lively LGBTQ get together across the hall I lost one of my favorite students to for the week…
Thursday, I skipped the Dialogue Group. It has been so intense the last few weeks, and I had what turned out to be almost a three-hour Investment Committee meeting in the afternoon and Weights and Bands to teach after that. And yesterday, the chest squishing exercise after my last morning class.
My big excitement? I got an inexpensive shredder. I have been wanting one for ages. It has been six years, as of yesterday, since I left my job and I am still unearthing papers from there. Because we have an open unsupervised garbage area and people do go through our trash, (ugh, so sad) I tear my name off, anything sensitive off what I recycle, and it feels like basically the only mail I get anymore are solicitations for money. Certainly, that is the bulk of it. And people send me checks. Some of my older students. I scan them. Kes and Most Honorable have a place they go to have their things shredded that supports disabled people, and they used to take my shredding there, but they are over an hour away and they don’t come up here anymore.
There are a couple of businesses in my area that you can go to and pay to shred things. But that never seemed to happen. One is near my grocery, but I am mostly getting my groceries delivered now. I bet in five years when pharmacies stop doing everything by fax and including paper disclaimers in with the drugs and folks stop responding to mailed solicitations for money there will be a graveyard of old shredders with no paper left. I hope they themselves can somehow be recycled.
Speaking of Kes and Most Honorable. Our niece who in the middle of her second round of chemo is coming to visit them for a few days on the train. I am so glad as Kes, my sister, her aunt, hasn’t seen her since before the cancer diagnosis and surgery she had last year this time. They can spoil her and provide respite.
I was out on the track yesterday morning, and at least yesterday the class from Portland State wasn’t doing pushups and sit ups in the lanes like they were on Monday. I have to go slow because I need to condition my back to take the jarring that jogging creates. I don’t want to go slow, my inner pony, even at this late date, still wants to go go go. But other than going to the gym, the track is the only other way for me to get my heartrate up for a sustained period. And I haven’t been in the mood or found the time to go to the gym. I’ll get there.
Just as soon as I finish this project I am woefully behind on for the League. That is what I need to be working on today. And I have a long meeting tomorrow on. I will be ever so glad when this is over.
Carlo is supposed to go to the vet next Friday for his annual exam. Other than being a bit overweight he is extremely healthy. I scheduled this exam before Mr. Sherlock took this health turn and I don’t know if Mrs. Sherlock will be able to take me. The vet is not close. It is not a bus ride opportunity. If she can’t and I reschedule and she still can’t, I will splurge and take a Lyft. But again, something I will be glad to have behind me.
Speaking of Carlo being a bit overweight. He is still waking me up early for food. Maybe they have GLP-inhibitors for cats? I have been adapting but I am concerned about the time change tonight. He won’t adapt to it for at least a few weeks. Yeah, the next splurge may be that automatic feeder on a timer…
I have a lot to look forward to, that’s for sure. Better uninterrupted sleep, more time to go to the gym, less anxiety about procrastination, it’s all out there, ahead. Tantalizing.
And just in case you might think that I have my head buried in the sand about the state of my country and the world I am taking in what I can, and doing what I can, and trying to stay grounded and right now that is all I can do. It is crazy crazy crazy out there.
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