Well … the week started off with a visit to my primary medical care giver who diagnosed my hand as “Herpes Whitlow”.¹
Followed by lunch with the organizer of one of the radio club commitments for the coming summer.²
Followed by the bi-monthly meeting of the Watermaster District Board.³
¹ I am convinced the hand diagnosis is incorrect since Whitlow symptoms include fluid-filled blisters (there are none), spreading from a foci (these pop up randomly and always near a joint), and extreme pain (no pain except if hit directly). I filled the script given me for an anti-viral and that evening I began to have the signs of a facial virus attack. I have had those in the past, but it has been years. I wonder what set this one into action and how the anomaly with my right hand is connected. I have a follow-up appointment the 12th and will ask those questions.
² The route of the trail run next September has been changed which means changes in staffing times and possibly in the frequency used by radio communicators. I have to wait for weather so we have access to the new aid station sites and so have plenty of time to do anything more about this.
³ The Watermaster Board meeting was … for lack of a better word … interesting.
I made a presentation, during the public time, about my concerns focusing on the lack of oversight of employee actions starting with an attempt, possibly on work time, to influence an election to the Board. Conflict of interest? Illegal on company time? The Deputy Watermaster slammed to her feet near the end of the meeting, glaring at me, and shouted that I attend the meeting just to harass her and that I stand there every meeting telling lies. I almost laughed. It was such a clear demonstration of her behavior.
But it raised another concern. One of the Board members said to me that he had to take-the-side-of and/or depend-on-the-Deputy Watermaster’s- word in order to make his decisions/opinions. So who is in charge?
When I spoke with my County Supervisor about the interaction, he said something to the same effect … who reports to whom? … who is in charge? And it would appear our situation with this “lady” is not unique within the county.
At the moment, I am the focus of the Deputy Watermaster’s rage, but that’s good. We also serve who only stand and take abuse.
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Weather is still doing its what-comes-next thing. Saturday night there was a skiff of corn snow, then sunday morning it began to snow as the family left for church, gave us a bit over two inches, and was done by noon. But it stayed cold so there is still snow on the ground this morning. It was below freezing most of yesterday. It is 37degrees this morning.
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This is a stay-at-home week for me and that’s a good thing. Paul has been running a low fever since sunday and me being at home means the others don’t have to take time off from whatever. Flu season dictates being extra careful since four of the five residents of this household have weekly/daily contact with the public. Not like when George and I could avoid most illnesses since we could stay home.
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We had an interesting whatever last week. Friday evening I didn’t close in the chickens in the evening, Kamille did the duty and counted just nineteen hens (there were supposed to be twenty). The next night I was surprised to count only nineteen since I hadn’t heard the count for the previous evening. We were sort of resigned to having nineteen since a white occasionally flies over the six foot fence and gets taken out by some animal … but my count was short a brown.
Then sunday when I closed them in there were twenty!
Had I been the only one to count just nineteen, I’d cop to miscounting. But two of us counted only nineteen. Anyhow, now she (whatever colour) is back with no explanation.
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My next to last opera for this season was “Porgy and Bess” last saturday. I’ve known most of the music for years (that comes from being a profound Gershwinite) and have seen portions of the opera, but never seen the entire thing start to finish. Of course I wallowed in the music in spite of the noir aspect of the storyline. Those of you who have seen it know the spoken parts are mainly the white police. And the arias (songs) we know so well are integrated into the total so easily that you find yourself into them without a clear border.
I hadn’t realized “A Woman Is a Sometime Thing” is actually a lullaby. And I hadn’t heard Selena’s elegy since I’ve been a widow. It nearly did me in.
“Porgy”, sung by a bass baritone, sang with a cold. Wonderous! There are a lot of solos from “chorus” members … maybe only one or two lines each, but it was Catfish Row. And Sportin’ Life was real slime.
Next up will be “Der Fliegende Hollandёr” with Bryn Tercel for Mark’s birthday.
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I’ve been reading a Dan Brown … “Origin”… and it was really thought provoking. But then, what else could you expect from Brown? The tale is based around two questions …
Where did we come from?
Where are we going?
As with so much of what I’m reading lately, I can enjoy the tale and at the same time find myself googling something, someone, someplace, and learning learning, learning. My teacher (Mr. Edgar of whom I speak often) must be smiling and shaking his head.
This book had a bit of all of those learning mind-ticklers.
Something … a Palmarian Pope?
Someone, but also something … a poem by William Blake dealing with a god named Urizen who, in one Blake drawing, is depicted measuring the world.
Someplace … Barcelona and its architecture by Gaudi … La Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, and a lot of others.
Someplace else … Bilbao and its art museum.
In spite of all the googling, it’s a good read … if you like adventures that make you think.
Next up … “Heart Berries” by a Native American author recommended by Sherman Alexie.
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And here’s a thought to remind me that I don’t have to do/know everything immediately.
It’s wise to be a little cautious and wary of things you don’t understand. Take your time.
So … ‘til next week …